I have received two minor shocks this week concerning the death of two old timers, who were some years older than me, who back in the day I had many dealing with but I would have been unaware of the news had not two friends (separately) pointed this out to me. The two people in question were David Iles and Geoff Hayman.

In my early teens, I became associated with Coleman Street Chapel through its Covenanter activities, which was part of the Plymouth Brethren (Open section, middle of the road leaning) but eleven years ago the work closed and the building was taken over by the Potter’s House and the new work continues to be a going concern.

Two stalwarts of that church even then were David Iles and Geoff Hayman and my involvement with both was mainly due to that connection. In the mid 1960’s, I began to be involved at the Chapel and other than a gap between 1976 and 1988 continued to do so until the Brethren part of the work closed in 2013. In the early days, it preferred to refer to itself as an assembly and the building as the Hall. In my first period 1964 – 1976 I was a regular attender (I was baptised there in 1969 and was welcomed into fellowship i.e. became a member). David Iles was the church secretary (which in PB/OB circles was often seen as the main man). I rejoined in 1988 when David was about to move on with Geoff taking on his role. I soon became involved in the leadership but was happy to defer to Geoff with his remarkable ability of keeping things going, providing a level of oversight over Chapel activities, as best he knew, contributing with his remarkable practical acumen (he was a builder / joiner).

There is much that could be said about both men and many gaps I cannot possibly fill, such as concerning their work and family life, which meant much to both. The best I can do here is reflect on John Donne’s poem (see above) and the Changing of the Guard (see below), as well as to provide my own personal tribute given that both men affected me even though, when it came to personality, gifting etc. they were very different but both left us with worthwhile legacies. I should add that when I met both men in my mid teens, I was a naughty lad and both of them rightly told me off.

Regarding David Iles, the following from Southend Echo is a handy introduction: “ILES David 18.01.1930 – 26.08.2024 He passed away peacefully at home on 26th August 2024. He was a well loved Husband, Father, Grandfather and Great Grandfather. He was a dentist in the local area for 50 years. There will be a Memorial Service on 25th September, at St Saviour’s Church, Kings Road at 4pm. All are welcome. No flowers but donations to Macmillan Nurses”. After David left Coleman Street Chapel, he became involved at St. Saviour’s church and I was told by the person who told me of David’s passing that there was a good turn out and it was an uplifting occasion. This came as no surprise. David was much involved in Christian activity as well as being a well-respected business man. I have many memories of David and saw him as someone that was intent on spreading the Word. I recall as a teenager him preaching on the sea front as well as taking services and teaching sessions. He was also much given to hospitality – he and his wife, Marion, often opened up their home to the young people and folk from the Chapel. One pleasant memory was the David Iles traditions: carols and mince pies in his home around Christmas, him giving out the hymn: “Up from the grave He arose” on Easter Sunday and him preaching on the first Sunday in the New Year. Perhaps one of his most significant activities was his leading an overseas missionary organisation and in the early seventies he was the Chair for the Dick Saunders evangelistic campaign that impacted the lives of many in the City, involving many churches outside of the PB fold. I recall spending time with him after he left the Chapel, helping me researching a book I wrote concerning its history (he also kept records and photos), including a warts and all perspective. His great grandfather, William Iles, built the Chapel (opened in 1900) with members of his family being mainstays and part of the oversight in its life up to the time the last Iles, David, left.

When Geoff left Coleman Street Chapel, where he was actively involved from the early 1960’s (or before) until it closed in 2013, he and his wife Val attended the Bournemouth Park Road United Reform Church, although they hadn’t been attending for some time for health reasons. It was from there I received the message that was passed onto them by Geoff’s son: “Geoffrey Hayman, who is one of your congregation, has passed away on Sunday 15th September 2024.  The funeral is at 2pm on Thursday 10th October 2024 at Southend Crematorium. All are welcome”. In his younger days, he felt the call to be an evangelist and joined an organization these days called “Counties”. After he left to work in the building trade, he remained a keen supporter of the work of Counties. I recall him too being a preacher in the open air (he sometimes did so with the aid of a chalk board) and him preaching the gospel message in other settings. He supported the work of Coleman Street Chapel using his practical skills and leading activities like the Boy Covenanter group. When I rejoined in 1988, Geoff was part of the leadership team and took on the main leader role after David left. He did so with diligent faithfulness including organising programs and speakers, looking after the financial side, our giving to mission, maintaining the fabric of the building and so much behind the scenes needed attention to detail. His was a no nonsense, straight talking approach that might have upset a few but did get things done. He continued to put heart and soul into serving the work of the Chapel right up to the time we decided to close. Our doing so was a huge deal. My family have good reason to remember his kind deeds towards us – as always without fuss. We much appreciated him organising a lot of my wedding to Jolly. Jolly recalls using the Hall to host a patient support group linked to her work and how helpful Geoff was in so many practical ways in making it a success. We think of his wife, Val, now in a care home, his children Andy and Christine, and his grandchildren.

Last night I attended the “Prayer for the City” event organised by Love Southend. I was in two minds whether to attend, partly as a result of my Brethren upbringing when some took the view we should not associate with Christians who were doctrinally unsound. I decided to attend, and was glad I did, to what was a well-attended and powerful event that did what was intended: pray for the City of Southend, with most attending (as far as I could see) constrained by the Love of God and the Need of the Hour. I wondered what David or Geoff might have done in my shoes? Both were keen to maintain sound doctrine and would have been uncomfortable with the compromises made by many churches to accommodate unsound doctrine and woke ideology that we are now often seeing. But both had a love for people, including the Church, where PBs are a small minority, and in their respective ways sought to encourage and practically help others. I met a number of folk at that event I have known for years and was heartened that they continue to fight the good fight of faith. Then there were many I did not know, including several much younger people. It occurred to me that in part they were building on foundations that David and Geoff helped to lay. There is indeed a changing of the guard we are now seeing and, while God buries His workmen, the work is still there to be done.