Revd Lee Boal begins ministry at St John’s Orangefield
Orangefield Parish warmly welcomed Revd Lee Boal, who was introduced as Priest-in-Charge at St John’s on Thursday evening (4 June).
Lee comes to Down and Dromore from a curacy at Lisburn Cathedral, and many from the Cathedral came to support him and Beth. Area Dean Canon Bill Press (Knockbreda Parish) led the service.
Dean Sam Wright gave the address, beginning by commending Lee to his new parish and describing him as a valued colleague. He then preached on fruitfulness and joy from John 15, urging Lee and the congregation to abide in Jesus:
“Your soul and your ministry can only grow when there is an active partnership between you and Jesus. There needs to be less ‘I’ and more Jesus in our lives. We can carry out no spiritual work apart from him; we can do nothing pleasing to God apart from Christ. But when we are joined with him in our souls and in our service, we can do everything that honours Jesus.”
Addressing the people of St John’s, Dean Sam said:
“This is a time when the Holy Spirit is doing something new, and I encourage you to open your lives and to join in with the new things that God will do among you. This new work will see Jesus transform lives here, in the streets and throughout this community.”
“This evening marks a new beginning for Lee, Beth and Ollie. It is a new start for this church and for its mission to reach the lost through Jesus Christ as Lord. It is your character and conduct that lay the groundwork for Jesus to convert lives into glorious new lives filled with joy, grace and love.”
Bishop David charged Lee to be “a shepherd who smells of the sheep”, saying:
“My prayer for you is that there will be a ‘smell of sheep’ about you as you engage with the lost and lead them to Christ; as you disciple raw, fresh, new believers who come through this door; as you comfort those who have been following Jesus for a long time; and as you simply do the work of gospel ministry.”
Lee said:
“I’m really looking forward to getting started with the people of St John’s Orangefield. I am a country boy, but over the past year I have really sensed a deepening call to the city and the potential it holds for mission.
“It is a genuine privilege to be called to serve the people of St John’s and, together, to seek to grow deeper in our walk with the Lord, to be equipped to serve him, and to grow in confidence as we share the transforming hope of Jesus with our local community and the wider city.
“In the words of Ephesians 3:19 my prayer for this next chapter is that we would ‘know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that we may be filled with all the fullness of God.’”
About Lee
Lee is married to Beth, and they have a 10-month-old son who keeps them on their toes. He grew up on the family farm just outside Crumlin, Co Antrim, where he worked for 10 years alongside his parents after leaving secondary school.
“I first gave my life to the Lord as a young child, thanks to very faithful Sunday school teachers, but it was as a young teenager at Summer Madness in the King’s Hall that I made the decision to fully surrender my life to Jesus.
“From then on, I was willing to give my life in full-time service to the Lord if he were ever to call me, and from that point a sense of calling started to develop. For many years I buried that sense of call because I didn’t think God would want to use someone like me in his Church, but I am thankful that God kept calling. I absolutely love serving him and his Church in ordained ministry.”
Lee looks back with enormous gratitude for his ‘wonderful curacy’ in Lisburn Cathedral.
“I could not have asked for a better three years in which to begin finding my way in ministry, and I look forward to what God is going to do in this next chapter. ‘Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling.’”
