Diocesan News07 Sep 15

New Rector Instituted to the Parishes of Dungiven & Bovevagh

Parishioners from Dungiven and Bovevagh turned out in droves on Thursday evening, 3rd September, for the Institution of their new Rector, Revd Mark Loney.

St Eugenius’ Church was filled to overflowing and scores of parishioners followed the service on a large screen erected in the nearby parish hall.

The Institution Service was led by the Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, Rt Revd Ken Good, and attended by many clergy from the diocese. Among those in the congregation were the Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Cllr Michelle Knight–McQuillan, and the former East Londonderry MP William Ross.

The new Rector’s wife, Jo, performed a solo at the service, accompanied by her husband. The couple’s two young children, Reuben and Jemimah, were in the congregation, and Jem – misunderstanding the concept of a ‘solo’ – did her best to accompany her mother.

In his sermon Revd Roger Thompson congratulated the nominators on getting ‘a good family and a good minister’. Revd Thompson is a former Rector of Kilwaughter and Cairncastle with All Saints, Craigyhill, where he first got to know Mark and Jo. Revd Loney was a curate in a neighbouring parish.

Revd Thompson said he always appreciated Mark and Jo’s ‘love for God, their dependence upon him for prayer, their creativity, their love for children and their sense of humour’.
Revd Loney’s institution followed an eight month period during which the Parishes of Dungiven & Bovevagh had been without an incumbent.

Revd Thompson said this was a time of expectancy, a time of change for the new Rector and his family, and also for parishioners.

Change could be quite daunting and stressful, he suggested. How could they handle it? Referring to the gospel reading (Saint John Chapter 15, beginning at verse 1), he urged them to trust in God. ‘Jesus says “I am the vine’ – you can trust me,”’ Revd Thompson said that when you trusted in God, amazing things could happen.

He told the congregation that every single Christian had a job description from Jesus: ‘Love one another.’ If they did that, they would be able to grow and their church would thrive.

Following the service, there were refreshments in the parish hall, with speeches of welcome and a presentation of gifts for the new Rector and his family.