The new rector of Rossory Parish Church got to know his new congregation and new church in a unique way at the weekend by spending the night sleeping in the church.

The Rev. Stephen McWhirter, the new rector of Rossorry Parish Church entered the church at 7am on Saturday and did not leave until after Sunday’s service of Holy Communion.

Speaking of the experience to The Impartial Reporter, Rev. McWhirter said: “Saturday was overwhelming. I really like the idea of being able to pray myself into a place to have done this before. I've done it in each of my other parishes. And it's an opportunity to pray for myself, for my ministry and for the people that I've been ministering to.”

Over 50 people came to visit the new rector, he said: “It was fairly constant from eight o'clock in the morning until midnight. There were entire families, individuals, people coming to visit graves and then coming up to the church to see what was going on.

“People were very generous, Jen didn’t have to feed me at all. People were bringing me food and buns.”

This style of ‘sit-in’ has become a regular practice for Rev. McWhirter he explained: “Very often I would do this between Good Friday and Easter Sunday as a reflection of Jesus being in the tomb.

“Often I would do that for charity and it’s a great opportunity for people to come and say their wee bit, and I have learnt through the experience of doing it that people in their parish church, like Nicodemus, under the cloak of darkness will say something different than when you're sitting at their kitchen table, very often I dealt with deep pastoral issues.”

The previous sit-in also impacted his ministry, he said: “I had big team of ministers, who were with me in the west of Ireland, and over half of them were introduced to ministry because they came to me during those periods of Easter and said they felt they had a calling.

“One of my top theologies is a priesthood of all believers. I believe that we all have something to contribute all have something together and ministry, from the very youngest to the very oldest.

Looking forward to what will develop he said: “I live in expectation that many will be called to ministry in some form in Rossorry.”

Rev. McWhirter, a native of Bangor grew up in the Parish of Bangor Abbey and prior to his call to ministry, he worked for 20 years in the newspaper industry in the production department of the County Down Spectator prior to becoming a lay minister.

He said: “I was ordained in 2013, however, in saying that I have been involved in full-time ministry in a lay capacity prior to that.”

His early ministry took place in a number of Church of Ireland Parishes in Belfast, Portadown and Lisburn while training for ministry. His latest position was Rector of the Killala Rev. McWhirter had previously served as Archdeacon of Tuam, Killala and Achonry, his previous diocese.

Rev. McWhirter is married to Rev. Canon Jen McWhirter and has two daughters Harvest (26) and Kizzy (8)

Looking a move back to Northern Ireland as part of their families futures, the McWhirter’s were impressed by the variety of organisations within Rossorry located on the edge of Enniskillen; including the strong presence of organisations within the Parish including; Scouting, Guiding and the Mother’s Union. Rev. McWhirter who has experience in all section of the Scouting movement is also a Mothers' Union member and wore his Mother’s Union stole during his institution service.

Rev. McWhirter is looking forward to further engaging with his parishioners and spending time in the Fermanagh outdoors fishing as he and his family settle into their next chapter in Rossorry.