Four nominees for new Presbyterian moderator

Four candidates to succeed the Rev Dr David Bruce as Presbyterian moderator have been named by the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI).
By Mark Rainey
Published 21st Jan 2022, 08:36 BST
Four nominees for Presbyterian moderator, clockwise from top left: Rev John Kirkpatrick; Rev Colin McClure; Rev Alastair McNeely and Rev Trevor McCormick.Four nominees for Presbyterian moderator, clockwise from top left: Rev John Kirkpatrick; Rev Colin McClure; Rev Alastair McNeely and Rev Trevor McCormick.
Four nominees for Presbyterian moderator, clockwise from top left: Rev John Kirkpatrick; Rev Colin McClure; Rev Alastair McNeely and Rev Trevor McCormick.

The selection vote will take place at meetings of ministers and church elders on February 1.

The four nominees (pictured clockwise from top left) are:

* Rev John Kirkpatrick, minister of Portrush Presbyterian church;

* Rev Dr Colin McClure, minister of First Larne;

* Rev Alastair McNeely, minister of Richhill;

* Rev Dr Trevor McCormick, minister of First Kilrea.

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Rev Kirkpatrick has been minister of Portrush Presbyterian since 1993. Born in 1956, he was ordained assistant minister of Megain/Mersey St, Belfast in 1985, before being installed as minister of Garryduff in 1987. He is a motorbike enthusiast and has been chaplain at the North West 200 road race meeting.

Rev McClure has been minister of First Larne since 2003. Born in 1962, he was ordained assistant minister of Fisherwick Presbyterian, Belfast in 1990 and installed as minister of Loughbrickland and Scarva Presbyterian in 1993.

A former police officer, he has been Clerk of the Presbytery of Carrickfergus since 2014.

Rev McNeely has been minister of Richhill since 1993. Born in 1962, he was ordained assistant minister of Ebrington Presbyterian in 1991. He has served as minister in Richhill for almost 30 years.

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Rev McCormick McCormick has been Clerk of the Presbytery of Coleraine & Limavady since 2016. Born in 1958, he was ordained assistant minister of First Carrickfergus in 1984, was convener of the Presbyterian Residential Trust Committee (1996-2003), and PCI’s Council for Social Witness (2015-2020).