A correspondent writes:
“INCLUDE me in” was an article that appeared in a magazine called Sunday in January 1971. It was written by the Revd John Greenway and explained how he had recently been ordained, despite his reservations about how the Established Church operated.
In the 1960s, John had been a campaigner for nuclear disarmament, which was not unusual at the time. He later became an anti-apartheid supporter. His fervour for “justice, unity, and peace” was at its height.
John had been brought up in the Anglo-Catholic tradition, as had his childhood sweetheart and later wife, Joan. The experience of completing his National Service in Korea and of being a reporter, first on local papers, and later for the Press Association in Fleet Street, however, had given him much “food for thought”. He now questioned whether the Church needed to adapt to the changing times. Further, was he better placed to help to transform it from within or without? He opted for the former, even though he knew that he risked being unpopular or rejected.
John served as a curate in the 1970s, first in Luton, and then in the villages of Pulloxhill and Flitton, in Bedfordshire. John’s concerns were many, but world poverty and community relations were foremost in his mind when he served in Luton. Christian Aid Week became a focus for fund-raising. He also became a founder member of the World Development Movement, today known as Global Justice Now.
He was made an honorary Bangladeshi when he supported the call for independence from Pakistan. His family sang as a folk group at community-relations events. John used his experience as a writer to ensure that his opinion was heard, and he wrote many articles that were published in local newspapers.
Sydney Carter once wrote a song, “The Vicar is a Beatnik”: a priest goes against tradition, plays a mandolin in services, and turns the crypt into an area for a disco-tech. The song was not based on John, but he certainly fitted the brief. John played his guitar in church and even involved his family.
As the Priest-in-Charge and then Rector of Marston Moreteyne and Lidlington, he found himself involved in much-needed renovation work at Marston Moreteyne. The necessity for a new floor gave him the opportunity to decide not to replace the pews. This meant that the church could become multifunctional and used for community events.
John was an active supporter of the ordination of women. He was always prepared to stand up to be counted when he believed in something strongly enough. This meant that he was not always popular with everyone. But he never stated an opinion without having fully researched the subject.
In retirement in Park Gate, Southampton, John did not sit back and rest. He began to write for an organic-gardening magazine. His articles were not on planting so much as on the wider topic of the environment and global warming. In addition, he officiated when needed at the churches that he attended, first St John’s, Locks Heath, and then St Mary’s, Warsash.
After Joan died in 2018, John managed alone until lockdown. But his declining health resulted in his moving to the College of St Barnabas, Lingfield. Even there, he soon stood out as a person with conviction and determination, who contributed in discussions and poetry groups. John was a pioneer; and his family was proud of all that he achieved.
The Revd John Garraway died on 6 December, aged 93.