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The 21 presbyteries that make up the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland will be meeting on Tuesday, 6 February to vote for a new Moderator to succeed Rt Rev Dr Trevor Morrow whose year of office ends in June.
Presbyteries are the governing bodies responsible for groups of approximately 25 congregations in different geographical locations around Ireland. Each one has a membership composed of all the ministers and a representative elder from every congregation in its area. The members of Presbytery will vote among themselves to decide who their presbytery will nominate as the new Moderator or Moderator Designate as he is officially known. Each presbytery has just one vote. The presbyteries meet independently of one another at locations all around Ireland and their nominations are communicated to Church House in Belfast. A result is expected to be declared by 9.30pm on Tuesday evening.
In last year's election Dr Morrow, the minister of Lucan Presbyterian Church, Co Dublin, received 10 votes with 8 votes going to runner up Rev Alastair Dunlop, minister of the Knock congregation in Belfast.
Voting for each candidate was as follows:
- Dr Trevor Morrow (Lucan) 10 Votes
- Ards, North Belfast , South Belfast , Carrickfergus, Donegal, Down, Dromore, Dublin, Monaghan, Omagh
- Rev Alastair Dunlop (Knock) 8 Votes
- Armagh, Ballymena, Coleraine, Derry/Strabane, Iveagh, Newry, Route, Tyrone
- Rev Terry McMullan (Overseas Secretary) 2 Votes
- Foyle, Templepatrick
- Rev Jim Campbell (Cooke Centenary, Belfast) 1 Vote
- East Belfast
Note to Editors: Biographies and photographs of those nominated last year will be circulated next Tuesday 06-02-01. A PRESS CONFERENCE to introduce the Moderator Designate will be held in the Board Room, Church House on Wednesday, 7 February at 10.30am.
Issued by Stephen Lynas, Presbyterian Information Services. Info@PresbyterianIreland.org
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