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�Denise, this is your evening�
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Rev Denise Acheson |
Pictured at a Service of Institution
are L to R: Roberta Campbell (Churchwarden), John
Williams (Parish Reader), Rev Clifford Skillen
(Bishop�s Chaplain), Rt Rev Alan Abernethy (Bishop
of Connor), Rev Denise Acheson, Rev John Budd (Rural
Dean), Rev William Taggart (Registrar), Councillor James
Tinsley (Lisburn Mayor), Mrs Margaret Tinsley (Mayoress)
and David McKinley (Churchwarden). |
Pictured at a Service of Institution
in St Colman�s Parish, Dunmurry are L to R: The Rt
Rev Alan Abernethy (Bishop of Connor), Rev Denise
Acheson and John Williams (Parish Reader).
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The Rev Denise Acheson, former curate assistant in Ballyholme
Parish, Diocese of Down, was instituted as rector of St Colman�s
Parish, Dunmurry on Thursday 1st May in succession to the Rev
Tom Priestly, who died in August last year. The Bishop of
Connor, the Rt Rev Alan Abernethy led the service and John
Williams (Parish Reader), Rev John Budd (Rural Dean), Rev Don
Gamble and the Rev Simon Doogan also took part. The Bishop,
assisted by the Rev Clifford Skillen (Bishop�s Chaplain) and Mr
William Taggart (Registrar) conducted the Act of Institution.
The Bishop welcomed the new Rector to the Diocese of Connor,
saying, �Denise, this is your evening�. He also welcomed the
many visiting clergy and well-wishers who packed the church for
the service and gave a special welcome to Councillor James
Tinsley (Lisburn Mayor) and Mrs Margaret Tinsley (Mayoress). In
his address, the Bishop told the congregation, �Your new Rector
has a love for people - you have a wonderful new chapter ahead�.
He went on to say that Denise has had a life of joy and great
pain and she had found the love of Jesus a strength and help in
her journey. Speaking as her Bishop and friend he said, �She has
a wonderful story to tell - she wants to tell you about Jesus�.
He concluded by asking the congregation to look after her,
assuring both her and her new congregation of his prayer and
support as they go forward with Jesus.
Organist Alan Yarr and the Parish Choir led the worship and a
musical group from Ballyholme Parish brought some items of
praise including, �One Again�. Following the service,
refreshments were served in the Parochial Hall providing the
opportunity for Dunmurry parishioners to welcome their new
Rector and for the many Ballyholme parishioners present to say
their goodbyes and wish Denise best wishes in her new Parish.
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Irene Bell (St Colman�s MU Branch
Leader) presents a welcoming gift to the new Rector
of Dunmurry Parish, the Rev Denise Acheson. Looking
on is the Rev Don Gamble (left) and the Bishop of
Connor, the Rt Rev Alan Abernethy (right). |
The Rev Denise Acheson pictured with
her mother at Dunmurry Parish Rectory prior to her
institution as the new Rector of St Colman�s. |
The Rev Denise Acheson pictured with
her mother Mabel and sisters Carole, Sylvia, and
Heather at Dunmurry Parish Rectory prior to her
institution as the new Rector of St Colman�s. |
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Organist Alan Yarr (left) and St
Colman�s Parish Choir pictured at a Service of
Institution on Thursday 1st May.
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The Rev Denise Acheson addresses her
new Connor congregation at a Service of Institution
in a packed St Colman�s Parish Church, Dunmurry last
Thursday evening (1st May). |
Denise was born in Manchester but spent most of her life in the
village of Churchill, Fermanagh where she worshipped at
Inishmacsaint Parish Church. Following her marriage to William
she moved to Australia where her first two children, Ruth and
Dean, were born. The family lived there for seven years before
returning to Northern Ireland where their third child Robert was
born. Denise worked as a lab technician at Collegiate Grammar
School in Enniskillen for 13 years, despite a strong sense of
vocation. �Ever since I was a teenager I felt a calling to the
church, but my life took different roads. When I was in my
thirties I was doing a lot of things within the church and
working for a living got in the way,� she said. �Eventually I
just had to apply and was accepted.�
Denise�s husband William died in 1994, when youngest son Robert
was still very small. Denise admits bringing up the family on
her own was trying. �I would never choose to be a single parent,
but God is faithful and you get there through pushing,
struggling, help and all sorts. It was not easy,� she said.
Robert continues to live with his mother, Dean has returned to
Australia and Ruth lives in England. Denise has one grandchild.
After her ordination in June 2005, Denise went to Ballyholme as
curate assistant to the Rt Rev Alan Abernethy, who is now Bishop
in Denise�s new diocese of Connor. �Alan started me off. He
trusted me in many things which was a great affirmation and
certainly he let me have great experiences. He shared his
ministry with me,� Denise said.
Speaking of her move to St Colman�s she said, �I am excited and
terrified. Dunmurry is going to be very different to Ballyholme,
but I knew nothing about Ballyholme when I started there and it
turned out to be a wonderful place and I am hoping it is going
to be the same in Dunmurry. I pray that God has used all of the
experiences with Alan and during the months on my own in
Ballyholme to prepare me for the next stage of moving on.�
02/05/2008
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