Appointment of a second Ruth Patterson as ecumenical canon at St Anne’s!

Monday April 14th 2014

The Rev Ruth Patterson who has been appointed as a Methodist ecumenical canon at St Anne's Cathedral.St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast, has now two ecumenical canons by the name of Ruth Patterson!

This follows the appointment by the Dean and Chapter of St Anne’s of the Rev Ruth Patterson as a Methodist ecumenical canon in succession to the Rev Brian Fletcher who has retired.

The Presbyterian ecumenical canon is also Ruth Patterson! Director of Restoration Ministries, the Rev Dr Ruth Patterson OBE was installed in the Cathedral in October 2012.

The Dean of Belfast, the Very Rev John Mann, said: “I was delighted by Ruth’s appointment at the election last Wednesday morning, and I am quite certain that she will contribute to the life of the cathedral from her experience of serving Methodist congregations in Belfast and in ecumenical endeavours. We look forward to her installation in due course”

Ruth currently serves as the Methodist minister in Ballynafeigh Church, Ormeau Road, Belfast, and is Superintendent of the Ballynafeigh Circuit. Previously she served as a non–stipendiary minister in Donegall Road Church, Belfast.

In both these positions Ruth worked closely with colleagues in other church traditions in particular through the Ballynafeigh Clergy Fellowship and the sharing of evening services with St Simon and St Philip’s Church in Donegall Road.

Ruth was educated at Fivemiletown High School and Methodist College Belfast. On leaving school she trained as a Diagnostic Radiographer at the Royal Victoria Hospital Belfast where she later worked as a clinical radiographer, eventually specialising in neuroradiography, before moving to a lecturer’s post at the University of Ulster.

In 2004 she received a Bachelor of Theology from Queen’s University Belfast, and was ordained in 2006. She is married to Ian and they have two grown up sons.

A date for Ruth’s installation as ecumenical canon in St Anne’s Cathedral has yet to be set.

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