Greenisland: A different Christmas for church after arson attack

Reverend Dr Isobel Hawthorne-Steele said the past few months had been difficult as they tried to keep people together and hold services and activities in other locations.

Events such as a Christingle workshop, the Mothers and Toddlers Christmas Party, the Santa With A Difference initiative and the Miracle of Christmas concert were held in local churches and community halls.

“The people who are running those particular establishments have been more than generous with us and that’s been really good as we have been able to carry on with all the activities that we do,” Dr Hawthorne-Steele said.

“Of course there is always the fact it’s not our church and there’s bits of tension around timings and we have no real storage facilities but it has been good in the aspect of the community coming together.”

Lorna Brown, the family and children outreach community worker for the parish, said Christmas would be different this year for families.

“The church have tried to put on much the same events as we have every other year to give families the same opportunities to get together as in other years,” she said

“The local families have been finding it very hard, the church is such a focal part of the community and the shop is such a big loss.

“The community support has been phenomenal, the local school raising so much money.”