Whirlwind season of training draws to a close
A whirlwind season of autumn training in the diocese is coming to a close, with hundreds of people from all over Down and Dromore attending the wide variety of training events on offer.
We began in September with a three-night small group leaders’ course for 25 people before holding four separate nights of child protection training over September and October. More than 200 people from our parishes were trained online and there is a further session on 14 November.
September also saw Andrew Brannigan and the Welcome Training Roadshow visit three venues in the diocese. Attended by around 90 people, these were fun and interactive evenings designed to encourage any church member to make their church a more welcoming place.
In mid-September DDYC held two Resource Evenings for 80 youth and children’s leaders and both the SERVE junior leadership course and Forge Leaders in Training for young adults are now underway. The team also held a new worship event aimed at under 18s in the 10-16 age bracket. The half-day brought together 22 young people in Knocknagoney Parish Church for a mixture of teaching and practical exercises with worship leader Jude Frame.
We were delighted at the start of October to welcome to the diocese, Jubi da Silva, the International Training Director of Christianity Explored Ministries. Jubi spent an afternoon with us training on Christianity Explored and, in the evening, around 40 people were trained in the new Hope Explored resource for churches.
The diocese was also able to offer Prayer Ministry training through New Wine and on three separate dates in October we ran pastoral visiting training for lay people. Our trainers Revd Karen Salmon and Jane Beaney introduced church members to the principles and practice of pastoral visiting as well as basic adult safeguarding. Around 120 people availed of these opportunities.
The popular 2-Year Bible Course resumed in Belfast in October with a new 1-Year course beginning the following evening in Banbridge. In total almost 90 people have registered to learn more about the Bible under the excellent tutelage of Josh Hooker.
October finished with an evangelistic drama about the Titanic and our Encounter event which attracted 200 women from across the diocese and further afield.
In addition to the Diocesan Readers course we will shortly begin a new Bible Teachers and Catechists’ course training around a dozen people to assist with the discipleship and teaching ministry in their churches.
None of the above could have happened without the organisational skills of our Diocesan Development Officer, Andrew Brannigan, and everyone who gave of their time, skills, and buildings to lead the training and host these events. Thank you!
Coming up
On 16 November, we’re holding a Men’s Breakfast open to men in the diocese in Holy Trinity Banbridge. The event is free but please book your place and find out more at Eventbrite HERE. (Numbers are limited).
We will also be running a Diocesan Evangelist Training Course for 2025-26. Applications are open until Monday 16 December 2024. To find out more, please download the course brochure AT THIS LINK.