It was a day for the ages at St Columb’s Cathedral in Londonderry where the three newest members of the Cathedral Chapter – Rev Canon Carmen Hayes, Rev Canon Donard Collins and Rev Canon Peter Ferguson – were formally installed at a service on Sunday 28th September, 2025. “It’s the first time in a long time,” the Dean, Very Rev Raymond Stewart told the congregation, “that three Canons have all been installed at the one service.”
The Canons’ families were joined by members of the ministers’ parishes (Errigal and Desertoghill, Killowen, and Derg and Termonamongan, respectively) and regular worshippers from the Cathedral for what Bishop Andrew described as “a family occasion” not just for the relatives but for the Canons’ parishioners and for the Diocese as a whole. “Today, what we do is honour your discipleship,” he told the new Chapter members, “and honour your commitment to ministry.”
Today’s Installation was a colourful affair, befitting such a significant occasion in the Cathedral’s ancient history. Other members of the Cathedral Chapter, fellow clergy and lay readers from throughout the Diocese took part in the service.
Bishop Andrew used his sermon to explore what church should “really be about”. Historically, he said, Canons were responsible for preaching, teaching and praying for pilgrims who came to cathedrals. “It’s a beautiful thing to think about and I hope, as a Chapter, we see the importance of one of the roles of a Canon – to pray constantly for the life of the Diocese, and to pray constantly for those who come to this place.”
“Down through the years, Bishops have appointed Canons because their lives as pastors have incarnated what it actually means to be a pastor – to pray, to preach, to teach and to care for God’s people – and that’s what I see in Donard, in Carmen and in Peter, people who know the call to pray, to preach, to teach and to care for God’s people. And those who know them well will know that that is all too true in their parishes and in their daily lives.
“So,” the Bishop said, “what the Canons in history were called to live out, and what we’re called to live out, is actually the real purpose of the Church, and the Scriptures very clearly and simply tell us what that purpose is…the Bible tells us that the purpose of the Church can be summed up in three things – ministry to God, ministry to believers and ministry to the world.”
Ministry to God might seem a bit of a strange thing to say, the Bishop suggested – “We think of God ministering to us” – but actually “ministering to God is what worship is about, worship is about us showing God his worth in our lives and the Church’s purpose is to worship God.” That includes Sunday, Bishop Andrew said, but it’s also about 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 day, living our lives as instruments of worship, living our lives to his praise and glory. “Wholehearted worship is what God deserves…the one who has given his all to us deserves our all”.
Bishop Andrew drew on the word ‘nurture’ to explore ministry to believers. “Parents know what it is to nurture and bring up a child. The Church has a responsibility to nurture those who are already believers and to build them up into the maturity of their faith…I am convinced that in today’s world that is drowning in a sea of relativism, stuck in the swamp of materialism and anesthetised by the shallow self-centeredness of individualism, that there is nothing more important for us to do than to nurture believers. Ministry to believers is vital, and our three new Canons are committed and convincing preachers who see the nurture of God’s people as paramount.”
The Bishop reminded the congregation that Our Lord’s Great Commission, to ‘…make disciples of all nations…’ (Matthew 28), was a primary ministry that the Church had to the world. “What about you as part of the Church? Are you nurturing yourself, are you growing in faith, is your discipleship growing – a wholehearted discipleship – are you nurturing yourself in God’s word, is your goal to be presented ‘perfect in Christ’? That should be the goal of every follower of Jesus Christ.”
Bishop Andrew said the new Canons had a real heart for the lost, and longed to share the Good News. “That Good News that they share is accompanied by a ministry of care for the poor and needy, a ministry of care for those who are struggling and alone, and a ministry of care that lives out the love of Jesus Christ, exemplified in the healing ministry of Jesus, of course, but lived out in Carmen and Donard and Peter.
“So, ministry to God in worship, ministry to believers in nurture, ministry to the world in evangelism and care – the three purposes of the Church as commanded in Scripture – all three are important and none can be neglected. A strong and effective parish, a strong and effective diocese, will have effective ministry in all three, and a good Canon is called to exemplify them.”
Bishop Andrew said it was a joy for him to minister with the three new Canons and a joy to see them installed.
The Old Testament reading was delivered by Rev Canon Katie McAteer, while Rev Canon Derek Quinn read from the Gospel according to St John. Music was provided by Nicky Morton, Cathedral Organist & Director of Music, Assistant Organist, Louis Fields and the Cathedral Chamber Choir.
The Offertory Hymn was ‘Come to Us, Creative Spirit’ and Dean Stewart said he looked forward over the new few weeks and months to finding out “which of our Canons is the poet, which is the painter, which is the music-maker, which is the craftsman, which is the actor and which is the graceful dancer. They all have gifts and talents and I know that they’ll be used extensively in the work of this Cathedral”.
