Four Pioneer Ministers licensed and commissioned
We had a wonderful evening of worship and celebration in Newry on Tuesday 12 November 2024 as Bishop David licensed and commissioned four Pioneer Ministers to serve in the diocese.
Those commissioned were Tim Burns who leads The Suitcase Project, Natalie Trainor, the pioneer evangelist at Newry Centre of Mission, and Nevin and Lorraine Anderson, recently appointed jointly as pioneers to lead a new church outreach and church plant in Warrenpoint.
The hall was full of supporters, family and friends and we were delighted to have with us the National Director of Pioneer Ministry, Revd Rob Jones, and Archdeacon Barry Forde, the Pioneer Operations Lead.
Our Warden for Pioneers, Revd Mark Lennox, opened the evening which was bathed in worship and prayer.
Pioneer Ministers are, by definition, those charged with reaching the unchurched, and Bishop David said he believed that as they cast their nets on the other side of the boat – in our communities – God would bless their ministries.
Revd Rob Jones presented the Pioneers, and the bishop was assisted in the licensing and commissioning by the Archdeacon of Down, the Ven Jim Cheshire.
In being formally commissioned, Tim, Natalie, Lorraine and Nevin committed themselves to Jesus Christ, to pioneering, to service and to learning and worship – all with God’s help, and the leaders gathered round to lay hands and pray for them. Bishop David also gave each of the Pioneers a prophetic word.
We then had an opportunity to hear from Tim, Natalie, Lorraine and Nevin as they briefly shared how God had called them to Pioneer Ministry.
Revd Simon Genoe, Rector of Magheralin Parish and leader of New Wine Ireland, spoke on Mark 2: 1-12, describing as ‘pioneers’, the four men who lowered the paralysed man to Jesus, tearing up a roof in the process.
Simon posed the challenge to all present as to the determination we would employ and the lengths we would go to to introduce people to Jesus.
Before the evening closed with worship, the prayers were led by Canon Scott McDonald, rector of the Newry Group of Parishes and lead evangelist Newry Centre of Mission.
We are so grateful to Windsor Hill Primary School for their warm welcome and use of the assembly hall.
Please pray for our Pioneers:
Tim, for the funding and volunteers to enable the work of The Suitcase Project to expand.
Natalie, that the Newry Centre of Mission would soon find a property to use as a permanent base.
Nevin and Lorraine, that they would soon succeed in selling their business and their home.
Find out more about our Pioneers at www.pioneerministry.org/pioneers