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Trinity Methodist Church, Lisburn

Trinity Methodist Church,
Knockmore Road,
Lisburn,
Co. Antrim,
BT28 2EA
N. Ireland

Office: 028 9260 5335
(M-F 10-1pm)

methodist cross logo
Minister:

Ed McDade Tel 028 92621282

Lay Pastoral Assistant:

Angela Sofley Tel 07795 370848

Youth & Community Worker:

Jonny Hill Tel 07545 144482

Methodist Missionary Society (Ireland)

Margaret and Alan McIlhenny

Dr Alan McIlhenny, a member of Trinity, is partially supported by the Methodist Missionary Society (Ireland) to work with the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) as International Director for Children at Risk Ministries. Margaret, a librarian, is very involved in Trinity as a Sunday School teacher, Mission Secretary and teaching "English Plus" classes. Alan works from home in Lisburn to develop strategies and prepare teaching materials to help educate children at risk such as the AIDS orphans in this picture. These children are among the 1.6 million children in South Africa unable to attend school because of poverty, the need to work, or to care for younger orphaned siblings or dying parents. South Africa is not alone; as the AIDS pandemic tightens its grip, the future for a growing number of children across the world is bleak.

Alan travels regularly to South Africa to train volunteers at the seven resource and training centres, ASCI has established at key Christian schools and churches. At these centres, Alan and his team train volunteers to take a "school-in-a-bag" on a regular basis to small groups of children who are prevented by their circumstances from attending school. The volunteers are Christian teachers, church members and senior students from Christian schools.

The "school-in-a-bag" contains a specially written literacy and mathematics course called "Count Me In", character development, life skills and health education materials, a Bible-based counselling programme and all the necessary stationery and teaching resources. The course is called "Count Me In" to reflect that God loves these children that society has rejected, abused and neglected. He wants them to belong to him, and invites them to ask to be counted in to his kingdom. Each Open School is owned and managed by a local church or Christian school, attendance is free and classes operate at times and places convenient for the children they serve. ACSI plans to open five more support centres in South Africa and then expand into neighbouring countries in 2007.


For more information, or to receive monthly requests for prayer, email alan_mcilhenny@acsi.org or visit www.openschoolsworldwide.org



Child-headed families Alan at a football match for street kids in Lesotho Open school class


JMA (Junior Mission for All)

Young people in Methodist Churches are encouraged to take an active interest in Christian mission through collecting for JMA. Half of the money raised goes to Home Mission and half to Overseas Mission Projects. The JMA organiser for Trinity is Edith Greenfield.



Tearfund

Tearfund is a Christian relief and development charity, passionate about seeing God's justice here on earth. Tearfund's vision is to transform the lives of millions of the world's poorest people, in a positive and sustainable way.

That means that Tearfund does not just help meet basic physical needs, like providing fresh water, sanitation and healthcare; when people are living in extreme poverty, hope is every bit as essential as food and water. That's why Tearfund is committed to the principle of integral mission. That means giving practical help alongside hope, through emotional and spiritual support; helping those in need regardless of race, gender or religion. More information can be found on their website www.tearfund.org



Trinity Tithe

For every £100 that Trinity receives in the offering plate week by week, we give £10 to mission. We support the Methodist Missionary Society, Home Mission, and the Methodist World development and Relief Fund in this way, and also give directly to the work of Alan McIlhenny and Tearfund.