The Presbyterian Church installs their new Moderator at the opening night of the General Assembly on 5th June 2017. Around 800 Presbyterians from across Ireland, civic dignitaries and guests from churches at home and overseas will gather in Belfast for the installation.
Holywood minister Rev Dr Noble McNeely will be installed as the 178th Moderator since 1840. He is only the second to come from the County Down town.
Moderator-Designate Rev. Noble McNeely pictured at Presbyterian Church in Ireland
Assembly Buildings, Belfast.
Dr McNeely is a former teacher. He was minister of First Ballymoney Presbyterian from 1984-1997 and minister of First Holywood Presbyterian for the last 20 years. Dr McNeely will address the General Assembly after he has been formerly elected and installed at a special service at the church’s Assembly Buildings.
Speaking in advance of the service, Dr McNeely said, “I am sincerely humbled. I have served the wider church in a number of roles and I see my role as Moderator as another opportunity to serve Christ and His church. At the same time, I recognise the responsibility that has been entrusted to me. I pray that with God’s help and the prayers of the Church, I will be able to fulfil expectations.”
The annual week long Assembly will involve ministers and elders from its 500+ congregations across Ireland discussing close to 100 resolutions on a variety of issues. These range from plans to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation to relationships with other denominations. The role and ministry of chaplaincy in Ireland to concerns over education proposals and abortion in the Republic of Ireland & also the political situation in Northern Ireland.
The Presbyterian Church installs their new Moderator at the opening meeting of the General Assembly 2017.
Rev Trevor Gribben, Clerk of the General Assembly, and General Secretary of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, commented.
“This is very much the Presbyterian family in Ireland coming together for a week of worship, prayer, Bible study, celebration, debate and decision-making.”
“As a Church we are involved in many aspects of day-to-day life across Ireland. The resolutions that come before our governing body reflect these and in some cases the concerns that we have,”
Some of the overseas guests include representatives from the Presbyterian Church in South Sudan and National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon. These are churches ministering and bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in very difficult situations.
The installation and most of the public sessions of the Assembly will be streamed on the PCI website. You can also follow on the PCI Twitter feed here using the hashtag #pciga17.
The installation is open to the public. It will also be broadcast live from 7:00pm on BBC Radio Ulster 1341 Medium Wave.