Church Army worker Emma Rodrigues with the Anglican Bishop of Tuam, Killala and Achnonry, Patrick Rooke; the Roman Catholic Bishop of Killala, John Flemming; and the Church Army’s Issac Hanna at the launch of the Big Blue Bus in Ballina.
Church Army has three mission centres in Ireland
BALLINA CENTRE OF MISSION
Emma Rodrigues and Marian Edwards are based at our Ballina Centre of Mission, which was launched in April 2016. Since it’s inception Emma and her team have been building bridges and listening to the community in Ballina, connecting with parents, families, children and youth and showing the community that the churches are involved in helping and caring for those in need.
They have a bus which is becoming well known in the community and they use it for a number of events and drops-ins, including being in Ballina market square on Saturday and Sunday evenings.
The centre of mission runs regular Futsal (Brazilian indoor football) classes (around six a week) and are involved in building relationship with the local Muslim and Traveller communities.
Over the summer months they run weekly sessions providing children’s ministry with games, puppets, drama, crafts and music. Emma is also a director of MABS (Money, Advice and Budgeting Service) and she also helps out at the local Mental Health Recovery/Training Centre. You can read more about Ballina Centre of Mission in their latest newsletter.
DRUMCLIFFE CENTRE OF MISSION
Launched in September 2017, the Drumcliffe Centre of Mission is a partnership between Church Army and the Diocese of Kilmore Elphin and Ardagh, which aims to develop evangelism, mission and fresh expressions of church in the local area.
It is led by Isaac Hanna and Alan Williamson. Drumcliffe is the site of an historic monastery established by St. Columcille (St. Columba) over 1400 years ago which provided a springboard for the evangelisation of Scotland and other parts of Europe.
The centre of mission draws inspiration from the past to inspire the future. It aims to be a focal point for outreach both to people living in the West of Ireland and to the many visitors to the area.
Issac Hanna says: “we hope to develop innovative ways of being church that are relevant to people’s needs as well as being involved in the revitalisation of more traditional forms of church. We aim to act as a resource to the wider diocese in terms of evangelism, mission and fresh expressions of church using Church Army’s Xplore Programme as well as delivering other forms of ministry training. My vision is for the Drumcliffe Centre of Mission to be a hub for people to have transformative, life-changing encounters with God, build eternal relationships and be equipped to live life to the full.”
NORTH BELFAST CENTRE OF MISSION
The North Belfast Centre of Mission was launched in September 2015 and is led by Karen Webb and Stephen Whitten. It is based on the Shankill Road and reaches out to the community around the greater Shankill area through: schools ministry, including leading assemblies and after-school drop-ins; engaging with the local churches to see how they can best help the community and support them in their mission and evangelism; monthly prayer walks and street outreach.
Karen and Stephen also partner with a number of other Christian organisations, including: Christians Against Poverty to run a Job Club and Life Skills courses; Transforming Lives for Good to run one-to-one coaching for children who are at risk of exclusion from school and becoming a Baby Basics hub for the area. You can read the latest updates from Karen and Stephen in their most recent newsletter.
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