Church Record

This information is supplied by the General Secretary's Department, Assembly Buildings. If you have any queries regarding this information please use the contact form here.

For details on vacant congregations see here.

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

Church Record February 2026

THE MINISTRY

Installed:

Rev Angus McCullough, as Minister of Donegal and Stranorlar, 15 November 2025
Rev Neil Stewart, as Minister of Fintona and Dromore (Co Tyrone), 29 November 2025
Rev Andrew Boreland, as Minister of Bloomfield, 5 December 2025

Resigned:

Rev Angus McCullough, as Minister of Magheragall, 14 November 2025
Rev Scott Moore, as Minister without Charge, 3 December 2025
Rev Andrew Boreland, as Minister of Newcastle, 4 December 2025
Rev Dr Alistair Bates, as Minister of Wellington, Ballymena, 31 December 2025
Rev Bryan Kee, as Minister of First Newry, 31 December 2025

Retired:

Rev Jackie Spence, as Minister of Upper Clonaneese and Lower Clonaneese, 23 November 2025
Rev Kenneth Crowe, as Minister of Bushvale, 30 November 2025
Rev John Hanson, as Minister of Ballyhobridge, Clones, Newbliss and Stonebridge, 10 December 2025

Died:

Rev Dr Martin (Marty) McNeely, 22 November 2025
Rev Robert (Bob) Hornby, 29 November 2025

THE ELDERSHIP
 

Ordained:

ENNISKILLEN: Barbara Hayward

Died:

BRIGH: Winifred Hammond
CLOUGH: Ross Humphrey
DONEMANA: Joseph McDonald
DOWNSHIRE ROAD, NEWRY: Raymond Copeland
FIRST COMBER: Ann Stevenson
HARMONY HILL: Jeffrey Whitford
KILFENNAN: Edward Laverty
MALONE: Wilson Graham
TOBERKEIGH: Harry McVicker
TRINITY, BALLYMONEY: Charles Steele