Bicycles for Maridi
Bishop David has launched a diocesan appeal for 100 bicycles for clergy in Maridi Diocese, South Sudan.
The diocese has 92 priests and 5 deacons plus lay readers, evangelists and Mothers’ Union workers serving 75 parishes. These are scattered across a wide area, largely inaccessible by car, meaning that to reach their congregations clergy must walk long distances for many hours.
On his recent visit to Maridi, the bishop was able to meet, spend quality time, pray and worship with the faith filled clergy and lay people of the diocese.
“The Diocese of Maridi has the same number of parishes as Down and Dromore but each parish will often have many worshipping communities with new ones being birthed continually as the diocese grows.
“Most of the clergy do not receive a stipend having to exist by growing their own crops and perhaps keeping a few chickens and goats. In this way they resource their ministries and provide for their families. I was impressed by the biblical literacy; prayer lives and the costly commitment of these wonderful clergy who lack any form of transport and carry out their ministerial duties on foot.
“Strong, suitable bicycles for pastors are urgently needed and can be purchased for £200 each. I am appealing to all parishes to help us reach our target of 100 bicycles.”
How to give
If sending monies electronically, please indicate the name of your parish and then ‘bikes’. Please follow this with an email to Mr Brian Lavery: blavery@downdromorediocese.org or Mrs Kelly McCullough: kmccullough@downdromorediocese.org so that they can easily identify the donations coming into the bank account.
The bank account details are as follows:
Bank Name: AIB (NI)
Bank Address: 35 University Road, Belfast BT7 1ND
Account Name: Diocese of Down & Dromore Sundry Funds
Account Number: 17028093
Sort Code: 93–80–92
IBAN: GB86 FTBK 9380 9217 0280 93
BIC: FTBKGB2B
If sending in a cheque, the payee should be ‘Down & Dromore Sundry Funds’ and the cheque enclosed with a note to say who it is from and for what purpose ie. Bikes in Maridi. Please send to:
Diocese of Down and Dromore
Finance Office
Diocesan Offices
Unit 1, 21 Old Channel Road
Belfast
BT3 9DE
We would like to be able to celebrate this at our Diocesan Synod on Thursday 20 June. Donations should therefore be received before Friday 7 June 2024.