## **Report 2022** 

After two years of restrictions and difficulties associated with the Covid pandemic there was a sense of 'let's get back to normal' among the church family as the year opened. We started 2022 having nearly all of our church organisations back to meeting as usual and a sense of anticipation for plans in place (D.V.) including resumption of joint services for Dundonald Bible Ministry week and the biennual church weekend away which had been cancelled in 2020. 

The church AGM was once again able to take place in March as normal. It was encouraging to once again elect David Morrow as Elder for a further 5-year period and welcome Adam Skinner back as deacon, while David Canning & Paul Montgomery were elected as deacons for the first time. Graeme Allen replaced Eric Gould as treasurer, elected for a period of one year. A big 'thank you' to Eric for all his hard work and faithful service as both deacon (12 years) and treasurer (11years), and also to Alan Wallace (27 years service as a deacon, including 4 years as treasurer). 

No changes to the membership roll were made at the AGM but sadly 2022 saw the 'home calling' of three of our membership. Later, at the end of July, it was great to welcome nine new persons into membership, 

Coming up to Easter we were blessed to once again renew Dundonald Bible week with the folks in St. Elizabeth's and Dundonald Presbyterian. While the Holiday Bible Club was restricted to the Friday only it was well attended and we all were encouraged by the three evenings of ministry (though unfortunately Covid prevented David Johnson from being able to speak. A week later the long anticipated Church Weekend with Bill and Sharon James took place in the Lodge Hotel, Coleraine. Once again Covid interfered with unfortunately around 10 who had planned to go being able to attend. 

During the period we were working around the Covid restrictions it became obvious that the fabric of the church building was in need of some upkeep and remedial work. The need for new church carpet was identified, along with car park surface sealing, new washroom and storage accommodation in the main hall and possible church painting, along with work in the upstairs and downstairs rooms. A special 'Giving Day' took place in May to raise finance for the building fund to allow us to begin to meet this area of need. Beyond our expectations by the time the year had 



ended we had been enabled, thanks to the generosity of giving, to have not only started but to have nearly completed all we had planned, including the purchase of new carpet. 

In the summer joint services were once again organised after their absence over the last two years with the churches in Comber & Newtownards. Three services took place on Sunday evenings in August. Wonderful to be able to meet up again with the others in the local church families. Support for the church in Waterford had re-commenced in November 2021 and Rodney Campbell in January, David Canning in June & Chris Banks in September, along with some others travelled down to speak at their meeting. Other members of the church also visited during a holiday break. 

We ran a Discipleship Explored series in February / March and around the same time together we studied 'Passion for Life' on Wednesday evenings in small groups in the church in the absence of our home groups. In October we made the decision to start our home groups again, initially meeting just once a month. New groups were put together and everyone encouraged to take part. Christmas also saw further return to pre-Covid 'normality' with the Interactive Nativity evening and other church activities that had been put on hold. At our midweeks earlier in the year we had an opportunity to say 'farewell ' to John Brew & Lourdes as he retired from the work with Baptist Missions. We also had visits during the year from a number of other missionaries we support. 

On a wider note church support both practical and physical for the work in Dundonald Foodbank continued throughout the year. The Foodbank saw a large increase in the number of clients requiring support, especially from the summer onwards. We also registered in April as a 'Welcoming Church' for refugees so that we could be of whatever help we could for any who move into the Dundonald area.. During the year as a church we were able to support the relief work in the countries bordering Ukraine.