A Leap of Faith

by David Latimer

Overview

In spring 2006 David Latimer’s church, First Derry Presbyterian, was paint bombed yet again. David’s usual reaction was to keep his head down and say nothing, but this time he decided to go public. Live on BBC Radio Foyle he appealed to Martin McGuinness for help, believing that he was the only man in the city who could stop the attacks.

Little did David realise that within a few hours of the broadcast Martin McGuinness would be at the church, and that this first meeting would mark the beginning of a remarkable friendship, one cemented by a shared Christian faith and a joint commitment to peace building and improving the lives of young people.

In this powerful memoir, David talks frankly about his close friendship with Martin – the criticism and opposition it provoked as well as the great comfort and encouragement it brought them. Most of all, this extraordinary book is testament to the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone, and proof that real change and reconciliation are possible when you take a leap of faith.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781780731803
Publisher:	Colourpoint
Publication date:	11/21/2018
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.70(d)

Table of Contents

Foreword Bernie McGuinness ix

1 Early Impressions 1

2 Life in Derry 7

3 Army Chaplaincy in Afghanistan 21

4 The Presbyterian Church in the Bogside 33

5 Carols on the Walls 41

6 First Derry Reopens 47

7 Ard Fheis 55

8 Onwards and Upwards 73

9 Marking Twenty-five Years of Ministry 81

10 Son of the Dreamer 87

11 'He has a good heart; he's a good nun' 93

12 Inspiration in a South Derry Coffee Shop 99

13 Amazing the Space 107

14 A Man at Peace 113

15 Heaven Touches Earth 123

16 Sorely Missed, Fondly Remembered 129

Appendix 1 The Homecoming Thanksgiving Sermon 136

Appendix 2 Address for the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis, 2011 139

Appendix 3 Funeral Eulogy 145

Acknowledgements 147