Alan Higgins commissioned as Pastoral Worker for St Clement’s
Bishop Harold Miller has commissioned Mr Alan Higgins as Parish Worker for Templemore Avenue, more commonly known as St Clement’s. Parishioners, friends and supporters gathered in the church on Friday evening 31 July to welcome Alan and his wife Linda as they began a new phase of ministry. Alan was licensed as a diocesan reader in 2009.
He introduces himself below…
“I was born and raised in East Belfast on Jocelyn Street, just half a mile from St Clement’s. I came to faith when I was 18 when a couple of friends invited me to a house church at the top of the Cregagh Road. For the first few years I struggled with my faith but during a mission in Willowfield in 1977 when I was 23, I recommitted my life to the Lord.
I worked in business marketing and selling laboratory equipment until 2002 whenever out of the blue I was made redundant. David, our rector, asked me to come on to staff in Willowfield that November and I’ve been working there ever since. My role was to work with men and look after pastoral care and I have to admit I’ve really enjoyed it.
The position I’m taking in St Clement’s came totally out of the blue too. About 18 to 20 months ago my wife Linda and I thought God was leading us to do some other work in some other place but we didn’t know where or what! When the possibility of helping out in St Clement’s was mentioned to me I knew that this was where God was calling us to be.
As the Commissioned Parish Worker in St Clement’s I will be looking after all the pastoral visitation, preaching most Sundays and reaching out into the local community with God’s love.
Linda and I are really looking forward to starting the work and getting to know and love the people of St Clement’s. We are also looking forward to reaching out into the local community and seeing lives won for God’s Kingdom. We long to see the church grow, become stronger and see people young and old worshipping our wonderful God together.”
At the same service, Archdeacon David McClay was introduced as Curate in Charge of the parish.