A Rebel Without A Cause Becomes A Rebel With A Cause 1x74l

A REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE BECOMES A REBEL WITH A CAUSE

BRUCE PORTER

Copyright © 2017 by BRUCE PORTER.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017909645 ISBN: Softcover 978-1-5434-8604-9 eBook 978-1-5434-8603-2

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Rev. date: 06/20/2017

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Contents

Chapter 1 The Tender Years

Chapter 2 Working or Rocking

Chapter 3 Imps and True Love

Chapter 4 Youth Work to Pastor

Chapter 5 Student Pastors and Asylum Seekers

Chapter 6 Still Going Strong

Chapter 7 The Lord is in Control

Chapter One The Tender Years

Mum and Dad with Bruce

Bruce as a baby

M Y STORY IS ONE OF ups and downs and it all began in the town of Godalming in July 1934. It was a Sunday evening and it all happened in the Council House known as 125 Ockford Ridge. This was a reasonably new estate, the first families moving in in 1931 when the rent was nine shillings and 2 pence (46p) per week. By the time I was born the rent was still at the same rate. Our house was situated on the top of Ockford Ridge and just a few houses to the right were some very steep stone steps leading down to the Portsmouth Road and at the time of my birth men were coming up those stone steps singing very loudly as they were returning home from a local Pub. My father was in another part of the house looking after my sister who had been born two years before. In those days it was quite common for a birth to take place in the home assisted by the District Nurse without the presence of anyone else. The town of Godalming is situated in some of the finest countryside in Southern England and it was the first town in the world to have a public electricity supply in 1881. One of the famous features of Godalming is the building known as The Pepperpot, otherwise known as the Market House. From the beginning I was a problem, at night I cried more than I slept and by day I did not like being laid down. Soon I rejected milk and a special diet was provided partly through the generosity of Mrs Hounsome who, with her husband were soon to become my godparents. Mrs Hounsome owned a local drapers shop in Farncombe where she was well known and responsible for a very successful business. She was a very generous lady and together with her husband who was a bus driver, every Christmas during the war she would host soldiers, particularly from New Zealand who were stationed locally to her home. My parents and my sister and I spent many Christmases in that home and enjoyed the hospitality and fellowship with the other guests. My Christening took place at the Godalming Parish Church when I was clothed in the family Christening robe worn two years and eight months before by my sister Audrey. Like Audrey I had fair hair but my own special feature was my bright blue eyes and my mischievous grin. Like my mother, I soon gained a

wicked sense of humour. Once I was able to speak, it soon became apparent that I was a little chatter-box. Dad was in and out of work in those earlier years and we had very few of the things that many would have taken for granted. I one Christmas day when my sister and I woke up and heard music on the radio. Suddenly the music stopped and a voice said, ‘Audrey and Bruce, come down stairs, and in the living room a surprise is waiting for you’. It was Dad with a special microphone who had interrupted the BBC programme and through the radio set using a disguised voice, spoke those magical words. Awaiting us was a pillow case each, filled with various goodies including an orange and a pear, a few sweets, a game and a small toy. For me the greatest gift was to hear my name given out on the radio. For six months I attended an infants school which was situated right over the other side of Godalming town centre. Then when the second world war started in 1939, Dad got a job in Kingston at the Leyland Aircraft Factory. After travelling to and from Godalming, Dad eventually managed to get a flat in Tudor Drive and we all moved to Kingston, a five minute walk from the factory where Dad worked. Audrey and I attended the Latchmere Rd Primary School and it soon became apparent that Audrey was much more studious than I was. She also disliked walking home from school with me because she complained to our mother that I always had a dirty face and dirty hands. Also I did not walk on the outside of her as a proper gentleman should do. I was only six years of age at the time so I got cross and smashed her china doll, using a rather heavy teapot. Dad was a man who believed that it was the wife’s task to do all the cooking, cleaning, mending and even preparing and cleaning out the fire and the boiler. In his world men did not chop wood or do any of the more menial tasks around the home. Sometimes Audrey and I would wake up in the night, go down stairs and have a late night feast. I was probably the instigator of these events and I loved the Jelly Squares direct from the box before the jelly was made. Another delight for me was the sugar cubes. I cannot recall ever being caught during these times but I was often told off for the items that were missing from the larder, especially as these were hard times. Fortunately for me our mother never told dad otherwise I would have got more than a sharp tongue. Dad also had a short fuse and we often saw his temper in full blast including

breaking every item of china in the flat and crowning mother with porridge and bowl because, he said, it was not hot enough. We had a strict upbringing, always having to be in bed before Father arrived home from work. He did not want youngsters making a noise when he came home. I became a very nervous child, my sister slow but studious and soon Dad’s favourite. At work, Dad worked hard and was well respected. He soon became an inspector within the factory and was elected shop steward by his fellow workers. As the war developed and the factory where Dad worked became a target for the Germans, a colleague of Dad’s decided to take his family far from London, so Dad arranged to buy his house, a nice semi-detached house in the same road at a bargain price.. At school we spent a considerable time down the air raid shelters equipped with gas masks and a supply of barley sugar. During air raids at home, Mum and I preferred to be out of the shelter and watching the action. My grandfather on my mother’s side came to Kingston only once and whilst he was staying with us he caught me watching a funeral car by. He made me come away from the window and promptly drew the curtains. When local children were evacuated, it was decided that we should stay at home. Audrey had just ed her eleven plus and started at the Tiffins Girls School. She was Dad’s favourite and did I know it. (I was terrified of Dad and soon became a very nervous child who was given to wetting the bed at might. Dad was convinced I did it on purpose and often rubbed my face in the wet bed if mother had not been able to conceal it in time.) Then when the war got worse, Mum and Dad decided Audrey and I should be evacuated to Devon which was where mother originally came from. Audrey stayed at a farm in Combefishacre with friends of the family and I stayed with an Aunt and Uncle in Ipplepen.. It was very strange to be with people I had never met before, it felt unnatural to call them Aunt and Uncle. Their sons were all involved in action but the two daughters who were older than me took me under their care and a special treat was to go to the cinema in Newton Abbot but this usually meant walking four miles home because the busses did not run that late. The school was situated at the back of the Methodist Chapel in the village. I soon found that the local girls were intrigued with boys from London in their

school and it wasn’t long before, even at ten years of age, that I became interested in Mr and Mrs Maddicott’s daughter. Sometimes we walked home together but we had to make sure that her parents never saw us together. Some Sundays I went to Sunday School at the Methodist chapel where many years before my grandmother had been a Sunday School teacher. Other Sundays I went to Sunday School at the Parish Church where my grandfather had been a bell ringer, both died before I was evacuated. When it became time for me to take my eleven plus, we were told that a special exam paper was being sent down from London as the standard in London was higher than that of Devon. That seemed so unfair as we had been educated in Devon for approximately twelve months. On the morning of the exam I received a letter from my mother informing me of a more deadly weapon being used by the Germans and although I went to school to take the exam I felt unable to write a word, hence I failed as became more apparent when the war was over. After the war I was anxious to go home so I travelled home with all the other evacuees. My sister stayed on until my parents were able to come down and take her home personally. She did not fancy coming home with all the other evacuees – this was the first time I had noticed her air of superiority. From Newton Abbot a special train was run for us as evacuees and when it arrived at Paddington we noticed a large banner saying ‘Welcome Home’. The station was decorated with flags and a band was playing. I saying to one of the other evacuees ‘They must be expecting the soldiers to arrive home’, but I was soon to find it was all for us. We were all taken to the station restaurant where a special meal was provided and I was met by a member of staff from the Latchmere Rd Primary School, Kingston. The Mayor of Kingston was also present. Then I was taken with some others back by coach to Kingston where I was met by my parents. My mother was pleased to see me but Dad said, ‘It’s just like you not to wait until we could get down to collect you!’ Did he really care if I came home, I thought. On our return to London my sister went to Grammar school and I to a secondary modern school. On Sundays we had to wear our best clothes. If we went out it could only be for a walk, never allowed to play on a Sunday, yet dad was an atheist. I soon became the leader of a group of boys who did what I told them to do and only once was my authority questioned. It was very much, ‘Bruce’s

gang’.

Bruce’s sister, Audrey with Bruce much later, as good friends

I found a good friend in Walter and on one occasion I encouraged Walter too me leaving home to lead a more exciting life. We didn’t get very far due to lack of funds and frustrated parents looking for us. I, being the older of the two, got all the blame which was, of course, well deserved. Our local doctor had a young daughter, Sally, and I was often found looking after Sally. It was encouraging to know the doctor and his wife trusted me in this capacity. Another friend of that time was Stanley Smithson who lived with his parents in one of our local prefabs. He originated from Newcastle and looking back, he was rather like a young Ronnie Corbett. I disliked school, hated the compulsory school milk which was left by the school radiators and often sour by the time we were expected to drink it. I was given to truanting whenever possible. To raise money I would run raffles, the prizes were unwanted personal possessions. Getting into the cinema without paying was just one of many pranks I was involved in. I was often in trouble and even chased by the police but never arrested. During school lunchtimes I was known to lead a group of boys playing about in Bentalls, the local fashion store. We would run up and down the escalators causing havoc but to us it was just a welcome break from school. One hoax I invented was, with others to stop and say, Look up there’ and point. Gradually a crowd would build up behind us and I would slink around the back and say, ‘What are you looking at?’ but of course, no one would know. By this time, in addition to working at the local Leyland factory, Dad had become a keen gardener and being a corner house we had a very long front garden and in it he grew both flowers and fruit. This became the iration of many ers by so Dad used to sell flowers and fruit to many people. He also had a large garden on the side of the River Thames, near Kingston. It was the garden belonging to a large house and he had free use of it in return for maintaining the garden. Dad expected me to do quite a bit of weeding in his gardens but would never allow me a patch of garden for myself, hence, as time went by, I began to hate gardening and although to this day I love to see and have a beautiful garden, I do

little myself to tend it. The house in Kingston was very close to Ham Common and Richmond Park, which after the war, provided young people, including myself, a wonderful place to enjoy and it was in Richmond Park in 1948 that Olympians were housed in wooden huts previously used during the war. Nearer to the house but on the way to Ham Common was a German prisoner of war camp and we were known at times to have Prisoners of War escaping from the camp and sometimes hiding in the back gardens and helping themselves to food. I ed the Boys Brigade at the Congregational Church. Part of their premises were used by a government agency and I would slink away from Brigade activities into these offices to make bogus telephone calls at the Government’s expense. Then whilst at a Boys Brigade camp on the Isle of Wight I found Jesus and asked Him into my life. In 1948 the Leyland factory decided to move up to the North and my father took the opportunity of selling the house in which we lived at just the right time financially and so he was able to buy his first business – a Newsagents shop in South London.

Chapter Two Working or Rocking

W HEN I WAS FOURTEEN WE moved to Herne Hill, south east London and my last year at school was in Brixton. The Boys Brigade transferred me to a company attached to the parish Church of Dulwich Village, but there were no classes or teaching for a new Christian. Herne Hill was situated between Brixton and Dulwich, two very different areas. I attended a secondary modern school in Brixton for my last year where I made friends with other youngsters who also wanted to get up to various mischievous pranks. On the 10th May 1949 I was confirmed by the Bishop of Woolwich. Apparently in our church when you reached the age of fourteen, it was expected of you. A friend told me later that when I went forward to kneel before the Bishop it looked very funny from the back because I knelt properly at first, then feeling uncomfortable I decided to sit back on my heels so I moved down gradually and the people could see the Bishop’s hands go lower and lower as he confirmed me. I was never a good sportsman but I did enjoy watching professional matches. As a speedway fan I travelled to see Harringay Racers with scarf, rattle and much exuberance. I also ed West Ham United Football Club and would go to their ground from Herne Hill on a number forty bus. These were in the days of Bobbie Moore and a very successful team. At 15 I left school with no qualifications but to prove to my father I was not stupid, I applied and successfully got a job in a City Bank which had been looking for someone with GCE’s. The Company concerned sent me a letter dated the 17th June 1949 inviting me to take up employment with them at a salary of two pounds a week. They had a restaurant but I was too nervous to enter on my own so I bought a couple of penny buns and ate them standing on London Bridge watching the boats. I travelled to the city by train from Norwood Junction where seats were available. Later on the journey it got very busy so one morning I got up and offered a lady my seat. She refused saying, ‘Young man I

was standing before your were in your nappies’. Thoroughly embarrassed, I shrunk back in my seat for the rest of the journey. By this time Dad had sold the Newsagent’s business in Herne Hill and bought his first shop in Crystal Palace. This was soon followed by two other shops in the same area, all selling leather goods, fancy goods, office stationery, personal stationery and greeting cards. Later I accepted an invitation to come and work in my Father’s businesses but the result was disastrous, so several other jobs followed, three for film companies in Soho. On my first pay day I was walking down Wardour Street with other work colleagues when a lady came up and asked me if I had the time. I said I had no watch so I asked my friends. They dragged me away and explained that the lady was a lady of the streets. The staff of one company organised a beer and sausage party in a pub in Wardour St. To my shame, my rebellious nature resulted in getting people’s attention by behaving badly. Another film company organised a trip to Southend to see the lights. I shocked everyone by getting off with the boss’s secretary. Then when King George V1 died I and the boss’s secretary went to Buckingham Palace at lunchtime only to get back to work two hours late – she was dismissed, I was allowed to stay on – perhaps they thought I was easily led – if only they knew the truth. My family moved again. Our new house was at the end of a small road with large, what appeared to be overgrown gardens which turned out to be the grounds of Spurgeons College where much later on, I was to become one of their students. Often I could not sleep. On these occasions I would take the dog and go for an early morning walk in Grange woods. One morning I was stopped by a police officer who rather suspiciously asked me what I was doing so early in the morning. I simply explained I couldn’t sleep but I wasn’t sure that he believed me. I was still rebelling and an unnecessary burden as far as my father was concerned. Then came my call up papers into the British Forces. Dad was glad for as he said – this will teach you a few lessons, but to his amazement I was rejected on medical grounds. Rebellion continues and I was put on probation for a year but things did not improve. I cycled daily to work in the West End and changed at work. This led to my becoming a keen cyclist. The Boys Brigade asked me to become a leader in their Junior section – the Life Boys and time and time again I would have to turn away parents with boys under 9 years of age. Eventually I rebelled and accepted them, but Boys Brigade

headquarters came down and stopped us. I then found myself rebelling again – I started a Group called IMPS for Boys from five to eight years of age. It grew rapidly, we had our own uniform and soon other local branches were formed. Then came my 21st birthday, and I requested a party. Dad said definitely not, the excuse was we lived above one of his shops and he did not want young people coming there. Then when the time came Dad had a change of heart. I was to have two parties, one for my own friends and the other for our wider family. On the day, to my surprise, he gave me a present. It seemed like a very large package – inside was a good suitcase, inside that a real leather briefcase and inside that a wallet and, yes, inside that was twenty pounds. I being shocked and tears began to appear and I sobbed and said to myself – all I wanted was for him to love me. During 1955 to 1959 I organised a series of shows for the Imps. This was followed by Imps in Pantomime where, with three performances in areas where Imps had started, each one had reasonably famous people invited as guests. One had Terry O’Connor, Sports correspondent for the Daily Mail, another was Derek Ibbotson, a famous athlete who at the time held the British mile record and the third was Jimmy Grieves, a Chelsea footballer and England international. Jimmy did not turn up. When we rang him to see where he was he seemed to be the worse for drink and said he thought it was the following week. Needless to say, the boys and the audience were terribly disappointed. Another event I organised was my own production of the Pied Piper. As two of our lady Imp leaders were very attractive I persuaded one to be the Pied Piper and the other to be Nell Gwynn. I gave myself the position of the Mayor of Hamelyn. We had great fun although the performance had characters like Nell Gwynn and other who do not appear in the official Pied Piper story.

The Pied Piper

In 1958 Rock and Roll hit London and like many others, I began to live a high life. Fashion became important to me, first the Teddy boy image then DA, drain pipes, winklepickers, only the start of many others. Then Dad was arrested for selling in his shops an item that did not carry purchase tax. I left the firm I worked for and took control of his business. After a long court case the manufacturers were sent to prison, Dad and other shopkeepers were fined and released. Dad was so pleased with the way his businesses had flourished that he asked me to stay on the payroll but it didn’t work so I left and was told, ‘you are no longer wanted at home.’ I moved out, found a small flat. Then I received an unmistakable call from God into full-time Christian Service. The Bishop said go and prepare yourself by study – I took 2 GCE subjects and ed. Now living in a new area, I enjoyed going to see Crystal Palace Football Club play their matches at Selhurst Park. On one occasion I went to Fulham to see Palace play an important match but I was unhappy to see how fights broke out between certain ers. Little did I know then that one day I would be minister of the local Baptist Church. When I was a staff sergeant in the Boys Brigade I attended a Battalion Camp were the only young female was the cook’s daughter. We became friendly and one evening I took her out only to find that before we returned, retreat had been sounded and the Battalion were all at supper when the two of us walked in to a shout from the boys and a disapproving look from the officers.

Bruce as a Staff Sergeant

As an officer in a London Company of the Boys Brigade I became an escort for a party of boys staying at Eton Public School when they came to be shown around London. My group were all from Scotland and I continually teased them about people from Scotland being very tight. How embarrassed was I when they were about to leave to go back to Eton and presented me with a generous gift of money. Their nickname for me was ‘lover boy’. At a Boys Brigade Battalion Camp I was asked to keep an eye on the boys from the 174the London Company attached to Chatsworth Baptist Church as they had only a warrant officer with them. I, with some of them bought some Dorset Knobs and butter. To our shame we used the butter that was left to fill the mouth piece of the local village telephone kiosk. These boys were inclined to tease their warrant officer, so one morning, as the whole battalion stood at attention for Reveille, instead of the Brigade flag being hoisted, there appeared the underpants of the Warrant Officer in question. No guesses as to who it was that encouraged the boys to perform this prank. After the Camp I made many friends with the young men and women from Chatsworth and I was accused of leading them astray. However, after going to some of the Baptist services and after studying Anglican and Baptist Principles, I made a decision to become a Baptist.

Bruce with some of the lads

Chapter Three Imps and True Love

The Imps

S OON AFTER, I RESPONDED TO a call for renewal and for Believer’s Baptism and at Baptismal classes I met Eunice and fell madly in love with her. At the time I was going out with a young lady called Vivienne so I knew I would have to finish that relationship, so I telephoned her and asked her to meet me at lunchtime not far from where we both worked. Vivienne was late and she came running to meet me only for me to say, ‘Don’t put yourself out, I only wanted to say I do not want to go out with you anymore.’ Call it embarrassment or was I totally insensitive! Eunice and I became engaged six months later, and married twelve months after being engaged. In the meantime Eunice’s parents who had been serving as Worldwide Evangelisation Crusade missionaries in Congo, came home due to a dangerous uprising. They were shocked at the idea of Eunice getting married because they had hoped to be able to spend time with her to make up for the time they lost whilst they were away. Eunice had been looked after by the Rodda’s in Cornwall during her senior school days and after qualifying as a teacher at college she went to live with Iris and Len Moules at the WEC Headquarters. Len warned me that Eunice’s parents would not approve of me. At that time I smoked, also because of the 60’s fashion I had adopted I would not appear to them as the kind of man they wanted for a son-in-law. As Eunice was recovering from yellow jaundice they took her away to Cornwall hoping that our relationship might come to an end. But true love could not be daunted and relationship blossomed and as time grew by and they got to know me better, they accepted me with a real sense of relief. Eunice’s parents, unable to go back to the Congo, decided to go to serving the Lord among people in the centre of the Country. After a while they returned to England, with Dad serving as Pastor for two Churches in Suffolk. They were accommodated in a house called ‘Charlie’s Cottage and on one occasion I phoned them up and Dad answered the phone. I said, ‘Is that Charlie’s Cottage?’ Dad said ‘Yes’, so I said ‘I want to speak to Charlie’. The response was ‘There is no Charlie here’. I got cross, using a disguised voice demanded that if it was Charlie’s Cottage, I must speak to Charlie – Dad appeared rather

upset so I said, ‘Dad, it’s Bruce, how are you?’ He was not amused and I am sure he thought I was mad! In the meantime the Imps were growing nationally and in 1960 I found myself in the prayer chapel of St Paul’s Cathedral. I carried a heavy burden because after writing to the leaders of all the main Christian denominations, I had received a letter from the Archbishop of Canterbury telling me what a good idea the Imps was and that I should go ahead and see its formation and continuation as a National Christian Organisation. After nearly two hours on my knees I knew this was the Lord’s will for me. I learnt a lesson that day – don’t pray unless you are willing to accept God’s answer! On return to work in the city after spending so long as St Paul’s, I got the sack so that made it easier for me to take the Lord’s calling more seriously and be fully committed to see it through. Kevin Price, a former Imp became an Olympic javelin thrower.

The Imps growing nationally

The Imps became an official National Voluntary Organisation. Len Moules, international leader of WEC, chaired meetings of a special committee who compiled our very first Constitution and the Rev Frank A Goodwin, Minister of Chatsworth Baptist Church became the first chairman of the National Executive. The Bible became very real to me and I loved to study it and to tell others about Jesus and His amazing love. I was called to Broadcasting House, the headquarters of the BBC in London to be interviewed about the Imps. The person they were interviewing before me kept only saying yes or no to the questions they asked, so they decided to cut the time of his interview down. I was given more time than originally planned to speak about the organisation. One of the Imps at Chatsworth was the son of the MP for Norwood, John Fraser. John was a great er of the Imps in those early days. Each year we would organise two main national events; there was a Display performed by individual groups showing their various activities and skills usually held at the London Porchester Hall. The other event was an annual Thanksgiving service with one at St. Margaret’s, Westminster and most of the others at St Martin-in-the-fields, Trafalgar Square. To both events we would invite Mayors of many London Boroughs and other National Celebrities. Our Annual General Meetings were held at the Caxton Hall, London and our Training Courses for leaders at various centres through the country. One of my friends at that time was Barrie Vestey. He became the best man at our wedding and also a very great help with the Imps at that time. Barrie was a Chelsea er and he invited me to go to some matches with him, but after three matches when they lost, he said, ‘Bruce, please do not come again!’ Eunice and I were married in 1961 at Chatsworth. The Church was full and it was a very special occasion. After the reception my Mum came to me and gave me some money . She said. ‘Don’t tell your Dad’. Eunice and I were going to Guernsey for our honeymoon and Dad was taking us to Gatwick airport. When we arrived at the airport Dad gave me some money and said, ‘Don’t tell your mum!’

Bruce and Eunice get married

In 1970 I was ordained and became the National Organiser for the Imps. In 1971 I became a Borough councillor alongside Ken Livingstone. Before long I rebelled against the waste of money. I was due to take a party of young teenagers to Spain in August and the ruling Labour party of Lambeth Borough Council decided to bring in the whip on one particular item and although they had a majority of fifty they tried to insist that I returned from Spain to vote. They said they would pay for me to fly to England and back to Spain at the proper return fare. I refused to return because it was in my opinion, an improper use of Council funds and furthermore not very professional of me to leave my party of Young People in the middle of their time abroad. There were other actions of a financial matter that I felt to be a waste of money. I was also appalled at the attempt to fly a red flag from the town hall and take down the Queen’s picture from the vestibule. On that matter and on the way we were told how we were to vote for certain persons to be chair and vice chair of committees, I soon fell out of favour with them. I also wanted to ask a question in the Council chamber on behalf of one of my electorate, but because that question would have embarrassed the Labour Party, the question was not allowed. I quickly came to the realisation that I was not cut out to be the kind of Councillor who had to toe the line – call it my rebellious nature! I had now become a rebel for Christ!. I spent much time preaching at Churches in England including speaking at Family Services and Youth events. The Lord took control of a nervous young man and did the impossible. When Eunice and I first ed the Chatsworth Baptist church, there were a number of other young people ing also and our minister was concerned that with a hip of 500 + there would not be sufficient spheres of service to keep us new busy, the work of the church already being carried out by many willing and efficient , so he decided to send us out in teams to other inner London Churches who desperately needed workers. Eunice and I were sent to Lambeth Mission with John and Pauline Horne and Lawrence Cawker. John and Pauline helped with the non uniformed work among the young people and Eunice and I lead the Life Boys and the Brigade Company of which I

became its Captain. Lawrence became our drill officer because I was not into that kind of discipline. We remained at Lambeth Mission until we were recalled. I was still very much a rebel at heart and not very kind to tradition which I complained would be the undoing of the Church. I always want to move forward looking for something new. Whilst at Lambeth Mission I entered our BB Company in the London District Display at the Royal Albert Hall. We submitted at item entitled Lambeth Walk. It included a Pearly King and Queen, a market and a very excited horse. I chose to be the front part of the horse with Lawrence in the back. He suffered by various unrehearsed pranks I got up to. One month I wrote an article in the church magazine called the Chatsworth News. In it I appealed to the Church to get off their backsides and become more active in evangelism. The article caused a stir and caused some people to doubt my own true Christian standing. To this day I am surprised that the article got ed by the Editor although our Minister was a true and very effective evangelist, and would I am sure, have agreed with the sentiment if not with the words I used to express my thoughts. With Eunice I became involved with the young people of our church and we were appointed leaders of the Young People’s Work. Numbers grew and we led over a hundred young people in their upper teens and early twenties. Among the Young People were Vic Jackopson, David Winfield, Elizabeth Beasley Murray, Sue Wilson and Carol Quick. Our Youth Group built up a with Young People in Berlin and I led several groups to Berlin during the communist occupation. Whilst on one visit to Berlin I met two young ladies from the United States of America and as they were coming on to London, I told them they could stay at our home. However, I forgot they were travelling by air and so would arrive before us. So one day Eunice opened our front door to face these two young ladies who said ‘Bruce said we could stay here while we are in London!’ Longsuffering Eunice soon got used to how my enthusiasm to help people landed us in unusual situations. Together Eunice and I would organise quite a few holidays abroad for our young people. These included such places as Yugoslavia, Austria and Spain. On one occasion we were on a package trip with a variety of excursions we could go on

if desired and one morning our young people noticed we had not signed up for one of the excursions. They realised we could not afford it, so unknown to us, they collected for us and insisted we ed them. Eunice and I would invite Young People to come and have tea with us before the Evening Service. After tea they could us at the service if they wanted to. Most Sunday evenings you would see us sitting in the gallery of this fairly new building with approximately 70 Young People. Soon I became elected a Deacon of the church, probably the youngest up to that time that had been appointed. Then in 1964 Frank Goodwin told the church he would be leaving to follow the Lord’s call to another post and our search for his replacement took place. Eventually the Rev Andrew McKie was appointed. Andrew had a strict policy for our Young People’s work and did not want just anyone turning up to worship. Soon our number started to drop and I proposed a vote of no confidence in him. He won the vote although that would not have been so if the abstentions had been taken of. I quickly formed the Pegasus Youth Club and using an old Victorian house where Eunice and I lived we had a Youth Club of well over 150 . We had seven football teams and an equal number of young men and women. We hired school sports halls for some of our activities but the Club in the house soon proved to be a very popular idea. The old Victorian house had been purchased by the Imps with part of it being used as their National Office. The property was officially opened on the 21st November, 1970 with a thanksgiving service at Chatsworth Baptist Church. During the service I was ordained as a full time Christian leader by the Rev Gordon Snelling, Rev George Beasley-Murray and the Rev Frank Goodwin. After the service the assistant Bishop of Southwark declared the house open for Christian work. We always had an open home and rarely would the house be without some young people. I can never really explain the happiness that it brought to me especially as Eunice was a first class hostess. Each Christmas we would have our young people’s Christmas do’s. they were usually held on the two days following Christmas day. Each of these days we would invite approximately twenty different young people -ten males and ten females. The day would start prior to lunch when we would provide savoury snacks leading on to a five course meal starting with a starter, then a fish course, then a main meal followed by a desert and cheese and biscuits. After lunch there would be Christmas Tree

presents. These were so picked as to produce a lot of fun and sometimes a little bit of tasteful embarrassment. The event would go on until at least mid evening. Many of our young people were at home with their families on Christmas Day but on the days that followed they would just walk the streets so that they could be together. This gave us the opportunity for what became our famous Christmas do’s. Some thirty or forty years later some of the young people would still refer to these events as being very special to them. As the years proceeded we saw many youngsters get engaged and then married and we still hear from some of them today. The house was opposite the side of the Chatsworth Baptist church and many of the Chatsworth young people became of Pegasus as did some the older who acted as leaders. The idea caught the attention of the ILEA and Lambeth Youth Service who ed the work financially. One surprise for me was that we had seven football teams playing every week. I went with the first team, ran the line but did not know the rules.

Chapter Four Youth Work to Pastor

I N 1972 I APPLIED TO go on an in-service course for the Youth and Community Certificate and fortunately was successful. The course was run by Avery Hill college and held in the Annexe at Mile End, East London. Having left school at the age of fifteen and now being 38 years of age, studying did not come easily but I delighted in the fact that we were also examined on the practical work with young people that we were involved in. During my time a College we were taken to Liverpool 8, a very rough area, with the idea of gaining experience about working among young people involved in a variety of anti-social behaviour. We were also taken to Amsterdam and placed in various situations. A colleague of mine was placed in a youth club with predominantly gay young people. Unfortunately he could not accept it and he booked his own age home. I was placed in Vandell Park working particularly at night with young people on drugs, many of whom were homeless. At that time the attitude to young people on drugs was quite lenient. I found this experience challenging but very worthwhile because it endorsed my own feelings that everyone was important in their own right. One of our students worked in a club serving refreshments which included a cake which she was selling at a very low cost and which was far more popular than other cakes. Later she was called to task because the cake should have been sold at a much higher price because it contained cannabis!! In 1975 I qualified as a Youth and Community Worker. During my time at College, David, a former member of Pegasus became invaluable as a trainee youth worked and on my completion of the course, David and I went to Jamaica, the USA and Canada. This was a visit I would never forget. David went on to be a student on the same in-service course and since qualifying has gone to the top in the Youth Service. One summer I went with three young men to Spain. It was agreed that we would share the driving. As night time came I had already completed my turn and it

was suggested we stopped to sleep before going through the mountain . I waited until the other three were asleep, then I drove through the and when the others woke up we were already in Spain. Before long I became a Governor of the Tulse Hill Boys Comprehensive School. As the club became known I served on Youth Committees, being the vice chair of the Grants committee of the London Youth committee and chairman of the Lambeth Youth Committee’s grants sub-committee. I was also elected first secretary, then chairman of the London Professional Youth Workers Association. We organised at our Club Headquarters a Truancy conference attended by school teachers, Heads, social workers and police. By this time one of our , David Dowie helped me organise this course and was an invaluable help with the overall work of the Club. In 1975 the Imps celebrated their 21st birthday with a Display in the Royal Albert Hall and I was thrilled to receive a telegram from the Queen. Quite soon after this the Boys’ Brigade and the Scouts lowered their entry age and the Imps had fulfilled its task, the Boys Brigade having Company, Junior Section and now the Anchor Boys and the Scouts have the Scouts, the Cubs and now the Beavers.

Imps at the Royal Albert Hall

I have always been a terrible teaser and anyone who did not know me, might easily misunderstand me. One day I called Eunice ‘Dracula’s wife’. She collapsed laughing and I could not see why until she pointed out it made me Dracula. It took me three attempts to my driving test mainly because of my lack of patience. My first car was Eunice’s father’s Ford Anglia followed by a Morris Minor. On one occasion I ran from my first car into the house and a policeman followed me and asked me if it was my car that I had just left. I said that it was so he asked me what the registration number was. I said that I had no idea so he became suspicious and insisted that I found the documentation to prove it was mine. By 1976 I possessed an Audi 5 seater and a Lotus Elan or better known as a Lotus 2 plus 2. The latter I would drive up and down Kings Road, Chelsea frequently sounding the horn which played the tune ‘never on a Sunday’. I would park the car outside certain establishments including modern men’s clothing shops and the staff would keep their eye on the car whilst I did whatever shopping I had come for. During this time David and I used to go to Vidal Sassoon’s to have our hair cut. David often acted as a model for one of the staff when he entered various competitions. The poser in me was still evident for some to see. At this time I was very much into fashion which included wearing a variety of blazers of many different colours including one of a very vivid mauve colouring. I also possessed a variety of colours and styles in leather jackets and winkle picker shoes and tight tros. During our married life Eunice and I became proud dog owners, first with Debbie officially named Debonair Imp, then with Cindy officially named Cinderella Imp. Then we had Barney – all three were golden Labradors. Then we had Caeser, a pedigree Dalmatian, then Jaz of 57 varieties and finally Harvey, a cross between a Dalmatian and a Greyhound, although to look at him, he looked like a Dalmatian with very good markings. On one occasion David and I were going up the Old Kent Road in my Lotus when we saw two young ladies thumbing for a lift, so I pulled up and invited them in which they gladly accepted, something which later I realised was an

irresponsible thing to do. At one time there was some opposition between certain Pegasus and a local group led by Kenny Mullins, so I offered to teach Kenny to drive and in this way the opposition between the two groups was dealt with. Not only did we have an open home but at times certain young people came to live with us because of a variety of difficulties. These included Gloria and David Wood, Vic Jacopson, Mark White, Les Edge and Lawrence Cawker. An old acquaintance named Declan O’Keefe introduced us to a friend who decided to change his sex and became a girl. Whilst at Charing Cross Hospital Alan lived with us and he was a model lodger. Another person we tried to help was Keith Graham. He was Maitre D’ of a local restaurant. Keith had lost a dear friend who had committed suicide and it affected Keith so badly that his social life came to an end. I helped him get his life back on course and during a gap in his own accommodation Keith came to live with us. The sixth form of Tulse Hill School chose me to go on their final residential weekend. It should have been a member of the staff so the Head said ‘O K’ but he would come as well. One night he caught us all having a glorious pillow fight. Cathie and David have become true and great friends. One year, David and Cathie, Eunice and myself went on a camping holiday to the South of . The ladies did all the cooking so it was suggested that on the last night it should be Dave and my responsibility. The girls complained that they could not see much activity so we said well first we have to go down to the shops. On arrival we took them into a restaurant where we had booked a meal. The ladies complained it cost more than the whole food for the rest of the week. On another holiday we went on a cruise to the Canary Islands. Being short of cash, we shared a cabin right down in the bottom of the ship, but every day we sat a table next to the Captain’s table and our cruise cost 50% less that the other people who shared our table! In 1977 I was called to become Pastor of the Tasso Baptist Church in Fulham. The Induction was a wonderful occasion including many reunions. Taking part in the service was the Rev Frank Goodwin, Rev Andrew McKie, Rev Michael Walker and Eunice’s Dad. In the congregation were of Chatsworth including some of the young people from the Pegasus Youth Club. We spent

eight and a half years there seeing much increase especially among young nurses and medical students from Charing X Hospital. Eunice’s Mum and Dad served as missionaries in Congo for over twenty years and Eunice was born there and brought back to England when she was six years old. Eunice’s Dad had been originally turned down on medical grounds, but he still went, believing if this was God’s will, then he would overcome may medical disadvantages. Dad was a fine Christian but he had very strict and traditional ideas so I must have been a real awakening to him, nevertheless he ed me in my calling and read the Scripture at my first induction. Sadly he died of Cancer in November 1982. Eunice’s mother came and stayed with us several times, she seemed to understand me and was delighted as she saw the work of the Spirit in transforming me from a rebel without a cause to a rebel for Christ. Sadly mum also died of cancer in the early nineties. It was during my early ministry that, whilst I was preaching I saw some of the students taking notes. This challenged me, because, although I had been trained as a Youth and Community worker, I had no theological or ministerial training, so I decided to apply to Surgeons College in South London for a three year parttime course. This course eventually became what is now known as the Church based course, my group having been the guinea pigs. During these years in Fulham I visited the USA and preached in several churches. I was horrified to find one church in the deep south of the USA which told me that black people were not welcome in their church. I managed to keep my cool but it was apparent that I disagreed with them. It was the day after my Induction at Tasso that I had one of my lessons in humility. At the Induction the church was full. On the following morning I was expected to go to the church at 7 a.m. and put on the storage heaters, also prepare the Table for Communion. This, I was told by the church Secretary, was the Minister’s duty every Sunday. Then I came out of the vestry to conduct the 11 a.m. service to find only eight people including myself. As my ministry continued there were many times when things happened that taught me a good and needed lesson in humility. During my time at Tasso I became Free Church Chaplain to both Queen Charlottes Maternity Hospital and Chelsea Women’s Hospital. My first visit to the Maternity Hospital proved how naïve I was because, going up to one lady

and asking if I could chat to her, she said, to my embarrassment, ‘So long as you don’t mind me continuing to breast feed my baby.’ I also served as President of the Western Group of the London Baptist Association, President of the South West London Christian Education Council and Chairman of the Fulham Disabled Christian Fellowship. Martin Stephens, the local MP became a good friend of us all at Tasso. One of my tasks was to help local youngsters without work and I spent much time at the local department of Social Security Tasso had its difficulties but also many blessings. There were lots of people who came to faith in the Lord Jesus and I had the privilege of baptising many new believers. Sir Cyril Black, a member of one of the other two Baptist Churches in Fulham suggested to me that if I could persuade all three Churches to give up their present buildings and together, he would build a new Christian Centre in the newly developed centre of Fulham. The diaconate of all three churches was not willing to lose their own identity and so a wonderful opportunity was lost. I was horrified but as Baptist churches finally decide all major decisions by a vote at a ’ meeting there was nothing I could do. During my time at Tasso I received a call to one of our largest Baptist Churches. This one was in Stock Broker Belt. I had accepted the call only find the next day that someone had told the church leadership some detrimental things about me which were totally untrue. The leadership said I could still come but they were disappointed about what they had been told. I said under the circumstances I could not possibly accept. I was bitter for sometime but by the time I realised who was responsible I had learnt to forgive. In 1978 there came about a wonderful reunion with my parents, Dad becoming more interested in my Christian ministry. He was already a changed man who was looking after my mother, now an invalid by doing literally everything for her and for the family home. My parents, after retiring from their Stationery and Leather Goods business went first to Slapton in Devon and then later to Newton Abbot where they bought a newly extended Coach House. In 1979 they celebrated their Golden Wedding at the Imperial Hotel, Torquay. In the same hotel was Arthur Negus and Jimmy Saville, both kindly signed Mum and Dad’s menu with their own personal messages. In 1985 Dad became ill, cancer was detected and it was all over in three months

but during that three months I was allowed by the church to be in Devon five out of seven days each week. Dad died at the end of March, Mother followed just two months later but praise God for restoring the family relationship some time before. After long deliberations with my sister’s family Eunice and I bought their shares of the Coach House, getting a mortgage which still continues to cripple us, but how glad we are that we now live where Mum and Dad wanted us to live.

Chapter Five Student Pastors and Asylum Seekers

I N 1986 I WAS CALLED to the West Ealing Baptist church, this was a very difficult pastorate and one that taught me patience and tolerance . There were only four deacons, two of them were married to each other. The lady was Secretary and her husband the Treasurer. One of the other Deacons was a yes man and so these two officers attempted to rule the Church. Encouraged by the remaining Deacon, I, over time, sought to increase the size of the Diaconate which in time meant the two Church officers lost their control. However after time and considerable patience we won the two officers to our way of thinking and personal relationships were restored. The patience I showed was certainly not of my own making. I praise God for the change He brought in me. During our time there Lenny Henry did much of one of his films in the church and I cherished the conversations we had.

Adopted families

It was whilst at Tasso I first met Paul, a young man from Manchester with many problems and no real home of his own, having left his real family due to extensive problems. Paul came to live with us when we moved to West Ealing and soon became part of our family. One day whilst travelling in my car and having stopped in a line of traffic, a van at speed went into the back of my car. I was taken into a nearby house to recover from shock. Paul came to collect me and took me to the Police Station to report the accident. Unfortunately I had always teased Paul that I was ten years younger than I actually was, so when asked for my date of birth I replied 29th July 1934, Paul said ‘No, you are suffering from shock. It’s not 1934, it’s 1944’, so I had to confess that I was actually ten years older than he thought. Later he fell in love with a young lady and one day he came home and said

Dean and Rachel, Graham and Dawn’s children

Bruce and Eunice & Pastor of an American Church where Bruce was preaching

to me, ‘My girl friend is pregnant and you are the first one to know because I want you and Eunice to be children’s grandparents because you have both been mum and dad to me’. Before long Eunice and I inherited two grandchildren, Samantha and Liam. Liam is now married to Emma and has a son, Dylan. Over the years, prior to his marriage, Liam stayed with us for long difficult periods in his life. Later he became a great help to both Eunice and myself. One of the other young men we took under our wing was Graham who introduced us to Dawn, his wife to be. Graham appreciated the help we gave him and so he appealed to us to let his children know us as their grandparents. Later Dean and Rachel were born, both of whom have known nothing else but that we are granddad and nanny. When Dean was born, Graham asked me to go with him to see his son. Dean was born prematurely and weighed only 2lbs 4 ozs. He was taken from Dawn at birth because she had caught an infection. With Graham, I in overall and mask held Dean in my arms. This was a special privilege. One of Graham’s brothers was Phillip, a bi-sexual young man, married with two children, but living with a male partner. Phillip was on drugs and several of us tried to help him but sadly, eventually he died from drug abuse. At Tasso and West Ealing we had visits from a team of American Church folk led by the Rev Bill Doverspike. Bill and Nell became great friends and I had the pleasure of preaching at Dorraville Baptist Church in Atlanta and at State Street Baptist Church, Cayce in South Carolina. Then in 1990 I was called to Salem where we experienced fourteen years of challenge and increase. The day before the Induction, Paul Draper, a member of the Pegasus Club in West Norwood telephoned me and told me he was being baptised in Selsdon the following day and could I come. Unfortunately it was my first weekend in a new church and I could not go but I was thrilled at the news because this Paul was determined years ago that Christianity was not for him. The Induction took place on a hot day in July. My first baptism at Salem was very memorable, partly because Graham was one of the two being baptised, When preparing the candidates for baptism, Graham had asked me about the water. He said, ‘It won’t be cold, will it?’ I said, ‘Of course not. As you are

totally immersed, we make sure that the water is warm.’ When I entered the water I realised that it was indeed cold. The heater hadn’t worked. I glanced towards Graham. I waited until he entered the water for him to realise the water was very cold! Whilst at Salem Eunice was found to have breast cancer. I had asthma, other throat surgery and finally glaucoma but the Lord gave us victory in all these matters and once again He performed the impossible. Our God is a God of miracles. We experienced at one time services of Believers’ Baptism every month. Paul’s son Liam often came to stay with us and he helped me do a quick change. In 1994 at the persuasion of the Rev Douglas McBain, I met with the Baptist Union’s National Ministerial Recognition Committee and the result, I was given accreditation by the Baptist Union as an accredited minister, something I lacked because I came from the Youth Service direct into Pastoral ministry. When you met with the Ministerial Recognition Committee you are asked several searching questions but at the end you are not told the result. The policy in those days was that the head of the ministry department would write and tell you the result. After I got home that day Douglas McBain telephoned me and said, ‘Bruce, I want you to know that you did well today. I cannot tell you the result, but’ – raising his voice, he said, ‘You did very well.’ Bless him, that was Douglas’ way of telling me unofficially that I had been successful. The of the Recognition committee were surprised that I had not come to them before for recognition, especially as I had already pastured two churches and was now in my third. Whilst at Salem, we celebrated the Millennium. It fell upon me to organise a celebration involving local churches and schools in a concert at the Bec Theatre, Hayes. In 1997 I was 65 but the church asked me to stay so I accepted the invitation and stayed as Pastor until my 70th birthday in 2004. During holidays Eunice and I would go to the Coach House in Devon and we invited many friends to us particularly where one partner had died and the other lived on their own. We also invited families and individuals who might not otherwise be able to afford a holiday. On one occasion Alan and Sheila came from Hillingdon to stay with us. Alan

was a builder and when he saw the old part of the roof of the Coach House, he offered to come back and replace the roof if we just purchased the materials. So we gained a new roof free of labour costs. Paul and Graham helped Alan complete the work. One special aspect of the ministry was our work among asylum seekers, especially those who escaped persecution and death by getting out of their countries of birth. One family comprising of mother, son and two daughters became really special. The son was 14 when he came to us but because of a bone disease was the size of a three year old child. I had the privilege of baptising Ben as a Believer. This was a tremendous testimony to every one present for here was a young man who was severely disabled, yet who came to know and love our Lord Jesus. Attempts were made by the authorities to send Ben and his family back to the Congo but after many appeals and help from the hospital and the local member of Parliament, we had the joy of seeing the family being given citizenship. A solicitor representing Ben and his family tried to extend her duties by only asking for permission for the family to stay for a further year instead of asking for full citizenship, but we soon saw through that scam. Ben soon looked after all our multi- media presentation. He went to main stream boys’ school and later on to university and to a job in the city. Ben was one of many that we sought to help and as we did we had the bonus of seeing many come to faith in the Lord and Salem had become a very multi- ethnic fellowship. Both John Randall MP and John McDonald MP ed me in the wider work of helping people in need. As a result of this work among Asylum Seekers I soon became chairman of the Hillingdon Refugee Association and through this Association we were able to many genuine asylum seekers. Another aspect of our ministry was the mentoring and training of five young men who served as Student Pastors. The first came from the London Bible College who needed training in hospital Chaplaincy and in addition to my being minister of Salem Baptist church I was also Free Church Chaplain of Hillingdon Hospital and able to give him the opportunities required. The second was Don Horrocks, also from the London Bible College. Don was a mature student who was looking for new opportunities to serve the Lord on a full time basis. On leaving College he took up a senior position with Evangelical Alliance.

One of the student pastors and his family who worked with Bruce

The third student became a firm and lasting friend. Neil Bennett came to us for advice and went on to be a student at Spurgeons College. Neil served as Student Pastor at Salem for four years and together, we saw many wonderful things happen. Neil went to be minister of the Catshill Baptist Church near Bromsgrove, and is now the minister of Ross on Wye Baptist Church. I had the privilege of being asked to be the preacher at his induction at both of these churches. The fourth was Stuart Mathers. Stuart had been a pupil at St Matthews Primary School when Eunice was his head teacher. Stuart served as a Youth Pastor for a gap year before going on to further training. Tongue in cheek, he still calls Eunice Mrs Porter. The fifth was Emmanuel Ntusi, originally from South Africa. Emmanuel and his wife Zama came to our home for a meal shortly after they attended out Church. During the meal Emmanuel told me that whilst in South Africa,he had received a call into Christian ministry but as he was still studying he felt he could not accaept the call. So before Emmanuel and Zama left the house I challenged them about now being in England and having not yet responded to our Lord’s call to enter the ministry. Later that evening I received a call from Emmanuel who said they walked home feeling very challenged about not having responded to the call. They had cried and prayed together and wanted to come and see me again to explore ways of entering the ministry. I arranged for them both to go with me to Spurgeons College and discussed with the staff their request for training. Emmanuel entered Spurgeons on their Church based course becoming a student pastor with us at Salem. Emmanuel is a very humble man with whom it was delightful to work. He later became a minister at Chatsworth Baptist Church and then at Underhill Baptist Church, Barnet. During my ministry at Ealing and Salem I had trouble with my throat. At times I could not swallow properly and the more I preached the worse it got. In the end I would not go out to eat in restaurants because I go so embarrassed. Sometimes when the problem arose I would be encouraged to keep calm and take water to

get rid of the obstruction. However, the water instead of going down, came up out of my mouth like a fountain. Eventually I was referred to St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington for surgery to stretch something in the throat. The Sunday before I was due to go to the hospital, I was just finishing the service when a voice from the back said, ‘Wait Pastor, I have something to share’ and I confess a little perturbed, I stepped back. The person came forward and called others out to lay hands on me and pray for successful healing. I was overcome by the thoughtfulness and concern that was shown to me. Whilst in hospital, a dear friend gave me a CD player so I could listen to music. After the operation I was listening to music when one of our adopted sons, Paul, came to visit me and seeing tears in my eyes, he looked at me and said, ‘Oh, no it’s bad news, is it cancer?’ I was listening to the song ‘What kind of love is this?’ and the words brought tears to my eyes as I thought about all Jesus had suffered for us. Paul did not understand that one would have tears as a result of a song. Before the operation I was told it was possible that I might not speak again. Praise the Lord, the operation was a success and I am still speaking 21 years later. During our time at Salem I lost a special ring originally my mother’s engagement ring mounted on a man’s wide band. After receiving insurance a ring was designed and purchased. The farewell at Salem was an occasion never to forget. There were so many people there that it became standing room only. The gifts and tributes were unbelievable and my sister’s husband with whom I had never been very close was seen to have tears in his eyes and heard to say, ‘I never knew Bruce had done so much and he has done it without any help from anyone. He is a selfmade man. Little did he realise God was in control of my life and now I was a rebel for Him.

Chapter Six Still Going Strong

S O JULY 2004 SAW NOT only my 70 th birthday but also our farewell to Salem, thus completing 55 years of work since I left school – but this is not retirement from the ministry for we have offered to take up a full time ministry in Devon – this resulted in being placed at Barton Baptist Church with the task of planting a church in the Willows and as Associate Minister of Barton Church itself, hence a tremendous challenge and not what I thought would happen. Over the years we had built up an acquaintance with former minister of Teignmouth Baptist Church where we worshipped when on holiday and that would have been my choice but God had different ideas as he made clear. So disappointed at first but filled with a great peace when we surrendered to the Lord’s will, we started a new chapter in our life together. Graham and Dawn decided with Dean and Rachael to also move to Devon and they lived with us until they found their own home. The first task at Barton was to motivate church to help conduct a survey among the new residents of the ever increasing residential estate known as the Willows. We formed a team and between us visited every home, if not successful on the first visit, then we called back again at a different time. Then any home where no one was found at home, was left with a form to complete and return by email or post. We had a 31% return of which 90% said they would welcome a Christian Community Association and Centre. The estate has no community buildings although originally a school and community centre had been planned, so we called a public meting in the Willow Tree Pub and thereby gained sufficient to set up a Community Association. Later we called a second public meeting and when the date arrived I was in hospital having an operation for a double hernia and I had planned to chair this meeting. This was a lesson that no one is indispensable. My friend and coworker Ernie Sims chaired the meeting and the Association was launched. On arrival home from hospital I embarked on establishing a children’s and youth

work. We d for gap workers to help us in this venture and eventually Dan and Sam were appointed for one year. After their year was completed I led a team of volunteers to build upon the work Dan and Sam began. It soon became apparent that some of the young people were going to be an ongoing problem, so in an attempt not to undermine the other work among teenagers we suspended those involved in anti social behaviour and some of us became Street workers, building up a relationship with this group as we met them on the streets and wherever they were found to congregate. It soon became obvious that all our work with children and young people was going to be a long task but we gradually got the of the Torbay Youth Service including a grant for a 17 seater minibus which, due to there being no meeting places for activities locally was essential in taking them to other venues. The vision to form a Willows community church was difficult because of the lack of a building. An annexe to the Pub has been unused since we started but despite many attempts to lease it from the brewery we were unsuccessful, even the manager of the Pub cannot get permission to use it. My position as associate minister of Barton Baptist Church did not initially keep me very busy, so when Jonathan Edwards asked me if I would consider becoming of the Baptist church at Dartmouth I happily agreed. The work at Dartmouth was a challenge and yet a joy to undertake. Previously there had been a division in the church due particularly to a disagreement on a possible building project and the lay pastor tendered his resignation, hence my appointment. Our first task was to have a period of repentance and reconciliation. This was followed by pooling ideas and coming up with a scheme of building that gained the of all the congregation. Instead of building an extension at the rear of the church, we decided to raise the level of the floor of the church thus having all the building at the same level, getting rid of the rather crude ramp previously in use. Major changes were made to the separate entrances to the church and hall, providing a bright and spacious reception area to both church and hall, the original door of the church became a new area available to parents and young children where parents could see and hear the service but the noise of babies and young children could not be heard in the church. The previous large and dismal entrance to the hall became a new and well equipped kitchen enabling the original kitchen to be used to enlarge and create new toilets which are disabled

friendly. There is also a back door to the premises allowing access to the grass area, an area that would have been lost if the church had built an extension as originally planned. The result – a better use of the existing area at a reduced cost. At Dartmouth Eunice and I organised a holiday club during the Easter break. This was well attended and resulted in a new children’s and youth work. Then we saw prayer answered in a wonderful and unexpected way. Our prayer for new workers was answered in the return to Dartmouth of the Watson family. Phil, previously Bandmaster of the Marines at the Royal Britannia Naval College but more recently at Portsmouth decided to come back to the home they owned in Dartmouth. The Lord used their coming to bring back some people who had left or stayed away during the division. Phil and Lynn knew people from both sides of the division and yet, not being at Dartmouth during it, were able to be a very essential bridge between people of different views. Gradually the leadership was strengthened by the involvement of Chris and Sally Bishop and Phil Watson, Eunice and I were soon able to hand over the work among children and young people. Free from that task, Eunice and I with the help of the ever faithful Linda formed a luncheon club meeting once a week. This is yet another opportunity for outreach into the local community. During our years at Dartmouth there have been suggestions by the local Baptist Association that I should withdraw but being a rebel, these were ignored. September and December 2009 saw the Dartmouth baptistery opened for the first time for many years – September- Lydia and Julie, December – Kieran. In September 2008 there was a great breakthrough in our attempts to have the Willows Community Church meeting for worship every Sunday. The manager of the Willow Tree Public House agreed to us using the pub every Sunday at 9.30 a.m., thus a new chapter began. At the first service representatives of the local press ed us together with David Morgan who, at that time, was serving a Coordinator for Evangelism for the SWBA. The rest of the small congregation was made up of local residents and of Barton Baptist Church. As the weeks continued and our numbers increased, we moved to a larger part of the pub. Other activities of the church are the Alpha Course, a house group for Bible Study and Prayer. The of the church meet bi-monthly at the pub for a carvery meal when they invite other of their families, their friends and their neighbours. This regular event is part of our outreach programme. Our

main tool in outreach, however, is the work carried out through the Community Association. The church is now a member of the Evangelical Alliance, Christian Together in Torbay and Tell Torbay. As a church we are of the organisation called Christian Vision for Men and using their ideas we hope to be successful in reaching more men with the Gospel. At the end of November 2008 Ian Lovell left Barton for a pastorate in the Isle of Wight and the leadership recommended to the church that I should become Associate Minister / during the inter-regnum. At the church meeting the proposal was discussed and some concern was expressed over the work load of Barton, the Willows and Dartmouth being too much for me. I replied that it always had been my wish to work full-time, albeit unpaid. The meeting showed their with a 100% majority. Once the church had made its decision the next step was to share this with the Senior Regional Minister of the South West Baptist Association. He advised us that the church should pay a part-time stipend which I accepted as long as it did not restrict me to working only the hours for which I was paid. One of my first duties was to enable the church to discuss and decide what kind of minister it would require in the future. Having known that the Teignmouth Baptist church had organised a Listening Day when they were in a similar situation, I advised the Barton that we should do something similar. We devoted the best part of one Saturday to hear the view of the . We did this by breaking into groups and by giving them three questions to answer:

1. Where are we today? 2. Where do we want to get to? 3. How do we get there?

This enabled us to evaluate the past work of the Church including the gaps in pastoral work, mid-week activities, outreach and teaching. The day enabled us to see our weaknesses and to discuss what we expected of the Church in coming

days. Then we had to tackle the biggest question of all, which was: ‘How to reach our vision for the future.’ This we appreciated was going to take more than one Saturday. Our next step was to appoint a Search Committee. Some of the leadership suggested that they should also be the Search Committee. I advise them to also include three other of the church who could be elected by the hip but would represent the wider congregation. Those elected were a father of one of the active families in the church, a mother who had the respect and trust of the and a young person who shared our enthusiasm to widen our vision. Our next duty was to compile a profile and after looking at a past profile of the church we decided that we needed to start afresh and so certain topics were given to individual of the Search Committee and between us, we produced an attractive profile with photographs and the vital information that any prospective minister would need to know. The young man elected to the Search Committee had gifts in graphics and design and he produced the final edition ready for circulation. Many names were presented to us and it was my initial duty to follow up these names and to share as much information with the Search Committee as I could about the individual. Any that they were vaguely interested in I would either meet or speak to on the telephone. Then certain individuals were invited to come and preach at the Church, but this was only to give the opportunity for the Church hip to meet them before we went any further. Serious consideration was given to three candidates, one of whom we did not feel was right for the task, another was formally invited to come for a further time having already spent a weekend with us but he declined as he and his wife were not at all sure this was the Lord’s will for them at that time. The third person met the Church on several occasions and was finally called to be the Pastor. This completed an interregnum of twenty two months. During the interregnum it was my task to book speakers for the Sunday services. In the morning we invited certain of the Church and certain outside speakers and I personally preached at least once a month but always invited someone else to lead the worship. This also gave us the opportunity to ask people to lead in prayer, read the Scriptures, sing solos and bring words of

testimony. The involvement in this way of many different people came as a welcome change to our previous pattern. For the evening services we decided to hold this in our small hall and to have a rota of different couples to be responsible. This involved sixteen couples. My time was taken up by a wide variety of tasks including pastoral visits and in some cases, to people who suddenly became ill with serious illnesses including spending their last days in a local hospice. During the interregnum there were quite a few funerals to conduct but on a more cheerful note, there were five infant dedications and five people to receive into hip. It was my privilege through teaching, to prepare the Church to welcome and work alongside any new leader that might be appointed. Another important task for the Church as a whole was to mentor young disciples. We were glad to a young lady called Love who came from Nigeria in her application to stay in this country. After a time in a Detention Centre we were successful with the help of Adrian Sanders, the local MP in her gaining the right to stay. So that the leadership could spend time in prayer and discussing the spiritual work of the Church, we saved time on business matters by appointing subcommittees for finance, fabric, pastoral car and general istration. As all Churches will eventually need to have new constitutions that are acceptable to both the Baptist Union and the Charity Commissioners, we formed a constitutional working party and were able to have a new and acceptable constitution before the new minister arrived. As time permitted I found it interesting and inspiring to have with the various agencies of the church and it made one realise the tremendous amount of work that was being carried out by a team of committed and faithful workers. The leadership at the Willows Community Church and the Dartmouth Baptist Church kindly relieved me of some duties to enable me to fulfil these additional duties and responsibilities. In the Willows we appointed for one year, a young man to take care of the children’s and youth work. My final duty as was to lead the service of induction for the new pastor and to suggest that the time had come for the Willows Community Church, previously a Church plant from Barton, to become independent. This was agreed and the new Church was welcomed into the Baptist Union at its Annual Assembly in 2011.

It was now time for the Churches in Dartmouth and the Willows to decide how they were going to go forward in the future. In Dartmouth a Listening Day was held and it was suggested that the church should consider whether my term as should come to an end. After prayer and consideration the Church called me to be their minister and I was formally inducted at a service in the Church by the Rev Jez Brown, Senior Regional Minister of the South West Baptist Association, with my friend Rev Neil Bennett being the speaker. The Willows community Church, now being a Church in its own right, needed to elect its leadership and Church officers. I was invited to become the minister with Phil Shrimpton as an elder and we were ed by other elected Church officers. In April 2011 I was formally inducted as the minister of the Willows Community Church by the Rev Jonathon Edwards, formerly General Secretary of the Baptist Union. This was appropriate as it was Jonathon who first suggested that I should go to Barton with the idea of planting a Church in the Willows. Emmanuel and Zama ed us and Emmanuel led the service. It would now be my duty to serve as a non-stipendiary full time Baptist minister sharing my time between the two Churches. As the year proceeded it was the joy of Eunice and I to celebrate our Golden Wedding with a special party at Living Coasts in Torquay which is situated on the edge of the sea with magnificent scenery. Among the people that came to the party were couples who had originally been of our Youth Club back in the 60’s and 70’s. Although there have been many blessings, there have also been some very difficult times, both for our new families and for ourselves. Financially it has been a very great struggle, so much so, that at times we have despaired and I am quite sure family and close friends have not realised the financial burden we have borne. In Dartmouth in 2012 we ed other organisations in celebrating the anniversary of the first steam engine invented by Thomas Newcomen. Thomas Newcomen lived in Dartmouth for a while during which time he was pastor of our Baptist Church so it is appropriate that the Church is involved in the wider celebrations of this special event. The Church is situated in the Townstall area at the top of the town and it is not an easy area to evangelise but we take heart because we know with God all

things are possible. For a long time the Willows Community Church had to worship some distance from the Willows during which time thankfully, our numbers were maintained. After this period we moved in the function room of the Prince of Orange Public House for our Sunday services at 9.30 a.m and eventually into Willow Tree Public House. We use it for our Sunday services. In the Youth work led by Eunice and myself we were ed by Paul, Graham, Dawn and Mark and more recently by the four of the Barker family. Graham’s son Dean is very keen on cars and he obtained a mini which he has since rebuilt. Dean also helped with the Club’s Motor Project. The youth work has seen two new ventures – first the Motor Project which enables young people to learn how maintain their vehicles in a road worthy condition and also encourages them to be responsible drivers. The other project is our Youth and Senior Citizens Partnership project. This is a project whereby we seek to organise a variety of events such as coach trips, outings, quizzes, meals and other social occasions when we can bring young people and senior citizens together in a concerted effort to help them to understand each other and work successfully together. This will be extremely valuable as we all share a new centre together. Both of these projects have come about as a result of time that I have spent in prayer with the Lord during which He has given to me a vision and the practical ideas. This is something that I can take no credit for because, praise the Lord, it is all of Him. The Willows Community Church has been strengthened by the appointment of Dawn Barker, Stewart McKinley, and David Tratt as Elders. Our hope for outreach work in the Willows was partly that the local Council might secure the lease of the unused Annexe to the Willows Tree Pub but as yet that has not come to fruition. Another possibility is to purchase a large house and adapt and use as our new Church and Community Centre. This would, of course, mean raising substantial funds to achieve what might be a very interesting and profitable project. 2012 has been a tremendous year for our Country, what with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics and Paralympics both being held here. For me it has been a year of many blessings but also with some confusion concerning my own physical health. My loss of weight started as a welcome sight but when it continued without any apparent reason I was put through

numerous examinations, X-rays and blood tests but still no evidence of the cause. The event brought much joy in the need for smaller clothes, hence new tight chinos, slim sweaters and other welcome new fashions. The loss of energy, however, was not very popular because I have always maintained that if possible, I would work until I dropped. In life, sometimes things happen that we cannot explain. This seems to be one of those things that we might never find out. 2013 had been a very difficult year but as we look back we can see how our Lord has strengthened us during these stressful times. One of our adopted sons, Graham, was sold an unaffordable loan and this caused many problems from which the best course was for him to be declared bankrupt. Later Graham suffered from Pneumonia and Pleurisy and was not able to go back to work until the New Year, and as he had already had the allowed sick absences from B & Q he only received Statutory Health Pay. During his recovery Graham spent each daytime with us so we could aid his recovery and he and his son returned home each evening. We both served the Church at Dartmouth and the Willows but I ceased to be the Pastor of Dartmouth Baptist Church on the weekend of July 12/13th 2014, enabling us to give more time for the Willows Community Church. The services continue to be at the Willow Tree Public House and we hope soon to be able to use the annexe which has been closed since 2004 for all our other activities as part of our outreach work. Fortunately the brewery has at last, agreed for it to be used by the community . Financially it has been a difficult time for Eunice and myself. This problem had affected my health, however, we finally solved the problem thanks to family and friends and God’s goodness toward us.

Chapter Seven The Lord is in Control

W E WITNESSED A WONDERFUL MIRACLE of healing for one our young male of the Willows Church. Chris who was a full-time carer, came with his father Denis to our weekly Sunday services. Joan, Denis’ wife and Sarah their daughter ed us on social occasions. Chris was very ive to his sister Sarah who often suffered from depression. Without much warning Chris was taken very ill and the problem initially was thought to be with his kidneys. He was itted to the hospital in Exeter and during treatment became weaker, eventually having a stroke. He was unable to speak and had very little ability to move. His body was connected to a variety of tubes and the staff struggled to keep him alive. Denis and Joan were told to speak to Chris and were assured he would be able to hear them. On one occasion when I visited Chris his parents met me and shared with me that they had just been told that there was no longer any hope for Chris to recover and that it would only be a matter time before he ed away. Denis spoke with me on many occasions, asking how and what he should pray for. I advised him to pray that, if it was the Lord’s will, the Lord might heal him. Denis said he found it hard to pray now but he did believe but found it very hard to find the words to use. I told him that the Lord would know what was on his heart and that we must all continue to persevere in prayer. Soon after Denis and Joan were told that there was a sudden change in Chris’ health and he seemed to be getting stronger. Eventually he became able to speak and he had little or no idea of all that had been happening. The family believes this was a miracle. Perhaps Joan and Sarah found it hard to understand but the little faith that Denis and Chris had has certainly been strengthened by what we all believe was a divine miracle. Chris is now back at home and at Church and has gone back to being a carer on a part-time basis. He is the evidence of a walking miracle. In addition to our leadership of the Willows Community Church in the future, I accepted the task of being a network minister for the wider Torbay area

including the Boroughs of South Hams, Teignbridge and Torbay, the main task being available to the local Baptist Ministers and Churches during their interregnum. Suddenly in the summer of 2015 I was taken very ill with pneumonia and taken to Torbay Hospital and then transferred to Deriford Hospital in Plymouth. Some of the family thought I would not recover, but once again out Lord brought me back to full health and strength and I realised there was yet still much to do. One of our projects was working with four other churches in forming a Debt Centre with a paid Debt Centre Manager and now an additional paid Debt Coach. In this way we are able to help, not only people in debt but also with other problems and the need is great. As this is done our faith in the Lord is shared with our clients. As time has gone by, we still do not know how or when we will be able to have our own base for our Community work. We do know, however that finance is possibly available if we can find a piece of ground locally on which we can erect a large portacabin which would become our own Community Centre financed by generous grants. We look forward knowing that we are not alone and so with confidence we look to the future, ready to accept the opportunities of service that come our way. Spiritually speaking, I am amazed at how our Lord has and is working in my own life. He has taken a raw, uneducated introvert and equipped and empowered me. Many years ago I was told that if anyone asked me where I was educated I should answer ‘in the university of life’! One thing I know now is that there is no greater teacher than my Lord and Saviour and there is no greater transformer than the very Spirit of the Lord. I am possibly a poor example of what God, Father, Son and Spirit can do but I do know the more we forget self and seek Him, the greater work He can do in us. I believe there is only one true kind of leadership for a follower of Jesus and that is Servant leadership. In me the Lord has taken very rough and unworthy material and all that has been achieved has been due to His doing what no one else could do. Then one day a welcome door will open when we will enter the Lord’s presence to be with Him forever. For me this will be a selfish rebel, now a rebel for Christ going home to be with the Lord who loved me and redeemed me. To Him and

Him alone be the Glory.