Holidaymakers and members of the congregation packed Newcastle Presbyterian Church for morning worship on Sunday 20th July when the guest preacher was The Rt Rev Dr Donald Patton, Moderator of the General Assembly. Dr Patton is pictured (right) with the minister, the Rev Ivan Patterson and former moderator, The Very Rev Dr Howard Cromie, Minister Emeritus of Railway Street Presbyterian Church, Lisburn, who now lives in Newcastle.

Dr. Patton (57) has been minister of Old Church Randalstown for the last 6 years. Born in Warrenpoint on 30th May 1950, he spent his early years in Londonderry before his father�s work took the family to Portadown. A member of Armagh Road Presbyterian Church he attended Portadown College and later graduated from Queen�s University Belfast with a BSSc in 1971 and BD in 1974. In 1993 he was awarded a PhD, also from Queen�s. After ordination as assistant in Trinity Bangor in 1975 he became minister of First Dromore in 1977 and after six years was called to Greystone Road, Antrim. In 1988 he became minister of Lowe Memorial Presbyterian Church in Finaghy before moving to OC Randalstown in 2002.

Dr. Patton is a keen historian and was convenor of the Presbyterian Historical Society from 1990 until 1996. He has written a short history of First Dromore Presbyterian Church and edited a number of other books on church history.

He is married to Florence and has two sons, two daughters and a grandson. Dr. Patton took up office as Moderator in succession to Dr. John Finlay at the opening session of the 2008 General Assembly on Monday 2nd June.

21/07/2008