Christ Church Parish supports over 15 mission agencies and local charities through the generosity of parishioners and gifts from the Select Vestry. However, in recent years we have sought to develop mission partnerships:

 

1. St. Apollo School, Luwero

St. Apollo School, Kasizi, Luwero in Uganda began in 2007 but only had the use of one small building as well as having classes under trees.

 

In 2009 the Parish of Christ Church Lisburn began a journey to explore the possibility of developing a partnership with a community in Africa building on strong support for mission partnership over many years in the Church.

 

Discussions began with Fields of Life whose heart is for education in Central Africa and who at present have built over 100 schools in that area. As a consequence of this partnership, two new blocks of classrooms were built in early 2012 through the generosity of the parishioners of Christ Church Parish Lisburn in raising £75,000.00.

 

A team from the Parish plus some friends from Lisburn Rotary went to the school in February 2012 to complete work on those buildings, work with the children and support the local community and Church. The support for the school continued through provision of books and desks for the children, a rain water project, purchasing land for growing crops and through child sponsorship by parishioners of Christ Church.

 

In 2014 Lisburn Rotary provided funding for the construction of a cook house.

 

The project for 2015 was to raise funds for the staff residence which would create a more settled environment for teachers and create greater stability for the school. A Parish team went in February 2015 to complete this build and to work with the children and the local community.

 

We thank the Lord for his faithfulness and the generosity of parishioners and friends that the target of £24,000.00 had been exceeded.

 

At present 310 children attend the school and receive an education.

 

In 2016/17 the Parish supported two Theological students in Uganda – James and Charles.

Charles was ordained in December 2017.

 

The third Parish team went in February 2017 to work at the school and continue its journey and sustainability.  This trip developed links with the Diocese of Luwero as well.

A fourth team have planned to travel to the school in July 2020 but Covid stopped this plan.

We hope to travel when regulations permit in the near future.

 

 

2. Canon Seth Ndayirukiye, and Matana Diocese, Burundi

We have developed a mission partnership with Canon Seth through CMS Ireland and he has visited the parish in 2011 and 2014. He presently serves as Provincial Secretary for the Anglican Church of Burundi and is based in Bujumbura. Bishop Seth visited us again in February 2018 as Bishop of Matana. 

 

In 2014 the donations of parishioners supported projects for work on a church building, a sewing project with the Mothers’ Union and supplying motorbikes for Archdeacons in Matana Diocese.

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