The next Moderator of the Presbyterian Church will be Rev John Finlay (61), minister of Harryville Presbyterian Church in Ballymena. It's the first time that the minister of Harryville has been elected to the office.
Rev Finlay was nominated by 9 out of the 21 Presbyteries who met today throughout Ireland to vote for a new Moderator and will take up office on the 4th June in succession to Dr David Clarke who continues as Moderator until that time.
Dr Joe Fell, minister of Ebrington, Londonderry received 5 nominations, Rev Wilfred Orr from Newtownbreda, 3, Dr Donald Patton, Old Church Randalstown, 2, and the remaining nominations were for Rev Derek McKelvey of Fisherwick in Belfast and Rev Willis Cordner of First Bangor.
Commenting on his election Mr Finlay who has been minister of Harryville for the last 25 years said, "Apart from surprise, I'm overwhelmed by the sense of responsibility placed in me but I accept this honour out of a desire to serve Christ and the Church."
As a preacher who expounds scripture as the 'bread of life', he describes his ministry as one of "bringing people to personal faith and encouraging and strengthening them in that faith."
However he also considers the church to be in state of transition as it faces "the exciting challenge of changing into the different sort of church needed to impact a secular post modern generation."
Mr Finlay also enjoys living and working in Ballymena and particularly Harryville, a town and community which he feels have been unfairly portrayed in recent years. "We certainly have our problems but we are not the only local community having to face up to sectarianism and the drug culture and I believe Ballymena is making progress in dealing with these difficulties."
The son of missionary parents from Killinchy, John Mateer Finlay was born on 11 July 1945, and spent his early years in Argentina. Aged 7, he returned with his parents to the Lurgan/Portadown area attending Portadown College and later Queen's University and Assemblies College, graduating with BA and BD degrees.
He was ordained on 20 January 1971 and after serving as assistant in Ulsterville Presbyterian Church on Belfast's Lisburn Road, he was called to joint charges of Castledawson and Curran in mid-Ulster in 1973. Nine years later in 1982 he became minister of the Harryville congregation in Ballymena.
Describing himself as an "armchair sports enthusiast" Mr Finlay devotes any spare time to his wife Christine, four married children and four grand children.
Voting for each candidate was as follows:
Rev John Finlay (Harryville, Ballymena) 9 Votes
Armagh, Ballymena, Coleraine, Down, Dromore, Newry, Omagh, Route, Tyrone.
Dr Joe Fell (Ebrington, Londonderry) 5 Votes
Derry/Strabane, Donegal, Dublin/Munster, Iveagh, Monaghan.
Rev Wilfred Orr (Newtownbreda) 3 Votes
East Belfast, Carrickfergus, Foyle.
Dr Donald Patton (Old Church, Randalstown) 2 Votes
North Belfast, Templepatrick.
Rev Derek McKelvey (Fisherwick) 1 Vote
South Belfast.
Rev Willis Cordner (Ist Bangor) 1 Vote
Ards.
Moderator Designate Press Conference
The newly elected Moderator will hold a press conference at 10.30am, tomorrow, Wednesday 7 February in the Presbyterian Church Headquarters at Church House, Fisherwick Place, Belfast opposite Jury's Hotel.
Issued by Stephen Lynas, Presbyterian Information Services. Info@PresbyterianIreland.org
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