Press Releases25 Mar 15

New CIYD space and offices at Church House Belfast officially opened

A new meeting space and offices for the Church of Ireland Youth Department (CIYD) on the ground floor of Church of Ireland House, Donegall Street, Belfast were officially opened at a lunchtime reception today, Wednesday 25th March 2015.

The President of CIYD and Chair of its Central Board, The Most Revd Pat Storey, Bishop of Meath & Kildare, cut the ribbon (see below) after hearing a warm welcome to guests from the Revd Paul Whittaker (Chair of the Executive Committee) (pictured right).

The new facility offers an informal, relaxed and modern meeting space for youth–related workers as well as offices for CIYD staff based in Belfast and a hub for useful printed and multi–media resources.

At today’s opening, Bishop Pat Storey said that the space – situated on the ground floor of Church House fronting on to Donegall Street prominently and accessed easily from the main entrance lobby of the building – is ‘a resource for the whole island’.

As well as thanking the staff of CIYD for all that they give to the youth work of the Church, she stressed that the purpose of CIYD was ‘all about the challenge and opportunity of ministry to young people and encouraging them to meet with Jesus Christ’, and concluded proceedings with prayer.

Above: L–R: Andrew Frame (CIYD Youth Ministry Development Officer, N.), Amy McCrea (CIYD Youth Ministry Development Officer, S.), Bishop Pat Storey, Barbara Swann (CIYD Office Manager), Revd Paul Whittaker

Above: L–R: Bishop Harold Miller (Bishop of Down & Dromore), Bishop Pat Storey, Bishop Patrick Rooke (Bishop of Tuam), Bishop Alan Abernethy (Bishop of Connor)

For more information on CIYD, visit: http://www.ciyd.org/

(Photos: Paul Harron, CoI Press Office)