The Church of Ireland Diocese of Connor

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• Overview
• Youth
  • What’s been happening
  • What’s coming up
  • Resources
    • Session plans
    • Seasonal
• Children
  • All Aboard Year 3
  • Resources for Advent and Christmas
  • Graphics for events and activities
  • Creative Prayer & Memory Verses
  • Resources for Easter
  • Other Seasonal resources

What’s been happening

There is always plenty going on for young people across the Diocese of Connor, both at parish and diocesan level. This is a snapshot of what at young people have been up to! For information on activities involving our young people, please contact Diocesan Youth Officer Christina Baillie at Christinabaillie@connordiocese.org.

Streetreach 2024

Streetreach 2024 took the north coast by storm, with the young Connor team stepping out in mission in the local area. For a second consecutive year, Streetreach partnered with the Grouped Parishes of Ballyrashane & Killdollagh, the Grouped Parishes of Ballintoy & Dunseverick with Rathlin Island and St Patrick’s, Coleraine, & St Andrew’s, Ballysally, for the four-day programme which got underway on Tuesday July 3.

The team was based at the White Park Bay Youth Hostel, arriving on Tuesday afternoon, with dinner, devotions and some down time that evening.

Over the next three days the young people from parishes across Connor Diocese took part in morning devotions, worship, team discussion, and practical activities including running a kid’s club and outreach work in the area.

Evening activities include outreach in Ballybogey and Ballysally, and each day finished with a debrief held in a different participating church. The young people will headed home last Friday night after a very busy two weeks – some came to Streetreach after participating in the four-day Summer Madness festival in Portglenone.

We caught up with the Streetreach team on Wednesday afternoon, July 4. The outreach team was busy preparing flyers and chocolate to give out to people they met. They were visiting homes of families connected to the parishes through baptism or marriage, and also sharing prayers on the streets of Ballysally.

The Wednesday afternoon practical team was in Ballyrashane Glebe Hall, cleaning and setting up for an afternoon tea for elderly folk in the area. Team members were also helping the Rev Amanda Adams get stuck into clearing overgrown vegetation in the graveyard at the lovely Church of St John the Baptist, Ballyrashane.

And in Kilmoyle Primary School, the members of the Kid’s Club were running an afternoon of energetic activities for younger members of the churches hosting Streetreach, with games in the gym, arts and crafts in a classroom, and storytime led by Connor Children’s Ministry Development Officer Victoria Jackson in another classroom.

Although the weather proved mixed, there was lots of sunshine on the north coast for this year’s Streetreach. Well done to all the young people and their leaders for a fantastic few days.

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Summer Madness – Bishop’s BBQ

The Connor Summer Madness Bishop’s Barbecue took place on Sunday June 30, with the sun putting in a welcome appearance for the evening.

The Bishop of Connor, the Rt Rev George Davison, proved a dab hand at the task of sausage sizzling, assisted by sou chefs Archdeacon Paul Dundas, the Rt Rev Darren McCartney, the Rev Brian Harper, the Rev Derek Harrington and the Rev Dr Andrew Campbell.

An army of volunteers was inside the Connor Youth marquee, serving salads and drinks, and the smells wafting from the barbecue were mouth-watering.

Around 120 young campers and guests were served at the barbecue, which has become a popular fixture in the Connor Summer Madness Sub-Camp programme.

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Streetreach team commissioned in Ballysally

Diocesan Youth Officer Christina Baillie, left, with young people commissioned for the Streetreach 2024 team.

A Commissioning Service for the young people taking part in Connor Streetreach 2024 was held in St Andrew’s, Ballysally, on Sunday June 23.

Streetreach, which for a second consecutive year is partnering with the Grouped Parishes of Ballyrashane & Killdollagh, the Grouped Parishes of Ballintoy & Dunseverick with Rathlin Island and St Patrick’s, Coleraine, & St Andrew’s, Ballysally, gets underway on Tuesday July 3.

Those who are taking part in the full programme will be staying in the White Park Bay Youth Hostel, arriving on Tuesday afternoon, with dinner, devotions and some down time that evening.

Over the next three days they will take part in morning devotions, worship, team discussion, and practical activities including running a kid’s club and outreach work in the area.

Evening activities include outreach in Ballybogey and Ballysally, and each day finishes with a debrief held in a different participating church. The young people will head home around 9pm on Friday July 5.

The Streetreach team was commissioned by the Bishop of Connor, the Rt Rev George Davison, who also prayed over the opening of the outdoor space at the back of St Andrew’s Church.

Young leaders complete SERVE course

Celebrating completing the SERVE course.

Another four young leaders in Connor have completed the SERVE course in preparation for continuing to lead in their local parishes!

SERVE is our Diocesan young leaders’ course for young people aged 15 and up. Through the autumn term, the group met over eight sessions to discuss different aspects of Christian leadership and get involved in tasks to develop their leadership abilities.

There was an opportunity to do different spiritual disciplines, lead a book review, learn more about how Jesus led and deliver a short talk!

This year, young people from All Saints’, Antrim, Lisburn Cathedral, Church of the Holy Spirit Mossley and St Brigid’s, Glengormley, took part in SERVE.

The SERVE course is delivered in partnership with the Hub, the Church of Ireland and Methodist residency at Queen’s University Belfast. Oliver Baird, Community Team Lead at the Hub, co-led the course with Christina Baillie, Connor Diocesan Youth Officer.

Christina said: “We were delighted with the four young leaders’ participation in the course over the past few months. They have stepped out of their comfort zone and grown as leaders. We can’t wait to see how they continue to serve in their local parishes and in other ways in the coming years!

“We’re grateful for the partnership with the Hub and it’s been great to have Oliver leading along with me week by week as well as different students from Connor Diocese and beyond involved at different parts of the SERVE course.”

Another SERVE course will be run in 2024 so if you are interested or know of any young people who would benefit from the course, please get in touch with Christina on christinabaillie@connordiocese.org for more information.

Young people celebrate ‘A Very Connor Christmas’

All smiles at ‘A Very Connor Christmas’ held in Portglenone Parish Centre.

Young people and their leaders from across the diocese came together in Portglenone Parish Centre on the evening of Saturday 2 December 2, for a Very Connor Christmas.

There was Christmas food home cooked by members of Ahoghill and Portglenone Parish, games, a quiz with seasonal questions posed by the Rev Jacob Mercer, worship and a talk by Jonny Diamond.

The cold and fog did not deter the young people, with groups present from Ahoghill & Portglenone; the Church of the Good Shepherd, Monkstown; All Saints’, Antrim; Dunluce; St Patrick’s, Broughshane; St Nicholas’, Carrickfergus; the Church of the Holy Spirit, Mossley; Christ Church Lisburn; and St Brigid’s, Mallusk.

Connor Diocesan Youth Officer Christina Baillie said: “Thanks to the hospitality team in St Colmanell’s and Portglenone Parish for providing a great feed of sausage and bacon baps for all of us, and to the Youth Council for putting together a fantastic night.

“We’re so grateful to all the leaders and young people who came along for a special evening together!”

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Connor Takes the Castle 2023

Smiles at Connor Takes The Castle 2023.

What a weekend it was for our young people, with around 120 enthusiastically joining in the fun at the annual Connor Takes the Castle youth residential in Castlewellan from October 6-8. Check out our Gallery below.

They came from parishes right across the diocese, with some young people attending from Friday to Sunday, and other groups joining for a full, action-packed day on Saturday.

And during the afternoon, it was all about action with a laser tag arena from The Fun House, and volleyball, tug-of-war and lots more energetic games organised by Salf Factory Sports in the wide-open space beside Castlewellan Lake.

The impressive Castlewellan Castle was the venue for the weekend’s indoor events, which included games, challenges, and inspirational words from guest speakers Millie and Lawrence Bellew. Lawrence is young people and community pastor at Hope Church, Craigavon and Millie is Down and Dromore Diocesan Children’s Development Officer.

Well done to Connor Youth Officer Christina Baillie, the Rev Danielle McCullough, Chair of Connor Youth Council, all the dedicated leaders and, of course, the young people, for making it a fantastic weekend!

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Launch

Games are not just for children – a point illustrated amid much laughter at Connor’s 2023 Launch event on September 2! See our Gallery below.

At this now annual event, youth and children’s ministry leaders from across the diocese came together to be encouraged and resourced for the year ahead.

The event, held at St Patrick’s, Broughshane, was organised by Diocesan Youth Officer Christina Baillie and Children’s Ministry Development Officer Victoria Jackson. Fifty-one leaders from 17 different parishes and parish groups came along be resourced – and have some fun at the same time!

After refreshments and a welcome from Christina and Victoria, Bishop George Davison shared a biblical reflection and led prayers.

Christina invited Beverley Ringland, Christ Church, Lisburn, who spoke about the growing success of JAM youth ministry within her parish.

Key to growth was the linking into diocesan activities, Beverley said, with young people attending the Connor Takes the Castle youth weekend – last year there were five attended from Christ Church and this year the parish will be sending 11 young people – the diocesan Christmas event last December and Summer Madness.

Beverley said that Messy Church have been revived, with, a leaflet sent to schools. A Messy Church date turned into a family fun night, which attracted 90 families, including many who were not members of Christ Church. A video of the event showed just how successful it had been – and how much fun everyone had had on the night!

“Everything is coming together. At Synod, Bishop George talked about growing healthy churches,” Beverley said. “That challenged me to think about how we would do it and I asked our prayer group to pray for our young people. On my own, I can do nothing, but when we are together, we can do so much.”

Following Beverly’s inspiring talk, leaders involved in youth ministry left for a workshop led by Christina, while Victoria introduced Chris and Ross from Play it By Ear Christian drama group. Chris and Ross introduced a variety of games for children – by encouraging all the leaders to try them out. A challenge accepted by all which, as our photographs show, prompted much fun and laughter!

At lunch, the two groups came back together for questions and discussions, before the event drew to a close.

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