Clergy from three of the main Christian churches in Londonderry made their way through a dusty building site, ton Wednesday morning (7th June 2023), to lead a short ecumenical service of prayer for the success of Ardnashee School and College’s new construction project.
Work is well under way on the single storey building on the Northland Road, and the project is scheduled to be completed in February 2025.
Nine pupils from the current campuses in Belmont joined principal Raymond McFeeters, the vice-chair of the Board of Governors, Dee Amor, and three teachers at today’s ceremony, which took place on an area of raised ground overlooking the site. The project’s architect and two members of staff from Woodvale Construction also attended. A number of the pupils gave readings.
The clergy who took part were the Bishop of Derry, Rt Rev Dr Donal McKeown; the Rector of St Augustine’s Church, Londonderry, Rev Nigel Cairns; and Rev Dr David Latimer from the Presbyterian Church. All three clergy performed readings and Dr Latimer shared a short reflection.
The children brought with them hopes and wishes they had written down for the success of the new school. After the service, these were buried in a hole, which was then covered in by the shovel-wielding principal, and they will remain under the school’s flooring for the rest of the building’s lifetime.
