Orchard Group Teaming Up to Plant Church in Ireland

By Jennifer Taylor

Limerick, Ireland, currently has just a handful of Evangelical churches, but this fall the Orchard Group will help an Irish church planter start one more.

Dermot O”Mahony, a native of Limerick, moved to the United States after college to work with a growing church, gain ministry experience, and extend his education. He and his wife, Marie, settled in Arizona, where Dermot served as an intern, and then an outreach minister, with Christ”s Church of the Valley in Peoria, and took classes at Hope International University (Fullerton, CA).

When CCV decided to help the O”Mahonys start a church in Limerick, church leaders knew he needed more than financial support. The Orchard Group is helping the couple with coaching, oversight, and donor services. Several other U.S. churches are also providing financial support and serving on the management team until Irish leaders can fill these roles.

Dermot and Marie moved back to Limerick this past summer and are building a core group through gatherings around the city. They plan to launch Elevate Community Church this fall.

“There are a number of cultural similarities between Ireland and the Northeastern United States, where Orchard Group has been most active,” says Orchard Group President Brent Storms. “However, this is our first international plant, and we expect to learn as much from Dermot as he learns from us.”

Find out more about the new church and donate online at www.crossirelandministries.com and www.ecclimerick.com.