8 - Later Years at Vineyard

Summary

In July 1950 Elsie told the deacons at Vineyard that she had been offered a part-time post in the ‘organising of religious broadcasts’ for the British Broadcasting Corporation, which she would like to accept. She explained that she hoped to depute to others some of the ministerial tasks at Vineyard although she accepted the need to develop further the church's work in Richmond. In particular she expressed her concern about the need for a ‘Free Church on the new housing estate at Ham, where over 300 families were already housed, with the probability of an additional 238 in the near future’. Ham is almost physically a part of Richmond being situated close to it, outside the impressive Richmond Park, along the river to the south. The meeting heard the suggestion that Ted Stanford might be willing to help, if Elsie did take the BBC job, by serving as joint minister of the Vineyard church with Elsie. The church members, although probably shocked and bemused, found this proposal acceptable, in September 1950, when 34 voted in favour with none against. At the same meeting it was announced that one of the church members, Elisabeth Neale, was to begin her studies at King's College, London, where Elsie had herself studied. The young woman hoped to be admitted to train for the Congregational ministry. The church agreed to recommend her formally to the Surrey Congregational Union, as a candidate for the ministry.