THE installation of a new minister for the Unitarian Church in St Stephen's Green was described as the beginning of another chapter in the long history of liberal religious witness in Dublin.
The Dublin Unitarian congregation has been without a resident minister for four years since the retirement of the Rev Kenneth Wright and during that time lay members of the church have conducted Sunday services on a rota
At the installation service of the Rev Bill Darlison at the St Stephen's Green church, the Rev Dr J.W. Nelson, in a discourse on the "historical perspective" said the Dublin Unitarian Church had a long and proud history of religious liberalism and could boast many distinguished and academic ministers of religion over more than two centuries.
The special service was attended by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Brendan Lynch, and representatives of other churches and religious groups in the St Stephen's Green area.
The service was conducted by the Rev T.W. Coey, former moderator of the Munster synod, Non subscribing Presbyterian Church. The ordination prayer was conducted by the Rev W. McMillan, Dunmurry, who has been minister in charge of the Dublin church for the last three years.
Mr Darlison previously served at the Wakefield Unitarian Church, Yorkshire.
Dublin Unitarians trace their history back to the 17th century. The present church on St Stephen's Green was built in the Gothic style in the 1860s.