St Mary & All Saints Church Beaconsfield
History of St Michael and All Angels
St Michael and All Angels in Beaconsfield was founded in 1916. In 1991, at the 75th anniversary, Geoffrey Green, who has been attending the church since 1935, gave an address recalling some of his memories. We are reproducing it here, in an edited form.
What St Michael's means to me
I was first brought to this Church in 1935 by my parents - my mother had been present at the laying of the foundation stone in 1914 so I have a direct link with its beginning. The following year, at the age of seven, I was 'caught up' by our then priest, Ronnie Dix, to be a 'servant of the sanctuary', in which capacity it has been my privilege to serve for 65 years - and without remission for good conduct.
St Michael's had been founded on what is commonly known as the Anglo-Catholic tradition - indeed it was a condition of the gift of the land that it should cater for such a discipline, which had come about largely as a result of the Oxford Movement. The demand for such a discipline had been generated by the influx of new residents into the area as a result of the coming of the railway in 1906. The emphasis was on prayer and the spirituality of worship, and whilst liturgy played a part in the conduct of the services, this was an aid to prayer. Yes, we did have 'bells and smells' and although we do not have so many of the former, we still maintain the latter.
Our priest-in-charge was Ronnie Dix, until the outbreak of war in 1939 (when he left to become a Chaplain to the forces). He was immediately succeeded by his brother, Dom Gregory Dix, a monk at Nashdom Abbey and a leading theologian. Much of his magnum opus, The Shape of the Liturgy, was written in St Michael's Parsonage. He prepared me for confirmation in this church 60 years ago, and his instruction and guidance, right up to the time of his all too early death in 1952, has been the greatest influence on my life. The pressing needs of his community, and the Church in general, forced his recall to Nashdom, but he was replaced by another monk of distinction, Dom Augustine Morris. To him we owe a great debt of gratitude, especially Joy and I, in that he married us here nearly 48 years ago, and was godfather to our daughter.
In 1955, after nearly forty years, the east end with its present sanctuary and the Lady Chapel were finally completed. I had the honour of being M.C. at its consecration and first Mass by the then Bishop of Oxford. Later in the same year our daughter was baptised, the first to be so, in the new font. She was subsequently married here, and her two children baptised in the same font.
The Church of England can justly claim that it has ever been a broad church. 'In my Father's house are many mansions', there is room for all. There have been changes over the years but this church has, as you will recognise, meant so much to me. There has never been an occasion in time of stress or anxiety when I have come to pray - especially in the Lady Chapel - and left without a weight being lifted from me; may it be so for you too.
We look forward to welcoming you to St Michael's, and hope you will find a community of diverse people who are seeking to deepen their lives in God.
Office Address:
Windsor End,
Beaconsfield,
Buckinghamshire,
HP9 2JW