REV Richard Kerr, who grew up near Ramelton, will become the Presbyterian Church in Ireland’s (PCI) next Moderator, after he was elected Moderator-Designate in the Church’s annual election for its senior office bearer on Tuesday evening.
While he lived with his parents and five siblings, his father worked for the Reformed Presbyterian Church (RP), worshipping at the local RP church in Milford. Having become a Christian at the age of 12, he spent sometime during his teens in the Derry/Donegal Christian Fellowship.
Today, the 60-year-old grandfather of four is the minister of Templepatrick Presbyterian Church, in County Antrim, who served as a mission worker in Malawi for over a decade.
Mr Kerr received the most votes in a second round of voting, having tied initially with Rev Ker Graham.
The Church’s 19 regional presbyteries, including the Presbytery of Derry & Donegal had been meeting separately in various locations across Ireland to elect the Moderator-Designate, and were required to vote again on the two minsters who had tied.
This is the first time that a second round of voting has taken place since 2014. Mr Kerr, who has been minister of Templepatrick for the past 20 years, will be the 26th Moderator to come from a County Antrim congregation and the 180th person to hold PCI’s highest office since the establishment of the Church in 1840.
Speaking about his election, Mr Kerr said, “I feel deeply humbled, and I’m very conscious that I cannot do this by myself, or in my own strength.
“I pray that God’s Spirit will grant me the wisdom and guidance that I will need to reflect His mission to the Church, wider society and our global community.
“I also recognise that I serve in partnership with God’s people who’ve elected me, and their prayers and support I deeply value as I seek to serve God faithfully in the year ahead.
“My overriding desire in this year would be to encourage the church, reminding us of the confidence we have in Christ, encouraging us to serve the wider community, and world, out of that place of knowing we are deeply loved by Him.”
The Moderator-Designate continued, “I’m also conscious of the significant central church failings in safeguarding that came to light last year, and my heart goes out to those who have been hurt by our failure.
“It is important to reiterate the apology made by the Moderator at December’s Special General Assembly, as we are sorry to all who we have failed, I want to do what I can to build on the contrition already expressed in December, seek to ensure that we learn from and address our failings, and work with all involved to rebuild trust that has been broken.”
The County Antrim minister was one of four nominees for the Church to consider this year, which traditionally elects the Moderator-Designate on the first Tuesday in February. He will be formally elected as Moderator by the Church’s General Assembly in June. Until then he will be known as the Moderator-Designate and continue to serve his congregation in Templepatrick.
Following the first round of voting, Rev Dr Jonathan Curry, minister of First Magherafelt Presbyterian Church, and Rev Mairisíne Stanfield, minister of City Church Bangor did not progress to the second round, having received the votes of four and three presbyteries respectively.
Mr Kerr will be officially nominated to this year’s General Assembly when it gathers in Belfast in June, succeeding the current Moderator, Right Reverend Dr Richard Murray, who will continue in office until then.
