Can anyone tell me how to access information about the history and registers of the Moravian Church, Kilwarlin, Co. Down, Northern Ireland?

Most of the Moravian Churches in Ireland have Baptism, Marriage and Burial records. I live in Northern Ireland and my family have been connected with the Moravian Church for nearly 250 years. I have close connections with Gracehill and University Road. My G-Grandfather was Minister at Kilwarlin from 1885 - 1892. If you would mail me directly, I will enquire who currently holds the relevant Kilwarlin information. I would also be keen to hear from anyone connected with the Church in Yorkshire or Derbyshire, which is where my family originated.
Terry Shawe

Hi Helen ,
Long time no speak , as it were .
I have someone looking for info on McCorristons in Co Down and remembered (rightly I hope) that it was your area of interest .
Can you email me directly at therese.siree@blueyonder.co.uk
I would like to pass on your email address to this lady , but I'm not sure what your current one is .

Thanks muchly
Therese

I have just returned from a week at PRONI researching my ancestors from Gracehill and Ballinderry Congregations. Does anyone know if there was regular contact with congregations in England during the late 18th and early 19th century? Did young members visit other communitys searching for a spouse of the same faith?

My g grandfather, JOSEPH WILKINSON and his family were members of the Moravian Church in Ballinderry at the time when he moved to Australia (1911). He was married, (to Agnes Beattie McCAULEY), his children were christened - and one was buried at the church. I can find little other information on the family. Does anyone have any church or other information which may help?
Thank you

One of my ancestors lived at Gracehill for some time before leaving the church, surname Jackson. I am interested to find out about other Jacksons who resided there and would be grateful for any information.

I spent some time in Ireland last January researching the Jacksons at Gracehill.
I will be glad to share that information with you. Please contact me at my e mail address of kuitems@frontiernet.net. Most of the Jackson males in my family emigrated to Canada or the USA. One stayed at Gracehill and died there in the 1860's. Which Jacksons are you working with? I have photos of Gracehill in 1907 and this year. Much is still the same. Jane K.

I visited the Ballinderry Church in January when I visited Gracehill. Some of my ancestors were first members of Ballinderry (which is older) then moved to the planned community of Gracehill when it was established. I do have some printed information on the history of the church founding I may be able to scan and forward to you. Contact me at kuitems@frontiernet.net.
Jane

Hi kuitems1,

Yes contact between the Ireland churches was constant with the congregations in England, Germany, and the rest of the world. The children used to be send to the boarding school in Fulneck, England;
here are some examples of the mobility between congregations;
Rev. Johann Steinhauer III, born in Riga in 1732, was principal of Fulneck from 1792-97, and became superintendent of the Ireland congregations from 1797.
John Mongomery, born in Ballykennedy, near Gracehill in Ireland, converted in 1758, became a preacher at Ahoghill that same year; He was the father of the Moravian Poet James M., served in Irvine in Scotland and became missionary in the west Indies, founding the Tobago Mission, later named after him, and died in Barbados.
The Moravian Church was the First really International Church, dedicating and enormous amount of resources, and people to this endeavor. At one point the was 1 missionary for every 80 members. People of all professions and walks of life would end up being missionaries at the most remote places in the world.

Thank you for the information Joachim! Can anyone enlighten me as to practices regarding marriage outside the Moravian Church. My ancestor is listed as being dismissed or leaving in 1805. Yet he brought all of his children to be baptized at Gracehill and in 1819 his wife was accepted into the communion. I'm guessing he was married outside of the Moravian Church but have yet to find the evidence.