THE former Minister of First Dromore Presbyterian and Lowe
Memorial, Rev Dr Donald Patton, has been elected as the next
Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.
Currently minister of Old Church Randalstown, Dr Patton was
nominated by 11 out of the 21 Presbyteries from throughout
Ireland who voted for a new Moderator to take up office on June
3 in succession to Dr John Finlay. Commenting on his election Dr
Patton said:
"I 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."
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." Born in Warrenpoint on May
30, 1950, Mr 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 six 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 and two daughters.
08/02/2008
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