The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit was founded in 1946 by Canon Raphe Peacey, Canon of Bristol Cathedral and Diocesan Director of Ordinands. It was modelled on a similar fellowship that he had founded while Principal of Bishop’s College, Calcutta. The aim of the Fellowship was to help clergy to keep their ordination vows, providing them with a simple rule of life, the prayer support of the Fellowship, and an annual corporate retreat.
Raphe was not the Charismatic that the name of the Fellowship might suggest. Instead he believed passionately that the Holy Spirit was to be experienced in the sacramental, ministerial and corporate life of the Church of England. This is reflected in the Fellowship Prayer and in the hymn Raphe wrote for the Fellowship “Filled with the Spirit’s power with one accord”.
Originally based at St Thomas’ Bristol, the Fellowship quickly established Abbey House, Glastonbury, as its spiritual home. All but a handful of the annual retreats have been held Glastonbury. The Celtic and Benedictine heritage of Glastonbury has helped form the spirituality of the Fellowship across the years. Since the closure of Abbey House for residential retreats in 2018, the Fellowship has continued its pilgrimage and purpose.
Founded over 70 years ago to support the ordained ministry, the Fellowship has embraced the evolving nature of ministry in the Church of England. In ethos the Fellowship has always been inclusive welcoming of a broad spectrum of church traditions. In a similar spirit the Fellowship was quick to welcome as members women in the ordained ministry and licensed lay ministers.
Today the Fellowship’s members include those who have served in the Diocese of Bristol and who have now moved on to other diocese. Membership is open to all clergy and licensed lay ministers of the Church of England, either as full members, or as friends and guests at events.
Our Founder
John Raphael Peacey was born on 16th July 1896 in Hove, Sussex. Raphe’s early education was at St. Edmund’s School in Canterbury. He joined the army during World War I as a lieutenant in the Sussex Royal Garrison Artillery, serving in France from 1915-1918. For his service he was awarded the Military Cross.
After the war he went up to Selwyn College, Cambridge, to study Theology. During his time at Cambridge he made his first class debut as a cricketer, batting for Sussex against Cambridge University in 1920. In 1921 he made two further appearances against Warwickshire and Oxford University, and in 1922 again against Cambridge University. Raphe graduated with a First Class Honors B.A. in 1922, with an M.A. in 1926.
Raphe Peacey served his Curacy at Selwyn College after his ordination as deacon in 1922 and priest in 1923. After teaching for a year at Wellington College, he returned to Selwyn College, as Dean, Precentor and Fellow from 1923-1927. He was then appointed headmaster at Bishop Cotton School in Shimla, India where he remained until 1935, when he became Principal of Bishop’s College, Calcutta staying there until 1945
He returned to England after World War II, to serve as Canon at Bristol Cathedral and Director of Ordinands for the diocese. Upon his retirement to Sussex in 1966, Raphe Peacey assumed the position of acting Rural Dean of Hurst. He died in on 31st October 1971 at Hurstpierpoint in Sussex.
Fellowship of the Holy Spirit 