John Woodside was born in Larne, Co Antrim in 1946. After studying biology and agricultural science at QUB he spent ten years lecturing and doing research into pollution from farm wastes.
He played rugby on the wing for Ballymena for ten seasons and experienced a late call into full–time Christian ministry in his mid 30s. Apart from 18 months in Ballywillan in Portrush, most of his ministry has spent been in two Presbyterian congregations in the Republic of Ireland; 18 years in Kilkenny and the last eight years in Drogheda. He is married to Sandra, a French teacher and former IFES staffworker in Lebanon and Ireland. They have 3 sons, Andrew (28), Peter (22) and Johnny (20). John’s present congregation has members from up to 15 different nations and they have mission links with Kenya, Lithuania and the Czech Republic. He is on the Board of IFES Ireland.
