The Presbyterian Church in Ireland has selected the Rev. Ian McNie, Minister of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Ballymoney, to be their next Moderator.

The 64–year–old was nominated by 12 out of the 19 presbyteries this evening (3rd February) when they met across Ireland to select a successor to the current Moderator, Rev. Michael Barry. Known as the Moderator–Designate, Mr McNie will officially take up office as Moderator at the start of the Church’s General Assembly on 1st June.

Speaking about his nomination, Mr McNie said, “I am greatly humbled that so many of my colleagues in the ministry, and many ruling elders, within the various presbyteries have felt they could entrust me with this important responsibility within the Church.

“Throughout my ministry I have sought to preach the Gospel with clarity and conviction, in such a way that people will be moved by the God’s Spirit to make a positive response to become Christians.

“With God’s help and the prayer support of the Church, I would trust that during my year in office, lives would be impacted with the Gospel.”

The four nominees in this year’s annual vote were the Rev. Robert Bell, Minister of Ballyclare Presbyterian Church, Rev. Liz Hughes, Minister of Whitehouse Presbyterian Church, Newtownabbey, Rev. Ian McNie, Minister of Trinity Presbyterian Church, Ballymoney and Rev. Frank Sellar, Minister of Bloomfield Presbyterian Church in east Belfast.

Ian McNie will be the 176th Moderator since the election of the Very Rev. Dr. Samuel Hanna in 1840. Describing himself as a ‘conservative evangelical’, he also sees his ministry substantially as a parish ministry, confining himself to work within the congregation and district.

“As a conservative evangelical, I recognise that we are living in the 21st Century and therefore seek to steer the congregation in such a way that we do not cling to the traditions of the past, but seek to be relevant today. At the same time, I also recognise that the truth of the Gospel has not changed and we should not allow society to pressure us into departing from the core values of the Scriptures.”

Born in 1950, he is married to Anne and has two sons, one of whom is the Minister of Ballyalbany and Glennan Presbyterian Churches in County Monaghan. Mr McNie was brought up in Antrim and attended First Antrim Presbyterian Church, becoming a Christian at the age of 13. Having attended Belfast Royal Academy, he went on to Queen’s University, Belfast graduating with a Bachelor of Divinity.