Chapel Next the Green (the history of Twickenham Congregational Church) index page
As the church had been without an active minister for over a year it was decided to fill the pastorate without delay. On June 7th, 1949, just before Mr Holland’s pastorate formally ended, Mr Albert Molineaux of New College, London, was invited to become the next minister. On September 6th he was ordained and began his ministry at Twickenham.
In the meantime, on July 12th, the church had been full for the ordination of his fellow student and deacon of the Church, Mr Arthur Stops, who was commissioned for service with the Commonwealth Missionary Society. With his wife Elaine (another former member of the League of Young Worshippers) he departed for Umbilo, Durban. He would go on to serve several other South African Churches.
As a result of Mr Dawe‘s negotiations following unauthorised building against the church walls, £300 compensation was received enabling the debt to the ICU to be cleared. A Manse fund was inaugurated with the balance, which was to be the focus of fund-raising activities during the pastorate.
Mr Molineaux had grown up in Stepney, and before entering New College had served in the RAF. When it came to dramatic roles he could excel and his practical abilities also came in useful, as witnessed by pews he made for the ‘childrens corner’. Through his efforts six pendant lights, a gift from Palmers Green Church, were installed; older members remembered them as a hazard to standard-bearers on church parades.
The first year of the pastorate saw a close study of church organisation. A feeling that bazaars should not be relied on for routine finance was endorsed, “it being generally agreed that regular direct giving by members was the ideal method of meeting the demands of God’s work”. The diaconate considered “The High Calling and Work of a Deacon”, written by the Rev Harold Bickley, and agreed that “more help should be given to the minister in the visitation of members and friends“. In June 1950 100 copies of the new hymnbook ‘Congregational Praise’ were ordered but before they could be supplied (in early 1952) the number had to be raised to 150 because of increasing congregations. In this period ‘Family Church’ was fully established and training classes for teachers began.
In 1951 another young member, James Sparkes, was accepted for ministerial training at New College. Despite other commitments the church pledged itself to sponsor him and duly met their obligations.
1951 also saw the ‘Forward Movement’ , a three-year programme of evangelism, though not many were keen on house-to-house visitation. By December 1951 “all was now ready to begin the visitation of the Hampton Road flats” and the January Church Meeting received “two messengers of the Forward Movement” who spoke on their experience of such work. By May 1952 we read: “Visiting the Hampton Road flats was left to the moving of the Spirit in the hearts of our members and it was hoped that the work would proceed in due course“. A few members were so ‘moved’ but in general there was little enthusiasm for this form of mission.
The following year however, the Church formed an ‘Evangelistic Commission’ under the leadership of Mr Arthur Burgess. Its considered opinion was that “the need was for personal evangelism through Christian friendship … not the traditional evangelistic mission to the masses”. Particular emphasis was placed on welcoming newcomers and bringing them into the fellowship, also on visiting parents of Sunday School children.
At this time the sending of children to Sunday School by non-Church parents was still common. Helped by the post-war baby boom and the enthusiastic, capable leadership of Mr Maurice Stockdale, appointed Superintendent in 1953, the Sunday School had a highly successful decade. This extended to the uniformed organisations. The Boys Brigade was restarted by Mr David Lightman and Mr James Sparkes in 1948. In 1951 it was supplemented by its junior branch, the Lifeboy Team, under Miss Peggy Mason and Miss Sheila Stroud. This replaced a Pilot company. The Guides and Brownies continued under the capable leadership of Miss Dorothy Pearce and her sister, Mrs Andrey Still, respectively.
Welcoming newcomers was not neglected either. Chief door steward, Mr Willie Stops made it a point of honour always to be in the porch, and his friendly greeting encouraged many to cone again. That year ladies were first invited to take turns ‘on the door’ and the two lady deacons ‘were persuaded’ to act as Communion servers.
The high spot of 1952 was the ‘Triple Jubilee’ held on May 17th – 19th. The historical ‘evidence’ for this has now been all but discounted, but the weekend was enjoyed by all. It began with a Re-union social at which Mr W.J.Lightman, Organist and Choirmaster from 1912-21 and 1931-52 was presented with a testimonial. His place at the organ was taken by his deputy, Mrs Marion Faers, whose musical sensitivity delighted members for several decades. The Sunday Services were conducted by the Rev Harold Bickley, Moderator of the Western Province, who had begun his ministry at Twickenham 35 years earlier. During the service a brass lectern was dedicated in memory of Mr and Mrs William Purchase, whose service to the church has already been noted on previous pages. On the Monday a ‘Jubilee Celebration Meeting’ was held, at which the principal speaker was the Rev Leslie J .Tizard, chairman of CUEW.
The following year saw celebrations of a different kind when Mr Molineaux married Miss Peggy Mason. The service was conducted by the Rev F.H.Tripp of Hampton Hill. Previously Mr Molineaux had lodged with one of the members, and now a home was found for the newly-weds in rented rooms. Although homely these were not suitable as a manse and so priority was given to increasing the Manse fund so that a suitable home could be purchased.
It was more difficult than expected to find a suitable property at a modest price and before one could be found Mr Molineaux tended his resignation, having ,like George Hamson, 56 years earlier, accepted a call to Coggeshall. With his wife and baby daughter, Anne, he left for Essex at the end of October 1954. Subsequently he ministered at Haverhill and Reading.
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