Institution of new Rector of St Donard's
Revd Canon Kenneth Higgins was instituted as Rector of the Parish of St Donard, Bloomfield by Rt Revd Harold Miller on Thursday 23rd April.
The preacher at the service was Rev Mark Harvey, Rector of St Mary's, Ballybeen. Ken, formerly rector of the Parish of Movilla, Newtownards, succeeds Revd Charles McCartney, now rector of Aghalee and Maghaberry.
In his speech, the new rector emphasized that ministry was a job to be done as a TEAM - Together Everyone Achieves More - and said that he looked forward to working with members of the parish in this new phase of its history.
Originally from Ballyclare, Ken trained as a Church Army Evangelist in London where he met his wife Ann. He spent 9 years as a Church Army Officer in the Diocese of Derry - 5 as a Chaplain toAltnagelvin Hospital and 4 in Carrickgart with responsibility for the The Mevagh Centre. He then moved to the Parish of St John's, Malone, where he served as a youth worker before being ordained deacon in 1993.
Ken completed 3 years as curate in St Finnian's, Cregagh, before being appointed Bishop's Curate to Movilla where he led the church through an unprecedented period of growth. He was made a Canon of Down Cathedral in 1996.
Group photo from left to right:
Rhonda Moroney (People's Warden) Heather Boyd (Rector's Warden) Revd John Auchmuty, Mrs Ann Higgins, Canon Ken Higgins, Bishop Harold Miller, Lily Gribben (outgoing People's Warden) Sylvia Morrow (outgoing Rector's Warden).