Andrew Norrie - Youth and Families Worker

andrew@stormontchurch.org ~ 02890656642 (ext23)

Born and raised in East Belfast Andrew was introduced to church from an early age and grew up in a christian home regularly attending church at St.Marks, Dundela. God had his hand on Andrew from an early age and his Grandmother was often heard saying he was going to be a minister or something to do with preaching.

Despite growing up in church Andrew had no intentions of following anything christian as a career path. In his teenage years he began getting more invovled in youth and children's work. In his late teenage years Andrew could regularly be heard arguing with clergy and youth leaders about how he had no intentions of going into ministry, however he would admit he felt something drawing him to this vocation. God clearly had other plans.

Finally after watching each of his friends surrender everything to God, he gave up running and decided it was time to start taking christianity seriously and in his words become a 'real christian'.
In 2007 Andrew surrendered everything to God and decided to follow whatever path he had for him. However he was not fully prepared for the rollercoaster journey God had planned.

In June 2008 Andrew qualified from the University of Ulster, Jordanstown with a degree in Community Youth Work and currently has ten years experience in the field not bad for only being 25.

Andrew went on to become the Assistant Children's Pastor at a church in Portadown which plucked him from his comfort zone, a role that ensured he had 100% trust in God. In March 2010 he became the Children's Pastor and at one point was responsible for all three of the churches sites throughout Northern Ireland.

Andrew has a heart for seeing children and young people engage in passionate worship of their Lord and Saviour and developed a passionate children's worship team in the church, as well as putting in place strategies to support children and young people with Addidtional learning or behavioural needs that will support them and aid their particiaption in church activities.

Outside of church Andrew can be found working with local councils on Summer Schemes or in a local high school where he worked as a special needs classroom assistant. He also has a keen interest in drama and has recently taken up the opportunity to tread the boards again.

One of Andrew's main passions is to see young men rising up to be the men they were called to be by God. Therefore he regularly meets up with a number of young men God has brought across his path for him to minister to in a mentor style role.

Andrew doesn't know what the future will hold but he knows that God has called him and he will do everything he can to fulfill that call upon his life. He has a passion for young people and for presenting the gospel to them in new and exciting ways. Andrew believes strongly that Northern Ireland is his mision field and that he has been called to work with young people and especially young men from fatherless homes to be that spiritual guide and to be someone they can turn to who will show them Love but will also be tough with them when they need it. One of Andrews sayings is, "I am tough on people, but sometimes it's what they need, however it must be done out of love. Tough Love".
It is that tough love that so many of the young people that have met Andrew talk bout.

1Timothy 4:12 is a key verse in Andrew's life and one which he comes back to again and again.

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.

He also believes the three key things to remember in any form of ministry are, Faith, Hope and Love. Without it you won't suceed. God has a clear call on his life and he will stop at nothing to fulfill it.