Church Record

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Church Record September 2026

THE MINISTRY

Licensed:

Mr Ashley Parks, by the Dromore Presbytery, 31 May 2026
Mr Glen McBride, by the Newry Presbytery, 5 June 2026
Mr Colin McKay, by the Tyrone Presbytery, 7 June 2026
Mr Stephen McCombe, by the East Belfast Presbytery, 14 June 2026
Mr Nathan Donnell, by the Dromore Presbytery, 19 June 2026
Mr Cillian McNamara, by the Dublin & Munster Presbytery, 20 June 2026
Miss Christine Craig, by the Templepatrick Presbytery, 21 June 2026
Mr Peter Huey, by the East Belfast Presbytery, 26 June 2026
Miss Karen Jardine, by the East Belfast Presbytery, 26 June 2026 

Ordained and Inducted:

Rev Scott McMenemy, as Associate Minister of Ballydown, 19 June 2026

Appointed:

Rev Jonathan Boyd, as Clerk of the General Assembly, 20 July 2026

Retired:

Rev Mark Spratt, as Minister of Kilmore, 30 June 2026
Rev Allen Sleith, as Minister of Hillsborough, 30 June 2026
Rev Mervyn Burnside, as Minister of Castlereagh, 24 July 2026
Rev William Harkness, as Minister of Belmont, 31 July 2026
Rev David Reid, as Minister of Ardstraw and Douglas, 31 July 2026

Resigned:

Rev Jonathan Boyd, as Minister of Killyleagh, 19 July 2026

Died:

Rev Robert Nixon, Minister Emeritus, 1 July 2026
Rev James Brogan, Minister Emeritus, 25 July 2026
Rev William (Bill) Boyd, Minister Emeritus, 1 August 2026

THE ELDERSHIP
 

Ordained and Installed:

FIRST KEADY: Graeme Black, Colin Broomfield, Craig Dickson, Jeffrey Lawson
GREYSTONE ROAD: Garry Hill, Sheryl Mawhinney, John McClean, David Mulligan
KILBRIDE: David Bowes, Benjamin Day, Alison Moore, Matthew Rankin, Dawn Turkington, Stuart Wallace
KILLYLEAGH: Ronald McMaster
KILMORE: Mark Scott
SECOND RANDALSTOWN: Samuel Foster, Ronald Pedlow, Jonathan Stevenson

Church Record July/August 2026

THE MINISTRY

Ordained and Inducted:

Rev David Dickinson, as Minister of Central Belfast, 24 May 2026
Rev Steven Woods, as Minister of Ballee and Ballykeel, 29 May 2026

Retired:

Rev Dr Mark Gray, as Minister of Bannside, 9 May 2026

Resigned:

Rev Corrina Heron, 31 May 2026

Died: 

Rev Ian McDowell, Minister Emeritus (Released), 22 May 2026

THE ELDERSHIP

Ordained and Installed:

FIRST DROMARA: David Annett, Jordan McCullough, David Spiers, Ashley Starrett
FIRST DROMORE: John Cochrane, Louis Jones, Mark Patterson, Matthew Poots
HILLSBOROUGH: Jacquie Elliott, Stephen Fitzpatrick, Anne Poots, Michael 
Thompson

Died: 

FIRST BALLYEASTON: James (Jim) Wilson
FIRST KILRAUGHTS: Robert Patterson
McQUISTON MEMORIAL: David Craig
RAILWAY STREET: William Tease
SECOND BALLYEASTON: David (Davey) Craig
SPA: Arthur Gibson
ST ANDREW’S, BELFAST: William (Billy) McCracken

Church Record June 2026

THE MINISTRY

Ordained and Inducted:

Mr Graeme Read, as Ordained Assistant, 1 May 2026

Installed:

Rev Elsye McCroskery, as Minister of Loughbrickland and Scarva, 10 April 2026 

Retired:

Rev Stephen Rea, as Minister of Athy & Carlow, 26 April 2026

Resigned:

Rev Ross Collins, as Minister of Ballywatt, 12 April 2026 

THE ELDERSHIP

Ordained and Installed:

BALLYSALLY: Desmond Paul (7.12.25)
DRUMACHOSE: Catherine Allen, Linda Haslett, James McMillan, Roslyn McMullan (25.9.25) 
MOURNE: Adam Annett, Keith Bingham, Geoffrey Casement, James Morris, Brian Niblock, Stephen Nicholson
MYROE: Andrew Barr, Andrew Paul (22.6.25) 

Died:

BADONEY: Jack McLaughlin
DRUMACHOSE: Billy Wallace 
MACOSQUIN: Robinson Connor 
MOUNTJOY: Bertie Longwell 
PORTSTEWART: Peter Bingham, James Jack, Martha Martin 
RINGSEND: George Graham, Robert Graham
SECOND LIMAVADY: John Wilson
 

Church Record May 2026

THE MINISTRY

Died:

Rev William (Billy) Hook, 10 March 2026
 

THE ELDERSHIP

Died:

MOLESWORTH: Mr Norman Shaw
 

Church Record April 2026

THE MINISTRY

Ordained and Installed:

Rev Billy Abwa, as Minister of Dunmurry & Kilmakee, 13 February 2026

Retired:

Rev Alistair Smyth, as Minister of Carryduff, 16 February 2026
Rev Ivan Thompson, as Minister of Knappagh & Lislooney, 22 February 2026
Rev Gary McDowell, as Minister of Greystones, 28 February 2026
Rev Dr Trevor McCormick, as Minister of First Kilrea, 1 March 2026
Rev Hugh Cubitt, as Minister of St James, Ballymoney, 15 March 2026

THE ELDERSHIP

Ordained and Installed:

CASTLEREAGH: Darren Forsythe

Died:

CLOUGH: John McKibben
CLOUGHWATER: Adam (Eddie) Harbinson
CORVALLY: Fred Eakin
CRAIGY HILL: Alexander Bell
FIRST BALLYMONEY: Tommy Murdock 
FIRST PORTADOWN: John Alexander Ruddock
KNAPPAGH: William Robert Anderson 
MAGUIRESBRIDGE: Andrew Knox
MOUNTPOTTINGER: Gordon Kennedy
McQUISTON MEMORIAL: Jean Hunter
ROSEYARDS: John Patton
SAINTFIELD ROAD: Alison Mullen
SECOND CASTLEDERG: Jean McMullan
WEST CHURCH, BALLYMENA: Sandy Spence
WEST KIRK: Robert Desmond (Dessie) Williams

Church Record March 2026

THE MINISTRY

Retired:

Rev Mervyn Lindsay, as Minister of Pomeroy and Sandholes, 12 January 2026
Rev Daniel Kane, as Minister of West Church, Ballymena, 31 January 2026
Rev David Stanfield, as Associate Minister of City Church, Bangor, 31 January 2026
Rev John Coulter, as Minister of Ballysally, 31 January 2026
Rev Clarke Deering, as Minister of Dun Laoghaire, 31 January 2026

Died:

Rev James (Jim) Waring, 5 October 2025

THE ELDERSHIP

Ordained and Installed:

COOTEHILL: John Gibson

Died:

BALLINDERRY: Sir John Pringle
BALLYGILBERT: John Blakley
BALLYLENNON: William Alexander
CLOUGH: Brian John Dumigan
DONOUGHMORE: Thomas McCreary
FIRST CARRICKFERGUS: John Black
HYDEPARK: Malcolm Boyd, Iain Kane
KILMACRENNAN: Nathaniel Rodgers
THE MALL, ARMAGH: William (Billy) Scott
WHITEHEAD: Ron Purvis