Rev Stephen Kerr ‘installed’ as Minister of Kells Presbyterian Church, Co Antrim

Rev Stephen Kerr was ordained and installed as the new Minister of Kells Presbyterian Church, (County Antrim) on Thursday night, 4thSeptember 2025. Thirty seven-year-old Stephen is married to Kathryn, a secondary school teacher and the couple are originally from Lisburn.

Although Stephen did not grow up in a Christian home, he was sent to Church regularly as a child.
Tragically, Stephen’s father took his own life when he was just ten years old. Understandably, this caused the young boy to become angry with God, causing him to reject Church and become disinterested in it.
It was not until a couple of years later when Stephen’s History teacher at Friends’ School Lisburn suggested he go to a Scripture Union camp that the Lord began to do a work in his life.

Stephen remembers: “Initially, I had no interest in the faith-based aspects of the camp. However, as I heard the talk one night the Holy Spirit worked through the preaching of God’s word and opened my eyes to the truth of the Gospel, so I repented and began following Christ.”

Converted at the age of twelve, Stephen recalls a period of slow growth before he really began to ‘take his faith seriously’ when he was sixteen.

After school, Stephen trained as a teacher and worked at Lisanagarvey High School before he became a Church youth worker and later, a Church Intern before deciding to apply to Union Theological College with a view to Pulpit Ministry.

Looking back on his time there, Stephen reflected on ‘a good and humbling experience’, adding that: “The teaching was incredible. I didn’t necessarily enjoy doing all the assignments, but I loved being there and sitting under the lecturers who were there at that stage and now; they are just wonderful. I think that the quality of the teaching, the pastoral care and the preparation for Ministry that’s available through Union at the minute is truely excellent.”

Serving his ‘assistantship’ under the Very Rev Dr Frank Sellar at Bloomfield Presbyterian Church in Belfast was also a blessed experience for Stephen and Kathryn. He remembers a very open and kind people who allowed him to experience different areas of Ministry.
Indeed, it was thanks to a ‘tap on the shoulder’ from Rev. Leslie Casement, a former Minister of Kells & Eskylane who now worships at Bloomfield that Stephen was prompted to consider the next step.

He smiles: “Although Kells was not even vacant at that time, I began to follow their website and even watch some services online. I began to see Kells as a place where I could potentially be a good fit and from there, circumstances seemed to align to bring us to the point where we are now.”

Describing himself as ‘a discipler’, Stephen is looking forward to making disciples of Jesus:
“Numerical growth is great”, he says, “but what I love is to watch people of all ages grow in their faith and go deeper with Jesus – to see his word take root in their hearts as they become disciples who make disciples and lead fruitful lives for Christ.”

In his spare time, Stephen enjoys watching movies and playing board games with friends, in addition to paddleboarding and spending time in the mountains.

You can discover more about Kells Presbyterian Church by logging on to www.kellschurch.com