Teddington Conference

God kindly provided for me on my recent trip to London. I was wandering about Richmond Upon Thames, looking for the park in which I might sit and read, when I passed Bethlehem Chapel. Its noticeboard advertised a church history conference happening that very day in a little over a half-hour’s time at Christ Church, Teddington, somewhere I had never heard of. I looked on my phone to assess how far away it was (2-3 miles) and located a bus that took me to that town. Although I arrived ten minutes late (something I loathe), I was treated to Rev Dominic Stockford, Chairman of the Protrestant Truth Society and minister at Christ Church, delivering a talk on Sir John Oldcastle, the fourteenth-century Lollard leader. Following on, Dr Ian Densham spoke on Calvin & Worship. I was due to travel home the next day, and I had nowhere to go until 7pm when the next speaker (Rev Geoff Thomas on Gresham Machen) was to begin, so I retired to my hotel and packed my bags. Had I been blessed to attend the day following, I would have heard:

Rt Rev Edward Malcolm on “A brief history of the Anglo-Saxon Church”

Rev Ian Densham on “Doddridge & Preaching”

Rev Geoff Thomas on “The Reformers & Christian Piety”

I generally avoid missing the Lord’s Day at Martin Top when I holiday, which inevitably requires an early Saturday departure, but next year, I should dearly love to tarry longer. I met some very agreeable people and was afforded a little gospel fellowship in that great and godless metropolis we call our capital. Evangelical, Protestant Christianity may have lost its integrity and clout in modern Britain, but it draws from a fine heritage, of which this conference offered pleasant reminder.