Moderator
Moderator of the General Assembly 2006 - 2007
The Revd Elizabeth Caswell
Elizabeth was born in Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire
in 1947, the daughter of Ray and Barbara Partridge who were active members
of Park Road Congregational Church (now Gracechurch URC). Her father was
Church Secretary for the last ten years of his life.
Aged eleven Elizabeth attended Wentworth College in
Bournemouth, and during this time worshipped regularly at Richmond Hill. Her
interest in drama developed, including school plays and local festivals. She
gained distinction in Grade VIII of the Associated Board of the Royal
Schools of Music Speech and Drama examinations.
At the same time her faith was developing, largely as
the result of enforced inactivity caused by breaking a leg, which gave time
and space for discovering the Bible and the God of whom it speaks: her
inherited faith became personal. A sense of call to ministry followed,
fostered by the inspirational ministry of the Revd Fred Holley. Elizabeth
graduated from Manchester University in 1968, having been an active member
of the Christian Union and the University Drama Group. There followed a gap
year when she worked as a housemother at a children's reception centre in
Birmingham, followed by a summer as a grocer's delivery driver. She was also
an active member of the Warwickshire Lay Preachers' Association.
From 1969 to 1973 Elizabeth trained for ministry at
New College, London, graduating in 1972, and then serving for her final year
as student assistant to the Revd Ron Rocking at Hindes Road, Harrow.
Elizabeth and fellow-ordinand Graham were married in 1971 and settled in
East Finchley, Graham's first pastorate. After Elizabeth's ordination the
churches of Junction Road and Holloway were added to form a joint pastorate.
They were both actively involved in the Thames North Synod's renewal
initiative, "Come Alive!", and Elizabeth also worked with the Finchley World
Development group. Their elder son John was born in 1978.
In 1980 they accepted a call as joint ministers, on a
job-sharing basis, of Herringthorpe and Elsecar, in South Yorkshire. Their
younger son David was born that year. During the sixteen years that followed
local ministry was combined with service to the District Council and the
Synod, including mission enabling, and committed membership of Churches
Together in Rotherham. Elizabeth represented Yorkshire Synod on the URC
executive and Mission Council, and served on the Forward Policy Group. She
was also a comprehensive school governor, and worked to help found the
Rotherham branch of CRUSE. In 1991 she was Chaplain to Assembly Moderator,
Revd Malcolm Hanson. From 1995-1999 she was Convener of the Assembly
Discipleship and Witness Committee.
The family moved to Cambridge in 1997 when Elizabeth
became Moderator of the Eastern Synod. In recent years she has served on the
Nominations Committee, the Retired Ministers' Housing Committee and the
Rural Strategy Group. She also convened the Youth and Children's Work
Review. For three years she chaired the Cambridgeshire Ecumenical Council,
followed by three years as Chair of Churches Together in Essex and East
London.
Elizabeth's work has always been grounded in her twin
concerns for mission and for ecumenism. In 2005 she was made an ecumenical
Canon of Chelmsford Cathedral.
Relaxation comes from dog walking,
reading, watching television drama, eating with family and friends, and
sight-seeing. Watercolour painting is a hobby still at a very early stage.
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