VIP Members
Meet the new recruits for the Volunteers and Interns Programme 2011/2012
View their profiles and share in their journey as they delve into this year of service in Youth Ministry through the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. Each intern has included points for prayer so that you would be able to pray specifically for the work they are doing and any of the obstacles and worries they are facing.
David Clarke
David is 18 and lives in Bangor. He became a Christian when he was 13 but it took until he was 15, when an American outreach team visited his church, before he really started to believe and take his faith seriously. His home church is Lisnabreen Presbyterian in Bangor where he was baptised last Easter. Last year he finished a tech course in forensic science and mid way through the course he felt God calling him into youth work.
This year David is involved in building relationships and making connections with the young people in Conlig and Ballygrainey. He volunteers in the youth club, Boys Brigade and Bible Class. David is also involved in Young Life on a Sunday night, young people from both churches attend this ministry project, and it gives him another opportunity to get to know them better and teach them about God and His love for them. Pray that David would know how to use his time wisely and ask God to give him wisdom for the tasks that he has to do.
Matthew Preece
Matthew is 23 and a graduate from UUJ. Matthew (aka Preecy) has volunteered regularly for the YAC Board in the past as he has served on MAD Crew and on Summer Outreach Teams. Preecy is a committed member of his home church, where he volunteers in youth ministry and Holiday Bible Club.
This year Preecy is volunteering in Greystone Rd, Antrim. He is working with the Youth Fellowship and has started a new young adults group. Before Christmas he spent a lot of time getting to know young people and young adults as he helped run YF nights and social events for the group of young adults in the church. Please pray for him this term as he starts a young adult home group, pray for him as he facilitates discussion and for the young adults as they open the Bible, learn and pray together. Preecy has also been mentoring a couple of teenage boys, taking them through Bible study material. Pray for him as he works with these teenagers, as he prays for them and supports them throughout the year.
Linzi Anderson
Linzi is 23 and graduated last June from the University of St Andrews after studying Chemistry for 4 years. She has been a Christian for about 9 years and is not from a Christian home.
This year Linzi is working in Greystones Presbyterian Church (just south of Dublin). There are many aspects to her work, ranging from working with Junior Teens and the Living Stones group to working in the church office, building relationships with parents, praying with the ladies of the church and generally being a support to the young people where they are at.
Please pray for Linzi as she works alongside Rev David Montgomery to connect the children and young people into the life of the congregation. Pray for her as she works with the parents and families in the church and that God would give her wisdom as to how she can teach and be a support to them. Pray that God would place key people around her to mentor, love and help her. Thank God that she has fitted into the community so quickly and that she is building strong relationships with the children and young people.
Rob McMullan
Rob is 19 years old and is from Coleraine he is placed in his home church, Hazelbank Presbyterian. Before he worked for the church he was trained as a photographer and was offered a university placement in London; however he felt God calling him to work in the development of His kingdom.
This year he is excited about working his own church, he is passionate about the young people at Hazelbank Church, and keen to see them reach out into the community where they live, and give hope of the cross to a fallen world. “I believe that, If we the church, seek to the live in obedience to the Father and use the tools of God’s word and the Spirit. We will be used to bring life to those in need.” Pray for Rob as he works with the Youth Fellowship and helps to build links between young and old in the church family.
Matt McCracken
Matt is 21 and graduated last year from Queens University with a degree in Theology and a Graduate Diploma in Youth Ministry. Matt is from 1st Coleraine where he has been involved in youth fellowship and outreach work in the Windy Hall estate. This year at Bannside PC, he is helping to facilitate the ongoing youth ministry within their community. His main role in the church is to work with the teenage guys, build relationships with them and help them become more connected to the wider church family.
Pray that Matt would continue to settle in well into the church community. That the connections and relationships he will be developing with the teenage guys will help them become more connected and integrated into the church community. That as the year progresses he would learn and grow from the experiences at Bannside and draw things from his time there that will help him learn and develop. Pray that he would begin to get a clearer picture of what God is calling him to do next year. Finally, that he would rely on God above all this year, maintain an active devotional life and within that be open to His direction and guidance.
James O'Neill
James is 18 years old and is working in Legacurry (just outside Lisburn). He is from the North Coast and grew up on a farm. While he lived there he was involved with Exodus in Coleraine and also volunteered with a few local churches. He became a Christian when he was 11, and has been involved with youth work since he was 16.
This year James is working in Legacurry PC with Rev Bobby Liddle and is managed by the Assistant Minister, Mark Proctor. James is involved in a wide variety of work: he has taken Children’s Addresses, co-leads Christianity Explored and a new Junior Youth Club; he is also co-leading a team from the church to Romania with Exodus. James has also had the opportunity to help at Night Light on Botanic Avenue and feels that he is being stretched in this area of ministry.
Please pray for James as he juggles the various programmes that he is involved with and manages his time. Thank God for his teachable spirit and the support he is receiving from the Legacurry staff team.
Helen Forsythe
Helen is 23 years old and lives in Islandmagee. Her home church is 2nd Islandmagee Presbyterian, where she is involved in children’s ministry, particularly in planning and leading Children’s Church, which is called The Ark. She is a leader in the youth fellowship, which works between 1st & 2nd Islandmagee. She helps to organise Sunday night events in both churches, outreach and has recently taken over the Friday night youth club. She loves history and has a degree in Ancient History and Archaeology and a Masters in Ancient History. Before her VIP year she spent a couple of months working on an archaeological excavation!
Helen is working in the Youth and Children’s Office, and is involved progressing the work of the Research & Education Committee and with the SPUD Youth Assembly. Please pray for Helen as she is works on developing a Prayer Resource for young people in response to a survey she carried out during the first term. Also pray for her as she helps to deliver a YAC Road Trip seminar on Youth Participation “Grow Your Own SPUDs” and also develops the work of SPUD at local level.
Matthew Gallick
Matthew is 21 and is from Magherafelt. This year he is an intern in Boys’ Brigade Northern Ireland Headquarters. Last year he was also part of the programme as a volunteer in Clontarf & Scots in Dublin. Matthew has served on a number of Summer Outreach Teams with PCI and been a member of MAD Crew.
Matthew’s work focuses on developing the work of the Boys Brigade in Presbyterian churches across Northern Ireland. He has been involved in the E100 Bible project and is developing the work of BB Connect, which enables boys to use their voice and speak into various issues. Matthew says, “I am just an ordinary guy, living an ordinary life, with a passion to serve the Lord.”
Please pray for Matthew as he works in BB House and in local congregations. Pray that he would be able to get a good work-life balance as he works at the weekends and in the evenings. Thank God for this placement and for how much Matthew is learning this year through his practical work and the Certificate in Youth Ministry that he is studying at Union Theological College.