The Church of Ireland
Press Release

Conducting his first service as Dean of Belfast, Dr Houston McKelvey has commissioned two teddy bears to be Ambassadors for Belfast Cathedral as part of its Children's Ministry programme.

Patrick and Anne 'BCAB', as the bears are named, will be Ambassadors for the Cathedral. Each has its own passport, which will be completed at the various churches they will visit. They are going on their first trip later this week to New York City and State with a forty strong group of Cathedral Choristers. The places the bears visit will be used to share the life of the Anglican Communion in various parts of the world with the Cathedral's younger members.

Dean McKelvey conducted an Act of Commissioning of the Choir as part of a new Ambassadors programme at the Cathedral.

The ABC2 programme is to recognise Cathedral members who will be Ambassadors for Belfast City and Ambassadors for Belfast Cathedral on various trips abroad. The concept was developed by Dean McKelvey and Lord Mayor Sammy Wilson.

The new Dean who was installed at a special service on Friday last, said "It is vital that the Cathedral community supports the City Council and the other development agencies in their efforts to bring new jobs and investment here. Not only will the choir be singing - they will be spreading good news about Belfast as a city in renaissance. Despite those who try to drag us all into their benighted past, this city, under God, is on the verge of a most exciting future. And we at Belfast Cathedral are an essential part of the team which is building the new city".

The Dean told the Cathedral Congregation that each member in their daily life was also an Ambassador for Christ, for the Cathedral and for the city. Younger members of the choir together with the Cathedral Bears, Mr David Drinkell, Master of Choristers at the Cathedral, and Dean McKelvey, will pay a courtesy visit to the City Hall to meet Alderman Wilson who expressed the greetings of the City and Council to the new Dean at the Service on Friday last.