Gift day giving pours into communities
The people of Down and Dromore responded generously to our Advent Sunday Gift Day and the giving is already pouring into communities across the diocese.
We’ve been finding out about some of the projects our parishes have initiated with 80% of the money donated. The remaining 20% will be evenly divided between Maridi Diocese and the Church Planting Fund.
Read on and be encouraged!
Magheralin Parish is funding a Christmas Compassion Project seeking to meet the needs of those in their local community and delivering: 300 packs for seniors with card, calendar, shortbread, puzzle book and pen; 45+ food hampers; 25 x £100 fuel vouchers; other acts of compassion/provision at discretion of clergy.
Moira Parish is revamping a house that they own beside the Parish Centre to create a ‘House of Hope’ for those struggling with depression, financial worries, grief, loss etc. They’re hoping to establish ‘listening ear’ rooms and a prayer room in this house.
At Lurgan St John, they are specifically supporting the work of the local Christians Against Poverty (CAP) Centre to ensure that those struggling financially are not left isolated or out in the cold this winter.
The Parish of Killinchy and Kilmood is partnering with Kilmood Playgroup to buy a new Portable building for children’s work in the parish.
Killyleagh Parish has earmarked their giving to install broadband and cameras in the church to facilitate sharing worship through a live–stream.
Ballyholme Parish has a vision to become ‘The Church at the Heart of the Village’ by purposeful engagement with the residents of Ballyholme. This will include craft classes in the local coffee shop aimed at people who have found this year a lonely one, family fun days, beach cleans and more.
The team at Mount Merrion will be delivering goodies to their local community as well as free copies of John’s Gospel: 200 individual cream teas personally delivered to seniors; 50 family resilience packs; 15 food hampers.
St Saviour’s Craigavon is specifically supporting the Craigavon Foodbank this Christmas and sharing donations totalling £1000 with families in need. This will be in the form of vouchers that they can spend with local small businesses. The church is also partnering with the local school and local ministers to deliver 40 hampers.
Willowfield Parish has set up a new ‘Community Emergency Support Fund,’ to support families in the community who are in great need for a multitude of reasons, many precipitated by the pandemic. Parents are already extremely worried about how to provide for their children over this winter season and particularly over Christmas. This ‘Community Emergency Support Fund’ will be ring–fenced and will only be used for genuine emergencies.
In early 2021, Shankill Parish, Lurgan will launch the ‘Agape Servant Project’. This is a new outreach initiative offering practical support to the vulnerable and needy of the parish and local community. ‘Mind the Gap’ is another community outreach project to be operated in partnership with the Social Work Team at Craigavon Area Hospital. It will provide practical needs–based support to patients on admission to hospital, during a hospital stay, or to assist in hospital discharge.
When the pandemic began, Bangor Parish sensed God calling them out into the community where they prayed over the 150 streets in central Bangor and delivered a letter of hope and support. This highlighted their Compassion Ministry and prayer line to over 4,000 homes in the parish. The Compassion Ministry provides good quality clothing and a six–week food program in conjunction with Storehouse North Down. This Advent season they are returning to those homes to bless them with a gift of hope (a copy of John’s gospel and a Christmas card).
Knockbreda Parish is delivering 375 parcels of shortbread, fudge and a copy of John’s Gospel in the area.