FatherJohn Evans celebrates 70 years since his ordination to the priesthood.

There can’t be many priests who can look back at 70 years since they were ordained priest, 71 since being ordained deacon, but Father John Evans, a retired priest in the parish, can do just this. He celebrated his 70th anniversary with a Eucharist at St Mark’s Church on Wednesday, December 17.

John, who was wearing a chasuble and stole from Crookham Parish, was joined by two bishops – the current Bishop of Dorking, Rt Rev’d Paul Davies, and a former one, Rt Rev’d Ian Brackley – and at least 10 other priests from throughout his career including two rectors of this parish – Rev’d Lexi Russell, the current incumbent, and Rev’d John Page who was rector before Alan and Lesley Crawley. Deaconing for his was Rev’d Ros Fox whom John had recommended for ordination on two occasions when she was a member of his congregation at Christ Church, Crookham, and who was finally ordained this summer.

Also joining him were 40-50 members of his congregations over the years.

The midday service was followed by a 70th anniversary cake made by Gillian Hyman, and then lunch at The Six Bells pub.

Frederick John Margam Evans was born in 1931 to John and Amelia – known as Jack and Milly – Evans and brought up in Newport, Wales. He was ordained into the Church in Wales, part of the Anglican Communion, in 1954 and a year later, on December 17, 1955, he was ordained priest, both occasions at St Woolos Cathedral, Newport.

John married June Powell, whom he had met while still at school, in 1955. She was a teacher and he was a curate in the Rhymni mining valley. They then moved to Chepstow where much of his ministry was in four hospitals. His two elder children, Paul and Jenny, were born in Monmouthshire, his younger two, Katherine and Christopher, in Surrey.

John became interested in mental health and was, from 1962 to 1970, full-time chaplain to Brookwood Hospital which specialised in psychiatry. He was also a member of the conference which set the pattern for church involvement in social service.

From there he became Vicar of Christ Church Crookham, just south of Fleet, and his refurbishment of the church enabled it to become a centre for art, music and theatre. He continued to be involved with the NHS and served on health authorities for 20 years and was a member of the Mental Heath Review Tribunal. He was also chair of the Guildford Diocese Council for Social Responsibility for four years, was an adviser on the paranormal and was on the working party that set up Hampshire’s planned response to civil emergencies, following the Lockerbie disaster.

He ran retreats, chiefly at a centre run by the Divine Motherhood Franciscan sisters, and Anglican Francsicans sent tertiary (lay) members to him for spiritual direction. His own spirituality has been greatly influenced by the Benedictine tradition and he had a close association with the monks first at Nashdom Abbey, Buckinghamshire, and then at Alton. He was greatly inspired by a sabbatical in Jerusalem and Nazareth, and a study/pilgrimage across Ireland with its Celtic communities.

He became the rural dean of Aldershot and was appointed a Canon of Guildford Cathedral.

He and June retired to Farnham in 1998 but this did not stop them working. June made films with Heron Productions and they both volunteered for Talking Newspapers to read news to visually impaired people. John trained as an industrial chaplain, a role he undertook for 14 years, and after June’s death in 2014, became a chaplain to Farnham Mill Care Home. He has also continued to minister in the Parish of Badshot Lea and Hale under a succession of rectors.

During his sermon on Wednesday, delivered without notes, John reflected that like so many others, he had been called to do his part serving God, and this was important even if he hadn’t done it well. He said that “enthusiastically responded” to a wide range of ministry, but “as a Jack of so many trades” he felt he had “not carried out any of them particularly well”. The crowd at his celebration seemed to disagree with this analysis as they shared stories of his valued work over the past 70 plus years.