‘A real privilege and a blessing’ to preach at St Apollo Church

Monday February 20th 2017

Rector of Christ Church, Lisburn, the Rev Paul Dundas (second from left at front) and members of the parish team with clergy at St Apollo Church where Paul preached on Sunday morning.

The rector of Christ Church Parish, Lisburn, described the experience of preaching in St Apollo Church on Sunday as ‘a real privilege and a blessing.’

The Rev Paul Dundas and fellow team members Audrey Knowles, Jane Marks, Beth Harris, Beverley Ringland, Roberta Thompson, Janice Thompson, Richard Thompson, Raymond Geddis, Gary Knowles and Johnston Boyle are mid-way through a two week visit to the school in Kasizi, in the Diocese of Luwero, Uganda.

This will be the third time a team from the parish has been out to the school with the charity Fields of Life.

St Apollo School was established in 2007, but had only one small building and held many classes under trees. Christ Church Parish raised £75,000 and in partnership with Fields of Life two new blocks of classrooms were built. A team visited in 2012 to work on the classrooms. The parish continued to support the school and raised more than £24,000 for a staff residence which they helped complete on their last trip in 2015.

The team members are welcomed at the home of the Bishop of Luwero, the Rt Rev Eridard Kironde Nsubuga and Madame Jane.

During this visit the team is doing practical work such as building tables and benches, as well as leading RE lessons on the life of Jesus, sport’s days and doing women’s work.

In an email from Uganda on Monday, Paul wrote: “We have been truly blessed in our first week at the school and started our second today. The practical work of making benches and desks is almost completed by the guys for the nursery. The classrooms have been repainted and floors replaced. A new latrine will be completed before we leave.”

Paul described the community of St Apollo as ‘a community of hope.’

He wrote: “We are now on our third lesson series on the life of Jesus and the kids have enjoyed the new songs.

“The ladies’ afternoon at the school was really appreciated and there will be a second one this Wednesday.

“We joined with the Esther prayer group on Wednesday morning at 7am! We shared in prayer, testimony and breakfast.”

The team also enjoyed wonderful food and cakes at the home of Bishop of Luwero, the Rt Rev Eridard Kironde Nsubuga and Madame Jane over the weekend.

Sunday worship on February 19 was with the Church Community at St Apollo where Paul preached. The service lasted two hours!

The team returns home, travelling via Ethiopia, on February 24.