Ms Lydia Monds has been appointed Education Officer to the Bishops’ Appeal. She will take up her post in July.
The Chairman of the Bishop’s Appeal, the Rt Revd Michael Burrows, Bishop of Cashel & Ossory, said, ‘I welcome Lydia warmly to this role. She possesses an excellent blend of gifts and experience which makes this an exciting and hopeful appointment.’
After studying theology at Trinity College Dublin, Lydia obtained her teaching qualifications and worked as a second level R.E. teacher, followed by the role of International Programme Coordinator for Habitat for Humanity Ireland. In this capacity, Lydia wrote and delivered the charity’s development education programme. She has also spent several months volunteering on projects funded by the Bishops’ Appeal in Shyogwe, Rwanda. Lydia is a founding member of the Discovery Gospel Choir and as the choir’s Community Outreach Officer she has designed and implemented its intercultural workshops across Dublin.
On accepting the position, Lydia said, ‘I’m excited to be joining a movement that doesn’t just speak about justice but acts to see it become a reality. I am looking forward to becoming part of a team committed to partnership and to raising awareness about the issues that cut to the heart of Christianity and of humanity.’
The Bishops’ Appeal is the Church’s World Aid and Development Programme. It was set up by the Church of Ireland following the celebration of the centenary of Disestablishment of the Church, in response to the commands in the Bible to bring good news to the poor and relief to the suffering.
It aims:
• To educate the Church at home about the needs and concerns of people in the less developed world and the causes of poverty;
• To encourage Church members to examine the reasons for the problems facing the less fortunate in the world and to consider what we can do to change conditions;
• To reach out in God’s name to those who need our help;
• To encourage informed prayer and prayerful action aimed at strengthening the poor;
To raise the funds needed to allow Bishops’ Appeal to support development projects and alleviate the suffering caused by disasters, both natural and man-made.