2023-04-05-annual-report

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT FOR LAMB OF GOD COMMUNITY: NIC102131

April 2022‐March 2023

SUMMARY OF THE LAMB OF GOD’S COMMUNITY’S

• main activities to further its purposes for the public benefit

• main achievements in the year

Purpose: ‘To build and sustain a community of Christians which is interdenominational, which seeks to promote spiritual growth among its members and which seeks to carry out outreach work in the local area of north Belfast (‘ Advancement of Religion’ )

• A weekly meeting of the community throughout the past year has provided opportunities for spiritual growth for all those who attend, from different Christian denominations

• A weekly session of Christian Meditation has given ongoing support to those who attend this

• The community has hosted several specific programmes for personal development (e.g. The Enneagram) and spiritual growth (including a monthly praise meeting)

• The community has provided a regular listening service throughout the year for those who have sought this

• A crèche continues to provide much needed facilities to families as part of its outreach work in the local area

• The community has worked hard to provide all of the above to a high level of service. Ageing personnel and funding difficulties have made continued provision more difficult.

Purpose: ‘To promote reconciliation among Christians from local churches and to work for reconciliation across the religious divide, particularly in the local area of north Belfast’ (‘Advancement of human rights, conflict resolution or reconciliation or the promotion of religious or racial harmony or equality or diversity’)

• The leader of the community is actively involved in several inter‐church fellowships and associations, attending these regularly and encouraging members to take part in initiatives of these

• Members of the community have been involved throughout the year in prayer walks in neighbouring interface areas, including the Shankill and Newtownabbey

• The community regularly prays for all the schools of the area

• The programmes provided by or hosted by the community have been promoted as open to all

• Throughout the year the community has once again, post covid, provided a shared and safe space for use by groups from all traditions in the area

• The main achievement of the year has been the community’s continued reconciling presence in this part of Belfast achieved through the witness of its members and the practical contribution it has made toward better community relations

• The community has worked hard to provide all of the above to a high level of service. Ageing personnel and funding difficulties have made continued provision more difficult.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE PURPOSES OF THE CHARITY

• The Lamb of God Community seeks to build and sustain a community of Christians which is interdenominational, which seeks to promote spiritual growth among its members and which seeks to carry out outreach work, particularly in the local area of north Belfast

• The Lamb of God Community seeks to promote reconciliation among Christians from local churches and to work for reconciliation across the religious divide, particularly in the local area of north Belfast