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News
Mini flower festival and open days at Kiltermon Church
Kiltermon Church Fivemiletown.
Kiltermon Church, part of Fivemiletown parish just off the Fivemiletown to Belfast road is celebrating the second phase of refurbishment this weekend with open days and a mini flower festival.
This beautiful stone-built church will be open on Saturday, 26th June from 10am -5pm and on Sunday, 27th June from
3pm -5pm.
Precentor Kyle Hanlon, who is in charge of Kiltermon as well as St. John’s Church in Fivemiletown Parish, said: “The parish’s most senior parishioner has always noticed the peace of Kiltermon Church, and many others enjoy the worshipful atmosphere and the morning light which comes through its five amber, red and blue stained glass panel windows. In this tranquil rural setting in the heart of the Clogher Valley, Kiltermon Church continues to provide for its people and bear witness to the Good News of Jesus Christ.”
In conjunction with the open days which will have restrictions on numbers in the church at any time, the church will also be hosting a “Little Flower Festival” with the theme of “Thankfulness.”
A leaflet about the event states: “Kiltermon Church is sited in the northern side of the townland of Kiltermon (Irish: Cill Tighearnáin) which translated means Church of the Sanctuary.
“That the townland itself takes the name of a church suggests a church connection to this site or townland prior to its naming. The current building was in existence at least from 1840, according to JB Leslie, and its use from 1841 is evidenced by the Holy Communion paten with its name ‘Kiltermon’, dated to that same year.
“The current church was built to accommodate the mostly farming families loyal to the established religion in the western end of the Clogher Valley. Its liturgical life and pastoral care were provided for by Clogher Cathedral until it came under the care and curtilage of the Parish of Fivemiletown, which successfully achieved its own Incumbent in 1870.
“This modestly sized building sits in what was once a quiet corner of the townland; there is a photograph from early in the 20th century of the Clogher Valley Railway stopping outside the church for travellers to debark and embark, before travelling to Fivemiletown and on to Maguiresbridge. Late in the century, a new three-lane road was pushed through farmland adjacent to the church, creating a by-pass.
“However, Kiltermon has maintained itself in quiet dignity, seeing its service move to a Sunday morning in 2006, and securing support to renovate its building in 2008. Subsequently, its attending congregation has multiplied greatly, and members from Fivemiletown customarily worship there alongside new families and those with historic links to Kiltermon. This first renovation allowed the building to be used for marriages and funerals and special events for the parish and diocese.”
The bellcote has a chain pull bell which is rung manually each Sunday from outside the Church.”
The earlier work to improve the interior has included welcoming doors and a tiled baptismal area at the rear of the church matched by a tiled area in the sanctuary. Instead of pews there are individual cushioned mahogany chairs.
Now 13 years later, a second phase has included an extension to include a vestry-kitchen and a disability accessible toilet facility accessed by an additional doorway from the Church.
Street lighting has been installed in a new car park on land kindly granted to the Church of Ireland.
On Sunday, 27th June at 2.40pm, a short service of Thanksgiving and dedication will be led by the Bishop of Clogher, Right Revd Dr. Ian Ellis and among those attending will be members of the Select Vestry and representatives of the National Churches Trust and Priorities Fund, who provided grants.
The interior of Kiltermon Church with its stained glass window.