Ministries
General
Faith & Conflict Reconciliation conference
Every year, YWAM Belfast hosts a ‘Faith & Conflict’ conference, examining the relationship between faith, justice, reconciliation, and peacemaking. The next conference will be Summer 2010. Email us for further information at info {at} ywambelfast.com.
Discipleship Teams
Small teams, made up of staff and/or DTS students, run discipleship programmes for youth groups, local churches, schools and community groups. Email your nearest YWAM team for more info.
Short Term Missions Programme
Our international short term missions programmes are 2-3 weeks long in the summer for Irish and international participants. Participants must be 18 years of age and older (minors must be accompanied by a legal guardian). Our teams provide an opportunity to have an impact on peoples’ lives around the world. Click here for more info on upcoming trips.
Hosting Teams
Each year we host a number of international teams from churches and youth ministries as well as from other YWAM locations. While providing ministry opportunities for groups, we also facilitate their participation in local church and youth initiatives around Northern Ireland. Click here to contact us where you want to serve.
Banbridge
Media Ministries
Our team in Banbridge is involved in local media ministries, and also international ventures - including a radio station that broadcasts to Eastern African countries such as Uganda and Rwanda, and an internet radio station (in progress). YWAM Banbridge pioneered a local radio station in Banbridge in the 1990s, Shine FM, that was in recent years handed over to the local community. Visit their website for more info.
Belfast
Community Initiatives in West Belfast
We live and interact in some of the more challenging neighborhoods of Belfast, with most of our staff living around the Shankill Road - a working-class neighborhood that is somewhat infamous but often overlooked, even though it’s minutes from city centre. We’re actively engaged in partnerships with a variety of churches and ministries to reach this area. Our current outreaches include:
- Feed Café - A partnership with a local business to facilitate a cool little cafe on the Shankill, which is a place for good food and drinks, prayer and conversation, creativity and community, and building bridges of healing and reconciliation into the wider community.
- Kids ministry - We have a Homework Club at the café in the afternoons, aimed at connecting with local kids and helping them with their schoolwork. We also have a Breakfast Club for kids in a local primary school. We want to expand these works into venues on both sides of the peace line.
- Community involvement - An important aspect of our ministry here is the missional lifestyle of our members and interaction with our neighbours as we live amongst them. In addition, individuals are currently leading worship in churches, networking with pastors, partnering with prayer rooms, and actively involved in a certain church plant.
We are open to new ideas and visions!
Forgiveness Education
YWAM Belfast has partnered with the International Forgiveness Institute and Peacelines, a local charity which stemmed from YWAM Belfast, to offer forgiveness education around Belfast in primary and secondary schools. We connect with teachers to implement a curriculum examining what forgiveness can say to our own interpersonal relationships, as well as relationships within the wider community or cultural setting. Interested in joining us? We are looking to expand the scope and vision of this ministry.
Closkelt
Residential Centre & Retreat
We offer a full-board dormitory-style residential facility for up to 22 people, suitable for small camps, seminars, youth weekends, and other group events. This is also an ideal location for a personal retreat to regenerate in the countryside. Closkelt has gorgeous views and a few different options for accommodation. Email us for further information. hospitality {at} ywambelfast.com
Dublin
City Centre (incl. café and prayer room)
We are a small community of YWAMers and friends of YWAM who are devoted to seeing God’s kingdom, impact the city through our gifts and passions. As a pioneering community, we are currently pursuing God for a café and prayer room for Dublin city centre. We also have a heart to see God use us in business, art and film as well as use us in justice and mercy projects for the poor and marginalised around us. (More info at ywamdublin.com.)
Kerygma Teams
Kerygma Teams works with parishes, renewal movements, leadership networks and groups active in evangelization, mercy ministries, and training. Open to all Christians, Kerygma Teams has a special focus on serving and mobilizing young Catholics. ‘KT’ offers opportunities for young people to become involved in short and long-term cross-cultural missions projects. Kerygma Teams in Ireland is headed up by Rob Clarke. Email Rob (rob {at} kteams.org) for information on how to get involved in KT.
Mustard Tree Project
The Mustard Tree is an outreach to the people of Ballymun. Over the last twenty years it has included regular intercessory prayer, children’s work, community work, support to teenagers at risk, faith development initiatives into schools , Alpha courses, and healing rallies. The Mustard Tree Project is led by Tomas and Mechthild Jenkinson.
Wexford
Family Life Resources
YWAM works both in Ireland and internationally through its marriage and family ministries, offering marriage courses and family counseling. Please visit their website at www.FamilyLifeResources.ie