The History of Michael Church
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Chapter 2 - After 1925
Unity
However, although during the next few years similar joint services back and forth were undertaken, complete re-union did not occur until after 1925.
In March of that year, devastated by the loss of its pastor Andrew Czerny, the sudden deaths of some of its leading members and the emigration of others to America, the Peckham Rye Society was closed. Its remaining assets were distributed equally between the building fund of Michael Church and the Colchester Society (this modest donation ultimately forming the nucleus of the current Assembly Fund). The re-unification was a gradual process as former members of the Peckham Rye group slowly began to attend and to become integrated with the Burton Road congregation. A new set of rules for the society agreeable to all members was accepted in October 1926, the General Church Liturgy was introduced in 1927 in place of the former Order of Service unique to the original Burton Road congregation, and at the A.G.M. in June 1927 members from Peckham Rye were for the first time elected to the Board of Finance.
A General Assembly of its world wide membership was held in London in 1928 at the Victoria Halls in Bloomsbury in celebration as it were of this new strength and unity of the General Church in Britain. During the Assembly, Mr Tilson was ordained into the third degree of the priesthood as Bishop Tilson, the first, and currently the only British priest to have been so elevated.
And so began several decades of relatively uneventful tranquillity for the little congregation at Burton Road. Old Minute books indicate that the first candlesticks introduced during this period were purchased with monies remaining from the soldiers’ memorial plaque. We learn too that the building was wired for electricity in 1922 by Victor Tilson. In 1926 a Miss Minnie Gertrude Turner left over £1000 in her will to the pastor to be applied for use at Michael Church and this was used to enable the Society to purchase the building outright. Annual statistics reported to the A.G.M. in 1929 recorded a membership of 102 but an average attendance of only 38 at services and 12 at doctrinal classes. This no doubt reflected the changing circumstances of the membership as few now lived in the Brixton area but were scattered far and wide across greater London and also were affected by the hard financial times of a world wide great depression.
In 1934 to aid the now ageing Bishop Tilson, the General Church sent the Rev. Wynne Acton to London. In 1935 he was appointed officially as Assistant Pastor at Michael Church. Two years later he was warmly welcomed as its new pastor upon the retirement of the much venerated “Father T” after a record 45 years of loyal and dedicated leadership. Thus a new era slowly and gently began.
Innovations came gradually. In 1934 group meetings for doctrinal classes and discussions held in members’ homes in various areas of London were introduced. That same year the first Sunday School was started. The monthly Newsletter to help unite all members of the General Church in Britain, was introduced by Mr Acton in 1939 as also was the annual appointment of reporter for the society to send accounts of its activities to New Church Life.
World War II
World War II and its accompanying bombing of London although causing much physical and emotional strain and stress for members also seemed to strengthen the society in its resolve to carry on its uses and its study of New Church doctrine. In fact when the pastor suggested that doctrinal classes be held once a month following a “bring your own lunch” after the morning church service, he was persuaded by his enthusiastic congregation to schedule this for twice a month instead.
Michael Church came to serve as a unique war-time centre for the whole General Church. Over 83 young men and women from its world wide congregations who served with the allied forces at one time or another came to worship at Michael Church. And the warm and uniting support from its kindred General Church societies was very tangibly evident as welcome parcels of food arrived from congregations in Canada, U.S.A., Australia and South Africa. These parcels made it possible for social gatherings to be held at Michael Church throughout the war. Due to the restrictions caused by blackouts and bombing, these generally took place following the regular morning service.
The organization of these occasions was ably assisted by the newly formed Women’s’ Guild. This was set up in 1942 - just in time to cater for the 50th anniversary commemorative “banquet”. This and other activities of Michael Church during the difficult years of the war are recorded in a delightful manner by Miss Edith Elphick in reports printed in "New Church Life". These war-time reports end with a description of the Victory Party at the church held on 3rd July 1945 for which decorative baskets of hanging flowers were made out of old tin helmets!
New Growth
It would appear that Michael Church came through the war in a strengthened position. Several keenly interested new members joined the congregation as well as a very active and enthusiastic group of young people - some “home from the wars” and others having just reached maturity during it. May 1946 seemed to symbolize the ending of one era and the beginning of another; the society regretfully said goodbye to the much-loved pastor Rev. Wynne Acton and his wife Rachel at a social gathering attended by over one hundred friends and soon welcomed the Rev. Martin Pryke as its new pastor.
Mr Pryke had been ministering to the Colchester Society during the war and had been ordained into the second degree of the priesthood by Bishop Tilson shortly before his death in 1942. This ordination was the final pastoral duty of Mr Tilson’s long and distinguished career which had included the baptism of over 480 adults and children into the faith of the New Church.
The new strength and enthusiasm stood the society in good stead during the following period of rather rapid changes. For in June 1950 Mr Pryke left to take up a pastorate in South Africa. He was replaced by the Rev. Kenneth O. Stroh who served as pastor from the summer of 1950 until early in 1952 when the ill health of himself and his wife forced their return to America. His replacement was the Rev. Morley Rich who served the society well as pastor from 1952 until 1955 during the beginning of one of its most active and prosperous periods.