East London Tabernacle, in Mile End, has gained a new pastor after its former senior minister of 35 years, Dr Kenneth Brownell, retired last Autumn.
Raymond Brown (see photo), former pastor of Grace Church Brockley, was inducted at the historic Baptist church on 15 January.
Speaking at the service, next to his wife Rebekah, Brown said: ‘In the Autumn of 2020, Kenneth phoned me up and told me he was retiring after 35 years and asked if I knew anyone who would be interested in the role of senior minister. Then, almost in parting, he said maybe I should consider applying for the job as well!’
Over several Zoom-based interviews, Brown said it became ‘increasingly clear that it was the Lord’s will for me and my family to move and to be involved with this congregation.’
Brown is not new to ELT and served as the church’s assistant minister in 1998 for four years, before heading to South Africa where he served nine years at a church plant in Durban. In 2011 he returned to London and became senior minister of Grace Church Brockley, which he admitted he is sad to leave.
Speaking at his induction, John Samuel, senior pastor of Duke Street Church, Richmond, implored Brown to ‘watch your life and teaching closely’ and to become ‘triple addicted’ to the public reading, application and explanation of Scripture. He also called on the congregation to pray for Brown’s former church: ‘that they find a good man’.
ELT was the UK’s second-largest congregation in the 19th century, under the ministry of the Revd Archibald Brown, a pupil of Charles Haddon Spurgeon. After being bombed in World War II, a new smaller church was built on Burdett Road opposite Mile End Park.
Brown was born in Birmingham to West Indian parents, but lived briefly in Jamaica before settling in London. He worked as a secondary school science teacher before entering the ministry in 1998. He is married to Rebekah, with four children – Naomi (22), Nathanael (20), Natalia (18) and Noah (15).
He loves sport, cooking and reading; in particular science fiction.
Outgoing pastor Brownell said: ‘Having known Ray since he was assistant minister at ELT over 20 years ago, I am delighted that he is taking over from me. I can’t think of anyone better. As he leads the church with the other elders, his gifts as a preacher and teacher as well as his experience as a church planter will help an older church like ELT rise to the opportunities and challenges of the coming years.’
