Author: standrews

WENDY ELLIS – Licensed Lay Minister in Moretonhampstead: 2003-21

Wendy, our much-loved senior Licensed Lay Minister, completed her earthly pilgrimage earlier this summer after an exceptionally full and fascinating life. We are grateful to her daughter Heather for this account.

Wendy was born in Croydon just before World War II. She was the oldest girl of a family of five brothers and sisters, and life was hard but fun. She left home at 16 to do her nursing training and worked in Croydon until 1964, when she saw a job advertisement for nurses to work in the police hospital in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe.

Wendy met and eventually married Peter in 1965 and had three children, and all was well. Peter was away a lot with his job, and was also a keen sportsman, so Wendy combined her full-time job as a nurse with childcare and running the household.

In 1981, just after Independence, when Rhodesia became Zimbabwe, the decision was made to migrate back to England. When deciding where to live, Peter was adamant that he wanted to live in not only the warmest county of England, but the county furthest away from any of Mum’s relatives! So Devon was chosen. We initially started in Chagford but by chance, we were offered the flat above Lloyds Bank in Moretonhampstead (where the Moreton Dental Practice is now), and we moved in 1982, and then into Ford Street in 1983. Peter had various jobs – at Trago Mills as a fruit and veg man, as a driving instructor, and eventually in the fire brigade, teaching firemen how to drive fire engines!

Wendy had various nursing jobs: in Coppelia House, and then in Bovey Tracey and Newton Abbot Hospitals, and finally as a district nurse in the Okehampton area. She was also instrumental in setting up day care centres, both in Moretonhampstead and in Okehampton Hospital.

Retiring in 1997, Wendy was looking for something to do, when our rector at the time suggested she might like to consider becoming a Lay Reader – what is now called a Licensed Lay Minister – a vocation in which she was also encouraged by the late Greta Bruce. She was accepted for training in 2000 and was licensed in 2003 – and so her retirement ‘job’ began!

Wendy enjoyed a happy 19 years serving in our benefice, taking services and funerals, organising study groups and visiting members of the congregation. She absolutely loved her ministry, particularly the funerals. She said it was always an honour and a privilege to be able to help people on their final journey.

The last couple of years were hard for Wendy, as her illness took its toll and her energy levels dropped. She took the hard decision of retiring from Lay Reading but still played an active role in the church until near the end.

I believe she will be remembered for her kindness and dedication, for her professionalism and her care, and most of all for her absolute and godly faith. REST IN PEACE, WENDY, AND RISE IN GLORY. You are and for ever will be missed by Moretonhampstead.

John William Randall: 30th November 1944 – 17th December 2023

John was born in Wimbledon in 1944.  He was an only child but had a happy childhood, marred only by rarely seeing his father, Bill, who was in the Royal Navy and often away.

Sadly, Bill died unexpectedly, aged 49, just as John was about to take his O levels.  While arranging the funeral, John’s mum decided that they should both be confirmed.  John subsequently became involved with Crusaders, the school Christian Union, and the church in New Malden.

Sport was also an extremely important to John; hockey, cricket and squash took much of his time at Oxford.  The Christian Union also continued to play a large part in his life along with the student life at St Ebbe’s and St Aldate’s. 

While still a student, John met Marie, and when John decided to go to Nigeria as a teacher after finishing university, they got married so they could go together – the beginning, as Marie says, of a very long adventure. 

The two years in Nigeria were a huge learning experience for the young couple.  Their eldest child, Phil, was born there.  Back in England John did various jobs including working at a wood yard in Bexhill and teaching French and hockey at a public school. 

In 1971, John and Marie moved to Moretonhampstead and John worked with those with mental health issues at Starcross Hospital, beginning his calling to social work.

Soon Phil gained a brother, James and then a sister, Kirstie.  John, a natural Dad, was extremely proud of his children and grandchildren.  He loved playing cricket and football on the lawn and beach with all of them. 

John had a variety of jobs in social work with Devon County Council – child guidance, a policy advisor at County Hall, and research posts, but his ‘retirement’ job of post-adoption work with Families for Children was probably the one that meant the most to him.  He was also a trustee of the Children’s Hospice South West for some years. 

John and Marie travelled far and wide including to Eastern Canada, New Zealand and Madagascar, but perhaps the most influential chapter for them began with their journey to Syria in 2009.  This was followed by many trips to Palestine and Nicaragua, where John saw and experienced much which challenged and shaped his faith.

Church was a continuing activity, first in Chudleigh where the Rev’d Christopher Pidsley was a good friend and huge influence.  After Marie and John started worshipping in Moretonhampstead, the encouragement of Rev’d Preb Simon Franklin led to John’s decision to train with the South West Ministry Training Course as a Licensed Lay Minister.  John loved taking services in all the Moreton Group churches – when ill, he even admitted to missing writing sermons!  Latterly, John joined the staff of the course he had trained on and really enjoyed encouraging future lay ministers to embrace their roles.  He was a much-loved tutor and colleague.  Continuing learning and reading as much as possible were John’s priorities throughout his life.  Book-buying continued to the end!

John was emphatic in not wanting people to remember him as a plaster saint – he was very human, fallible and frustrated with many things.  But those who knew and loved him know that his life was one of constant service.  Running through it like a golden thread was his huge heart and love for others.  He would get very angry at injustice – some of his many poems, are evidence of this.  A quiet man who generally preferred to remain in the background, John would nevertheless stand up for those who didn’t have a voice.  Above all, his love of God shone through and his ability to share that love with all who met him was very special.  There can be no doubt that, at the end of his last journey, he heard those words we all hope to hear – ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant.’

This will be on Saturday 3rd February at 2.30 pm
in St Andrew’s Church, Moretonhampstead,
and afterwards in the Parish Hall just down the road.
All are warmly invited.
“Come wearing what you like, but avoiding black please
– and dressed suitably for the time of year.”

The following are being held in our churches on Sunday 12th November

Manaton           Remembrance Service           10.55 am

Lustleigh           Remembrance Service           10.55 am

Moreton           *Remembrance Service            3.00 pm

*This service will be preceded by a parade at the War Memorial at 2.45 pm

ALL churches in the benefice – Moretonhampstead, North Bovey, Lustleigh and Manaton – are open daily 10 am till at least 4 pm.  If you wish to visit outside these hours,
please use the CONTACT US at the top of this page.

For details of Sunday services, please click here.

We do hope parishioners and visitors will take advantage of the hard
work done by volunteers to make our churches available in this way.