Canon John Perry Sermon
History
In 1923, a meeting of Brisbane Rural Deans asked for public discussion concerning certain questions of Faith. A subsequent meeting discussed the need to have public lectures covering the Christian Faith, which began on a weekly basis from the 29th April 1924. Further discussion highlighted the need for a lecture forum for Clergy to attend. In June 1925 it was decided that a Clergy Summer School should be held about the second week of January 1926.
The first Summer Schools were held at the Soldiers Rest House in Coolangatta - but from 1930 the Summer School was predominantly held at the Toowoomba Boys Prep School, and from 1990 The Southport School. The programme of each Summer School includes lectures on faith, theology and the history of the Diocese – designed to encourage Clergy to study the Christian Faith, its application to daily life, and to facilitate thoughtful discussion. The management of the school continues to be administered by a special committee.
The following is noted in the minutes of the committee (5th March 1959) -
“Memorial Sermon - At the Business Meeting at Toowoomba Canon Sharwood made the suggestion that since most members arrived in time for tea on Monday evening and there was nothing organised for that eving (sic), it would be a good thing if a Sermon were preached at Evensong. This sermon might well be called the Canon Perry Memorial Sermon. The meeting felt that this was a splendid suggestion and it was left in the hands of the Chairman to invite a Priest from the Diocese of Brisbane to preach such a sermon..”
The first Memorial Sermon for Canon John Perry (who had been the Secretary for the Summer School from its inception to 1951), was held on the evening of the 18th January 1960 by Rev’d Guy Henry Darke.
John Perry - taken at St. Francis College (1910)
Canon John Perry (centre) at Clergy Summer School 1947
Sermons
List of Preachers and Schools where the Canon John Perry Sermon has been preached (to be added)
Biography
Canon John Perry (born in 1880) was initially a lay reader within the Brisbane Diocese before made a Deacon in 1911, after having obtained First Class Honours in Theology from St. Francis College. He priested in June 1912 and ministered at Laidley, Inglewood, Yarrabah Mission, West End and Oakey. On the 14th November 1918 he married Ursula, the sixth daughter of the late Archbishop of Sydney and Primate, the Most Rev’d Dr. William Saumarez-Smith.
Orsula took an active part in parish work, chiefly in the local branches for Girl’s Friendly Society, the Mothers' Union, and the Ladies' Guild. She was also connected with diocesan work as Brisbane District Secretary of the Mother’s Union, Vice-President of the G.F.S., and chair of the sports committee. She was a member of the Women’s Auxiliary of the Anglican Board of Mission, and the Weavers' Club. She and John had one son (also John) who attended the Church of England Boys' School, Toowoomba as a boarder.
Apart from his work as Secretary of the Clergy Summer School, Canon Perry lectured at St Francis College and served as the chairman of the Church Chronicle Board of Management. He was also the Rector of St. Mary's, Kangaroo Point from 1922 to 1935 and then for St. James', Toowoomba until his retirement from full-time duties in 1948.
While he and his wife official retired to Caloundra, he continued to exercise his ministry by relieving clergy due to sickness or holidays. He also acted both as the Archbishop's senior Examining Chaplain, and also assisted and supervised junior clergy with their studies.
Canon Perry passed away in 1954. A funeral Service was held in Caloundra and also at St. John's Cathedral – the latter service was attended by a large number of clergy, some having travelled 150 miles to be present.
As noted in the Church Chronicles of August 1954 - “The younger clergy always found in him a wise counsellor; and how' much they will miss that merry twinkle in his eyes, as he gave a sympathetic hearing to some intellectual or pastoral problem. He was one of those men who seemed to have an encyclopaedic knowledge which he could impart at a moment's notice, with humility and quiet inspiration.”