A History of the Southern Diocese of the Free Church of England
Consecration of Bishops Paul Hunt and John Fenwick.
The 1863 Constitution of the Free Church of England made provision for separate dioceses, each under the pastoral oversight of a bishop. This was very much a continuation of the ancient pattern, common to the historic Churches of both East and West. In the case of the Free Church of England there was also a sense of continuity with the structures of the Countess of Huntingdon’s Connexion, out of which the Free Church of England initially grew. In the early decades the situation was very much one of mission and church planting, and it naturally took some time for fully developed dioceses to be organised.
At the end of September 1844 following a long series of events, local unrest and the Surplice Riots resulted in the Commercial Hall in Fore Street, Exeter, opening as a ‘Free Church’, with James Shore as the preacher. The services used were ‘those of the Book of Common Prayer, with some slight alterations’. With the help of a local wealthy gentleman, a chapel was built and Christ Church, Exeter is the oldest surviving congregation of the Southern Diocese, and indeed of the Free Church of England. The pattern was then set for local groups of Christians, unhappy with what was happening in their parish church and not hopeful of any redress from their bishop, took matters into their own hands and organised themselves into ‘free’ congregations, eventually united by the 1863 Constitution.
By the 1880s things were sufficiently established for both the Free Church of England and the Reformed Episcopal Church to create fully organised Diocese (see the list of Bishops).
The first Bishop of the Southern Diocese was Benjamin Price, who had been ordained into the Calvinistic Methodist ministry in 1830 and spent his first seven years working in Wales. After a spell as a master in a school, he moved to the new ‘Free Church’ congregation at Ilfracombe in 1845. Price had many gifts, enabling him to play a leading role in the formative stages of the Free Church of England and was elected President of Convocation in 1866. He became Diocesan Bishop in 1889.
From 1921 onwards, the Free Church of England and the Reformed Episcopal Church worked hard together to reunite. In June 1923 the respective annual meetings were held in Devonshire, where the Free Church of England had its birth. The Reformed Episcopal Church met in Exmouth and the Free Church of England in Ilfracombe. In June 1925, the General Synod (REC) and Convocation (FCE) met in Christ Church, Leigh-on-Sea. The Rev W, E. Young was elected Bishop by Convocation and consecrated in Emmanuel Church, Putney, on July 28th, 1925. Thus each Church had two Bishops duly consecrated to undertake the work of reorganisation.
In June 1926, General Synod and Convocation met in Christ Church, Broadstairs. By this time all the outstanding legal and technical points had been dealt with, and various problems solved. The title of the United Church was long and carefully considered. The two churches were finally united in Christ Church, Liscard on June 15th 1927.
At the time of the union in 1927, three dioceses were formally constituted and known as the Northern, Central and Southern Dioceses. In 1942, however, Convocation decided that it was necessary for reasons of economic expediency to revert to the original plan of two dioceses only. The Rt. Rev. G. W. Forbes Smith was appointed to the Central Diocese upon election in 1938, and served until the dissolution of that diocese in 1942. He later became Co-adjutor Bishop with Bishop Magee in the Southern Diocese, and was elected to succeed when, after a long and distressing illness, John Christie Magee died in August 1955, having been Bishop of the Southern Diocese for 21 years; greatly loved and respected by everyone.
Christ Church, Exeter (the second oldest church in the Free Church of England), was totally destroyed by enemy action. Other churches suffering war damage were St Jude’s, Ballam and Emmanuel Church, Carshalton. When congregations of the REC in South Carolina heard of these disasters, they collected a very generous sum towards the restoration of the war damaged churches (throughout the Denomination). This was augmented by gifts from the American and Canadian churches to a total of £361 7s, 0d. The Tyndale Trust added £200 to the total, so that together with accrued interest it was possible to make grants to all the damaged churches amounting to approximately £605, of which Christ Church, Exeter received £275.
The congregation in Exeter continued to worship in their Sunday School Hall for fifteen years and were enabled in due course to build a new Church on the original site. Funding from various sources resulted in a beautiful Church being formally consecrated and opened for Divine Worship on July 24th, 1957.
In 1944 a new Cause was commenced in a temporary building in Bentley, an industrial town between Walsall and Wolverhampton, and 13 years later, in August 1957, the congregation had completed a permanent church seating 180, now known as St Andrew’s, Bentley. St Jude’s Church, Walsall, had been an independent Cause with strong affiliations with the Free Church of England from the year 1909. In 1947 this church was added to the Denomination.
A major denominational event took place in 1960 with the commencement of the rebuilding of the previously temporary structure of St Paul’s Church, Bexhill-on-Sea, with a fine modern building. Under the guiding influence of the then rector Rev. A. Ward, sufficient funds were raised to cover all the rebuilding costs. The foundation stone was laid by Lord Alexander of Hillsborough in June 1961 and the church was officially opened in April 1962 by Countess Alexander of Hillsborough.
In 1963, Bishop Ambrose Bodfish was consecrated to serve as Bishop of the Diocese, serving with distinction until he received his home call in 1971. His successor, Bishop Watkins was appointed in 1972 and had been consecrated to the Episcopacy in 1969. He was a man of considerable administrative achievement and it was a matter of concern when he was forced to retire from office due to failing health in 1974. The Rev. Arthur Ward was appointed to replace him at that time and subsequently consecrated in 1976.
In the 1970s, work commenced in Birmingham on the replacement of Emmanuel Church, Alum Rock, with a purpose built church and hall with all modern facilities in one complex. This work was carried out under the leadership of the joint presbyters Rev. Will Harris and Rev. Kenneth Powell. The new church was consecrated by Bishop Ward on 13th December 1980. About the same time, it was found necessary to replace Christ Church, Harlesdon and the work was completed in 1984.
An interesting development commenced in 1983 when a group of Evangelical Christians in New Zealand under the leadership and ministry of Rev. Kenneth Gregory requested membership of the Free Church of England. After completion of the formalities the congregation was received and established in Nelson. In 1983, Mr Clifford Pearce travelled to the UK and after a period at Emmanuel Church, Birmingham, was ordained to the diaconate. Mr Pearce was ordained presbyter following a further period of training in Philadelphia before returning home.
In 1985, Rev Kenneth Powell was inducted to Emmanuel Church, Birmingham and elected Bishop in 1986, being consecrated at Christ Church, Teddington on 1st October 1986. He was appointed as assistant Bishop of the Diocese under Bishop Ward. Bishop Ward retired from this office in 1990 and was succeeded by Bishop Powell.
Early in 1990, Bishop Powell received a most unusual request, from a Russian medical doctor asking for ordination into the Free Church of England. Following a brief visit by Bishop Powell to St Petersburg and much prayerful deliberation, Rev Dr Sergei Makov was ordained into the diaconate in 1991. An appeal for humanitarian aid was also launched, resulting in two containers being shipped to St Petersburg by 1992. Their need for premises for a church of their own became more widely known and financial support was received from Anglicans, Methodists, Baptists and from private generous donations from Canada and the USA. In 1993, Bishop Powell led a 34 strong party to St Petersburg to raise Rev Dr Makov to the Presbyterate and also receive the St Petersburg congregation into the Free Church of England.
In 2006, Rev Paul Hunt was consecrated at Christ Church, Liscard on 29 July 2006, together with Rev Dr John Fenwick who had earlier been elected by the Northern Diocesan Synod to become Bishop of the Northern Diocese. The following year, in 2007, Bishop Powell stood down as Bishop of the Diocese and Bishop hunt was elected as Diocesan Bishop in his place.
At the end of September 1844 following a long series of events, local unrest and the Surplice Riots resulted in the Commercial Hall in Fore Street, Exeter, opening as a ‘Free Church’, with James Shore as the preacher. The services used were ‘those of the Book of Common Prayer, with some slight alterations’. With the help of a local wealthy gentleman, a chapel was built and Christ Church, Exeter is the oldest surviving congregation of the Southern Diocese, and indeed of the Free Church of England. The pattern was then set for local groups of Christians, unhappy with what was happening in their parish church and not hopeful of any redress from their bishop, took matters into their own hands and organised themselves into ‘free’ congregations, eventually united by the 1863 Constitution.
By the 1880s things were sufficiently established for both the Free Church of England and the Reformed Episcopal Church to create fully organised Diocese (see the list of Bishops).
The first Bishop of the Southern Diocese was Benjamin Price, who had been ordained into the Calvinistic Methodist ministry in 1830 and spent his first seven years working in Wales. After a spell as a master in a school, he moved to the new ‘Free Church’ congregation at Ilfracombe in 1845. Price had many gifts, enabling him to play a leading role in the formative stages of the Free Church of England and was elected President of Convocation in 1866. He became Diocesan Bishop in 1889.
From 1921 onwards, the Free Church of England and the Reformed Episcopal Church worked hard together to reunite. In June 1923 the respective annual meetings were held in Devonshire, where the Free Church of England had its birth. The Reformed Episcopal Church met in Exmouth and the Free Church of England in Ilfracombe. In June 1925, the General Synod (REC) and Convocation (FCE) met in Christ Church, Leigh-on-Sea. The Rev W, E. Young was elected Bishop by Convocation and consecrated in Emmanuel Church, Putney, on July 28th, 1925. Thus each Church had two Bishops duly consecrated to undertake the work of reorganisation.
In June 1926, General Synod and Convocation met in Christ Church, Broadstairs. By this time all the outstanding legal and technical points had been dealt with, and various problems solved. The title of the United Church was long and carefully considered. The two churches were finally united in Christ Church, Liscard on June 15th 1927.
At the time of the union in 1927, three dioceses were formally constituted and known as the Northern, Central and Southern Dioceses. In 1942, however, Convocation decided that it was necessary for reasons of economic expediency to revert to the original plan of two dioceses only. The Rt. Rev. G. W. Forbes Smith was appointed to the Central Diocese upon election in 1938, and served until the dissolution of that diocese in 1942. He later became Co-adjutor Bishop with Bishop Magee in the Southern Diocese, and was elected to succeed when, after a long and distressing illness, John Christie Magee died in August 1955, having been Bishop of the Southern Diocese for 21 years; greatly loved and respected by everyone.
Christ Church, Exeter (the second oldest church in the Free Church of England), was totally destroyed by enemy action. Other churches suffering war damage were St Jude’s, Ballam and Emmanuel Church, Carshalton. When congregations of the REC in South Carolina heard of these disasters, they collected a very generous sum towards the restoration of the war damaged churches (throughout the Denomination). This was augmented by gifts from the American and Canadian churches to a total of £361 7s, 0d. The Tyndale Trust added £200 to the total, so that together with accrued interest it was possible to make grants to all the damaged churches amounting to approximately £605, of which Christ Church, Exeter received £275.
The congregation in Exeter continued to worship in their Sunday School Hall for fifteen years and were enabled in due course to build a new Church on the original site. Funding from various sources resulted in a beautiful Church being formally consecrated and opened for Divine Worship on July 24th, 1957.
In 1944 a new Cause was commenced in a temporary building in Bentley, an industrial town between Walsall and Wolverhampton, and 13 years later, in August 1957, the congregation had completed a permanent church seating 180, now known as St Andrew’s, Bentley. St Jude’s Church, Walsall, had been an independent Cause with strong affiliations with the Free Church of England from the year 1909. In 1947 this church was added to the Denomination.
A major denominational event took place in 1960 with the commencement of the rebuilding of the previously temporary structure of St Paul’s Church, Bexhill-on-Sea, with a fine modern building. Under the guiding influence of the then rector Rev. A. Ward, sufficient funds were raised to cover all the rebuilding costs. The foundation stone was laid by Lord Alexander of Hillsborough in June 1961 and the church was officially opened in April 1962 by Countess Alexander of Hillsborough.
In 1963, Bishop Ambrose Bodfish was consecrated to serve as Bishop of the Diocese, serving with distinction until he received his home call in 1971. His successor, Bishop Watkins was appointed in 1972 and had been consecrated to the Episcopacy in 1969. He was a man of considerable administrative achievement and it was a matter of concern when he was forced to retire from office due to failing health in 1974. The Rev. Arthur Ward was appointed to replace him at that time and subsequently consecrated in 1976.
In the 1970s, work commenced in Birmingham on the replacement of Emmanuel Church, Alum Rock, with a purpose built church and hall with all modern facilities in one complex. This work was carried out under the leadership of the joint presbyters Rev. Will Harris and Rev. Kenneth Powell. The new church was consecrated by Bishop Ward on 13th December 1980. About the same time, it was found necessary to replace Christ Church, Harlesdon and the work was completed in 1984.
An interesting development commenced in 1983 when a group of Evangelical Christians in New Zealand under the leadership and ministry of Rev. Kenneth Gregory requested membership of the Free Church of England. After completion of the formalities the congregation was received and established in Nelson. In 1983, Mr Clifford Pearce travelled to the UK and after a period at Emmanuel Church, Birmingham, was ordained to the diaconate. Mr Pearce was ordained presbyter following a further period of training in Philadelphia before returning home.
In 1985, Rev Kenneth Powell was inducted to Emmanuel Church, Birmingham and elected Bishop in 1986, being consecrated at Christ Church, Teddington on 1st October 1986. He was appointed as assistant Bishop of the Diocese under Bishop Ward. Bishop Ward retired from this office in 1990 and was succeeded by Bishop Powell.
Early in 1990, Bishop Powell received a most unusual request, from a Russian medical doctor asking for ordination into the Free Church of England. Following a brief visit by Bishop Powell to St Petersburg and much prayerful deliberation, Rev Dr Sergei Makov was ordained into the diaconate in 1991. An appeal for humanitarian aid was also launched, resulting in two containers being shipped to St Petersburg by 1992. Their need for premises for a church of their own became more widely known and financial support was received from Anglicans, Methodists, Baptists and from private generous donations from Canada and the USA. In 1993, Bishop Powell led a 34 strong party to St Petersburg to raise Rev Dr Makov to the Presbyterate and also receive the St Petersburg congregation into the Free Church of England.
In 2006, Rev Paul Hunt was consecrated at Christ Church, Liscard on 29 July 2006, together with Rev Dr John Fenwick who had earlier been elected by the Northern Diocesan Synod to become Bishop of the Northern Diocese. The following year, in 2007, Bishop Powell stood down as Bishop of the Diocese and Bishop hunt was elected as Diocesan Bishop in his place.