The power of partnership
This Christmas season has been one to remember for us at The Gathering and crowns a year marked by a really fruitful partnership with members of the local community.
These individuals of peace live a stone’s throw from St Martin’s. They don’t necessarily come from a Christian or church background but their heart to see social change in their own community has been the common denominator that’s allowed our partnership to flourish. It’s increased our sphere of influence without having to dilute our message of hope and has given the church the opportunity to be all God has called us to be.
We kicked off the festivities with a Kids/Youth take over and ‘The Table’ Christmas party on 5 December. This was followed by New Wine dropping in for a mid–week Worship Rooms.
In partnership with Pitt Park Residents Association, we had a three–day pop–up Santa’s Grotto with toys donated from local suppliers and every child got a Nativity and Incarnation story book supplied by the diocesan office.
Again with our friends in Pitt Park, we invited the pensioners in the area to a Christmas dinner and party in the church. Meanwhile, our youth worker Andrew and his team arranged the ‘Youth Great Escape’, taking 24 of our youth and children to Dundonald Ice Bowl for an afternoon of bowling and fun.
In collaboration with Boxed Off Belfast and the Simon Community we had a blast as we held a Christmas Market in St Martin’s with a donation from each seller going towards the great work Simon Community does across the province.
In partnership with St Patrick’s a little further up the Newtownards Road, we enjoyed creating Lanterns for a Saturday night Lantern Parade from church to church. We walked through the Pitt Park housing estate singing Christmas songs and were greeted at the gates of St Martin’s by Santa and his elves!
Finally, with our Carols by Candlelight we wrapped up our Christmas Series, ‘To Us A Child Is Born’ which looked at the Book of Isaiah and the prophecies of the coming Messiah. The nine lessons were read by those new to our community in the last year and some of those from Pitt Park who have enabled much of what we’ve achieved over the last 18 months at The Gathering.
God’s blessing has been so evident in our work, his wisdom and discernment has been key, his presence so real. God’s power to create a change of heart, softening attitudes towards church and his people has been a beautiful thing to witness.
Please pray for our community as we pick up our ministries up in the New Year and have a blessed and a Happy Christmas from all here at The Gathering Church Plant, Titanic Parish, St Martin’s, Newtownards Road.
With thanks to Ross Munro, Church Plant Leader at The Gathering
