John Methuen

John Alan Robert Methuen (14 August 1947 – 18 July 2010[1]) was an Anglican priest.

Early life

Methuen was born on 14 August 1947 and educated at Eton College, St John's School, Leatherhead and Brasenose College, Oxford.[2][3]

Religious career

He was ordained in 1972 and was a curate at Fenny Stratford, after which he was appointed chaplain of Eton College.[4] He was subsequently vicar of St Mark's Reading[5] then rector of The Ascension, Hulme.[6] While in Hulme he sheltered asylum seeker Viraj Mendis for over two years (December 1986 to January 1989). It was during Fr John Methuens time in Hulme Manchester that he helped to guide many young men looking towards Ordination gain valuable parish experience in what was a very troubled area of Manchester, with its high unemployment, cockroach invested housing as well as serious drink and drug issues and the violence that sadly often goes hand in hand with such activities. It was through Fr Johns actions and not just platitudes that showed to many a Church that did actually place into practice the teachings of Christ in its care for the poor and downtrodden in our society. The idea of The Church that mighty tortoise was more than what many may have seen it to be through the BBC broadcast of the Sunday morning church services. It was through the actions that I saw by this Priest that brought me into the Church of the Ascension. He was doing all that he could to save my friend Viraj Mendis from a death sentence that almost certainly awaited him through his (Viraj Mendis) support of the Tamil people in his home country of Sri Lanka. I having been brought up as a good Irish Catholic had never entered a protestant church in my life. I was amazed that its service was the same as my own Catholic Church and it was through Fr John that I looked to be entered into the Anglo-Catholic Church. Bridget Fr Johns wife was a teacher at the local primary school in Hulme and I always saw them as a perfect match each supporting each other in love and respect. It was from The Ascension that I ended up visiting The Corrymeala foundation working to bring peace and understanding to the youth of the six counties of Ireland during the time commonly known as the troubles.

His next appointment was as Dean of Ripon in 1995. A divisive figure, he was facing 21 charges of misconduct before a consistory court, but resigned in 2005 before the cases came to court.[7]

Later life

After Ripon, he retired to London where he lectured and attended seminars and tours. His funeral service was held at Saint Bartholomew the Great, Smithfield, London.

References

1. Diocesan press release Archived 2011-08-26 at the Wayback Machine
2. Who's Who2008: London, A & C Black, 2008 ISBN 978-0-7136-8555-8.
3. "The Reverend John Methuen".
4. Crockford's clerical directory Lambeth, Church House, 1976 ISBN 0-19-200008-X.
5. Obituary, Daily Telegraph, p. 27, 27 July 2010.
6. "index".
7. "Wine, women and evensong: Claims that rocked cathedral".

Church of England titles
Preceded by Christopher Campling	Dean of Ripon 1995–2005	Succeeded by Keith Jukes