Revd Ken McGrath joins Holywood Parish ministry team
Revd Ken McGrath has been instituted as Associate Vicar of Holywood Parish where he has joined the ministry team led by Canon Gareth Harron. The service took place on 1 May, the Feast of St Philip and St James and patronal festival for the church. Bishop Ken Clarke, who grew up in the parish, gave the address, preaching from Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians.
For Ken, it is a happy return to the place where he began his teaching career in Sullivan Upper School and the new Vicar was welcomed by another former Sullivan colleague, Alistair McNeice, Pastor of Holywood Baptist Church. Sullivan headteacher, Mr Chris Peel, also spoke and read some comments (all good!) about the former teacher from the school archive. Gordon Dunne, MLA, gave a warm welcome to Ken on behalf of the Holywood community.
Canon Gareth Harron, vicar of Holywood Parish said:
“I am delighted to welcome my new colleague and Holywood Parish’s new ‘Associate Vicar’, the Reverend Ken McGrath. Ken and his wife Annette bring with them many years’ experience in parish and diocesan ministry, world mission and education and I know that, together, they will enrich the life of our parish and the wider community. As a parish staff team, we have been blessed with a number of new members over the last couple of years and feel a real sense of renewal as we continue to serve together”.
Ken introduces himself
I was born and brought up in East Belfast and baptised and confirmed in St Dorothea’s, Gilnahirk. It was at the age of 13 that I gave my life to Christ at an Inter–Schools Camp in Donegal, but, whilst the experience was very real and meaningful, it wasn’t until my late teens that I really began to grow in faith.
After Grosvenor High School I left Northern Ireland to study Human Biology at the University of Surrey, returning home to complete my PGCE at Queen’s. In 1983 I got my first job teaching Biology with Chemistry in Sullivan Upper School, Holywood.
My 8 years in Sullivan were very happy ones and alongside my teaching and pastoral responsibilities, I threw myself into coaching rugby and the Scripture Union. In the latter I was privileged to work alongside Stanley Mills whose godliness and commitment to prayer had a huge influence upon me.
In 1988 I married Annette and in 1991, God took us on our first adventure when we both left our jobs and moved to Nairobi, Kenya. I was vice–principal and later principal of a Christian school in the city and we worshipped in the Anglican Church of Kenya at Karen. We had a marvellous 5 years in Africa, during which time God answered our prayers for a family in the most unexpected way. Charlotte and John, whom we adopted as Kenyan babies, are now in their early twenties and John has just married Hannah who hails from Georgia, USA. Darcy the cockapoo completes the family!
We left Kenya in 1996 and settled in Coleraine where I became the first principal of North Coast Integrated College. It was during our time on the North Coast that I sensed a call to ordained ministry and I’m grateful to our rector in St Patrick’s, (now) Bishop Ken Clarke, for his wisdom and guidance throughout that journey.
My curacy and first stint as a vicar, was in Lisburn Cathedral, and in 2009 I became incumbent of the Parish of Kilkeel.
Understandably, it is with sadness that we have left the beautiful Mournes and the church family whom we have grown to love, appreciate and understand, but we have many friends and happy memories to cherish from our 9 years at Christ Church.
Annette and I, however, have a strong sense of the ‘rightness’ of our move to Holywood and it is with excitement and anticipation that I join the team at St Philip and St James’ under the leadership of Canon Gareth Harron. We very much look forward to getting to know the people of the parish and the Holywood community and to seeing what God will do among us.
