Last updated 09:31, Thursday, 01 May 2008

Margaret Crosby on a rare honour for two parish stalwarts

75 YEARS’ SERVICE BETWEEN THEM: Ernest McConnell and Ivor Railton, churchwardens at St James church,Whitehaven

THE office of Churchwarden dates from the 13th Century, one of the earliest forms of lay ministry. Ernest McConnell and Ivor Railton haven’t been going quite that long, but now they are set to retire.

Today the Church of England is busy introducing a new measure under which churchwardens should only hold office for six consecutive years.

Between them Ernest and Ivor have notched up more than 75 years’ service but have both decided not to stand for re-election to their respective positions to accommodate this new policy.

Their long service represents a huge contribution to local church life and their names have become synonymous with their parish community. They are men widely regarded in their home town.

Churchwardens are generally responsible for the day-to-day functioning of a parish and the churchwarden’s maxim Keep God’s house as your own could not have been more dutifully followed.

Last week that contribution and loyalty was officially honoured when Ernest and Ivor were made Churchwardens Emeritus of the Parish of Whitehaven by the Bishop of Penrith, the Right Rev James Newcome, at a service at St James’ Church. It is a title rarely conferred, and means the two men will retain their ‘churchwarden’ designation until the end of their days. It was a fitting celebration, marking years of faithful service to God.

Ernest has been a member of the PCC for 60 years and a churchwarden for more than 50, originally with St Nicholas’ Church. Ivor, warden initially at Christ Church, Preston Street, has not done the job as long, only 25 years!

The ‘six-year policy’ has been brought in to ensure new people and ideas continue to come forward to enliven churches – “instead of being like Ernest and I and being here forever!’’ jokes Ivor. “When you’ve held a position for so many years you tend to reflect on what has gone before in terms of lay administration and how things used to be, rather than being forward-looking,’’ says Ernest.

Theirs would seem like hard shoes to fill, but stepping forward will not be too hard a task for Arthur Ashbridge, who has been active as a churchwarden for some years. It will be new territory, however, for the other successor, Mrs Dorothy Graham of Harras Moor, who will become the newest “keeper of the keys” (Churchwardens hold a key to the church and are entitled to access at any time.)

Churchwardens are sought from men or women of integrity, of good standing in the local community, and Dorothy is only the second woman to be appointed to the role by the Whitehaven parish (the first was Mrs Anne Beck, in the 1980s). Once a nomination is put forward, the vicar has the authority to query it and it is at the annual vestry meeting that appointments are confirmed.

Both Ernest, 80, and Ivor, 79, have given much of their free time to the Church of England in Whitehaven. At one time there were four Anglican churches in town – St James, St Nicholas, Christ Church and Trinity. Trinity closed in the 1940s and the parishes of the remaining three were united under the one banner, the Parish of Whitehaven, in 1977. With St Nicholas having been destroyed by fire, the focus for Anglican worship in the town moved up the hill to St James’, but the building was in a perilous state.

Ernest was at the time made chairman of the steering committee formed with representatives from all three parishes (six from each) to oversee the transition. He admits this was at times “a bit of a battlefield” but things came good and now the parish is a very strong entity, with a united congregation, using not only St James’ Church but also, thanks to the foresight and enthusiasm of the Rev Jim Baker (who preceded today’s incumbent the Rev John Bannister), the small chapel within St Nicholas’ Centre, now a true community facility.

Ernest is the church’s cashier, assisted greatly by parish treasurer Joe Bragg, another octogenarian. Ivor has operated more on the pastoral side and organises the sidesmen, the readers (of which the church has a creditable 35) and the visits to those who are sick and housebound. Once a month communion is taken out to those who cannot attend church.

Both wardens agreed: “We have been very fortunate in Whitehaven in that we have had a succession of three good incumbents: Alan Postlethwaite, Jim Baker and now John Bannister.

“Alan Postlethwaite had a very difficult task to undertake in uniting the parishes, but he did it. And Jim Baker saw his task as taking the church into the community and used St Nicholas’ Centre as an opening to the church in general. John Bannister is a fighter for the hospital and health services and is well recognised and respected for that. These people bring life to the church.

“And I would add to that list Russell Rebert, our Sri Lankan priest who brought a ministry that was accepted by all denominations. We all thought he was a very special man, he was loved.’’

After the disastrous 1971 fire at St Nicholas’, insurance money came in at over £100,000. Local collections and fundraisers had brought in several thousand more and, with the permission of the givers, was directed towards the new task in hand – refurbishment of St James’. The old 18th century church on High Street was to become the new focus for the Church of England in Whitehaven.

Both churchwardens were born and raised in Whitehaven and feel a strong connection with their home town, its history and traditions. But they are not stuck in a time-warp. “It is important for the church and its community to be forward-looking and keep up with the times but at the same time not forgetting or ignoring why we are here,’’ says Ernest.

He had met his wife Marguerita (Rita) at St Nicholas’ Church. She was a Sunday school teacher and the couple were married there in 1951.

Looking back he recalls his own days as superintendent of the Sunday School for St Nicholas, and being chairman of the scouts and guides when “we in Whitehaven were the first to have a mixed-sex swimming gala, in the 70s, and it made national headlines!’’

Ernest also remembers the Rev Charles Nurse from the past and then the Rev Leslie Derret and the Rev Burnham Hodgson, Archdeacon. And he well remembers Alan Postlethwaite “who did a great job in difficult circumstances’’ in uniting the three different parishes.

“We had to sit before the Church Commissioners and explain what we were aiming to do, it was a very stressful experience. Then we had some people, who had never been in church for years, expressing strong views about what they thought should happen...’’

There was some controversy over plans for the old church interior – pulpit, carpet, painted pews, all came under fire. But once completed, the town had a fine ecclesiastical edifice of which it could be proud. As the passing years have shown, townspeople of all persuasions have taken it to their hearts, digging deep to keep the fabric of the building good.

Ivor was initially a worshipper at Christ Church at Preston Street where he and his wife Margery were married in 1956. He has been an active member of the church for 33 years, sitting on parochial church councils and various related bodies.

He explains: “The Rev Harry Lucas, who was vicar at Christ Church, had left and the diocesan powers-that-be had decided we were scheduled for closure. Following the fire, there we were, with a church building with no vicar and hardly any congregation and there was St Nicholas with a vicar, a congregation but no church. So the St Nicholas worshippers joined us at Christ Church for services for about six years.”

Ivor tells his favourite churchwarden joke: A churchwarden, 30 years in the job, was asked if he had seen a lot of changes during his time. He replied: “Yes... and I have opposed every one of them!’’ It demonstrates a common perception that churchwardens are stuck in their ways. But these two have always been open to new ideas and ways of encouraging people to join their church community.

The financial strains of running buildings such as St James’ and St Nicholas’ are constant and the parish has recorded recent successes on the financial front with a stewardship campaign that has increased contributions to the church by 35% and, thanks to Ivor, the introduction of the Gift Aid scheme under which 28p in the pound can be re-claimed from donations from taxpayers, a mechanism that has boosted funds by an average £8,000 each year since its inception in 2000.

The churchwarden’s role is also one of keeping proper order within the church. Ernest recalls one midnight Christmas service in which he was called on to eject an inebriated worshipper who had thrown up as he went forward to receive communion. “He wasn’t violent and didn’t do anything disrespectful but I escorted him out. He sent £50 for church funds with his apologies.’’

The Churchwarden’s role is primarily to be the Bishop’s officer in the parish and assist the incumbent (vicar). He or she should also: look after the money – collections, sponsorships and donations; have guardianship of the fabric and furniture of the church; and carry the churchwarden’s stave of office, escorting the Bishop at church events in the parish.

It’s thanks to the churchwarden that the heating works and worship in the cold weather is a much warmer affair these days. But their work is not just about the maintenance of the church building, but overseeing the smooth running of the church.

Churchwardens should be wise, and if needed, firm. They should not be frightened when dealing with senior clergy and they should nourish and maintain their own Christian faith, and not let it become stale in the wake of logistical concerns about the church.

Ernest and Ivor have risen to the challenge. People say they have done a lot for the church, both men would say it is a two-way thing and that in terms of life enrichment, the church has, in turn done a great deal for them.