Bishop ‘honour’ for rector of historic Carrickfergus church
The Rector of St Nicholas’ Church in Carrickfergus has been elected as the new Bishop of Connor.
The Venerable George Davison, who is Archdeacon of Belfast and Honorary Secretary of the Church of Ireland’s General Synod, succeeds the Rt Revd Alan Abernethy, who retired at the end of December.
Mr Davison was elected at the Episcopal Electoral College for the Diocese of Connor, meeting in the Alexander Synod Hall, Armagh.
The bishop-elect said: “The members of the Electoral College for the Diocese of Connor have done me a great honour in electing me to serve as the next bishop of the diocese. I am very conscious of the great responsibility that is being entrusted to me.
“I am immensely thankful for the gifted colleagues who serve the church in Connor Diocese and look forward to serving with them as we seek to share the good news of Jesus Christ in the years ahead.”
George, who has served as rector of the historic Carrickfergus church since 2009, is married to Nadine and they have two adult children, Erin and James.
The Rt Revd Patrick Rooke, President of the Electoral College and Bishop of Tuam, Killala and Achonry, said: “I congratulate Archdeacon George Davison on his election as Bishop of Connor. I am confident that he will be a popular choice and a wise and caring leader in a diocese he knows well.
“I look forward to working alongside him in the wider church and wish him well as he prepares for this new phase of ministry.”
The bishop-elect will be consecrated as a bishop on a date to be determined.