Donald Patton elected new Presbyterian Moderator
As predicted on this blog, the next Moderator of the Presbyterian Church will be the Rev Dr Donald Patton(57), minister of Old Church Randalstown. Dr Patton was nominated by 11 out of the 21 Presbyteries who met today throughout Ireland to vote for a new Moderator and will take up office on 3 June in succession to Dr John Finlay who continues as Moderator until that time. Last year's runner-up, the Rev Joseph Fell, minister of Ebrington, Londonderry, received 6 nominations, and the Rev Derek McKelvey of Fisherwick in Belfast received 2. The Rev Dr Ruth Patterson of Restoration Ministries (and the first woman to be ordained a minister in the history of the Presbyterian Chuch) received one nomination, as did the Rev Norman Hamilton of Ballysillan.
Press Release from Presbyterian Church in Ireland (continued)
Commenting on his election Dr Patton who has been minister of OC Randalstown for the last 6 years said, ³I am very honoured by the way so many in the Presbyterian Church have asked me to fulfil the role of Moderator. While I am awed by the responsibility I look forward to the challenges ahead.²
He describes himself as "a warm evangelical teacher and pastor intent on reaching out with the Gospel to the wider community on issues that are relevant to them."
His congregation of 420 families is a ³traditional Presbyterian congregation but one which is open to change in the conduct of worship and fellowship and which is keen to involve itself in the whole life of the Randalstown community."
"Randalstown is a growing town and while it still has strong rural connections there is a increasing business and professional sector with many people commuting to Belfast," adds Dr Patton. "It works well as a community and through my ministry and that of the congregation we want to play our part and be involved as much as possible with those who live and work around us."
Born in Warrenpoint on 30 May 1950, William Donald Patton spent his early years in Londonderry before his father's work took the family to Portadown.
A member of Armagh Road Presbyterian Church he attended Portadown College and later graduated from Queen's University Belfast with a BSSc in 1971 and BD in 1974. In 1993 he was awarded a PhD, also from Queen's.
After ordination as assistant in Trinity Bangor in 1975 he became minister of First Dromore in 1977 and after 6 years was called to Greystone Road, Antrim. In 1988 he became minister of Lowe Memorial Presbyterian Church in Finaghy before moving to OC Randalstown in 2002.
Dr Patton is a keen historian and was convenor of the Presbyterian Historical Society from 1990 until 1996. He has written a short history of First Dromore Presbyterian Church and edited a numbers of other books on church history.
He is married to Florence and has two sons, two daughters and a grandson.
Voting for each candidate was as follows:
Rev Dr Donald Patton (Old Church, Randalstown) 11 Votes Armagh, Ballymena, North Belfast, Carrickfergus, Coleraine, Down, Dromore, Newry, Omagh, Templepatrick, Tyrone.
Rev Dr Joseph Fell (Ebrington, Londonderry) 6 Votes East Belfast, Derry/Strabane, Donegal, Foyle, Iveagh, Monaghan,
Rev Derek McKelvey (Fisherwick) 2 Votes
Ards, South Belfast.
Rev Norman Hamilton (Ballysillan) 1 Vote Route.
Rev Dr Ruth Patterson (Restoration Ministries) 1 Vote Dublin/Munster,
Rev Willis Cordner (Ist Bangor) 0 Votes
Rev Wilfred Orr (Newtownbreda) 0 Votes
Comments
Hope the new Moderator doesn’t fall from his ivory tower into the real world he’s in for a shock......shame on the North Belfast Presbytery for not supporting their own man but that's not surprising.
I can't believe you can get excited enough about this to put it on your blog! :-) Unless it means more Moderator for breakfast... And you a vegetarian and all...
At least there will be no bones in William’s Sunday breakfast, back bone.