High St. installation

Worshippers at High Street Presbyterian Church in Antrim have welcomed Rev. Colin McDowell into the pulpit as their new Minister.
By The Newsroom
Published 2nd Mar 2015, 18:15 BST
Rev Colin Kerr McDowell (seated centre) who was installed as minister of High Street Presbyterian Church on Friday evening, pictured with members of the Templepatrick Presbytery Commission. They are Nancy Bonar, Clerk of Session, High Street Presbyterian Church, Rev John Murdock, Clerk of Presbytery, Rev Bill Parker, Moderator of the Templepatrick Presbytery, Rev David Steele, Vacancy Convenor, Rev Jonathan Bowie, Minister of Hydepark & Lylehill, Rev Stephen Simpson, Minister of Donegore Presbyterian Church, Rev Jonathan Moxen, Minster of Greystone Road Presbyterian Church, Rev Dessie Paul, Minister of Crumlin Presbyterian Church, Vincent McKnight, Robert Jones and William McClure, Elders.Rev Colin Kerr McDowell (seated centre) who was installed as minister of High Street Presbyterian Church on Friday evening, pictured with members of the Templepatrick Presbytery Commission. They are Nancy Bonar, Clerk of Session, High Street Presbyterian Church, Rev John Murdock, Clerk of Presbytery, Rev Bill Parker, Moderator of the Templepatrick Presbytery, Rev David Steele, Vacancy Convenor, Rev Jonathan Bowie, Minister of Hydepark & Lylehill, Rev Stephen Simpson, Minister of Donegore Presbyterian Church, Rev Jonathan Moxen, Minster of Greystone Road Presbyterian Church, Rev Dessie Paul, Minister of Crumlin Presbyterian Church, Vincent McKnight, Robert Jones and William McClure, Elders.
Rev Colin Kerr McDowell (seated centre) who was installed as minister of High Street Presbyterian Church on Friday evening, pictured with members of the Templepatrick Presbytery Commission. They are Nancy Bonar, Clerk of Session, High Street Presbyterian Church, Rev John Murdock, Clerk of Presbytery, Rev Bill Parker, Moderator of the Templepatrick Presbytery, Rev David Steele, Vacancy Convenor, Rev Jonathan Bowie, Minister of Hydepark & Lylehill, Rev Stephen Simpson, Minister of Donegore Presbyterian Church, Rev Jonathan Moxen, Minster of Greystone Road Presbyterian Church, Rev Dessie Paul, Minister of Crumlin Presbyterian Church, Vincent McKnight, Robert Jones and William McClure, Elders.

Colin, (56), had previously been pastor for the people of Killymurris in Glarryford for 12 years.

He is married to Margaret and the couple have two married daughters, Deborah and Judith.

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They are also proud grandparents to Judith’s children, Xander (aged eight) and three-­month­-old Storm.

High Street comprises 300 families which is roughly the same size as Colin’s last charge and he is eager to see how God will use him in his new setting.

“I have got to know some of the elders, including the Clerk of Session Nancy Bonnar who is a lovely lady. She and her husband Brian are both elders so I am looking forward to working with them.

“It is a lovely congregation in a friendly and warm place,” Colin said.

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“The Church is not very far from Antrim Area Hospital and will bring different challenges from my last congregation which contained a lot of people from the farming community.

“In Antrim, there are more people around us and the pressures they face are different; it will take a while to get to know everyone but we are looking forward to it.”.

Colin contined: “We have been made to feel very welcome and there is a desire to progress in our Christian faith together.

“I believe in a process of growth every single day and that as a Minister you have a responsibility to share the lessons you have learned in your preaching ministry.”

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“So I look forward to being able to go through the Bible and to look at it, discuss it and hopefully have the opportunity at times to sit down together and talk our way through things and just to work together with them”, he added.

Outside church, Colin revealed he enjoys reading and listening to music, particularly rock, jazz and blues, and also plays guitar.

Related topics:Antrim