BY ELLIOTT MALIK

For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. – Romans 12:4-5, KJV

Nestled in the shadow of the South Dorset Downs lies the parish of Bincombe cum Broadwey. This is a place of ancient spirituality, with the roots of faith stretching to the earliest days of Brythonic Christendom, then further to ancient pagan worship-places which may pre-date Roman Britain. It is part of a conglomeration, with Father Philip Elliot being the parish priest for St Nicholas’ Church, Broadwey; St Lawrence’s Church, Upwey; Holy Trinity Church, Bincombe; and St Nicholas’ Church, Buckland Ripers. This conglomeration spans everything from suburbia to rural idyll, providing about as much diversity of geography, thought, socio-economic background, etc. as one can find in this part of England.

Bincombe cum Broadwey is also the parish conglomeration which I consider to be a spiritual home. St Nicholas’ Church, Broadwey is my mother church, being a place of fond memory, and one to which I always visit when I return to Dorset.

My focus is necessarily drawn to St Nicholas’, Broadwey. Situated at the top of a hill, one can hear the rumble of the River Wey winding its way towards the sea and of bird song rising from the surrounding area. The church building is an architectural curiosity. Formerly a fine example of mediaeval architecture, it had the benefit (or curse) of being the focus of an aggressive redesign by the Victorians. It is a large building, seating up to 120 people. Though less than a quarter of that number regularly attend. The churchyard is a haven for wildlife, with the grass being only mowed every so often, so wildflowers can grow between the weather-beaten tombstones. It is a place where a less formal, but strong, spirituality can be felt. Thankfully, it has remained a centre of the community – bucking the fate of many churches in similar positions around the country.

More so than other churches I have visited, St Nicholas’ is an eccentric place. Until Fr Philip arrived, the church had become closed off to outsiders – so much so that some questioned whether it was still open. Since then, the doors have been made open to all who wish to partake in what they do. Fr Philip is a self-described liberal Anglo-Catholic, who’s greatest wish for the church is to one day install a Marian shrine. He is sometimes aided by a retired lady vicar, a formerly Methodist lady lay preacher, an evangelical lay preacher, and a churchwarden who tends towards traditional Church of England theology.

In any other place, this spiritual diversity would lead to civil war. But St Nicholas’ is a bastion of theological peace. As Fr Philip mused, much of what could cause issue within the church is a matter between the individual and God. It is not for anyone to force their particular view of Christianity upon the other congregants. Focus on being the best Christian that one can be, and do not try to be a ‘sunbeam for Jesus’ (remember that pride comes before the fall!) This diversity is also reflected in the peculiar character of the church services. There are different masses – with the regular Sunday mass being made incrementally more ‘high’, whilst every Thursday there is a short service which ends with the congregation having tea and cake. Scattered throughout are the peculiarities of the occasional blessings of animals (including my parents’ dog recently), the contrast between the bombast of the organ one week and a church band the next, the Muslim who has spent the past two years clearing the thickets of plants in the churchyard, and the congregants who are convinced that a flock of ghosts inhabit the surrounding area.

For all this spiritual congress, there is another, more temporal, side of the church. St Nicholas’ is the centre of the community – clearly within Broadwey, but with an influence which extends much further. Apart from the obvious celebrations surrounding Christmas and Easter, the church hosts community events. Whether they be quiz nights, concerts, fairs etc., people from all faiths and none have ample opportunity to come together. These are remarkably successful, with, for example, the most recent quiz nights and events filling the church to its limit.

There are few other churches that manage to hold such events without the sacredness of the space feeling debased, but there is an obvious question: if these events are so successful, do they contribute to the spiritual life of the church? The answer is a clear ‘yes’. As well as raising money for charity, many thousands of pounds have been raised to repair the church. Equally, the amount of people regularly attending the church has increased by one third – an impressive number when one considers that the size of congregations nationally has shrunk post-COVID.

Of course, it would be remiss to only write a glowing review – and I would be the most biased of writers. The church does have problems. As mentioned, the previous priest turned the church into a closed off and distant place. The number of congregants plummeted, and the church was at risk of closure. Three years ago, the churchyard was overgrown, the church cluttered with useless miscellany, and the very structure of the church at risk of collapse. Since then, the churchyard has been made good, the inside of the church largely ordered (though it continues to evolve), and the bell tower recently repaired (it was rather alarmingly leaning into the church building). The church still requires repairs which will cost tens of thousands of pounds, is still attempting to gain congregants, and has the internecine conflicts which bedevil any organisation.

Thankfully, none of these issues have proven fatal. Instead, the church’s rhythm is settling, conflicts reducing, and the golden light of faith in God’s love being restored. I am proud to be a member of the congregation – albeit one who now only returns occasionally as life has moved me out of the parish. When I return, I feel nothing but warmth and a spirituality which, whilst eclectic, is grounded in a desire to better understand God and how He works.

My more traditional theology is sometimes challenged when I return, but this is good. The Church of England’s tradition of being a broad church is on full display within St Nicholas’. As Fr Philip maintains, it is up to the individual to take part in the services and community life to whatever extent they wish to. Some are purely congregants; some only go to the social events. Some do not take communion at times due to theological concerns; some embrace the modern aspects of the church with vigour. Is this a different church to the one a traditionalist may expect? Of course, it is. But it is a church which is growing, it is a church which is cementing its place as a centre of the community, and it is a church which is unabashedly certain about the prerogative of following the teachings of Christ.

Whilst writing this, I contemplated the reasons why I wished to write about St Nicholas’ in particular. It is not simply due to the church holding a loving place in my heart, but it is a desire to present a snapshot of hope. St Nicholas’ today has survived and grown through spiritual turmoil, internecine discomforts, and the changing tastes of the local populations. This is a church staffed by dedicated – if sometimes dotty – parishioners who have ably assisted Fr Philip with his ministry.

Whether it be the stillness of morning prayer, the glimmer of church-majesty during mass, or the chaos of social events, St Nicholas’ is treading the via media between furthering Anglo-Catholic tradition and being a centre of community in an era of decreasing religiosity. Some may say the church’s slow drift towards Anglo-Catholicism will make it stuffy, some may say the social events should not be held, some may even question the point of the little platoons of faithful working hard to keep a church in the irreligious West going. But there is a point. This church is a beacon of hope. This church is filled with God’s love. This church is fulfilling that ancient mandate set out by Christ.

I hope St Nicholas’ maintains itself for years and decades to come. God bless Fr Philip, those who work in the background, and the congregation for all they do.