As this article is written we can look back and praise God for safely guiding us to the official opening of Haypark Christian Centre on Saturday, 10th January 2009. The Centre's motto: ‘Bringing Body, Mind and Soul back into the Heart of the Community' has been well received by the people of Ballynafeigh and over the last few weeks we have watched the numbers of people coming through the doors steadily increase.
On the day the fitness programme was launched there were 26 people in attendance, increasing to a total of 107 on our books just four weeks later. We have also been greatly encouraged by attendance at the ‘Learning English' classes for foreign nationals with people from Spain, Belarus, Cuba, France, Germany, China, Poland and Romania now involved. The Tuesday Parent and Toddlers group, known for ‘... the best jam and cream scones in the land...' attracts a large number of people from within the community each week.
We are planning an open day, Lord-willing, in the not-sodistant future. All of our activities are geared to opening up natural 'grass roots level' opportunities, for future soulwinning. The team from Newtownbreda Baptist areenthused and excited at progress so far and are looking forward to seeing their vision realised - an established church at Haypark within 10 years. Nicola and I represent the partnership with Baptist Missions in this and appreciate the fact that
churches around Ireland stand with us.
Haypark is very much a work-in-progress in every sense of those words and we would value prayer for our leadership team, for phase two of the ongoing building work and for continuous wisdom as we seek to be 'made all things to all men, that we might by all means save some'.