To meet Todd James, pictured above at a Cairde meeting, is to meet an honest man, who believes in the truth, the Bible and helping his fellow man. Todd James came to Ireland in 1980, along with his wife, from the USA.

He was originally a basketball coach and planned to do the same here, in fact he won Basketball Coach of the Year in America and after living here for a while managed to get Coach of the Year here too.

His parents had wanted him to be a dentist, little did they know that he would be a basketball coach, let alone a lay preacher far outside their native country.

When he first came to Dublin he began to take part in the Dublin West Christian fellowship in Blanchardstown, where he and his wife set up home. These meetings were to be the inspiring light that drove Todd on to what is Cairde today.

Cairde has been going in Ringsend for three and a half years. It used to be called the Gospel Group, but Cairde, meaning friends in Irish, seemed more appropriate.

Todd, along with his friends in Dublin West, realised certain key factors were missing in today’s society. They believe that not enough people are reading the Bible and becoming aware that Jesus died to offer us a gift, the gift of salvation. Todd believes in the way, the truth and the life, that is to show the way, to believe the truth and to live the life, and also to ask ourselves, what would Jesus do?

The Cairde Christian Fellowship is open to everyone and is non-denominational. The meeting lasts about one and half hours during which a number of hymns are sung.

On the day I went along there were 20 to 30 people in attendance with two guitar players, tambourine and other instruments, with everyone taking part. I felt myself humming along, which is testament to the sort of welcome a stranger will get.

One person has a medical complaint and the group is helping her through her pain. The group consisted of children of all ages and their friends and parents.

After about a half hour of singing, the children leave to do some art, and the remaining adults talk about a chapter of the Bible, led by Todd who has studied it in great detail and is a great speaker.
He teaches nothing radical or extreme, just simple explanations of the way of Christ through the scriptures. Everyone is free to express their problems or say simple things about life that they have experienced.

The chapter of the Bible at this particular meeting was Thessalonians, explained in a very matter of fact manner. Todd also takes time out to talk to children in schools about not accepting drugs and basic lessons in values. He sees it like basketball court lines, just as the lines control the game, people have to control their lives.

The atmosphere is fun, the people are decent folk and the overall feeling at the meeting is self-expression and overall understanding of the Bible and the help that a meeting can bring.

There is an element of trust at the Cairde Christian Fellowship in Ringsend Community Centre, and as Todd James says, “We’re all on this journey together.”

Cairde meet at 11 am on Sunday mornings and Todd can be reached at 8217916.

Above: Some of the children who attend Cairde Christian Fellowship show off their artwork. From left: Noah Brabazon and Rachel, Niamh and Amy Tyler.