Welcome Myrtle!
The Parish of Newcastle has welcomed Revd Myrtle Morrison as rector following her institution in St John’s on Wednesday 13 October. Revd Jan Stevenson, Community Pastor in St Columbanus, Ballyholme, gave the address.
Speaking of her new role, Myrtle said: “Dill and I feel very privileged that God has called us to serve in such a beautiful part of Co. Down. We’re very much looking forward to working alongside the church family at St. John’s and are excited to see what God has in store for this next stage of ministry in the parish.”
Preaching from 1 Cor 12:12– 28 and John 16:5–13, Revd Jan Stevenson said that Myrtle’s ministry in Newcastle would be based on her understanding of who God is – a generous and kind God who provides all the gifts and power we need. She encouraged the parish to work together as the body of Christ in all its variety saying that as they did so, people would be drawn to the church because of their humility and kindness.
Meet Myrtle
Myrtle is married to Dill and comes to St John’s following almost 21 years of ministry in St Saviour’s, Craigavon. During that time, she also served as Chaplain to both Craigavon Area Hospital and Lurgan Hospital.
Born and raised in West Cork, Myrtle joined Church Army in the mid–eighties and worked for five years as a Parish Evangelist in St Matthew’s, Belfast.
In June 1993 she moved to Lambeg Parish where her role was to establish a church presence in a working–class area of the parish previously unreached by the church.
On leaving Lambeg, she spent an enriching six months working alongside the Anglican Church in Canada as a Church Army volunteer.
In December 2000 Myrtle returned to Northern Ireland to take up the post of Evangelist in Charge at St. Saviour’s. She was ordained in the Church of Ireland in 2017 and became Priest in Charge in 2018.
