Bishop Andrew Forster has appointed Rev Gary Millar as a canon of St Columb’s Cathedral. While a date has yet to be fixed for the Service of Installation, Canon Millar’s appointment takes effect immediately.
Bishop Andrew said it was recognition of the new canon’s service as Rector of the KIT Group of Parishes (Kilrea, Tamlaght O’Crilly Upper and Lower (Innisrush)) and his outstanding leadership as Rural Dean for Maghera and Kilrea.
Canon Millar, who was born and grew up in Coleraine, has been pastoring in Kilrea for the last eight years. He was educated at Coleraine Academical Institution before going to university in Cardiff, where he read Computing and, later, Theology.
He was ordained at Llandaff Cathedral, in Wales, in 1991, and served two curacies in the Diocese of Llandaff before returning to Northern Ireland as Rector of Dromara and Garvaghy in 1997. Canon Millar’s subsequent appointments included incumbencies in Kilkeel; St Paul and St Barnabas (Belfast), Ahoghill and Portglenone; and latterly Kilrea, where he serves alongside his wife, Rev Gillian Millar (OLM), who was priested almost a year and a half ago.
Canon Millar says he has a passion for “preaching and teaching”. Bishop Andrew says the new canon will be an excellent addition to the Cathedral Chapter of St Columb, where he will assume the stall vacated by the Venerable Robert Boyd following his recent installation as Archdeacon of Derry.
A version of this article previously appeared on the Derry & Raphoe website. For more stories, log on to https://www.derryandraphoe.org/