John dives into fundraising challenge for Gambia

To see him powering through the water is quite a sight with an accompanying boat, as family and friends gather to greet him and wrap him in some well-deserved warm clothes.

The swim was a family occasion, as his mum Patricia was in an accompanying boat and his wife Dorothy and sons Jonah and Daniel were there to greet him.

It was quite a feat as John had taken just five hours and forty minutes to complete the swim which is 13.9 kilometres in length after taking off at Carrybridge around 11.30.

John McConnell, Lay Evanglist, who swam from Carrybridge to Enniskillen. (Image: Supplied)

A delighted John told The Impartial Reporter that this was his longest ever swim.

“I have been swimming all around Ireland for the last fifteen years.

“My biggest highlight was in 2017/18 when I won the Ulster Championship in Camlough Lake near Europe.

"I got a bit lazy around Covid, and now I am just getting back into it.”

The reason for the swim was to raise funds for a mission trip to Gambia later this year.

“We were thinking of ways to raise funds earlier in the year and I was just thinking, wouldn’t it be lovely to swim from Carrybridge to the Ardhowen Theatre.

“I am just glad I have hit the finish line, and when I was coming past the Killyhevlin, maybe I should have decided to finish there.”

So, what was the purpose of the marathon swim?

“From October 24 to November four, twelve people from the Methodist Church in Ireland will be visiting our church family in the Gambia.

“We will see how clinics, schools, and agricultural projects all contribute to the Methodist Church in Gambia.

“We will also have the chance to share in worship, Bible study and Gospel outreach with our Gambian brothers and sisters.

“By giving to this fundraiser, you are supporting this mission trip.

“Extra funds raised will be given to the Gambian Methodist Church to support their ministry.”

The Irish Methodist World Mission Partnership (WMP) is part of the Methodist Church in Ireland (MCI).

“Here we have a wonderful NHS but they don’t have anything like that in Gambia.

“The churches provide the medical care and the Methodist Church does a lot of work there.

So how did John become involved as a Lay Pastor in the Methodist Church?

He was originally involved in the family business selling shoes in Cookstown.

“My wife Dorothy and I are both lay preachers in the Methodist Church and she is from Draperstown.

“Whenever we started in 2017, we only thought we would only be preaching four or five times of the year to help our Minister on our wee circuit in Cookstown.

“But then in 2020 the opportunity opened up to move into full-time ministry, and there was a vacancy in Fermanagh.

“They wanted me to look after three churches in Lisbellaw, Maguiresbridge and Tempo.

“They are lovely churches and nice people, so we moved the family down here, and we love it.

“My wife is working as a lay pastor on the Upper Erne circuit with churches including Brookeborough, Lisnaskea and Newtownbutler.

“So, this is a full-time job as you are preaching at the weekend and doing pastoral visits during the week.

John McConnell, Lay Evanglist, who swam from Carrybridge to Enniskillen. (Image: John McVitty)

Asked if he would become a fully-fledged minister, he chuckled:“That question is for the Man Above but we are content as we are and we are willing to serve wherever the Lord wants us.”

John has always loved the outdoors, and he is also helping out at Sailability at the Lough Erne Yacht Club.

“Water is beautiful and calming, and the lakes are great here and it’s wonderful to be out sailing in them and swimming in them.”

Asked if Nature was a help to him in his ministry, he said:“God created the Heaven and the earth, and sometimes people have a mentality that the only place you can encounter God is in a church.

“Take a look around; God is all around us, and creation is all around us."