About us
ABOUT US
About Danny Rankin
I have been part of the Strand family since January 2009, before that I was in Markethill, County Armagh.
I was born and brought up in Glasgow, Scotland. I know, I have very short arms and very long pockets!! I studied at Lebanon Missionary Bible College, where I met my future wife Lorraine, after which, we went to Thailand. We were involved in a church planting ministry for a number of years before returning to Northern Ireland. After a short spell with the Ulster Bank, I have had the privilege to serve the Lord within the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.
I just love being at Strand; we work hard at being a family of God’s people.
About Strand
Strand Church has been serving God since 1903.
For more than 100 years Strand has sought to minister to the Sydenham area; to help those in need and show God's love for those who cannot see it.
In 2008 Strand was designated by PCI as an Urban Mission Congregation. One of only six in Northern Ireland.
The congregation aims to live out its Mission and Vision as a family of god's people in the community, by the community and for the community.
Vision Statement
We have a very simple mission statement:
Loving God, Loving People, Loving Life.
Some might think that a mission statement based on love is rather weak and vague. They would want to see actions of ‘striving’, ‘committing’, ‘dedicating’ and other strong works in a mission statement of a church. Certainly, these are great actions which are full of strength and determination.
However, these great actions should always come out of our love for God, others and life itself. It was because of God’s love for us that He gave His Son. Sacrifice is only fully possible is we have love.
For us, loving God is the priority for us. We love him by:
1. Reading his Word, the Bible.
2. Worshipping Him each day.
3. By becoming like him in our attitudes and actions.
As we love God, we recognise it is our responsibility to love people. We love people by:
1. Telling them about the great news of what God has done for them.
2. Spending time and building relationships with people.
3. Being involved in helping to reach out to everyone throughout this world.
4. Helping people, as best we can, at the point of their need.
It is important for us to not only devote ourselves to loving God and others, but we also need to work at loving life. Jesus said he had come to give us life in all its fullness. For us that means we are to love life. We do this by:
1. Enjoying all that God has given to us.
2. Enjoying the church family that we belong to.
3. Enjoying all that God has for us to do.
