Death of John Bateman
A tribute from Revd Nigel Parker, rector of Bangor Parish Church:
A dear member of our Bangor Parish Church Family, John Bateman, passed away peacefully last night (28 February 2018). John loved and served the Lord among us for many decades, as a Sunday School Teacher, House Group leader, Crosslinks Prayer Co–ordinator, Pastoral Visitor, member of Select Vestry and General Synod, Parochial Nominator and Diocesan Lay Reader, a role into which he was commissioned in 1975.
John grew up in Portglenone Parish Rectory, attended Ballymena Academy and Queen’s University, where he read history and classics. His subsequent teaching career brought him to Newtownards, England and Belfast, but it was at Lurgan College that John settled. There, for many years, not least through Scripture Union, this quiet, yet determined and very persuasive evangelist, impacted many lives for Christ.
In 2010, his Bangor Parish family hosted an evening to celebrate his then 35 years as a Diocesan Lay Reader (pictured above right). Story after story emerged of how John had led pupils to Christ and continued to write to them regularly for decades. A number of men revealed that even 30 years on from attending Lurgan College, John still prayed for them and sent them their Bible Study notes four times a year! John was a man of God, a man of prayer, warmth and humour, who lived for Christ and His Cause.
The funeral will take place on Monday 5 March at 12.30 pm in Bangor Parish Church, followed by burial in Clandeboye Cemetery at 2.00 pm. Please pray for Kathleen, John’s sister.