Rev. Dr. John Brian Moore

The Rev. Dr John Brian Moore, who attended Bangor Grammar School between 1945 and 1950, died on 14 January 2014.

Born on 20 January 1933, his home congregation was First Bangor and he came to personal faith in Christ through a CSSM mission at Ballyholme. In 1950 he started further studies at Magee University 41 College in Londonderry, continuing at Trinity College in Dublin, from which he graduated BA in 1953.

Dr Moore pursued his theological studies at New College, Edinburgh, and the Assembly’s College, Belfast, in preparation for the ordained ministry. He was licensed by the Presbytery of Ards on 27 May 1956 and served his assistantship at Oldpark, Belfast, until he was ordained and installed in First Portglenone on 5 November 1958. It was during these years that he developed his conviction of, and skill in, expository preaching and its application to daily life.

On 16 December 1965 he was installed as minister of the Albert Street congregation in Belfast. Some months later he married Jean Stewart Lowry from Portglenone and they settled down to manse life in Belfast. They had two children, Christine and Iain.

Following the union of Albert Street and Argyle Place in February 1971, the congregation was renamed West Kirk. Dr Moore’s preaching focus on the Lordship of Christ during these years gave hope and inspiration to many in the congregation living through the social upheaval of the times.

Within the wider Presbyterian Church, Dr Moore served as Convener of the Home Board (1996-2000) and Co-Convener of the Board of Mission in Ireland (2000-2003). He was a delegate to the 19th General Council of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches in 1964 and a member of the Foreign Mission Committee.

The Presbyterian Theological Faculty Ireland awarded him the degree of Doctor of Divinity in 1997. Dr Moore retired to the town of his birth on 30 June 2001.