TRIBUTE TO VERY REV DR IVAN PATTERSON
The Irish Council of Churches grieves the loss of the Very Rev Dr Ivan Patterson (former
moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland).
Ivan was a valued member of ICC having served as Vice-President (2018-2020) and then
President (2020-2022). Ivan was a steady, faithful presence during remote meetings over the
course of the pandemic. He was steeped in Holy Scripture and his Biblical reflections before
any meeting were an inspiration to all. He provided persistent encouragement and anchoring
faith to those around him.
He also provided skilful guidance through the centenary of the partition in Northern Ireland
in 2021. His ability to recognise the complexity of living out the Christian Faith in a place
where there were multiple allegiances signalled his ability to at once recognise what unites us
as Christians amidst diverse nationalities. In 2021 he acknowledged:
‘For some 2021 was an opportunity for celebration while for others it was a time of grief. For
many it highlighted the continuing need to find ways in which, despite our different
aspirations, we can build a peaceful future together.’
He also quoted King George V speaking to the Senate and House of Commons of the new
Northern Ireland Parliament in June 1921:
‘I pray that today may be the first step towards an end to strife ... and in that hope I appeal to
all Irishmen to pause, stretch out the hand of forbearance and conciliation and to join in
making for the land which they love a new era of peace, contentment and goodwill.'
Ivan noted that 100 years on, there was still some ways to go in order to achieve this goal, but
his participation in collaborating with the ICC staff in putting together 'The Unfinished Work
of Peace' document revealed his vision in keeping moving us all towards a peaceful and more
just society. Ivan's constant theme of being a good neighbour as evidence of deep Christian
faith was an important measure of the values deeply embedded in ICC. In his Christmas
newsletter he noted:
'To love God and not forget our neighbour are the fundamentals of an authentic journey of
faith.
At this Christmas time one of the people in the birth narrative of Jesus that I greatly admire is
the Innkeeper. I am sure that when the door knocked that evening all he wanted to do was to
be left in peace. However, moved by the plight of a homeless family, he didn’t turn away but
did what he could to ensure that the holy family was housed in a safe place. I am sure that if
Jesus had reflected on a similar incident he would have said: ‘Go and do likewise’.'
We take Ivan's challenge seriously to ‘go and do likewise' and pray we may continue to be
inspired by the strong witnesses of faith that go before us.
Ivan's wife Maureen and son Stephen and family will be in our prayers in the coming days.
Bishop Sarah Groves
President
