Revd Kyle Flanigan reflects on his deacon year
Congratulations to Revd Kyle Flanigan who has been ordained presbyter for the non-stipendiary curacy of Glencraig. Bishop David ordained Kyle along with Revd Matthew Gaw in Down Cathedral on Sunday 14 June 2026.
Kyle reflects on his deacon year
There’s a lot in a church’s welcome. It can be the difference between feeling invited in or feeling isolated; the difference between coming once or coming back.
My first experience of visiting St Mary’s is a lasting memory of the welcome: hellos, handshakes, and genuine how-are-yous. I very quickly felt like I was part of the fabric of the church. And this didn’t just happen one Sunday or into the next, it grew week-in and week-out as people really sought to know not just about me but to know me personally.
When I first arrived at St Mary’s as a deacon I planned to give more than I would receive. After all, the ministry of a deacon is a ministry of service. The word deacon derives from the Greek word diakonos, which can literally be translated as servant. Yet reflecting on these last two years, the reality has been the opposite: I have received far more than I gave, from teaching and community to friendships and opportunities.
What defines St Mary’s is that it doesn’t just look into itself. The church is constantly looking out, engaging with the local community and finding new ways to invite people in; and it is constantly looking up, putting God right at the centre and at every step of the way. Of course, no church is perfect – I was once told that if you find the perfect church then don’t join it, because you’ll ruin it! – but St Mary’s embodies the whole spirit of diakonos far more than I ever could individually. People serve in a wide variety of ways, and over the last two years I am proud to have joined in alongside such a dedicated team who serve together.
Just as the church sought to know me, and not just about me, so it is with God. He knows us and he calls us to know him. Toward the end of Jesus’ ministry, John records what is now known as the ‘High Priestly Prayer’. In it, Jesus prays, ‘And this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent’ (John 17:3). The word know here is the type of knowing that means a personal, lived experience; not just a distant hearing. It is the type of knowing which I experienced at St Mary’s, and the type of knowing that I hope many others experience as well.
Leaving St Mary’s is bittersweet. On the one hand I am sad to say goodbye to so many who have come to be friends, but on the other hand I carry those friendships, as well as a sense of hopeful expectation into Glencraig Parish. God really is at work across the whole diocese, the whole Church of Ireland, the whole Anglican Communion, and the whole Church; and he invites us to join with him in spirit and in truth. I am excited for what is in store – and know that God is already well at work.
Revd Kyle Flanigan