Christians Together : SCP leader interviewed by the BBC

Editor (23/02/2011 08:29)

Pastor Maxine Hargreaves Promoted to Glory

Pastor (Revd) Maxine Hargreaves, born Zola Maxine Williams on 25 September 1960 in Montego Bay, Jamaica; founder of Hephzibah Christian Centre in Kingsland Road Hackney, died at home at approximately 1:50pm on Thursday 10 February 2011 surrounded by family and friends.

Pastor Maxine came to England from Jamaica at the age of seven (7) and lived with her family in Thistlewaite Road (Lower Clapton) Hackney, London. As an adult she lived in Wrens Park Estate (Upper Clapton), Hackney, London for over twenty (20) years.

The church Pastor Maxine founded, Hephzibah Christian Centre, has for the past 18 years played a major role in Hackney’s community life sponsoring major events in the borough, providing shelter and practical help for the homeless, establishing the borough’s first Internet café in 1998, and helping hundred’s of residents back into employment through the Hephzibah Intro-Net Project (working in collaboration with Reed New Deal). Pastor Maxine Hargreaves, was also leader of Hackney’s church leaders fraternal, organising and sponsoring regular breakfast meetings for Hackney pastors of all denominations. In 2003 Pastor Maxine and her husband, Revd George Hargreaves, launched the award winning independent Christian school, the East London Christian Choir School, which is currently negotiating with the Government to become a Free School in September 2012.

Pastor Maxine actively supported her husband’s political endeavours standing for election as a Christian Party candidate at borough Council, Greater London Assembly, Westminster and European Union Parliamentary levels.

In April 2007 Pastor Maxine led the Christian Party’s ‘Mission to Scotland’, which saw a number of Black Majority Church members combine ministry with political activism in the run up to the Scottish Parliamentary elections. She herself led the mission to the Western Isles.

In December2007, she refused to pull out of the Springfield Ward Council elections in Hackney despite having undergone brain surgery to remove a malignant tumour and being diagnosed with a rare liver condition. Unbeknown to the other candidates she was hospitalised throughout the entire campaign. Again in May 2010 she stood in the General Election despite her chronic illness. Her nomination papers were submitted while she was in hospital and she spent the campaign convalescing. She believed that “she had to stand for Christ, no matter what.”

Pastor Maxine Hargreaves held a BSc degree in Psychology from Guildhall University, a Diploma in Theology from Overstone College and a Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Theology from Oxford University. She was a noted Bible teacher and preacher.

Pastor Maxine Hargreaves is survived by her husband Revd George Hargreaves, and her sons Marlon and Nicky.

olufemi fatoye (Guest) (26/04/2012 17:30)

i will always love you PM. You are the gate through which the Holy Spirit got me to understand
Righteousness in Christ Jesus. @ Rev. Chris Delvan's The New Life Assembly Church, Kaduna, Nigeria.April 2005RIay Hassall (Guest) (09/05/2012 20:02) I am strictly atheist yet have great admiration for the tremendous hard work and dedication of Mr & Mrs Hargreaves. I have known George for some time and would like to congratulate him for his steadfast hard work in promoting what he deeply believes in. REGARDS

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