The Revd Grenville Overton: 1953-2023
‘In his leadership he embodied the Gospel’ - Tributes have been paid to the Revd Grenville Overton, the former Regional Minister Team Leader at the Southern Counties Baptist Association (SCBA), who died on 30 September aged 70
Words such as integrity, wisdom and grace have all been used to describe Grenville, with those who knew him remembering a quiet yet influential man dedicated to serving his Lord with creativity and determination.
General Secretary Lynn Green knew Grenville in many guises over the years – imparting wisdom with college students, as her Regional Minister Team Leader, as a Regional colleague and latterly serving together in national leadership for our Union.
‘Grenville’s Christlikeness and gentleness will always stand out for me,’ she said.
‘In his leadership he embodied the Gospel - love, grace, peace and servant heartedness.
‘There was no doubt that he was totally committed to our Lord and our Union. He has been greatly missed and the recent thanksgiving service for his life and ministry was a precious tribute to just how much he was loved and valued by us all, and how he had quietly touched so many of our lives.’
Born in Leicester in 1953, Grenville found faith in 1972 and was baptised later that year at Friar Lane and Braunstone Baptist Church. He was part of the leadership of the Christian Union at Nottingham Trent University, where he read Law, Economics and French from 1971-74. It was during this time he sensed a call to ministry, a call subsequently confirmed by his church and Association.
He began ministerial preparation at Bristol Baptist College in 1974, where he would meet Alison, and held a summer student pastorate at Northfields Baptist Church in Birmingham. It was during this year (1975) Grenville’s interest in Christianity beyond the UK came to the fore, when he served on the team of stewards of the World Council of Churches Assembly in Nairobi. In subsequent years he would travel widely, such as taking a sabbatical with BMS in India and Bangladesh in 1986, visiting Russia and preaching at Moscow Central Baptist Church in 1991, and visiting Georgia both in 1998 and 2009 to support the work of Baptists there. He represented the Baptist Union at the Baptist World Congress in 2010 (Vancouver) and 2015 (South Africa) and at the European Baptist Federation Council in 2016 (Estonia) and 2017 (Armenia).
Grenville married Alison in 1976, and his membership transferred to Tyndale Baptist Church, where Alison was assistant to the minister. After graduating from Bristol in 1977, Grenville joined Regent’s Park College Oxford and gained an MPhil in the New Testament with a thesis on the conversion of Paul. He and Alison were jointly ordained in 1979, after which he was called to the pastorate of Newbury Baptist Church, Berkshire with Alison serving as supplementary minister.
These years were a busy and fulfilling time, and included the birth of daughters Miriam and Lydia, and son Barny. They had the vision to plant in nearby Thatcham, which Grenville led until its constitution as Thatcham Baptist Church in 1985. He also began to take on national roles, including being elected to Baptist Union Council in 1984, and serving as a Baptist Union representative to the British Council of Churches and Free Church Federal Council from 1984-1990.
Grenville became fully involved in wider Newbury life: he chaired the town’s Council of Churches, was appointed Free Church chaplain at Newbury hospital and elected to serve on the West Berkshire Magistrates Bench, where he became Chair of the Juvenile Panel. He led the funeral service for Ian Playle, Clerk of the Court at Newbury Magistrate’s Court, a Hungerford massacre victim and a friend.
Grenville’s next pastorate was at Queens Road Baptist Church, Coventry, where he was inducted in 1999. Again he served beyond the church, joining the Heart of England Baptist Association pastoral working group mediation team, and was placed on the Supplemental List for England and Wales duties of magistrates. His commitment to mission saw him work on the Hope 08 initiative.
A common theme was that in both places Grenville shared a vision to bring the buildings into a more attractive, modern state, fit for the 21st century, and oversaw the projects without inflicting crippling debt on the churches. At one point in the process at Newbury, subsidence was discovered under the hall wall, adding a significant amount to the costs, roughly £75,000. A tense deacons' meeting led to several deacons visiting all the financial institutions in town to try to raise a loan or mortgage, to no avail. The church held a Gift Day instead, and the exact amount needed was given...
After this varied ministry Grenville was called to lead the SCBA in early 2008, a position he would hold until the end of 2016 when he had to step back due to developing health issues. Grenville would later be diagnosed with EOAD, a progressive dementia.
During his time leading the Association he made several creative and innovative appointments. He oversaw the appointment of Lynn as a regional minister alongside that of Colin Norris and Jacky Storey, a children’s, youth and families specialist. CYF remains a priority for the Association. Following Lynn’s subsequent call as General Secretary in 2013, he chose not to rush to find a replacement, but wait on the Holy Spirit. A conviction about pioneering grew, and this resulted in the calling of Ali Boulton as Pioneer Mission Enabler.
'I understand the administrative and pastoral issues are still core for us, but the future is about reaching the unreachable,' he said at the time. 'We need to find new ways of connecting, to give a new rationale about what it means to be church.'
Colin served alongside Grenville at the SCBA for several years before succeeding him as Team Leader.
He said, ‘Grenville was held in deep affection by those who knew him. His quiet, unobtrusive presence was combined with a deep strength and determination to face the challenges that came his way in his role as a regional team leader.
‘Grenville had a fine instinct for seeing beyond safe and obvious options.
‘His innovative vision and courageous approach found expression in the way SCBA made a priority of pioneer and also children, youth and family work. This was expressed in making creative appointments of people with the gifts and potential to facilitate these strategic priorities.’
Beyond local church, association, national and international life, Grenville was committed to learning, both for himself and to help others grow. He trained in mediation skills at the London Mennonite Centre and then Congregational Conflict Consulting in 1995, and gained a certificate in Peace and Reconciliation Studies at Coventry University eight years later. In 1991 he was appointed Associate Tutor at Regent’s Park College in Baptist History and Principles; and later became a Fellow of the College’s Centre for Baptist History and Heritage. He began teaching an annual course on Baptist studies at Moorlands College in 2010.
Nigel Coles, Regional Minister Team Leader at Webnet, worked alongside Grenville for several years, and gave the tribute at his funeral.
'My summary reading of Grenville’s life is one well lived,' he said. 'Grenville was not simply intelligent, having accumulated three degrees, he had something which one can never assume in anyone: wisdom.
'He pursued many interests, always around serving God and serving people, never wanting to stand still. Having accumulated knowledge, he was always developing his gifts.
'Someone commented about him: A great man whose legacy will live on in the hearts of all those he influenced, inspired, cared for and loved. He was truly impactful and walked his life journey with grace, peace and integrity.
'Such sentiments are typical rather than isolated.
'When such traits are commonly acknowledged, you realise something about a person, which is integrity - the word I would use to describe Grenville.
‘The core motivating factor behind this was his love for the Lord and his desire to serve him and to further his purposes.'
In his last years of illness Grenville kept his sense of fun, and continued to serve the Lord to the best of his ability. He took great delight in the family - Miriam and Matthew, Lydia and Alec, Barny and Katie, and eventually 11 grandchildren....Chloe, Hannah, Milly, Izzy, Reuben, Jemimah, Annie, Eric, Josie, Arthur and Poppy.
A Thanksgiving Service for Grenville's life took place at Queen's Road Baptist Church, Coventry, on Tuesday 24 October 2023. The service can be accessed on YouTube.