The Church of Ireland Diocese of Connor

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Church of the Good Shepherd hosts youth team from Boston

Wednesday June 6th 2012

The Church of the Good Shepherd, Monkstown hosted a team of 23 young adults and leaders from Youth With a Mission (YWAM), Boston, USA from May 17–24.

The trip was largely organised by Paula Lough, a young adult member of the Church of the Good Shepherd who recently spent four months at the Boston YWAM base as a student in the Creative Arts Discipleship Training School. Paula is currently on tour with the YWAM team throughout the States of East Coast USA.

While working primarily with the Church of the Good Shepherd and its Sunday School, Bible Class, Kidz and its youth clubs, the YWAM team also made connections with Fringe Youthworks and Drop In at Monkstown Village Initiatives. They lead assemblies in local schools and spoke to classes in Hollybank Primary.

The Priest in Charge of the Church of the Good Shepherd, the Rev Arlene Moore, said: “As a united church, we always seek to work in partnership with other churches where possible, and this outreach week is no exception.

“The YWAM team joined forces with the Children’s Team and Youth Ministries at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Whitewell; participated in street outreach in Glengormley with members from the People’s Church; helped teams from the Dream Centre/Jordan Christian Centre in their community work in Glenville estate; did hot chocolate giveaways at the City Hall in Belfast and litter picking along the Shore Road.”

One of the highlights of the week’s outreach in Monkstown was the performance of ‘Encounter,’ a multimedia presentation of the Gospel through dance, mime, music, drama, creative arts and testimony.

Arlene said: “Paula wanted to enable the people of her own community to experience something of this team’s creative gifts and talents.”

The Church of the Good Shepherd is unique in Ireland as it is fully united Church of Ireland AND Methodist. This particular weekend was chosen for the visit as Paula was one of the leaders of the Bible Class at the Church of the Good Shepherd and on Sunday May 20 eight of the young people from the Bible Class were confirmed by the Bishop of Connor, Rt Rev Alan Abernethy AND simultaneously received into full membership of the Methodist Church by the District Superintendent, the Rev Bryan Fletcher.

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