New Minister for Magheramason congregation

A native of Coleraine, Mr Orr was educated at Coleraine Academical Institution and went on to study podiatry at Queens University from 1994 to 1996 and worked in the NHS for 11 years. Feeling a call to the Ministry, he entered Union Theological College in 2008.

When Mr Orr moved to Mid-Ulster he joined Curran Congregation, where he was ordained an Elder in 2004. He served as the Assistant Minister in Molesworth Church in Cookstown before receiving the call to Mageramason.

He and his wife, Mandy, have four sons, Paul, Ben Samuel and Jonathan.

Mr Orr’s hobbies include running and he has competed in both the Belfast and Dublin marathons. He has played rugby and has been a football coach, which gives opportunities for outreach.

Mr Orr is to be Ordained and Inducted by the Presbytery of Derry and Donegal at a Service in Magheramason Presbyterian Church on Friday, September 19. His desire is to see God at work building up the spiritual life of the people and take the Gospel to the community making Christ real.

Handling the Word

A course called Handling the Word, designed for church members who wish to learn how to prepare and deliver a talk from the Bible is being held in Leckpatrick Presbyterian Church on Saturday, October 4 and Saturday, October 18, at 9.30am until 3.45pm.

It is designed for anyone who gives talks to a youth group, a Presbyterian Women meeting, a Men’s Breakfast as well as someone who might have the opportunity to preach a Sunday sermon. The course is normally a prerequisite for the Accredited Preacher course but there is no obligation to progress to that scheme. Topics that will be covered include the Bible as the foundation, understanding and applying the Bible passage, structuring a talk and considering the hearers.

The course incurs a charge of £20 to cover the expense of running the course.

Places can be booked through Rev Mark Russell, Minister of Leckpatrick.