Life at Christ Church: 1976 to 1990
Missionary support and partnership
Sending out missionaries to serve God in other parts of the world has always been a key aspect of Christ Church. A key part of reenergising this commitment from 1966 to his death in 1979 was the work of Tony Devis with the numerous missionaries sent out from Christ Church over the following years. More locally, Christ Church also spearheaded the development of ‘The Schools Worker Trust’ (now ‘Insight’) to take the message of Jesus Christ into local schools.
A blessing of Curates
Christ Church had a number of fine curates during this period. Following on from Doug Johnson (see Life at Christ Church: 1968-1975) in 1977, was Geoff Maughan, here with wife Jenny. During his time at Christ Church, Geoff played a key role in the Twenties Group and leading and training Home Group leaders. Two daughters, Sarah and Alison, were born during this time. After leaving New Malden, Geoff was Curate and then Vicar of Christ Church Abingdon and went on to become Director of Ministry at Wycliffe Hall.
Martin Brown arrived as curate of Christ Church with his wife Ann and children, Christa and Jonathan in 1981. During his time at Christ Church, Martin was known for his passion for the Bible, starting an annual Holiday Club and also keeping a snake at 12 Rosebery Avenue!
Paul Weston arrived at Christ Church as curate in October 1985. The son of Keith Weston, Rector of St Ebbe’s in Oxford from 1964-85, Paul made an immediate impact through his creativity and energy. Just one of the projects that he organised was the visiting of every house in the parish by members of Christ Church and St John’s. In July 1986, Paul married Virginia Anne Green or Ginny, who was ordained as a deacon in July 1987, and then joined the parish team. After leaving Christ Church in 1989, Paul Weston was primarily involved in theological education, teaching at Oak Hill (1989-2000) and then Ridley Theological College.
The photo below of Paul and Ginny was taken at Ginny’s ordination at Southwark Cathedral in 1987.
Before 1987 women were only allowed to serve as Deaconesses but from that year they were granted the same ministry as male clergy in their first year of ordination. Ordination of women as priests, however, still lay in the future.
Paul Weston was succeeded as Curate by Graham Wintle (pictured below), who arrived in September 1989 with his wife Katrina. Graham Wintle was an extremely caring pastor and also a passionate and engaging preacher. After three years (which included the Interregnum between John Short's departure and the arrival of Stewart Downey), Graham Wintle moved to become Vicar of Christ Church, Surbiton.
Parish Administrator
A new development in the mid 1980s was the establishment of the post of Parish Administrator – chiefly in order to free up the clergy for their preaching and pastoral ministry. The first Parish Administrator was Charlotte Sparrow (1984), who was followed by Tony Penny (1985-1998), Mavis Spencer (1998-2003), Martin Churms (2003-6) and Elizabeth Hill (2006-present).
Women's ministry
Another feature of Christ Church during this period was the development of a strong measure of women’s ministry. Before the Church of England’s decision to ordain women as priests (and therefore Vicars) in 1992, opinions on women’s ministry were less polarised than they later became and there was general consensus that the ministries of Nina Putman, Meg Guillebaud, Lynn Critchley, Ginny Weston (as Deaconesses/Deacons) and Hazel Hainsworth (as a Lay Reader) in the 1970s and 1980s were deeply positive for Christ Church.
However, the election of women ‘sidesmen’ for the first time in 1981 was still described in the Second Parish History by Olive Voller as ‘an interesting innovation’ and ‘no doubt a sign of the times’.
Weddings and Baptisms
The following photo is from the wedding of Stephen Thorp and Ruth Short (John's younger daughter) in 1989.
Another photo from 1986 shows John Short baptising Alice Keen, the daughter of Keith and Christine Keen.
Baptisms at Christ Church during this period generally took place on Sunday afternoons.
The Forefathers
Members of Christ Church were sometimes entertained during this period by a group of singing Dads known as 'The Forefathers', made up of (left to right) David Brown, Graham Mitchell, John Attfield and Richard Jones.
Cliff Richard and Sue Barker
Cliff Richard began attending Christ Church services from the late 1970s and in the early 1980s started coming with his then girlfriend, the tennis player Sue Barker. Sue also attended a Home Group led by Trevor and Sue Webster. The couple would tend to arrive at Christ Church by a side entrance once the service had started.
Press interest in their relationship at the time was enormous and so, as well as being told to treat them normally, the congregation were asked to keep their attendance at Christ Church secret. Sadly, news that the couple worshipped at Christ Church eventually got out and the presence of TV cameras one Sunday morning meant that they felt that had to stop coming. Cliff Richard, however, did return to perform and speak at an evangelistic event at Christ Church in March 1985.
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Life at CCNM 1968-75 | Building CCNM 1976-90 | Life at CCNM 1991-2006 |  |