Rev William Patterson Hall, 1883-1970, first Minister of Greenisland, served from 1935-39. Mr Hall was previously Minister of Gortnessy, Co Londonderry, Ballysillan, Belfast and Knox Church, Galt, Ontario, Canada. He left Greenisland to become Superintendent of the Shankill Road Mission. He retired in 1948, received a Doctor of Divinity Degree in 1958.

Rev Andrew Orr, 1903-1980, served from 1939 until his retirement in 1969. Greenisland was his only congregation. He had previously served in Riversdale Street Hall in the Belfast City Mission from 1925-31. A year of his ministerial studies was spent at Princeton, USA.

Rev Allister McMullan Kerr, born 1938, served from 1970-73. He was previously Minister of 1st and 2nd Ray, with Trenta, Co Donegal. He left Greenisland to become Minister of Aghadowey, Co Londonderry, where he still ministers. In 1977 he was given charge of a second congregation, Crossgar. He retired in 2002.

Rev Douglas Armstrong, born 1933, served from 1973-98. He was previously Minister of Balteagh, Co Londonderry and Strand, Belfast, and Superintendent of the Irish Mission. He is now Senior Minister of the congregation and lives in Carrickfergus.

Miss Emma B Roome was Honorary Secretary of the Knockagh Hall which was opened in 1912. She ran a Girls' Auxiliary in the Hall and a Sunday School in the Benvenue Hall in the ground of her home nearby. A founder member of the congregation, she officially opened the Church building on 6 September 1941, and served on the Congregational Committee for many years.

Mr James R Rea, ordained as an elder in 1949 and Clerk of Session 1958-88. Mr Rea also served as Sunday School Superintendent and as a member of the Choir.

KIRK SESSION AND COMMITTEE 1943

Back Row - Robert McCartney, Henry Scott, William Morrow, Thomas A Colhoun, William McConnell, Walter Davidson, John McKirgan, Robert D Wasson, Thomas A Bell, Hugh W Shaw.

Front Row- James S Beattie, Thomas D Hall, Alexander Black, Rev Andrew Orr, Emma MB Roome, William Barclay, John Dalton.

Mr Tom Hay, Organist and Choirmaster

A Plaque in the Church reads:

To the Glory of God

and in grateful remembrance of

THOMAS HAY, B.Sc., DIP.ED., M.I.E.E.

ORGANIST AND CHOIRMASTER 1953-1967

MEMBER OF SESSION        1959-1967

THIS PLAQUE HAS BEEN ERECTED AND CHURCH FURNISHINGS INSTALLED BY MEMBERS WHO THANK GOD FOR HIS CONSTANT BUT UNASSUMING SERVICE TO THIS CONGREGATION,

"BLESSED ARE THE DEAD WHICH DIE IN THE LORD"

Miss Sally McGarrell, Sunday School Teacher

A copy of the above photograph hangs in the McGarrell Room. Above and below are written these words:

To mark the retirement after 70 years faithful Sunday School teaching in Greenisland of Miss Sally McGarrell, this photograph appeared in Belfast Telegraph on September 30, 1989.

Miss Sally McGarrell with, left to right, Clarke Montgomery, Susan Montgomery, Bryan Riddell, Stephanie Anthony, Laura Anthony.

Mr David Beattie being presented with a camera to 25 years of service as organist in November 1992. The presentation is being made by Jim McCallum, member of Kirk Session, while Rev Douglas Armstrong looks on.

A picture of the Bible Class taken in the 1950s.
Back row, left to right: Paul Logan, Billy McRoberts, Mary Marshall, Rosemary Weir, Alastair Law, David Houston, Cedric Craig, Gerry Graham.
Third row: Ivan Gillespie, Marion Smyth, Salter Stirling, Mr Harry McMullan (Bible Class Leader), Mrs McMullan, Mr Keatley (Caretaker), David Weir.
Second row: Christine Logan, Margaret McCammon, Muriel Logan, Daisy Duff, Shirley Logan, Eileen Thomas, Jill Thomas, Pat McIntyre.
Front row: Janet Martin, Joan Graham, Name Unknown - can you help?, Hilda Stirling, Audrey Spratt, David Irwin.

Rev Moore Dunlop Wasson, BA, born 1918, a member of Greenisland, was ordained in 1946 in Roseyards, Co Antrim.In 1955 he moved to the BBC, Belfast, where he eventually became Head of religious Broadcasting. He taught in Larne Grammar School from 1980-84 and was Minister of Ballina, Killala and Ballymote in Cos. Mayo and Sligo from 1984 to 1988 when he retired.

Rev James Wilson McAuley, MA, born 1925, a member of Greenisland, was ordained in Brookside Church, Ahoghill, Co Antrim, in 1954, installed in Nelson Memorial, Belfast in 1960, in Magheramorne, Co Antrim in 1967, and in Whitehead, Co Antrim in 1978. He retired in 1991 and died in 2007.

Rev William James Johnstone, BA, BD, born 1945, a member of the congregation, was ordained in Gardenmore, Larne, Co Antrim, as Assistant Minister in 1972. He was installed in Castlewellan and Leitrim, Co Down in 1974, and Craigyhill, Larne, in 1983. He has also been Clerk of the Carrickfergus Presbytery since 1999.

Rev Philip William Patterson, B Mus, BD, a member of the congregation, was ordained as a Minister and Installed as Chaplain to Her Majesty's Forces in 1999. After a time in Kosovo, and Germany, he is currently living in Scotland.

Sadie McCullough was a Probationer Deaconess in Greenisland from November 2001 to June 2003. She went on to be commissioned as a Deaconess in Whiteabbey congregation.

Kristina Hine was an Intern from the USA (and member of Redlands Presbyterian Church, California) who was working with us from September 2005 to June 2006. She returned to the USA to finish her theological training.

Greenisland Presbyterian Church