"Many people think of it as just a group of 25 or 30 people who happen to be keen on unity. They don’t think it concerns them very much. But of course it does - because if we are members of St. James’s or another church in the area, then we are also members of the Council of Churches, and it is very much our concern. To help towards the realisation of this, the ministers of the five churches recently invited the elected leaders of each church to meet together to get to know one another and to talk over matters of common interest. People sat at small tables in inter-church groups, and after refreshments, a most stimulating discussion took place on ways of developing and deepening inter-church action and fellowship in the district. A very rewarding evening - and strong requests that another similar one be held in the near future.

What is usually spoken of as the Council is really the committee of the Council, consisting of the Minister and four lay representatives of each church, and this meets regularly once a quarter. At its last meeting it was stated that £505 had been raised in the area for Christian Aid this year, and tribute was paid to the tremendous work and effort put in by Mrs. Eustace, who has organised this campaign for the last five years or more. This year she would not let up in her endeavours despite the fact that she was far from well, and at this meeting we learnt that very reluctantly she felt that she must now resign as local organiser. She did so, as she put it, only to ensure that this great cause should not suffer from her inability to put into it all that she has done in the past.

There is also a Junior Council of Churches, to which all our young people belong, and their committee is very active in promoting enterprises in which young people from all the churches take part, and the many bright ideas which come from it are welcomed by the senior committee and given sympathetic consideration and support wherever possible."

Source: A.T., The Spire Magazine - 1967 August

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