Exciting new chapter for Newry Parish
In exciting times for Newry, Revd Capt Scott McDonald was instituted as Rector of the Grouped Parishes of St Patrick and St Mary, Newry, on Thursday evening, 27 August. At the same service, which was held in St Mary’s, Scott was commissioned as the Lead Evangelist of a new Centre of Mission.
After being vacant for five years, the parish is entering an exciting new chapter, highlighted by Revd Mark Harvey in his sermon on Exodus 2: 11–25.
“God heard your prayers and God had called Scott and Pauline here, not only for Parish ministry but for the exciting work of the Centre of Mission.
“God remembered. This is an important moment for Newry. Almost 2000 people in this parish are attached to no church and there are 600 people who identify as Church of Ireland. God remembers his covenant with his people made through the cross. We should be expectant that God will renew his church in this place.
“God saw. You have two complimentary locations. St Mary’s is at the centre of the city and St Patrick’s is overlooking it. Tonight, he sees you all and has placed you in and above the city praying over and for this place. God sees the future of his church in Newry.
“In Exodus, God knew their story. And in Newry, he knew all along what was happening and what was needed. He knew who he would call. “
Mark concluded: “Scott and Pauline’s call is to lead you into the future that God has for you.
These are exciting times. Trust the Lord, pray hard, follow Scott and see what happens.”
Centre of Mission
The new Centre of Mission is the result of a partnership between the Church of Ireland Diocese of Down and Dromore and Church Army. A second evangelist will be appointed as soon as possible to work under Scott. They will pioneer a range of community outreach initiatives and culturally relevant expressions of church alongside the traditional forms of inherited church.
Addressing the congregation, Church Army CEO, Des Scott said, “A Centre of Mission is something that will enable you to reach out to the people in your community, to demonstrate God’s love and to make a difference; to shine the light of God in a dark world; to bring hope in a world that is hopeless. And it will be ‘Newry–shaped’. Church Army is here to help you tell your story.”
Scott McDonald
Scott is originally from Cheltenham and prior to moving to Northern Ireland he served as a Church Army Evangelist in Newcastle upon Tyne in a church planting role. He has lived here for nearly thirty years. After a lengthy period of time leading the parish of Glencairn, in the Greater Shankill of Belfast, he trained for the ordained ministry of the Church of Ireland and subsequently spent a year as an Intern in Willowfield parish in East Belfast. For the last three years he has been a team vicar in Lecale Area Mission Partnership (LAMP) with particular pastoral responsibility for Down Parish Church and Hollymount Church.
Scott is married to Pauline who works as a manager for the Belfast Trust and they have three grown up children. Anticipating this new chapter of their life and ministry, Scott said: “Pauline and I are looking look ahead to our ministry in Newry with a sense of God’s call on us and with faith in Him and with expectation in what will unfold to His glory.”
Pictured L–R: Des Scott, Revd Scott McDonald, Bishop David and Revd Mark Harvey
