Group of people inside a church with stained glass windows and high vaulted ceiling.

About

Why Six:Eight?

Six:Eight takes its name from Isaiah 6:8: “Here am I. Send me.”

In that moment, Isaiah encounters the presence of God and everything changes. His response is simple and courageous. Send me. That moment captures the heart of the church we believe God is calling us to become.

A place where people encounter God and are sent to live for Him.

We want to be a church where people experience the presence of God through worship and prayer, grow as followers of Jesus Christ in authentic community, and step into lives marked by courage, faith, and mission.

Six:Eight is based in East Belfast, but our vision reaches far beyond one neighbourhood. We pray that people across Belfast would encounter Jesus and discover the life He offers.

Six:Eight is not simply the name of a church. It is the prayer we hope will shape our lives.

Here am I. Send me.

Leadership

Bishop David McClay invited Gas Street Church, Birmingham, to partner with the Diocese of Down and Dromore and Revitalise Trust to help replant and revitalise the church for a new season. Six:Eight is the fruit of that partnership.

A smiling man with short dark hair and a beard, wearing a white Nike t-shirt, against a plain gray background.

Mike Darbandi
Lead Pastor

A New Chapter

Black and white photo of a stone church with a tall clock tower, arched windows, and gated entrance, surrounded by a fence and residential houses, with overcast sky.

Six:Eight is part of a new chapter in the story of the church in Belfast. The church building at the heart of this project, St Patrick’s Church Ballymacarrett, was once one of the largest and most influential churches in the city. For generations, it served the growing communities of East Belfast, shaped by the industries and shipyards that defined this part of the city.

Like many historic churches, it carries a deep heritage of worship, mission and faithful service. Today, there is an opportunity to see that story renewed for a new generation.

We are establishing a new church community rooted in the history of this place while looking forward with faith and expectation for what God will do in the years ahead. Our hope is that the church here will once again become a place where many people encounter God and are sent out to live for Him across Belfast and beyond.