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Big grants for CoI parishes
10.03.10
TWO Church of Ireland
parishes in are celebrating grants of more than
€660,000 each from the International Fund for
Ireland (IFI)
All Saints parish and Maghera parish, in the diocese
of Derry and Raphoe, have been awarded the funding
to allow them employ staff, run programmes and build
facilities to benefit each community.
The grants have been awarded to All Saints Caring
Association in the Waterside, Derry, and Maghera
Parish Caring Association in Co Derry.
All Saints will use the money to develop a programme
of community and cross-community activities as well
as redeveloping its resource centre at Stewart
Community Hall on Glendermott Road.
Maghera intend to employ three full time staff,
deliver a number of community programmes and
undertake a substantial refurbishment of the local
parish centre.
All Saints Rector Malcolm Ferry said worship should
not be restricted to church services, but by
"connecting in a meaningful way to those in the
surrounding area".
"All Saints Caring Association was born out of
social conscience, as a vehicle for bringing this
idea into reality. There is a track record of
delivering advice on social need and an informed
approach to cross community programmes. Therefore,
we recognised that what we needed was a dedicated
building. |
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We were already
delivering and the International Fund for Ireland
recognised this," said Reverend Ferry.
Reverend Mark Lennox of Maghera Caring Association
said the initiatives enabled by the grant funding
come in line with the diocesan strategy
'Transforming Community, Radiating Christ'.
"We feel a sense of excitement at what God is going
to do through these new initiatives," he said.
Meanwhile, the Church of Ireland Bishop of Derry and
Raphoe, Ken Good, welcomed the IFI allocations and
said his community would be "enriched" by the
programmes the funding would facilitate. |
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