Livestream of new moderator installation

The installation, on June 1, will take place on what would have been the opening night of this year’s General Assembly.

The annual meeting was cancelled last month due to the current Coronavirus emergency and a small 25 person standing commission of the General Assembly has been appointed to transact necessary business, including the installation of the new Moderator for 2020 / 2021.

This year, apart from technical support, only four people will be physically present – the outgoing Moderator, Rt Rev Dr William Henry, Moderator-Designate, Rev David Bruce and the clerk and deputy clerk of the General Assembly, the Revs Trevor Gribben and Jim Stothers.

Rev Trevor Gribben, said: “If we think back to that cold winter’s evening of February 4, when our Church’s 19 regional presbyteries met and nominated David Bruce as our next Moderator, who would have thought that so many of the things that we have taken for granted, would have changed so much in such a short space of time?

“Like many organisations, we have found it necessary to find different ways of working to do what needs to be done, and this includes the installation of our new Moderator,

“This is always a special moment in the life of our Church and for our new moderators and their family. This year, by necessity, it will also be a different kind of ceremony for a particularly unique time in our history. We very much hope that many will join us by watching the livestream on the night.”

The Installation, which is being livestreamed on June 1, and can be watched by following the link on the PCI website (www.presbyterianireland.org), will start at 7pm with an introduction and call to worship from the outgoing Moderator, Dr Henry.