This year 10 different congregations in Mullingar, Belfast, Bangor, Newtownabbey and Toombridge will get the support of PCI’s enthusiastic Summer Outreach Teams. Made up of young people who are 16 and over from different congregations across the Church, each had to apply earlier in the year to be part of the teams, trained and commissioned before embarking on their work with children, teenagers and adults - showing and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.
Rev. Kenny Henderson, minister of Ballyweaney Presbyterian Church explained that the church was a few miles from Cloughmills, a small village of 400 to 500 homes half way between Ballymena and Ballymoney. “This is the third year that PCI’s Summer Outreach Teams have come to Cloughmills supporting us with a range of activities that we wouldn’t be able to do as well if it wasn’t for fantastic young people.
“Each afternoon they have helped us with our holiday Bible club for children four an over, then for older children and teenagers later on in the day we have had a great series bases around some well-known TV programmes ‘The Great Ballyweaney Bake Off’ and ‘DIYSOS’. This has been fun and really engaging way of sharing the Good News as members of the team were able to bring a gospel message and share their testimonies, talking about the cross and the way of salvation.”
The first Summer Team came to Cloughmills in 2016, “Each one has built upon the work of the previous team, adding to the ministry and reaching people. On the first night the team went out and spoke to around 20 teenagers and the second night 30 young people who wouldn’t normally go to church. The team leaders Melisa and Lewis and the other members of the team have been amazing and invaluable to us here and are a credit to their home congregations and families,” Rev. Henderson said.
Having taken part in the Commissioning Service last month for the teams - and the 90 young people that will serve in them - Dr. McMullen visited them in action to encourage and pray with them.
“It was wonderful to be in Ballyweaney to be with Kenny and the team that has been serving there this week so faithfully. There was a lovely sense of team togetherness and a sense of building relationships with seeds being sown,” Dr. McMullen said.
“The dedication and selflessness was clearly evident and was just amazing to see as the team worked alongside members of the church and with the children and young people from the local community. Giving up part of their summer for an adventure of faith, serving Christ and serving others I hope that each member of each team will gain valuable experience in personal evangelism and will grow in their own walk with Jesus. What’s more, in building relationships those they meet will clearly see the love of Christ has for them.”