After the great success of our kids club during our “Connect” mission, the team are working at the programme based around the theme of the Olympics which is appropriate for the month of August. The kids club will run for 4 evenings from Tuesday 26th August and will start at 7.00 pm until 8.30 pm and is geared at all kids who will be at primary school. We look forward to the support of kids for these 4 nights.

The Parish had a great Children’s Day service and picnic with wonderful weather and a great number staying for the food as the kids played and enjoyed being together. People of all ages worshipped and shared fellowship together. Thanks to the Sunday School teachers for organizing the service and picnic and to all the kids who took part in the service.

Many of our teenagers will also use the summer to be involved in Christian outreach camps particularly with Alliance Youth Works. Please encourage them as well as praying for them as they go in our name to tell others about Jesus. It is a real encouragement to the Parish to see these young people growing in their faith and being willing to go to other towns and be part of a team of young Christians.
In particular, please remember Ian McCaugherty as he takes a year with Alliance Youth Works and works with them in various Church situations. Ian will be based in Coleraine but we hope to have him in Christ Church over the next year. Ian has a vibrant faith and a willingness to take the next year working in the Church. Pray for his witness and as he encourages Church’s in their work with young people.

Blessings for the summer and all who will get time off to relax and recharge the batteries. If on holiday, check out the local church and support it. There is also the second film in the The Chronicles of Narnia, called “Prince Caspian” released this summer, so check it out. For families, remember we still have Junior Church for all primary aged children during morning worship at 10.30 am.

I recently visited the hostel at Flush Park and it was again a busy place with most rooms occupied by residents. One aspect that came to the fore in discussions was the need for people to be volunteers especially if someone could help out in the office answering the phone or to do some administration work. If anyone is interested, please contact me.
We will again support the Simon Community at the Youth Harvest service on the first Friday in October with tins of food.

On Sunday 25th May, Jeremy Bowden spoke of the witness of the Nightreach project at The Point in Lisburn on a Saturday  night.    Almost   60  people volunteer to work in 5 teams to give tea, coffee, soup, biscuits and a friendly face to those who leave The Point at around 1.00 am. Many Churches are involved in this project and I know that a number of people from our Church expressed interest in becoming a volunteer and going out with a team every 5 weeks. Anyone else interested should speak to me. Nightreach would also value people to commit to pray for the team as they go out each Saturday night.

As I begin these notes for the summer I want to mention a number of situations in which it is right to express congratulations:

Firstly to three girls from our GFS Branch for coming 1st in the All Ireland Scripture Exam in each of their age category. What an achievement for Emily Thompson, Vicky Thompson and Ashleigh Long. Each girl received a magnificent trophy from our Diocesan President, Mrs Margaret Curran at the GFS Display in May.

Secondly, to our Parish for winning the Best Website Competition. This competition is organized by the Press Office and the result was announced at General Synod in Galway. The Parish is indebted to Stirling McCoy for all his gifted work in creating the site and updating it.
Thirdly, to congratulate our Curate, Diane Matchett on her appointment as the new Rector of the Parish of Castlerock in the Diocese of Derry and Raphoe. Diane has been with us for 3 years and has been an integral part in our witness as a Parish and has brought her own gifts & bubbly personality to her position as Curate. We wish Diane and Mark God’s blessing as they move to Castlerock and begin a new ministry there. The date of Diane’s institution will be Friday 26th September.

The bishops of the Anglican Communion will be gathering at Lambeth in England from the 14th July to the 4th August. Much has been written about who will be coming or not coming as Churches like that in Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Sydney Diocese and from the Southern Cone have decided not to attend Lambeth. An alternative meeting is been organized from the 22nd June in Jerusalem with a round 1000 people attending, including 280 Bishops. That conference is called the Global Anglican Future Conference and those attending would represent around 35 millions Anglicans. Some Bishops will attend both conferences.

Anglicanism is at a crossroads with these 2 conferences meeting this summer. The battle is on for the heart of Anglicanism but especially if they want to proclaim the uniqueness of Jesus Christ and the authority of God’s Word in these changing times. Pray for the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams and his leadership, for the Bishops of the Church of Ireland and especially for our own Bishop Alan Abernethy, as they meet with other Bishops that they would be a focus of unity and lead the Church in its proclamation of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Anything less and divisions will continue as the Gospel is watered down.

This takes place in the Odyssey in Belfast from the 4th -6th April with Franklin Graham the son of Billy Graham. Many churches have been involved in preparing for these 3 evangelistic nights. We are going down as a Parish on Sunday 6^th April to the evening celebration and we hope that parishioners will bring their friends to this evangelistic event. It is an opportunity to continue with our emphasis on evangelism and sharing in fellowship but also seeing what the Lord is doing in our province. Please pray for these 3 days at the Odyssey.

We are booking a bus and we need to have names by Sunday 30^th March.

Please book your place on the bus and we hope to leave sharp at 5.00 pm as the event starts at 7.00 pm. We will probably get away around 9.30 pm and be back around 10.00 pm.

There will be no evening worship in our Church on Sunday 6^th April.

We hope that the work to re-slate the roof will be done after Easter 2009 and we look forward to your support of this vital project for our Church building. The Project will be launched at our Easter General Vestry and there is a Gift Day on Sunday 27^th April to start the appeal. Please spread the news amongst family and former parishioners. Pass on one of the flyers to enable people to be generous in seeking to keep our Church building a place for Christian worship for the generations to come.

Our mission “Connect” has come and gone and what an intense but rewarding 9 days in the life of our Parish. Two thoughts dominate my thinking at present:

(1) “…I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel…” [Philippians 1: 4, 5]

I am thankful to the Lord for those who have partnered us in the Gospel in Christ Church before and during “Connect” and who will do so for the future:

· Roger Murphy our evangelist who spoke with clarity and passion and who got alongside us.

· Paul Hoey who urged us to consider the outreach and whose gifts in music and vision shone through.

· John O’Neill and Karen Webb whose work with the kids and leaders created a “buzz” around the hall each afternoon and brought great joy to the kids.

· Focus Group who planned the 9 days and I rejoice that all went smoothly!

· A big thank you to those who provided hospitality for Roger, Johnston and Yvonne Boyle and Paul, Ivan and Oonagh Soden as well as the people who welcomed Roger and Paul for meals or a home meeting.

· The many parishioners who provided the “tray bakes”. What generosity!

· All who helped as volunteers but as ambassadors for the Lord and Parish at the events.

· The people who prayed and invited family and friends to the events.

· The support from parishioners to the 40 events and services.

(2) “Taste and see that the LORD is good.” [Psalm 34:8]

I am eternally thankful that the Lord continues to touch lives, bringing change, transformation and hope. We saw evidence of this in Connect amongst children, teenagers and adults as they responded to the Gospel message whilst others were renewed in their faith. That vibrancy is seen in the numbers attending Christianity Explored and we trust will be reflected in our worship, leadership and support for the work of the kingdom.

At the Christianity Explored course the openness of our people to discuss, question and share is at a new level. People’s faith has been deepened and there is a greater freedom in people expressing their faith.

The Course continues throughout April on a Tuesday night and there is a possibility that we may have a further 3 or 4 sessions taking us into May.

The Parish staff team and the planning group have sat down to review our mission and allow us to listen to the Lord and rejoice in what the Lord did but also to shape ministry that will enable more of God’s people in Christ Church to exercise their gifts in the Church and Community. This is an ongoing process and hopefully more thoughts and direction will be presented at our Easter General Vestry on the 7^th April. The prayers and support of parishioners is vital in creating a Parish where the Lord is honoured and where our love for one another is evident.

“Connect” sought to connect people with the good news of Jesus Christ and one another in fellowship. I think we achieved those aims at so many different levels. The Gospel was presented and people responded. There was a sense of “being one together”. It was so evident especially when people worked together as well as the opportunities to have fun.

It was good to see that amidst the importance of presenting the truth of Jesus Christ that many enjoyed the new way of doing “mission” as groups of people were targeted i.e. children, ladies, men, teenagers as well as those events where all the family could join in. Fun was had by many and those memories are precious. Some photographs of the events do not lie and you can view them on our website.

Hi

We are visiting Seymour Street Methodist Church Hall for the match between Chelsea & Man Utd-be there for 7.30 pm. All are welocme but please let me know if you are coming. You can bring family & friends.

Paul