Amazing Grace

Abundant Grace2The Abundant Grace Christian Assembly centre on 57 Irishtown Road, Dublin 4 is a non denominational, independent Pentecostal Church where people come from all ethnic and religious backgrounds. They don’t see themselves as Catholic or Protestant they just see themselves as children of God. Everyone who comes to the centre says they find great peace there.

Pastor Sharon Perry says, “We are a very small church with a very big vision. We have a small congregation of around 60 people with a big heart”. Pastor Sharon has been living in Dublin for 7 years with her husband Pastor Paul Perry. She feels privileged and blessed that God gave her a chance to work here. She has developed a great relationship with the area and has built up a lot of trust.
As part of their vision the pastors from the centre visit sick people in hospitals or in their own homes, to sit with them and pray if they need prayer. They believe in healing for today, so they try to just be there for people as some can become isolated at times of illness.

Their ‘City Lights Project’ sees them helping the wider community, assisting in hospital runs for people in difficulty, and members of the congregation, headed by Pastor John Gorman go out into the city with sleeping bags, soup, tea, coffee and biscuits for the homeless. Plans are in place to take this a step further by opening two residential facilities in North County Dublin.

In August the Abundant Grace centre ran ‘Deepfish’. You may have seen people in the area with blue T shirts washing windows, cleaning the streets, gardening and doing general DIY. This busy week ended with a huge party with over 200 people coming to the centre for a BBQ, face painting and inflatable balloons. This is always a wonderful week with lots of activities for young people including parties in the park and on the beach.

Abundant Grace offers mass on Sunday mornings at 11am and provides a wide range of weekly services from prayer meetings and bible classes to Xtreme Youth Club and Parent and Toddler groups. Once a month there is the much loved ‘YUMMY MUMMYS’ beauty service where the ladies can relax and enjoy some well deserved pampering in the form of manicures, pedicures, facials, make-up, threading, hand & feet massages etc. All free of charge.

Christmas hampers are now being prepared for people who are isolated or in need. If you or anyone you know might be in need of a hamper Pastor Sharon would be glad to hear from you. The hampers provide toys for families with children and they also have hampers for senior citizens and food hampers for anyone in need.
This Christmas they are offering a new ‘Home Alone’ service. The intention of Abundant Grace is not to see anyone home alone this Christmas. They will provide a delicious Christmas lunch (free of charge) in the church and it is open to all. If you would like to join them they would appreciate, where possible, some notice so they have an idea of how many people to cater for. You can contact her on 087 958 8513 or www.abundantgrace.ie

As we go to print Abundant Grace has been served notice to quit the church property (which is now owned by NAMA) by May 2013. In May of last year Abundant Grace made NAMA a substantial offer to purchase the property, but it was declined. They are now taking legal advice on the matter. Pastor Sharon and all at Abundant Grace would value the support and prayers of the local community at this time. It is not their intention to leave the area and they would like to see the matter resolved for the sake of the whole community.
By Jason McDonnell