Meet our new deacons: Revd Noel Gordon
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Another of our new deacons, Revd Noel Gordon (NSM) who is serving in the parish of Willowfield, tells us a bit about himself...
My dark secret is that I grew up in the Presbyterian Church ... but stopped going when I was around 16 without making a profession of faith.
I made a distinct decision to follow Jesus in June 1981 - mainly through the influence of friends at university and my girlfriend, Linda (now my wife) and started attending the Church of Ireland along with her.
We have since been involved in Anglican churches in places as diverse as Blantyre, Malawi and Banbridge, Co Down as well as for many years being part of an inter-denominational Christian fellowship called Community of the King. I have been encouraged and inspired by many of the ministers at churches where we have worshipped - Harold at the Church of the Resurrection, John Scott in Banbridge, Tom Keightley in Belvoir and more recently David McClay in Willowfield. If only a small part of their qualities were to rub off on me I would be blessed.
The years of study involved could only have been accomplished with the support of my wife and family who have sacrificed a lot on my behalf.
I see myself as a normal punter who tries (usually imperfectly) each day to follow and obey God. My desire is to help others to see that it is not about sorting our lives out before we believe but that God, through the work of his Son, accepts us as we are. I am now looking forward to serving the church in this new season of my life – helping to communicate the good news that God's grace is sufficient and freely available to all of us.
Noel Gordon