Page 15 - March-April 2022 Together

TOGETHER MARCH – APRIL 2022

Other publishing ‘ I believe we shall gradually be led to
highlights of
the centenary understand it in a new way and, please God,
year are new,
specially bound to realise that there are depths of wisdom’ ANNIVERSARY
editions of
some of BRF’s
classic titles to BRF notes. At the end of the year, I began renewing the subscription
including The myself and when BRF offered lifetime subscriptions I took advantage of
People’s Bible the offer.’ After Eileen married, she lived with her husband and children
Commentary in two caravans on a farm while they saved to buy the farmhouse:
(April 2022) ‘There was no room in our trailers to store back copies of BRF notes
edited by John but shortly after we moved into our farmhouse in 1968, I started saving
Proctor, The Jesus Prayer by Simon Barrington-Ward (May 2022) and one them. I soon realised that if I wanted to refer to them, I needed to make
of BRF’s most popular books ever, The Bible in Cockney by Mike Coles an index of where to find the notes referring to various passages in the
(October 2022), alongside centenary-year Advent and Lent books Sharing Bible. I made an index of the notes that I had saved since the mid-
the Easter Story (November 2021) and Sharing the Christmas Story 1970s and to which I add at the end of each year. Now I can easily refer
(August 2022), both by Sally Welch. to notes from the past more than forty years.’

Personal stories and memories Songs of Praise
Throughout 2021, BRF reached out to supporters and subscribers, inviting The most public of
people to share stories and memories of the organisation and particularly BRF’s centenary events
its Bible reading notes. The responses were fascinating, touching and is a special edition of
humbling in equal measure. Songs of Praise, due
for broadcast while
Catharine Heron, for example, was prepared for confirmation by Leslie this issue of Together
Mannering and kindly gave BRF her original confirmation class notes for is in production. It
its archives. She remembers BRF’s founder as ‘a man with an open mind features some of BRF’s
… a lovely man, a gentle person. Very tall, very slim, very caring.’ work and the theme,
But Catharine’s fond school-day memories gave no hint of how widely not surprisingly, is the
Leslie Mannering’s work would become known. Now aged over ninety, Bible and how the Bible
she reflects: ‘He was a parish priest in Brixton, and he started writing inspires and informs Revd Kate Botley (left)
Bible study notes for his parishioners and it snowballed until it became Christians at every stage Amy Boucher-Pye (right)
what it is today. I don’t know how the snowballing came about but its in their journey of faith,
origin was a very simple parish project. It’s amazing what God can do. as well as people on the fringes of belief. The programme, filmed largely
Absolutely amazing.’ at Wycliffe Hall in Oxford, features popular BRF writer Amy Boucher Pye
talking to the Revd Kate Bottley.
Other memories came from Beryl Fudge, for whom BRF Bible reading
notes have been a part of virtually her whole life. She remembers Looking forward
going with her mother to BRF’s Silver Jubilee service in Westminster Karen Laister, BRF’s Head of Marketing, Communications and Strategic
Central Hall, in the presence of Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, and Relationships, is another staffer with over thirty years’ experience with
Princess Margaret. BRF. Well known in the Christian booksellers and publishers’ world, she
has observed the importance of the Bible and Christian books for those
who have struggled with the pandemic and needed to draw strength
Queen Mother at the Westminster Hall 1947
from their faith and walk with Jesus. She has also seen that others
have been inspired to action by the impact of Covid-19 and have
sought out Christian resources to equip them in their – often evolving
– ministry during the past two years. She adds: ‘BRF has worked
incredibly hard to meet the needs of our readers and subscribers,
adapting quickly to changing circumstances. The feedback from people
has been extraordinary, but we know we couldn’t have done what we’ve
done without our friends and colleagues in Christian bookshops across
the country.’
Shortly before the Silver Jubilee service in 1947, founder Leslie
Mannering wrote in words as relevant now as then:
‘Supposing we could look ahead over another twenty-five years, I
wonder what the position of the Bible might be then? … I believe we
shall gradually be led to understand it in a new way and, please God,
to realise that there are depths of wisdom, as yet hidden, in the Bible
which this present age has hardly begun to glimpse.’
And Eileen Herman, who was brought up on a remote farm in southern
Saskatchewan, Canada, during the drought and depression years of the The work of BRF continues.
1930s, recalls: ‘Since there was no Sunday School, I was enrolled in the
Sunday School By Post, operated by the diocese, until I graduated from For regularly updated information about BRF’s centenary, go to:
high school and began attending teachers’ college in the city. A volunteer https://www.brf.org.uk/centenary
in charge of the Sunday School By Post gave me a year’s subscription
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