Called to Reader Ministry - Paul Stafford
Paul, a parishioner of Magherally, is one of four Diocesan Readers commissioned by Bishop David on Tuesday 21 April in Drumgooland Parish Church.
I grew up in Londonderry in the worst of the Troubles. My family was a church going family and my 3 brothers and I attended Sunday School and Church every week. I became a Christian in my late teens but really struggled ‘walking in the Lord’ and after a few years stopped trying. I still attended church, but my faith wasn’t strong and I struggled with how secular history and science were at odds with the Bible.
However, around 3-4 years ago I started reading the Bible again in an earnest attempt to grasp the truth of scripture. Is it literal and historical or is it poetic and allegorical? I remember praying a very simple prayer. “OK God I give up. I accept the Bible to be true. Please show me your truth. Amen.” That prayer changed the course of my life. I felt a great peace from that point on. So far God has been faithful in showing me what is poetry, what is historical etc. He has only shown me things when my knowledge is sufficient to understand. He has led me to the right sources at the right time.
I attend St John the Evangelist, Magherally Parish outside Banbridge. The minister, Revd Karen Salmon, has been a great help in my journey of faith. She suggested I apply for the Diocesan Lay Reader course as she felt God was leading me to preach. I didn’t have much time to think about it as the closing date for applications was a couple of days later. Long story short, I applied, was accepted, declined it, couldn’t sleep for days, changed my mind, accepted, and now here I am.
The training at CITI in Dublin was quite intense but there was an incredible sense of Christian Fellowship with the other people on the course.
I am excited about what God has planned for me in the future. I pray that He gives me a willing heart to carry out whatever He wishes for me. I am very excited to be getting commissioned with James, Brendan and Eleanor. We all got to know each other and supported one another through the Lay Reader course. I would like to thank Revd Karen Salmon and the parishoners of Magherally for their encouragement. Finally, a huge thank you to my family and in particular my wife Kathryn who has been so supportive throughout the course.
‘No eye has seen. No ear has heard. No mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him. 1Cor 2:9