Melanie Houston is ordained OLM deacon
Congratulations to Revd Melanie Houston who has been ordained deacon for local ministry in the parish of Ardkeen. Bishop David ordained Melanie at a service in Christ Church Ardkeen on Monday 9 June 2025 and the preacher was the Archdeacon of Down, The Ven Jim Cheshire.
Melanie's journey to ordination
Becoming an OLM was not part of my retirement plan (to be a volunteer gardener at Mount Stewart and tend an allotment). God had other ideas. I got married to Russell and moved to St Mark’s Newtownards from Scrabo Hall. After a couple of years, I felt called towards training as a Diocesan Reader, and was commissioned in June 2021. Bishop David asked me to look after Christ Church Ardkeen for a few months and four years later we have a church family there who are caring and loving, and we have grown in numbers.
I felt I was getting a bit old for further training but again felt nudged towards the role of OLM so that I could better serve the congregation. After meeting with Bishop David, and Revd Karen Salmon DDO, I applied and was accepted for training.
My parents, and Granny Clarke, who lived with us, were Christians and I’ve known about the Lord Jesus for as long as I can remember. As a family, we attended Ebenezer Gospel Hall in Newtownards. I was saved when I was 10. For the first time I realised that the Lord Jesus died on the cross for my sins and trusted Him. I was baptised and became an assembly member, and we later moved to Scrabo Hall in Newtownards, where I helped in Sunday School and Junior Bible Class.
I trained as a doctor, spent time as a surgical trainee and then moved to work at the Cancer Centre, retiring in 2016. I am grateful to the Lord for all that he has done for me and given me. Thank you to my husband Russell for all his love, care and support.
I am the Lord your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear, I will help you. Isaiah 41:13.
