Naomi Long is buzzing. It’s the day of Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s visit to Belfast and she has back-to-back meetings and engagements. But she’s not complaining: “I entered politics to get involved. I could see what was wrong out there and I want to make a difference. I love this city… I love what I [...]
When Faceless Enemies Become Friends
Friday, October 16, 2009
For almost forty days now his feet have stood on ‘divided’ ground, his eyes have peered upon the comings and goings of two separate communities, and yet it seems that the longer he watches the more those divides seem to melt away.
Gripping a stark wooden cross Pastor Jack McKee, of New Life City Church has [...]
Little Stars in North Belfast
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
They came, queued, waited, performed and set the place alight; little girls in princess dresses, boys in rap outfits, wannabe girl bands and so many others…
‘Woodvale’s Got Talent’ was the occasion, the first time such an event has been held in the area and it certainly struck a chord in the local community. ‘Simon Cowell’, ‘Piers [...]
Hoodies with a Heart…
Monday, July 27, 2009
It started with an idea to make a million – and to give it away - before his 20th birthday for Holywood teenager Cameron Stewart. As the founder of ARK (Acts of Random Kindness) clothing, Cameron Stewart in his own words wants his company to operate ‘with a purpose other than profit,’ and so every [...]
To Romania in Love…
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
The ugliness of recent headlines has been undeniable, with around 100 Romanians fleeing Northern Ireland, threatened by a bunch of racist yobs. And yet in a few months 250 people from the province will seek to counteract this story of shame. They’ll travel to Romania as part of an imaginative building project aimed at bringing [...]
Loving Belfast…at Summer Madness
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Ideas ranged from Doorsteps sandwich chain, to the Belfast Wheel, to the Northern Irish sense of humour; just some of the responses scrawled on the Tell It In Colour ‘Love Belfast’ wall at this year’s Summer Madness festival.
TIIC went along to Ireland’s largest youth festival at the King’s Hall in Belfast from the 3rd to [...]
Miracles Awaiting On Your Doorstep
Monday, May 11, 2009
“Sometimes it’s easier to travel to the other side of the world than to go to the other end of the street.” I was just back from a mission trip to Asia at the time and the idea behind the phrase really challenged me – how prepared was I to get my hands dirty in the land that I lived, the place that God has chosen to set me?
Dealing with Down Syndrome - A Mum’s Story
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
“Look at the beautiful little daughter God has given us.” Such words come easily to most dads as they look into the face of a newborn child for the first time. But Eileen McClenaghan could find no echo to her husband’s words, she was struggling to accept the news that their daughter had down syndrome.
“I [...]
A Gateway of Hope
Monday, April 20, 2009
“It looks like a scene from the Flintstones with all that rubble…but the Church is still there and God’s people are still there.” An East Belfast boy at heart, Mersey Street Presbyterian was John McCandless’s home church.
Before becoming involved in church work he was a professional old type sign-writer (how many of those do you [...]
Eleventh night…East Belfast style
Thursday, April 9, 2009
He used to watch the kids out on the streets on the 11th night. They were making their own entertainment, their own trouble sometimes. And then he had an idea…what if these kids could be brought into a safe, controlled and fun environment on that night and what if this could become a regular community [...]









Spark is a shared outreach vision between the churches of Ballymena which aims to show love ...