Revd Ian McGrath is instituted in Knocknamuckley
We're delighted to welcome Revd Ian McGrath to the diocese as the new rector of Knocknamuckley. Bishop David instituted Ian at a service in St Matthias on Wednesday 4 September. The Vicar of Ballywalter, Revd Sue Bell, gave the address.
Before either Sue or Ian were ordained, they both worshipped in St Thomas, Lancaster, where Sue was a parishioner and Ian was the Youth Pastor. Neither could have forseen that their paths would one day cross in a church in County Armagh!
Sue preached from the Gospel (Matthew 14:22-33, Jesus walks on the water) and the Epistle (Philippians 2:1-16, Imitating Christ's humility) and reminded us that as individuals and churches we needed to be Jesus-focused.
We warmly congratulate Ian and wish he and his family every blessing as they settle into their new home.
Meet Ian
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14, NIV).
I was almost 5 years old when I gave my life to Jesus one Easter Sunday in the kitchen with the help of an Easter egg! That journey of faith led me through my school years on the Wirral in England to St. Martin’s College, Lancaster, where I completed a Religious Studies degree and continued with my love of working with children and youth in my local church as a volunteer youth and children’s worker. Following my degree, I felt a clear call to youth ministry and ended up working as Youth Pastor in St. Thomas’ Church, Lancaster for 10 years. There I met my wife, Julie, and we settled with our family. I have three children, an older teenage daughter and another daughter and son both of whom are in primary school.
Despite my continued love and commitment to youth and children’s ministry, I always felt that youth work was not a life-long vocation, and after a process of discernment began ordination training in the Church of England part-time whilst working for a local engineering firm. A curacy followed in the wonderful parish of Ellel St. John’s in a village just outside of Lancaster, during which my wife and I began to discern our future post-curacy. My wife is from Northern Ireland, and we began to explore the possibility of a move over as an option alongside opportunities available in England. A tentative response to an email advert from the Diocese of Down and Dromore on the New Wine website, coupled with a resounding ‘yes’ to Bishop David’s Ten-Year Vision, led to some initial conversations and a step-by-step walk of faith through the doors God was opening.
I am humbled and thankful for the generosity and welcome of Knocknamuckley Parish since we moved over from England, and I pray that God will use me and my family to encourage, strengthen and build up his people across generations, as they may do for us, that we may be equipped to be all God has called us to be as individuals and as his Body together. Fixing our eyes on Jesus, may we be a growing fellowship of prayerful, dedicated, Christ-like believers revived in spirit, bonded in love, and fulfilled in service, for the glory of His name.
