Faith of our fathers, living still in spite of dungeon, fire and sword. (Lutheran Book of  Worship, page813)

This summer, my husband and I visited the country of Northern Ireland. I have wanted to visit there for many years to walk the land where relatives from two of my genealogical linage lived. Both my mother’s fraternal side and my father’s maternal side had family members who were part of the Scotch-Irish plantation experience (1613) in the Ulster (Northern, Ireland) area. The religious “Troubles” most familiar to our generation erupted there and were ongoing from the time the English began to establish the plantations until recent times. It has only been safe to travel to most of Northern Ireland since the 2004 peace treaty was signed. A certain amount of unrest still exists but most people in Northern Ireland earnestly want peace. Both protestant and catholic churches are working hard to maintain the fragile peace. We experienced only ultra-friendly people during our 12 days traveling around many locations.

My Starrett relatives can be traced back to Belfast. My Blair relatives back to Derry (Londonderry) and Armagh. These, cities in Northern Ireland were high on my places to visit. For both family lines, I do not know much about my relatives except the places from which they resided in Ulster (Northern Ireland) and from where they immigrated to in the United States.

For the Blair side of my family, I know that George Blair — my great-great-great-great grandfather, and his brother, William, sailed from Belfast in March 1766 and landed in Charleston, South Carolina. George claimed land under the Poor Protestant Land Bounty Act. He then purchased 100 acres in Belfast Township, Grandville County, South Carolina.

My Starrett relatives were Presbyterians, who emigrated around 1840 and probably landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They settled around Donegal, Pennsylvania from which my great-great grandfather migrated to Virginia and my great grandfather, John L. Starrett, then migrated to Brown Township, Vinton County, Ohio.

Knowing the religious affiliations of these relatives, visiting churches with which they were associated in the towns where they resided was one way to connect with them. In doing so, I felt the connection to my relatives as well as the knowledge that further exploration of genealogical lines quite likely connect with the church associations of relatives from earlier generations. Thus, even visiting churches such as St. Patrick’s Cathedral (COI) and St. Patrick’s Cathedral (RC) — both in in Armagh — became possible “family” houses of worship. Visiting multiple churches throughout the country, meant most were now churches built on original sites rather than the actual buildings where my ancestors worshiped. However, each church contained items from earlier times — including things from BC 444 when St. Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland in Armagh.

Northern Ireland has experienced many problems since the 400s. To name a few, the Anglo-Norman invasion in 1180, the 105 day siege of Derry in 1688, the British-Irish rising in 1798, the 1845-1852 potato famine, and, of course, the 1969-2004 “Troubles” with horrendous bombings such as the one in Armagh that killed 31 people and another in Belfast that killed 61. Throughout the years and during good times and bad, many people — not just my relatives — maintained their faith. God was a viable presence for them throughout the centuries. And, God continues to be with us today as we experience our own problems such as ISIS, Ebola, and EV-D68.

Faith of our fathers, holy faith, we will be true to you till death.
Frederick W. Faber (text)

Lord, thank you for reminding me that faith in you has personal family connections beyond the current men, women, and children whom I have known during my earthly days. Help me continue to remember my relatives, known and unknown, who kept the faith. Guide me in keeping the faith of my fathers and mothers so that I can pass record of my religious legacy to future generations of my family. Amen

Contributed by Nancy
Monday November 10, 2014
Liturgical Year A: Week 50
Liturgical Color: Green
Sunday Gospel reading: Proper 27
Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost