Revd Capt Colin Taylor instituted in Dromara
Bishop Harold has instituted Revd Capt Colin Taylor as incumbent of The Grouped Parishes of Dromara and Garvaghy. The Archdeacon of Dromore, Ven Roderic West, gave the address at the service in St John’s, Dromara.
In the five years that Colin has been in the parishes he has transferred from being the Church Army Evangelist to Ordained Ministry as the Diocesan Curate and now to the position of rector.
Colin writes…
It has been a privilege to minister to the people of the parishes and the area over these years. When we first came, everybody who heard we were moving from East Belfast kept saying “Where? Where is Dromara and Garvaghy?” Eleanor and I have learned a lot as we’ve adjusted to the country and a different style of life and ministry.
We have been allowed to share in the joys and sorrows, celebrations and tragedies of the lives of our parishioners and others who have found their way to us. They have allowed us in at significant moments to share with them a precious part of their lives and we are humbled by that.
We recognise that we are just a small part of a long tradition of Christian witness in the area. Garvaghy Parish was a place of Christian burial from as early as 960AD and there is a record of a church in Dromara as early as 1306–07AD.
It has been encouraging to have the opportunity to go into the local primary schools and to take a part as chaplain to the Boys Brigade Company which four churches share. We’ve also been involved with others in the area reaching out to the unchurched through a project called Dromara Connect, so that those who might never darken a church door can hear the wonder of the gospel.
We are looking forward to the future knowing that there will always be much to be done but that there are always more opportunities to share Jesus and to help those here to discover a personal relationship with Christ. The team of folks in the two parishes is growing and that is encouraging as it bodes well for the future as we seek to reach the community with the message of Christ.
We know that we are upheld by those in the parishes who pray for us daily, weekly and monthly and we value that amongst the people.
We hold to the words given to us when we first came from Jeremiah 29 verse 11 “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.”
