Mr John H Thompson
Mr John Henry Thompson was born in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, on 28 December 1916, the eldest child of a farming family which traced its Presbyterian roots back to the time when Presbyterians were persecuted in Northern Ireland. He began work with Ulster Transport and later became a mechanical fitter with Crowe & Sons, a local firm by whom he was employed until he had to retire early due to ill health. After his marriage in July 1948 he moved with his wife to the village of Glynn where he resided until he entered a care home about five years ago. He had been unable to attend church services for several years previously. Mrs Margaret Thompson died in 2006.
No information is to hand concerning Mr Thompson’s spiritual pilgrimage, though in prayer and conversation in his home in his housebound years he spoke as one who had been called by grace and was anticipating glory. Having been previously a member of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster he identified himself in 1978 with the congregation ministered to by Rev G G Hutton. He was ordained an elder in the congregation and was one of the representatives of the congregation who later appeared at the Synod in support of its application to be received into the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland. He often expressed deep satisfaction at the outcome of that application. He sat in the significant Synod meeting of 1989. Mr Thompson personally cleared the considerable debt on the Church building in Larne and used his skill with his hands to do much practical work about the building.
Larne is now without a resident office-bearer and the loyal little congregation there would value the prayers of friends throughout the Church that the Lord might be pleased to provide them with a minister who would pastor the flock and be used in His hand to build up the Cause among them.
Mr Thompson is survived by his daughter, to whom we express sympathy and appreciation of her father’s contribution to the cause in Larne.
(Rev) H M Cartwright