Presbyterian Church installs new moderator Rt Rev Dr Richard Murray at service in Belfast

Rt Rev Dr Richard Murray has been installed as the new moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.

At a service during the PCI general assembly in Belfast on Friday, Dr Murray, of Drumreagh Presbyterian near Ballymoney officially took over the role from Rev Dr Sam Mawhinney, to become the 179th person to hold the all-Ireland denomination’s highest office.

In a significant change to the installation of his predecessors, his formal election and installation took place on the second day of the general assembly, with business paused for the special service.

In his last official act, the outgoing moderator, Dublin minister Dr Sam Mawhinney, led the service in front of several former moderators, ministers and elders from PCI’s 500-plus congregations from across Ireland.

Civic guests and members of the public were also in attendance, along with Dr Murray’s wife Lynn, son and daughter-in-law, and members of his Drumreagh congregation.

In a touching tribute to his late father-in-law, Dr Murray wore the silk robes of the Very Rev Dr David McGaughey, who wore them at his installation as moderator in 1994, 30 years ago this month.

Before unveiling his theme for the year, ‘Mighty to Save,’ Dr Murray paid tribute to Dr Mawhinney, thanking him for his faithful service over the past 12 months, and adding: “You have also demonstrated your warm pastoral heart and ministered to many in need”.

After a reading of 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 by Rev Mark Neilly, one of the moderator’s two chaplains, Dr Murray opened with a statement at the start of a robust evangelical message.

“Let me start today with what I believe is one of the major problems of the Christian church here in our modern day and age,” he said.

“It’s not what many people suppose, the contraction of the church, a phenomena faced by all the main denominations, rather what I believe is a major problem the modern Christian church faces is not contraction, but connection.”

Dr Murray added: "How to connect the Good News of what God has done for us in the person and work of Jesus Christ with a world that is at best uninterested, and at worst hostile?"