Trinity 40th Anniversary
On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the opening of the 'new' church in Brewery Road several members contributed early memories of the church.
Early Memories of Trinity
I was living in Suffolk where I worked, and returned to Woking when I retired in about 1978.
I remember the first One World Party, when Bill Hewison was the Minister. It was held in the Large Hall and a group from All Saints Church at Woodham helped to arrange it. Margot Craig and I organised the entertainment, and everyone brought food to share from their country. The Mayoress was presented with flowers.
I attended a housegroup, which started at the Vice's house, and then another group formed.
I have memories of the choir, with Margaret Davies as Choir Mistress. I was later involved in drama.
I remember Nellie Packer, with many children clustered around her at the end of each service.
I was a hostess at the Neighbourhood Party for years, and helped with Happy Club, perhaps from the beginning? I was also a Pastoral Visitor.
I belonged to the Amnesty International Group, which met at Trinity, and I organised the annual collections.
There was an Anti-Apartheid Group, with Christine Smith, and Betty Randall helped with displays. We put boards in the Narthex and I was part of a team that took part in a service and held a display with photos from London in Guildford Cathedral.
Bill Hewison did splendid sermons, which were not always appreciated.
Barbara Elton Woodbank
'I used to play tennis on the site of the present church!'
In the early 1950s we had a flat in the Grove, and a friend of ours, Will Dennington, got permission of the owner, Mr Warwick, to play on the hard tennis court he had in his garden. Six of used to play on Saturdays and midweek in the evenings.
Little did I know at the time that this would be the future site of Trinity Methodist Church!
Douglas Butterworth
From the Old to the New
Both of my younger children were christened by Rev Watson at the old church 45 years ago. I brought Gareth (then aged 2) to church on the back of my bike and handed him over to the care of Rosalind Tanner. I was then able to join the church choir under the directorship of Mr Stanley the organist. It was quite a large choir with the Yendoles and Bellews in prominence. Nellie Packer was also there with Mrs Edwards, another stalwart member.
The laying of the foundation stone of the new church was a great occasion for the Bellew family as it was carried out by Elaine, their 5 year old daughter. The Bellews had been heavily involved in the planning and financial affairs of disposing of the old church and building the new.
Margaret Davies
Music at Trinity
The choir was equipped with the new deep red gowns and mortar board hats for the ladies. Mr Hollow took over the conducting and I started a junior choir and arranged for the girls to have red Juliet caps - very fashionable at the time.
A succession of professional choir masters and organists were in charge for about 20 years until Ken Dryden and I took over and ran the music at Trinity (until just before his death).
We had an introit every morning service with usually an anthem as well.
The junior choir performed at least six sacred, modern oratorios with instrumental accompaniment over the years.
The senior choir were noted for their Easter oratorio presentation, often with a full instrumental group.
The tradition of good music at Trinity was established from the start!
Margaret Davies
Memories of Epworth
No story about Trinity past would be complete without mentioning the Epworth Choir.
When I arrived in Woking and at Trinity in 1963, Walter Deakin had been directing Epworth for some five years. His invitation to join came on my very first Sunday at Trinity. You don't say no to Walter, and I wanted 'a good sing.' I was not disappointed.
Many members of the church have sung or been associated with the Choir over the years. My earliest memories were of carol concerts in the Woking cinema. Tickets went like hot cakes. Arthur Lord played the cinema organ but refrained from emerging 'all lit up' from the basement. Pity!
My enduring memory was of one very special concert. On March 26th 1977, the Choir gave a concert in the then new Woking Leisure Centre, for the Queen's Silver Jubilee. Fly the Flag' it was called, and a packed hall did just that. Arthur Lord was joined by two colleagues playing three organs. The Surrey Brass Ensemble blew their hearts out. Local schools formed a massed choir, whilst others performed dances, and tableaux. John Bishop lent his powerful voice to 'Dragons of this World', whilst Les Red and Ed Steward were guest artists.
My wife and I wrote the script and produced the show. Our daughter missed her birthday and our son has never forgiven me for getting him into full highland dress for a tableaux - he is half Scottish.
It was a great occasion, only one of many Epworth have performed over nearly fifty years in Woking, London and Guildford. Of course they are still singing away and raising lots of money for charity.
Bill Rodley
Trinity Reminiscences
Thinking about my 35 years at Trinity the overriding impression is how much things have changed. The idea that nothing ever changes in churches is evidently a fallacy which probably arises from the change usually being evolutionary rather than revolutionary.
But the totality of the changes takes one back to another era. A different, and old fashioned, hymn book; a formal and robed choir; a robed minister preaching from high up in the central pulpit; a congregation dressed in their Sunday best - mostly suits for the men; only organ music; no sound system; big New Year socials; Church Stewards were all married men (but only 4) with it being taken as natural that their wives would spend hours in the kitchen for the two big social events of the year; a tennis club and an occasional church cricket team; Communion being an add-on Service with those staying required to move into alternate pews; many more Committees generating, if memory serves me right, more events; more frequent drama productions; no East Entrance and no courtyard refreshment area; no house groups; evening services every week with a preacher, an organist, two Stewards and a handful of old-timers who had been brought up to go to church twice on a Sunday; no Goldsworth Park; and so on.
Most of these changes seem to me to have been for the better. That does not necessarily mean we are now a better church than we were (if that were measurable). But at least we have done something to keep pace with changes in society. Nor did all the changes come easily or quickly. Most needed leadership, organisation and a willingness to try something new. Here ends the sermon.
Of course there are also some unchanging things. The basic raison d’être of Trinity and a series of fine Ministers. Many of the concerns remain unchanged too - finances, welcoming newcomers, providing good pastoral care and the depth of our individual and collective commitment.
Conclusion - no room for complacency; could do better; but also could have done a lot worse!
John Craig
Moving to Our New Church
Not long after arriving in Woking early in 1964, we learned that the church was to be compulsory purchased by Woking Urban District Council for the town centre development.
One Sunday soon after that, the congregation, after the morning service, were led by the Sheerwater Methodist Boys' Brigade band in a parade to the site of the new church: a rough piece of land in Brewery road. A large wooden cross was placed in the centre and the land was dedicated after a short service. All ages joined in this event with great excitement.
Although very few members were invited due to lack of space, I was privileged to be invited to the official opening, which was attended by civic dignitaries, representatives of other churches, organisations in the area, as well officials of the Methodist Church. Altogether it was a very grand affair.
My first impression of the new building was a sense of light and space. However, the beautiful wooden floor (no carpets then) brought a strict rule: "no stiletto heels", which were the height of fashion at the time. Ladies arriving in stiletto heels were issued with plastic heel caps to put on their heels!
My memories are of the previous Trinity church (now the site of the main Post Office). I used to walk three times on a Sunday - in the morning, then in the afternoon to take my daughter (now 52 ) to Sunday School, and again in the evening for the service.
Mavis Giles
Trinity Memories
We came to Horsell in 1958 with a six month old baby, and I spent the next few years bringing up three small children born within four years, so my attendance at the old church was spasmodic. My outstanding memory is of taking part there in the first performance of the Epworth Choir, newly formed by Walter Deakin, which was Elijah with Owen Brannigan as the principal soloist - how many would now remember him?
So the building of the new church was a real eye-opener and I do remember being very impressed with the modern concept - even the rock of a pulpit, which wasn't very popular with some.
One highlight was the performance with some professional actors (including Robert Duncan) of Never Stand Still in 1988, in Bill Hewison's era, which we all thoroughly enjoyed.
I remember sitting all day in the Stewards' vestry producing one of the first efforts at a church magazine, with a manual typewriter and a turn-the-handle Gestetner duplicator. Then came the relief of electric machines and at last I acquired a word processor, which simplified the production of the weekly notices as well. Now we have the wonders of computers, which are quite beyond me!
The children attended Sunday School but David and Michael went off to boarding school, leaving Helen as a faithful member, brownie, guide, youth clubber etc. and through her years at Bath University where she was encouraged by Martin Broadbent who was the chaplain and local minister. And here she still is with Stuart, working in many capacities, with Adam and Paul following in their footsteps.
Beryl Andrews