Bible Week offering for Ballymacarrett - thank you!
A big thank you to everyone who gave to the Bible Week offering for St Patrick's Ballymacarrett. The £7050 that was raised will help to realise our vision for a new Diocesan Resource Church on the Lower Newtownards Road.
The aim of developing St Patrick’s into a Resource Church is to accelerate evangelism in the diocese by reaching those with little or no church connection, providing resources for mission, training leaders, planting new churches and revitalising existing churches.
It’s a model based on the missional early church in Ephesus which acted as a teaching and training hub, sending out missionaries and church planters across all of Asia Minor.
Holy Trinity Brompton, a national resource church in the Church of England, has successfully planted new churches in many cities in England and Wales and are lending their experience and expertise to the project.
Meet Mike Darbandi
Bishop David has appointed Revd Mike Darbandi as the leader of this new Resource Church. Mike will be arriving in Belfast in April 2026 from Gas Street Church in Birmingham, a church planted by Holy Trinity Brompton, where he has been overseeing Discipleship and Leadership Development.
Mike is married to Caroline, and together they have three young children. He grew up in Leeds and studied Business Management at the University of Sheffield before spending several years running popular cocktail bars and restaurants.
Mike became a Christian in his early 20s after asking a friend some questions about faith. Responding to a call to full-time ministry, he has since served on the senior teams of three large churches in England, with responsibilities spanning social justice, operations, young adults, and discipleship. He also oversaw the youth programme for New Wine England and helps lead The SEND.
He is passionate about communicating the gospel in a relevant and engaging way and longs to see more people come to faith in Jesus and step into all they are called to be and do. Mike is humbled and excited by the opportunity to revitalise St Patrick’s and is prayerfully expectant that a young and thriving church community will soon emerge.
What’s next?
In the meantime, refurbishment and reordering work will be carried out to upgrade the seating, heating, lighting, sound and visuals to create a warm, comfortable, well-equipped and welcoming building suited to contemporary vibrant worship, varied ministry and discipleship programmes and missional outreach.
We will also be working with Mike to appoint a new staff team including a worship leader, children’s and youth worker and operations manager with the aim of launching the new Resource Church in September 2026.
It's a big vision and a big undertaking, requiring substantial financial resources.
At present we need £213,000 to complete the refurbishment of the church building.
Please prayerfully consider partnering with us in this vision.
Or if you would like to discuss partnership, please contact Keith Gardiner: kgardiner@downdromorediocese.org