Held in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland’s Assembly Buildings in Belfast last night, the ceremony saw a total of 19 people receive various awards. Presiding over the graduation was Professor Stafford Carson, Principal of Union College, who offered his congratulations to all those receiving awards, saying, “We wish you all God’s blessing as you embark on the next stage of your ministry.”
The Presbyterian Theological Faculty, Ireland awards degrees by the authority of its Royal Charter, which was granted by Queen Victoria in 1881. This year’s ceremony also saw 8 ministry students receive a Post Graduate Diploma in Ministry and Certificate for Licensing, while 9 students received an award in Youth Ministry.
Reading the citation of Dr. McMullen’s award was Professor of Practical Theology Drew Gibson, who paid tribute to the incoming Moderator, saying, “I have known Charles for many years and - in common with all who know him - I hold him in the highest regard, as a Christian man and as a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Professor Gibson also noted the ministers who had helped shape the Omagh born Dr. McMullen’s ministry, from Rev. Harry Pinkerton and Rev. Bill Clarke who ministered in Trinity Presbyterian Church in Omagh where he grew up, to Rev. Harold Gray, minister of Harmony Hill Presbyterian, where Dr. McMullen served his assistantship. However, it was in receiving the call to West Church, Bangor in 1999, taking over the 40 year ministry from Rev. David Bailie, that showed the character of Dr. McMullen, Prof Gibson said.
“The congregation had known the clear and obvious blessing of God and the new minister could easily have been overawed or fallen into the folly of demanding that things be done ‘my way’. But that is not the sort of man Charles McMullen is.
“His gracious dignity and inner stability has allowed him to lead the congregation on from strength to strength, building naturally on all that had gone before and developing a congregation characterised by inclusion, loving relationships, the nurture of young people and a crystal clear outreach to the local community in words of witness and acts of love,” Professor Gibson said.
He also spoke of Dr. McMullen’s service across a number of boards and committees within the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, noting also his recognition by the Church of Ireland, being installed as an Ecumenical Canon in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, just a fortnight ago.
Concluding his remarks, Professor Gibson stated his confidence that Dr. McMullen and his wife, Barbara, would be “not only excellent representatives of our Church, but faithful, gracious and courageous witnesses to Jesus Christ as they perform the duties of the office.”
During the graduation ceremony, the degree of Doctor of Divinity was also conferred upon Rev. William David Cupples, minister of Enniskillen Presbyterian Church. Speaking of Dr. Cupples ministry, Professor of Systematic Theology Michael McClenahan drew particular attention to both his service to evangelical student ministry in Ireland, and his pastoral concern for the spiritual health of his fellow ministers. He also spoke about his gracious and sensitive ministry to the people of Enniskillen following the 1987 Remembrance Day bombing, that happened less than two months after his installation.
“David’s life and ministry are well known … and we hold him in the highest regard as a Christian man and as a minister of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ,” Professor McClenahan said.
“As a minister of Christ he conducted himself ‘in a manner worthy of the gospel’. He was given grace, along with many others, to testify to the grace of God in the midst of incalculable human suffering and grief. In words widely reported at the time he said that the gospel announces the Victory of God in the midst of the darkness of the world: ‘Hope over despair, love over hatred, and life over death, through Jesus Christ our Lord.’”
Dr. McMullen was elected by a vote of the Church’s 19 presbyteries on 6th February and will be officially nominated to and installed at the Opening Night of this year's General Assembly, which takes place from the 4th-8th June.
Photo: (LtoR) Taken at the Presbyterian Theological Faculty, Ireland’s annual graduation ceremony are Moderator-Desigante the Rev. Dr. Charles McMullen, Very Rev. Principal Stafford Carson, principal of Union Theological College, Belfast and the Rev. Dr. David Cupples, minister of Enniskillen Presbyterian Church.
For information and resources about this year's General Assembly: The Blue Book, individual reports, supplementary reports, daily business, minutes, previews and reviews of each day's proceedings, visit our General Assembly 2018 resources section here.