Press Releases12 Jun 14

Church of Ireland Bishops Take Part in Methodist President’s Installation

The Revd Peter D Murray pictured after being elelcted and installed as President of the Methodist Church in Ireland at a ceremony in Christ Church Leeson Park, Dublin yesterday evening. (Photograph: Aidan Crawley/The Irish Times)

From the Methodist Church in Ireland:

Last night (11 June 2014) the Revd Peter Murray was installed as the President of the Methodist Church at a ceremony at Christ Church Leeson Park, Dublin.

For the first time two Church of Ireland archbishops took part in the installation of the new Methodist President – Church of Ireland primate Archbishop Richard Clarke, Archbishop of Dublin Michael Jackson and the Bishop of Down & Dromore Harold Miller took part. Also in attendance was the Revd Peter Murray’s predecessor, the Revd Dr Heather Morris, who was the first woman to lead a church in Ireland, Col Brendan McAndrew, aide–de–camp to President Michael D Higgins, the Catholic Coadjutor Archbishop of Armagh Eamon Martin and the General Secretary of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, the Revd Dr Donald Watts.

In his installation sermon the Revd Peter Murray married Wesleyan evangelical passion with an open–hearted sensitivity to contemporary issues. He encouraged Methodists to respect those from other political traditions and other religions. He called for the British and Irish governments to play a greater role in helping the political parties in Northern Ireland to achieve agreement on contentious matters. In the light of the recent hurt caused to the Muslim community by ill–judged comments, he highlighted the need to not just to be careful how we spoke of the ethnic minorities in our midst, but to take intentional steps to get to know them. Above all he urged Irish Methodists to move out together with their hearts on fire for God.

The Revd Peter Murray is a former teacher, born of missionary parents in Africa. Mr Murray entered Edgehill Theological College as a mature student in 1984. On completion of his studies, ministry appointments took him to Sligo, Bangor, Belfast and most recently to Londonderry.

For further information on the Bill passed at the 2014 General Synod of the Church of Ireland on interchangeability of ministry between the two Churches, visit: http://ireland.anglican.org/news/5119