Tearfund Partner Church is a Good Neighbour in Knocknagoney
Last week, local MLA Chris Lyttle helped to launch a new DVD telling the story of Knocknagoney Parish’s journey alongside the community as they seek to live out their mission with their neighbours.
In the film, members of the church, local residents, the head teacher of the local primary school and local MLA Chris Lyttle talk about the needs of the community and the transformation which has taken place there over the last few years as people have drawn together to work alongside each other.
John Beattie, the Development worker at Knocknagoney Parish in the Diocese of Down, is being supported by the charity Tearfund over a three–year period. He has built excellent relationships within the community and worked hard on the ground to support the residents. John feels that, “The key to good community development is putting others before self.”
MLA Chris Lyttle has been a part of the process of supporting the transformation and development and will be speaking at the launch. Chris says, “Working together the forum has not only helped to improve community facilities and support older and vulnerable people but has also built a real community spirit in the area”.
Serving the community of Knocknagoney for over 20 years, Canon David Brown can see how powerful, prayer and practical support can be when they go hand in hand. He explains, “Scripture is filled with God’s call to his disciples to come alongside people, to help them and bless them as Jesus would. Prayer and loving care for others cannot be separated the lack of one diminishes the other. Practically we join with our friends from Garnerville Presbyterian church each Friday morning, to support the community through prayer and bless them.”
The Knocknagoney Community Forum is the mechanism through which the community groups, the school, the churches and the local businesses work alongside the statutory agencies. The tangible results of this for the local community have been:
An improved community spirit
A winter emergency plan for older people
New youth organisations
Reductions in anti social behaviour
Improvements in education
Grit boxes
New community artwork
Improved lighting
A Community garden
Improvements to the play park
Plans for a new football pitch
A flood emergency plan
John Beattie urged churches who wanted to get alongside their communities to, “Start with something small.” adding, ”Don’t do it on behalf of the community, because it won’t work and the community won’t want it. Do it with the community.”
Bishop Harold, a Tearfund Vice–President, attended the launch and spoke of his excitement at seeing the project ‘coming from the grass roots up’. “What’s happening here is a model for other places,” he said, “and I hope that people viewing the video will be inspired to collaborate with their own community to see it transformed.”
You can view the video via the drop–down link on our homepage or click here.
Pictured below: Very back: Jonny Currie (EBCDA)
Back row L–R: Revd Joan Scott (formerly Garnerville Presbyterian) Leonora Wasson (Glenluce Quality Caring Centre) Diane Holt (Tearfund) Bishop Harold Miller (Tearfund Vice–President) Constable Kieran Curran, Constable Michael Boyd and Chris Lyttle MLA
Front row: Jackie Laverty (Glenluce Quality Caring Centre), Vickie Bolton (Treasurer KOG Community Action Group), Revd Canon David Brown (Rector K’goney Parish), Jean Cardy (Community Champion Tesco K’goney) Ann Burton (Principal K’goney Primary), John Beattie (K’goney Parish)