A Co. Armagh church with no running water is organising a Christmas Tree Festival to help get a toilet and kitchen installed.
Clare Parish Church is a rural church with a small congregation and is one of, if not the only, churches in Northern Ireland with no toilet or running water inside the main church building.
The current facilities at the church, which is located at 36 Clare Road outside Tandragee, are in a tin shed outside with no flush toilet.
In a bid to raise funds and install a small toilet and kitchen in the church hall, the rector and the congregation have organised a Christmas Tree Festival for the first week in December.
Sharon Shields, who grew up in the church and is involved in the choir, describes the facilities as a bit like something out of ‘I’m a Celebrity’.
She explained: “The church was built in 1840 with two small adjoining buildings, a school and a home for the caretaker. Shortly after that they built this wee toilet. It’s a stone-built, tin roof and a dry bucket was in it at the time, and it hasn’t really changed much since.
“It’s probably the only church in Ireland where the church warden actually has to empty the toilet!”
Clare Parish Church was built in 1840
Sharon says a need for updated facilities was identified as the church continues to grow in numbers and expand its outreach.
After 15 years without a rector, a new rector was installed recently, alongside a new piano player, who has started a choir and helped to run a number of different music events in the church.
“They are planning on building a very small kitchen and toilet onto the church hall,” Sharon said. “I grew up in the church here and while we were very grateful for it, it was a bit of an ‘I’m a Celebrity’ kind of situation!”
The Christmas Tree Festival will be held from Thursday, December 5, to Sunday, December 8, with a number of events in store all under the theme of ‘Light of the World’ and making Jesus the centre of Christmas time.
The opening service on Thursday evening will be led by the Clare Primary School choir and Jo Scott from BBC NI, followed by a display of trees in the church, all featuring a story or Bible message.
The display will be open on Friday and Saturday, alongside a big breakfast on Saturday morning and a twilight market with craft stalls and a visit from Santa in the old house.
The festival comes to a close on Sunday evening, with a carol service from local musicians and choirs.
Sharon added: “I want to thank the congregation, the rector Colin Darling and David Wilson. He is the pianist and runs the choir and headed up the committee for the festival.”
You can make a donation to the Clare Parish Church fundraising campaign by visiting their JustGiving page here.
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