• 08 February 2022

Lagan Area Deanery renews support for CAP Debt Centre

At the end of last year, I received a warm welcome at a meeting of the Lagan Area Deanery where I gave an update on the work of the Belfast Central Christians Against Poverty Debt Centre. This Centre was set up ten years ago as a joint project of the Lagan Area Deanery and Willowfield Parish Community Association (WPCA).

I am delighted to report that the Area Deanery churches who have faithfully supported this project over the last ten years have again committed to support it for the next five!    

The various churches have been involved in different capacities over the years, supporting the CAP Centre with volunteers, finances, and prayer. In my former role as Debt Centre Manager, I had the privilege of giving talks at many of the churches and working alongside members of their congregations. In my current role as General Manager of WPCA, I now have more of an oversight role and I was able to share plans for the expansion of the Centre. It is wonderful to be able to join together as brothers and sisters in Christ in support of this common project.

The Centre has also benefitted from the Area Deanery’s support for our Christmas Hampers and our Fuel Fund, of which many of the churches are hugely supportive in the run up to Christmas. COVID has changed how we have been able to do this and has limited the ways in which the churches can participate, however, it has in no way limited the support received from them!

The Lagan Area Deanery’s commitment to support the Centre for the next five years is a lifeline and we look forward to building stronger relationships with them as we seek to reach the people of East Belfast.

It is wonderful to be able to link people in with a local church. I look forward to seeing the cooperation between the churches grow, as over time, we labour together to see God’s plans work out in East Belfast!

Heather Purdy (pictured above)
General Manager, Willowfield Parish Community Association

The churches in the Lagan Area Deanery are Belvoir, Knockbreda, Moneyreagh, Mount Merrion, Braneil Community Church, St Clement’s, St Columba’s, St Donard’s, St Dorothea’s, St Finnian’s, St John’s, St Jude’s, St Molua’s and Willowfield.