FAITH IN THE COMMUNITY: Marking five decades of faithful service
Last weekend (Sun 27 Sept), we gathered at St Michael and All Angels Church, Chalton, to celebrate a remarkable milestone: the 50th anniversary of Canon Terry Louden’s ordination to ministry in the Church of England. It was such a significant moment that a former Archbishop joined us!
Fifty years is an extraordinary span of service. It represents countless acts of worship, pastoral conversations, baptisms, weddings and funerals; innumerable sermons prepared and prayers offered; and a lifetime spent walking alongside people through moments of great joy and profound difficulty.
Terry’s ministry has touched communities across our area - from North End, Warren Park, and Niton and Chale on the Isle of Wight, to Cosham, East Meon and Langrish. Much of the best work of ministry is quiet and unseen, yet its impact is clear in the lives and communities shaped by it.
His contribution has also reached far beyond parish life. Terry has helped build friendships between our churches and the Anglican Church in Ghana, a connection he continues to support.
He has also played an active part in the wider life of the Church of England, offering his experience to national discussions, and helping to support the training and development of clergy across the region. These roles reflect the same steady dedication he brings to local ministry: a desire to strengthen others and to serve wherever he is needed.
For our churches in Blendworth, Chalton and Idsworth – where he settled after retiring from full‑time ministry – Terry’s presence has been especially valued.
As a relatively new vicar, I could not have asked for a better mentor. Terry has been a source of encouragement and practical wisdom: someone who understands the joys and challenges of parish ministry.
It’s not just the breadth of his experience, but the spirit in which he shares it – thoughtful, prayerful, measured, and offered without seeking the spotlight. He would also remind us that no one is perfect.
An anniversary of ordination is a moment to look back with gratitude and forward with hope. Half a century on, Terry’s ministry remains a living witness to faithfulness and service.
The service on September 27 enabled us to share memories and give thanks for Terry and others like him across our area. And it was appropriate that Archbishop Rowan Williams, who has known Terry since university, was there to preach.
ST MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS, South Lane, Chalton, Waterlooville, PO8 0DB
www.bcichurches.org.uk