THE EFFECTS of Government cuts on Protestant education in the Republic is expected to be one of the most discussed subjects at the annual conference of the Methodist Church in Ireland. It opened in Dublin last night with the installation of the new president, the Rev Donald Ker, at St Paul’s Church in Glenageary. President Mary McAleese attended.
In his inaugural address Rev Ker recalled that it was a number of years since Alistair Campbell said “we don’t do God”, but that phrase, notorious though it now is, nevertheless sums up a spirit which can be found in some places of this island at this time.
“Some of the blame for that must lie at our own door in the churches, for we haven’t always illustrated or even understood what it really means to belong to Jesus. Some of the cause is in the nature of western society which has long lived imagining that it is self-sufficient and so is challenged much more than it would care to admit by the thought of a God who is over all, through all and in all.”
He continued: “Hope means that we care about what happens in this island and beyond. That’s why, in this conference, we will express our deep concern about the future of education in this island, both North and South. That is why we will be thinking carefully about how we now help our community to face up to the legacy of our recent troubled past.
“It is Christian hope that will inform our reflection on the economic life of our country and Christian hope, which is to be the driver behind any discussion we may have on reshaping ourselves more effectively for mission.”
In becoming president of the Methodist Church in Ireland, the Rev Ker has followed in the foot-steps of his grandfather, who was church president in 1926, and his father who was president in 1959.
He received his primary and secondary education at Methodist College Belfast before attending Trinity College Dublin, where he graduated with a BA in classics. He holds a master of theology degree from Queen’s University, Belfast.
His theological training was at Edgehill Theological College, Belfast. He served as a circuit minister in Bray, Co Wicklow, and as superintendent minister of the Belfast Central Mission.
In 2007, he was elected secretary of conference and general secretary of the Methodist Church in Ireland.
The Rev Ker is married to Sandra and they have four adult children.
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