30th anniversary of our church building
july 2007
Did anyone else enjoy the TV series Shameless which featured the notorious Gallagher family living on the infamous Chatsworth Estate in Manchester? It started with the line "they know how to throw a party..." and I did think that applied to us all here at Essex Church recently - a different sort of party but a lot of fun nevertheless.
We were celebrating the 30th anniversary of the opening of Essex Church's new building and especial thanks go to Caroline Blair for her organisational skills - particularly her delving into the church archives and mounting a display of photos, old newsletters and other fascinating memorabilia. She had even found the architect's drawing of the re-development scheme from the 1970s that in the end was not built. There was general agreement that we were lucky to avoid a church that was tucked into a corner of a big block of concrete flats and to instead have our much loved, quirky, peaceful and attractive building.
We enjoyed delicious food provided by many different people, over forty guests ranging in age from eight to eighty, including friends from congregations in Godalming, Newington Green and Hampstead and Unitarian College Manchester, John Marrow's excellent DJing skills, cunningly playing tracks with suitably spiritual themes, great conversations with friends old and new, bartenders encouraging consumption of Pimms and other summer beverages. All in all, it was a great evening and thank you to everybody for all you did to make it such a success.
As well as being a 30th anniversary celebration, the party formed part of our fund raising project to pay for accessible toilets. It is thanks to everybody's generosity that we raised around £600 in one evening. There will be more information in the next newsletter about our progress so far and further suggestions for fund-raising. If you have any ideas or would like to take on a particular money making scheme, do get in touch.
Rev. Sarah Tinker
thirty years on
From the December 2006 newsletter:
It came as something of a surprise recently to realise that I had been associated with Essex Church for thirty years. I started a new job in London in September 1976, living in West Kensington, and shortly afterwards found my way - not to Palace Gardens Terrace where a new church building was under construction - but to the temporary premises just off Kensington High Street which were then being used for Sunday services. I believe they were the offices of the British Humanist Association at the time. One of the first people I met was Liz Lynne, then working as an actress and later to become the Liberal Democrat MP for Rochdale (1992-1997), following in the footsteps of Sir Cyril Smith. She has been a Member of the European Parliament for the West Midlands since 1999. The old Essex Church (built 1887) had been demolished in 1973. I know that this decision was a painful one for the congregation at the time, but the building was in need of major repairs, and the opportunity arose to redevelop the site. For various reasons it was not until May 1976 that work started on the new building, so the congregation was without a fixed home for several years.
The first service in the new building took place on 24 July 1977. It was conducted by the Rev Robert Palmer from Boston (USA), who had been interim minister for several months. He and his wife Peggy were very good friends to the congregation. The following month our first settled minister in the new church, the Rev Frank Clabburn, started work. Frank was a very talented musician and writer, and several of his hymns will be found in Hymns for Living (e.g. No. 42 'We rest awhile in quietness'). He remained minister until October 1980. I can still remember him driving a minibus to Polesden Lacey in Surrey for a congregational outing. His tragically early death in 2000 when he was minister in Bristol was such a loss to the whole Unitarian movement. The Rev Francis Simons was our minister for twelve years (1981-1993). Perhaps because he came to us from an Anglican background he was a great advocate of interfaith activity. I will mention two particular highlights from his ministry. Following a 'Building Your Own Theology' course which Francis organised in 1986 the congregation published 'Kensington Quest: Statements of Belief' by Kensington Unitarians. This proved to be something of a bestseller, and it is still occasionally used for readings in services. Could we repeat it sometime, I wonder? In 1987 we published Raymond Williams's history of the congregation on its present site 'Essex Church in Kensington 1887-1987' (only a few copies remaining now!). Raymond was involved with the church for many years, notably as chairman and trustee. His death in 1995 also deprived the London District of a devoted servant. I rather regret now that we didn't go with Raymond's first suggestion of the title for his book: 'A Century for Essex'.
During the Rev. Art Lester's ministry (1996-2001) the decision was taken to convert the large manse flat in the basement to educational accommodation that could be rented out and so provide extra income for the church. In 2001 it was decided after much discussion to create a smaller manse flat above part of the church, and building work started in September 2002, lasting several months and costing £250,000. This was a major decision, and it used up all our available financial reserves. It was ready for occupation by the Rev Mark Shiels in June 2003 (Mark was minister 2002-2003). But nothing stands still in an organisation like ours, and we now face the need to provide toilet facilities for the disabled, renew some of the lighting, as well as improve the grounds. July 2007 will see thirty years in our beloved building, the third home of the congregation if you include the original Essex Street Chapel. It is also the home to our many user groups. We should mark that anniversary in some way.
In a short review of this kind it is impossible to do justice to all that has happened and all the personalities who have made up our community. One remembers a number who are no longer with us: Lily Skelton, Raymond Williams, Elaine Parker, Paul Groves and Rosalie Tye, amongst others. I remember the Rev Johanna Boeke's most caring interim ministry for eighteen months in 1994-96. I remember also the enormous contribution made by William Featherstone as treasurer and trustee for many years, and by Elizabeth Featherstone as secretary and trustee. They are fortunately still in touch with us from their new home in Northamptonshire. There have been many ups and downs during that period, but fortunately one tends to remember the high points rather than the low ones! I am so pleased that now we have an excellent new team in our dedicated minister Sarah, and our hard-working wardens Jenny and David. During Sarah's Service of Welcome and Commitment in January 2006 I was very touched that she included hymns by two previous ministers: Frank Clabburn's 'A Church is a Living Fellowship' and Francis Simons' marvellous 'Glory to the Cosmic Comic'. That brings us full circle, really. Essex Church is a very special community, which has been a vital part of my life for the last thirty years. I am grateful to all who have shared the journey with me, past and present.
Howard Hague
last updated: 03 Aug 2009
