Big thank you from Lisburn.com

Lisburn minister all set for Belfast marathon with Ethiopian church leaders

Rev Ken Todd, third from left, with the Tearfund church leader team- Photo credit - Derek Hall/ Tearfund

Rev Ken Todd, third from left, with the Tearfund church leader team- Photo credit - Derek Hall/ Tearfund

A LISBURN Minister will join a team of local church leaders and run the Belfast Marathon Relay alongside two Ethiopian Church Leaders to bring help and hope to 5,000 Ethiopians living in poor communities.

The team includes Former Methodist President Rev Ken Todd from Lisburn; Former Presbyterian Moderator Rev. Stafford Carson; Bishop Harold Miller; Rev. David McClay, co-leader of New Wine Ireland; Dave Dunlop, Windsor Baptist Pastor; Dave Dickinson, Alpha Ireland and Beth Laverty, 24/7 Prayer Ireland. The clergy teams will be joined by over 100 runners from churches
around Northern Ireland.

The two Ethiopian Church leaders, Simon Haile and Tefera Abiche, both work for the Kale Heywet Church, Which has been a long term partner of Christian Relief and Development agency Tearfund.

To date, Tearfund's support has enabled 275 Kale Heywet churches to establish savings schemes and small businesses benefiting 70,000 people living in poor communities. "The average life expectancy in Ethiopia is 48 which would mean that four of our team wouldn't be alive to make this run if they lived there," said Rev. Ken Todd.

"As a Methodist, I'm delighted to be linking up with Christians across Northern Ireland to assist Ethiopian churches to bring help and hope to people living in poor communities."

Together, the teams hope to raise £10,000 to help 20 more Ethiopian churches establish savings groups and small businesses which will benefit a further 5,000 people in poor communities. You can sponsor the Clergy team online at www.justgiving.com/Tearfundglobalrunningteam or by contacting the Tearfund NI office on 028 90 682828.

Ulster Star
29/04/2011