The Church of Ireland Diocese of Connor

• More in this Section:
• 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 coming up

For further information on upcoming youth activities, contact Diocesan Youth Officer Christina Baillie at christinabaillie@connordiocese.org.

Special Education Needs Training

There are two evenings (June 10 & June 11) of training planned to support clergy, children’s and youth leaders to engage children and young people with additional needs in their programmes and activities. For more information and to book your place, please contact Victoria Jackson (victoriajackson@connordiocese.org) or Christina Baillie.

Summer Madness

Summer Madness is a Christian festival for young people from across Ireland to come together for worship and teaching. You can find out more about this year’s festival HERE.

Many parish groups from Connor attend the festival and you would be more than welcome to come and bring a group. If you haven’t attended before then get in touch with Christina Baillie to find out more about how you could bring a group and the support available through the diocese. In particular, the diocese provides a space in Sub Camp with hospitality and a space to connect. So, whether you are camping for the whole experience or just coming for a day, please join with us as in Sub Camp to share some top-quality food and community. 

Streetreach

Fancy being part of Streetreach 2024? Streetreach is the local, missional experience for young people in the Connor Diocese and applications are now open.

Streetreach runs from Tuesday July 2 to Friday July 5 and is a fantastic opportunity to serve and get to know others.

For a second consecutive year, Streetreach is partnering with the Grouped Parishes of Ballyrashane & Kildollagh, the Grouped Parishes of Ballintoy & Dunseverick with Rathlin Island and St Patrick’s, Coleraine, & St Andrew’s, Ballysally. 

The group will be staying at the White Park Bay Youth Hostel. 

Residential Applications are open for young people who have completed Fourth Year / Year 11. The cost for a full residential stay is £60. If you are only able to attend part time, contact Diocesan Youth Officer Christina Baillie on christinabaillie@connordiocese.org for costing. 

Non-Residential Applications are open for young people who have completed First Year / Year 8. For attending each day, the cost is £10.

Every over 16 will need to be Access NI checked through Connor Diocese and have attended Safeguarding Training. If you have not completed this or have any queries, contact Christina as soon as possible.   

Further details will be sent out closer to the time of the event.  If you have any questions, please contact Christina at the email address above.

Connor Takes The Castle

Connor Takes The Castle is our residential youth weekend for the diocese. Young people aged 11-18 attend with leaders from their parish to share in a fantastic weekend of teaching, worship and activities together. For 2024, we have Simon Henry National Youth Officer with the Church of Ireland Youth Department (CIYD) speaking in our sessions and a range of incredible activities lined up.

The weekend is from Friday October 4 – Sunday October 6 2024 in Castlewellan Castle. The cost is £60 and £20 for a Saturday day pass.

Launch

Launch is our Diocesan Children’s & Youth Ministry training day which is happening again in 2024. Booking will open soon for clergy, children’s and youth leaders to sign up to attend. It will take place on Saturday September 7 in St Patrick’s Parish Broughshane from 9.30am to 12 midday. The training will be interactive with lots of opportunities for discussion as well as new ideas to put into practice in your own context. It is free to attend. Attendees will be welcomed on arrival by our team and will receive tea, coffee and some bacon baps to start the morning.

Bishop George will commence our time together, followed by input from Rachel Sheppard & Sarah Coghlan from Scripture Union Northern Ireland considering five ways to disciple your children & young people. In addition, Rachel & Sarah will be contributing to the Children’s & Youth Sessions respectively. In the youth session we will also hear contributions from Paul Gallucci from The Big House on Pastoral Youth Ministry and from Rev Ross Mungavin on Engaging Young People with the Bible.