Installation in Down Cathedral
The Dean of Down, The Very Revd Henry Blair, has installed Revd Ken McGrath (rector of Gilnahirk), as a canon in Down Cathedral.
The new canon becomes Prebendary of St Andrews, completing the Cathedral Chapter, and is the first to be installed by Dean Blair.
The service took place on Palm Sunday and the Revd Noel Gordon, curate assistant in Ballybeen and friend of many years, gave the address.
Noel preached from Philippians 2:5-11 and Psalm 71:14 – 19, challenging us, not only to serve Jesus with humility as we imitate him, but to witness faithfully.
He said: “There is an urgency to communicating God’s love, mercy, forgiveness, power and holiness to the next generation - to those who don’t yet know him – that they may hear the words of eternal life.
“Keep asking God to give you a passion for serving his church and speaking about Jesus.”
Ken’s wife Annette, daughter Charlotte, son John and daughter-in-law Hannah took part in the service, reading and leading worship, whilst St Dorothea’s was represented by the choir and organist, Richard Ryan, and by Diocesan Reader, Wendy Jenkins, who led the intercessions.
After the service, family, friends and a great turnout of Gilnahirk parishioners enjoyed a reception in the Cathedral narthex.
Canon Ken McGrath
Ken was born and brought up in East Belfast in the parish he now leads.
A head teacher (in Nairobi and then Coleraine) before his ordination in 2003, Ken was a curate and vicar in Lisburn Cathedral before becoming rector of Kilkeel in 2009. From 2018-2022 he was associate vicar in Holywood Parish, moving to Gilnahirk as bishop’s curate where he was very recently instituted as rector of the parish.