The Church of Ireland Diocese of Connor

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Connor staff team says farewell to Evangelist Stephen

Monday November 27th 2023

Stephen Whitten, left, with Sister Karen Webb and St Fitzgerald from Connor’s North Belfast Centre of Mission.

Staff at Connor Diocesan Office said farewell to their Church Army colleague, Pioneer Evangelist Stephen Whitten, on Monday November 27.

Stephen, who has worked with Connect Base, Connor’s North Belfast Centre of Mission, since early 2015, is leaving to focus on a career as a tree surgeon.

But he told his colleagues in Church House that although working with trees is God where is now calling him, he will ‘always have involvement in ministry in some capacity.’

Presenting Stephen with a small gift from his colleagues, Lead Evangelist Sister Karen Webb said: “Thank you for being a great colleague and a great friend.”

Stephen will be missed in the mid and north Belfast areas where he has been involved in many projects over the past years, including the monthly Prayer Walk and the annual ReLENTless Prayer in the area.

But he leaves a very visible and lasting legacy in the form of the thriving Glencairn Community Garden which Stephen and his team have nurtured from a piece of wasteland and which will continue to grow under the stewardship of the Rev Adrian Bell and Ste Fitzgerald, who joined the team at the North Belfast Centre of Mission at the end of October.

We wish Stephen and his family every blessing in this next chapter in their lives.

The Bishop of Connor, the Rt Rev George Davison, and members of the Connor staff team say farewell to Stephen Whitten who is stepping down as Pioneer Evangelist with the North Belfast Centre of Mission after more than eight years.

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