Challenge Garvagh!

Three Churches in the town, First Garvagh Presbyterian, Main Street Garvagh Presbyterian and St. Paul’s Parish Church together with the TBF and KL Thompson Trust will present the community with a challenge to “A Life Worth Living” with various events and competitions throughout 2012.

In the lead up to Christmas members of the three churches went Carol singing around the residential areas in Garvagh raising over £600 for the Ulster Cancer Foundation. The Challenge 20:12 hospitality team offered free mince pies, tea and coffee in The Cornerstone Youth and Community Centre for one week in December to shoppers, businesses and anyone passing by.

Two Community Carol Services on Wednesday 21st December proved very popular, one for seniors in St Paul’s Parish in the afternoon and an early evening Carol Service held in Main Street Presbyterian for all the residents and businesses in and around the town.

During the coming months various events are planned including an MG AutoTest, a Scottish Evening and a Table Quiz in February, a St Patrick’s event in March, Taming the Tiger evening also in March when Tony Anthony will speak about his amazing experiences as a three-time World Champion Kung Fu Fighter, elite bodyguard and prisoner.

During 2012 there will also be an Easter Egg Hunt, a Street Party, a Rally Car Exhibition and numerous other goings-on not to be missed! Various competitions will be held including, bowling, football, baking, quizzes, tennis tournaments and treasure hunts just to mention but a few. There will be activities for children and youth with a special team of children and youth workers drawn from all three churches and a combined Praise Band has been put together especially for 2012. Challenge Garvagh 20:12 events are for everyone, every denomination, every person who lives in, works in, drives through, or visits Garvagh.

All these activities will culminate in a two-week event running from 4th to 18th of November in the Engineering Workshop at TBF Thompsons which will have been transformed into a large comfortable auditorium seating up to 1,000 people with parking for over 400 cars.

The Challenge Team have invited an inspiring and relevant speaker, Jim Stewart, from Perth in Scotland to speak at these meetings. Jim has already visited Garvagh at a launch night in First Garvagh Presbyterian in November when he urged everyone to get involved in the special Challenge for Garvagh in 2012.

On Sunday 5th February the three churches are holding a “Back to Church Sunday” when the Challenge Garvagh 20:12 Team will be inviting everyone to church, especially those who perhaps have lapsed in attendance for one reason or another or those who perhaps have never been to church.

Watch out for the Challenge Garvagh 20:12 logo on invites and posters informing you of what is going on in Garvagh during 2012. You will find all the information you need on the website www.challengegarvagh2012.org and on Facebook.