14.04.2016
The Revd Rob Clements Starts New Journey With Parishioners of Kilternan
There was an air of expectation in Kilternan Parish Church last night as parishioners, family, friends and well wishers gathered to give a warm welcome to the new Rector. The Revd Rob Clements was instituted by Archbishop Michael Jackson and the preacher, the Revd Gillian Wharton, gave voice to the expectations held by all parties in her sermon. The parish church and hall were filled to capacity as the beginning of a new ministry was celebrated.
Rob came to the parish from Enniskillen were he served as Curate Assistant in St Macartin’s Cathedral for over three years. Previously he served as Deacon Intern in Rathfarnham Parish. He succeeds Canon David Moynan who moved to New Zealand last September. A native of Belfast, he worked in the social sector before being ordained; in Dublin in drug and alcohol services, in Seattle as director of an adult education focused non–profit and in Belfast as a youth and community worker. He is married to Julie and the couple have three children Sophia, Gideon and Micah.
The institution was an opportunity for great celebration and joy for Rob and Julie, the parish and the parochial nominators, Mrs Wharton said. She added that everyone gathered with expectations about how the new Rector would relate to them while Rob would also have expectations of his new parishioners.
Referring to the readings [Acts 9: 1–20, Revelation 5: 11–14, St John 21: 1–9) she wondered what expectations Jesus had of his disciples. She wondered what Simon Peter felt, having denied Jesus three times, when Jesus reappeared to the disciples. “You could expect that Jesus would say ‘I told you you would let me down’ but Jesus still saw the possibility in Peter … Peter made mistakes but Jesus knew that the underlying bedrock was that Peter loved him and would be able to fulfil his potential and live up to his expectations,” she explained.
The preacher outlined Rob’s many qualities which include empathy, an ability to get alongside people, making them feel cherished and valued and working hard to make people feel included. She said that Rob brought potential, a wealth of experience and a life enriched by the love he and Julie share and their family. In his ministry in Kilternan, she explained, Rob needed to grow in his love of God and in his faith. He needed to experience that love in his parishioners. “As Rob grows in his love of God, he will grow in his ministry amongst you,” she concluded.
At a reception in the school hall after the service, Caroline Kennedy, welcomed Rob to the parish on behalf of the parishioners. She thanked all who had helped to keep the parish going during the vacancy and all who had helped in the preparations for the arrival of Rob and his family. She praised the parochial nominators on a job well done hoped that the parishioners.
On behalf of the nearby Ballaly Parish, Fr Dermot Lane PP brought warm greetings from the Catholic community. He said Rob was arriving at an exciting time when ecumenical relationships in the area were strong.
Bringing good wishes from Enniskillen, Sam Morrow said that Rob came to Kilternan with an excellent reputation. He and Julie had made a big impact during their three years and eight months there, he said adding that Rob was always inspiring, great at making connections and his sermons were not too long.
Rob acknowledged that there were two groups of people in attendance – a large contingent from Enniskillen who had been a large part of he and his family’s lives and the group from Kilternan who would become a large part of their lives in the days, weeks and months ahead. He acknowledged the wonderful legacy that had gone before him and said that over the next while he might get things wrong but it was in a spirit of generosity and in doing his best for the community that that might happen. He urged everyone who had worked so hard for the parish to continue doing what they were doing so that they as a community could continue to grow in faith and service. “I’m excited about the days ahead and the journey we will take together in Christ,” he said.
Archbishop Jackson drew the speeches to a close by predicting that there were a lot of good times ahead for the parish and saying that Rob would find himself among friends there as he had in Enniskillen. He welcomed Rob back to the dioceses where he had served as a deacon, with increased responsibility and an enlarged family.
Photo captions:
Top – Archbishop Michael Jackson, the Revd Rob Clements, Dean Kenny Hall and the Revd Gillian Wharton.
Middle – The Service of Institution of the Revd Rob Clements in Kilternan Parish Church.
Bottom – The Revd Rob Clements with his mother Etta and wife Julie.