17.09.2021
Ordination to the Dioconate of Alexander Chisnall: ‘Following God’s lead has shown me his faithfulness’
Alexander Chisnall will be ordained a Deacon this Sunday, September 19 2021, in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. He will serve as Deacon Intern in Wicklow and Killiskey in the Diocese of Glendalough. Archbishop Michael Jackson will preside at the service which, due to restrictions on numbers in the cathedral, can be attended by invitation only. All are invited to view the service live on the cathedral’s webcam. The link is below. Here Alexander writes about what has led him to ordination.
I grew up in Killiney, County Dublin, and have lived there my whole life up to this point. I have now moved to beautiful Wicklow, the garden of Ireland, where I will serve as deacon.My home church is Crinken (St James’s) for which I have a great sense of gratitude to God for placing me there and putting in my life the faithful men and women who discipled and encouraged me to follow Jesus and to read his Word. The youth group in particular had such an impact on my formation and life now, and it is just so utterly amazing to see God’s hand at work in my life, then and now, and the lives of those around me.
Youth group is where I really came to know Jesus and to love and to read his Word. My youth worker, Neil Douglas, has been such a influence in my life and my ministry today. He was always pointing me to Jesus in everything he did, both as a teen and then as a young adult serving alongside him in youth ministry, and now knowing him as one of my dearest friends and mentors. And not only did youth group have such an impact in my walk with the Lord, but it is also where I met my wife Hannah. God’s providence is a wonderful thing.Before studying at the Church of Ireland Theological Institute, I studied Theology in Trinity College Dublin before a rather short stint in the financial services. Then following an even shorter stint towards a PhD, I began to pursue full–time ministry by starting as an intern in Crinken while attending exploring ministry meetings and selection conference. Now nearing the end of my time in CITI, it is exciting to see what God has in store next while in Wicklow and Killiskey. I have from my early teens felt God’s call on my life, and ever increasing sense of Him calling me to serve and teach his Word faithfully empowered by his Spirit. Although at the start I sometimes may have been a bit of a Jonah and wanted to run in a different direction to God’s plan for me, however, following his lead and will for my life has shown me time and time again his faithfulness and his mighty hand at work. And even if I didn’t need a great fish waiting for me on the seashore (like Jonah) to bring me back to his plan, I delight in the joy of knowing the Father who knows what’s best for me, directs me and uses me for his glory. For which I simply and humbly seek to run the race he sets out for me.
Alexander, along with Edwin Aiken, will be ordained to the Diaconate at 3.30pm. You can view it on the cathedral’s webcam at https://christchurchcathedral.ie/worship/video-stream-1/