Creating Communities
At the heart of the Living Room is creating a community of Faith that relevantly reaches out to the community we are called to serve.
For that reason it has been crucial  for us to know more about the nature and  of  community and its complexities.  
We are placed in one of the most deprived wards  in Belfast, yet that does not mean that everything is hopeless. I have seen real hope from people who really have a heart for this community. I have seen visionaries in this community dreaming of a better future for those who live here. I have talked to community workers wanting to see true transformation and trust being built  with the different traditions that populate North Belfast.
In partnership with the our Local School we ran a Parenting evening event, with a disco for pupils from nursery to P4. We had around 80 adults coming and I had the opportunity to share with them about Hope, Vision and Transformation. We will repeat this event for the P5 to P7 the 14th April and we are hoping that we will have a good response, hoping that a number of them will sign up to the next parenting course.
At the heart of every community there is trust. That is what we are building here with the Living Room. We are doing that by serving the community by our involvement with Cliftonville Community Regeneration Forum. By actively being involved with our Primary School and in the very near future involved with our Local Football Club.
We are creating communities by praying to our Lord on behalf of this community. By taking every opportunity to share our story. By becoming a positive influence trusting in God to move powerfully  in us and in the lives of those whom meet. We do it by praying to the Lord will send people with a servant heart to the Cliftonville  area.
It is our hope and vision the transformation of individuals and communities. We believe that this only possible  through the Gospel. We are confident that God is building his Kingdom here yet he is not doing it with our best ideas or best possible programs but as we humble ourselves before Him.
“if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7.14. ESV

Catching up...
During these last months lots has happened in the Living Room and to bring you up to date here are some of the things that I want to share with you:
After Alpha. We run an after Alpha Course with those who attended our Alpha pilot, it was a great experience for all of us involved.
CAP. We have carry on working with Christian Against Poverty and supporting those who are benefiting from it. At the present we are almost finishing out CAP Life Healing Choices Bible Course with some of our clients. This has being a great encouragement as they have experienced spiritual support. We delivered door to door CAP leaflets and through our Local Primary School.
Christmas. We had two important events during last year’s Christmas. We had an open house and many ofneighbors came for mince pies and mulled wine, and we presented a gift to “Let Youth Lead”, a local youth organization that works with youngster in our community (see picture below).
Parenting Course. At the present we are running the 21st Century Parenting Course from Care for the Family we have a group of 10 parents coming every Thursday afternoon and evening. It has has been a great place to establish friendships and support.