Ordination of deacons at Hillsborough
The Bishop of Down and Dromore, Rt Rev Harold Miller, ordained two deacons in St Malachy's, Hillsborough, on 21st June 2009. The preacher was Rev Adrian Dorrian.
Robert Ferris will be the curate assistant in the Parish of St Columba's, Knock and Mike Dornan becomes curate assistant in the Parish of St Malachy's, Hillsborough. Both candidates were well supported by family, friends and their sending parishes. Curiously, St Columbas proved to be a common link as Mike Dornan grew up and was confrimed there.
Please see below for some biographical background on the diocese's two new deacons.
Robert Ferris
I have lived in Banbridge all my life with Mum and Dad and wee sister Claire. I have grown up through Seapatrick Parish and participated in all the youth organisations I could attend. I suppose I always had some knowledge of God and the church from early years. However there are a couple of significant moments in my Christian journey.
The first was at the end of third year in Banbridge High. We had to choose our subjects for GCSE and I had not got a clue what to choose. There in the lecture theatre I remember praying - ‘God I have no idea what I want to do ... help me choose'. It was then I remembered a verse from Sunday School - "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" Jer 29:11.
The other significant event which changed my life, was in Shankill Parish Lurgan, at a Summer Madness Easter Praise service at the end of fifth form. I couldn't tell you what was said or what was sung that night but I just remember hearing God speaking very clearly and saying - The plan I have for you is ordained ministry - Very very scary! Our curate at the time was Rev. Paul Lyons and I chatted with him that night for quite a while saying that it would be a long way down the road. It is quite amazing to think that what God stirred in me that night so many years ago is now coming to fruition.
Between then and now there have been many stepping stones along the way which have reinforced the call to ordination. God has seen me through a variety of experiences and throughout it all, I have been blessed to have met some amazing Christians at home and abroad who are an inspiration to me in my walk with God. It is my prayer that as I move around the corner from the large town of Banbridge to the big city of Belfast, and as I draw alongside the people in Knock, God will continue to teach, challenge, encourage and equip me for the things I will do and also pray that HE will bless others through my ministry as I learn what ministry is about and as I fulfill with God's help the promises which I will make here tonight.
Mike Dornan
I attended Knock Parish with my family until my Confirmation in the mid 1970's, when I have to confess to joining the local Presbyterian Church, because it had a better youth club and a vibrant group of young adult worshippers who met in their own dedicated venue.
Going away to university and working across the water resulted in a break of almost fifteen years before my spiritual life was reawakened. In the meantime I had married Gill, and Nick was a 3 year old. We had been aware of the activities of the local Church of England parish, St Peter's in Yateley, Hampshire, and it was about this time that we discovered that we were finally expecting our second child (Ciara). We felt that we ought to go to the parish church to give thanks.
On entering the church the following Sunday, we experienced what we could only describe as a feeling of the "church cuddling us", what I would now express as an overwhelming presence of the love of the Holy Spirit saying to us, "you are finally home". Following the morning service, we decided to find out more and this resulted in us hosting a house group and Gill and I attending a "Strong Foundations" discipleship course, This was the first of many "God-incidents", we have subsequently experienced. At the end of the course, Gill, a Presbyterian by birth, decided that she would like to be confirmed, and I reaffirmed my own vows. We returned to Northern Ireland the following year, 1995, moving to Saintfield, and quickly got involved with parish life. This involved the pivotal experience of leading a post-Alpha support group. We were subsequently presented with the opportunity to move to a new type of Church "a fresh expression" church plant from Belvoir parish, headed up by Rev. Adrian McCartney.
It was 2004 when Gill & I felt that I was being called into the ordained ministry and the rest as they say is history. Looking back over the years, I can see God's guiding hand on my life, even when I was not close to him. It has taken me a long time to understand that God calls each of us exactly as we are. It is us, with all our quirks and insecurities that he can use in the service of the Kingdom. All he needs are people who are willing to listen to his "still small voice" and answer his call, whatever that may be.