Canon Bill McNee, rector of Christ Church parish, says congregations attending cityside worship have grown in recent years.

He believes this is a “very positive” development, particularly as efforts continue to convince more Protestants to return to live on the city’s west bank.

Last week, Church of Ireland Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, Rt. Rev. Ken Good, revealed details of a major shake-up that will see four parishes amalgamating in the city. The affected parishes are St. Peter’s, Culmore and Muff which will merge with the parish of Christ Church.

Canon McNee - who is assuming pastoral responsibility for the new parish group - says the Church of Ireland, as a body, is “very active” on the west bank.

“We are showing all the signs of a mini renaissance on the cityside,” he told the ‘Journal’ this week. “This, in my opinion, is largely due to the leadership shown by Dr. James Mehaffey during his years as Bishop. Let’s not forget that, when other denominations were closing churches and relocating, the Church of Ireland held firm, kept its churches open and continued to offer worship.

“We are, I believe, now reaping the benefits of this with a growing congregation on the cityside. I think it is important to stress that there will be no closure of churches because of the amalgamation. No churches are closing in the city - worship will continue in all of them.”

Canon McNee acknowledged that, during the ‘Troubles’, Protestants - including many Church of Ireland members - relocated from the cityside to the Waterside.

“However, the whole atmosphere has now changed,” he said. “The fear factor is gone. People who were once frightened to come to the cityside to worship are now returning. It is my hope that this represents the first steps in the re-emergence of a vibrant Protestant community on the west bank. Because, in all truth, until this happens, the city remains incomplete.

“Granted, it may take some time - many years, perhaps - to return to what existed in the city pre-1969, but it is my firm belief that Church of Ireland people have a key role to play in debating the shape and content of this shared future.”