New Ballymacarrett rector 'comes home'
Bishop Harold Miller instituted the Revd John Cunningham as rector of Ballymacarrett on Sunday 19th June. The preacher at the service was the Archdeacon of Down, The Venerable Philip Patterson.
Becoming rector of St Patrick's is something of a homecoming for John. He and his wife Linda (pictured right) were baptised and grew up in the Parish of St Christopher's. They were Youth Club leaders there and it was also where they were married.
"The folk in Ballymoney are lovely, generous people and it would have been easy to stay, but God has a habit of calling you out of your comfort zone," says John. "I have long had a calling for St Patrick's so we felt we had to throw our hat in when the vacancy was advertised. They have called me and I am delighted to be going."
John finished his training in Dublin in 1998 and became curate in Limavady (Diocese of Derry & Raphoe), after which he became rector and Rural Dean in Macosquin, in the Diocese of Connor. He has come to East Belfast from the incumbency of Ballymoney, Finvoy and Rasharkin where he served for 5 years. For the 20 years prior to ordination John was a Prison Officer at The Maze.
John and Linda have 5 grown-up children and 8 grandchildren. To relax they enjoy walking and have just completed the 500 mile pilgimage, 'The Way of St James,' through France and Spain. John also enjoys reading, painting in watercolours and gardening.
We welcome John and Linda to the diocese and wish them every blessing in their new but familiar parish.