In the pulpit for 50 years

From the Oxford Mail, first published Monday 17th Apr 2006.

He was ordained 52 years ago and yesterdayEaster Sun marked his 49th Easter Day service at one Oxford church.

With his 80th birthday less than three weeks away, Rev James Cocke is one of England's oldest working priests and the oldest in the Diocese of Oxford, which covers Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.

There are others older than him who have retired and continue to work part-time and in other church roles, but Mr Cocke is England's sixth eldest paid vicar still working full-time.

Despite reaching national retirement age almost 15 years ago, Mr Cocke is said by his congregation at All Saints Church in Highfield, Headington, to be as inspirational as the day they first met him.

Church of England spokesman Ben Wilson said it was a fantastic achievement for Mr Cocke to still be in charge of a parish as he approached his 80th, but it was even more "amazing" that he had been at the same church for nearly 50 years.

Mr Wilson said: "The fact that next year Rev Cocke will have been at All Saints for 50 years is really quite unusual and something which deserves celebrating itself."

Born in Banbury on May 3, 1926, Mr Cocke also known as Jim left school in 1944 to volunteer for the Army. By the time his training at the Armoured Corps at Bovington, Dorset, the Second World War had finished and he was transferred to the Royal Army Educational Corps.

He returned to Oxford in 1948 to read modern history at Wadham College. He found his calling to the ministry after starting to attend St Aldate's Church regularly.

Mr Cocke went on to train for the ministry at the former Wells Theological College, Somerset.

He was ordained in 1952 and carried out his curacy at Christchurch, Hampshire, before becoming vicar of All Saints in 1957.

He is known among the church's congregation for his support of Headington schools, love of classical music and literature.

Church warden Joy Bithellok met Mr Cocke, who is married with four children, 17 years ago when her son Julian Littlewood, then a 14-year-old student at Oxford's Magdalen College School, was learning to play the organ.

Mother and son have both been attending the church ever since and Mr Littlewood, 31, is now its organist and lives only a few doors away from Mr Cocke in Old Road, Headington.

Mrs Bithell said: "Jim is a great family man and is an inspiration to the church. He has done so much good work over the years. He loves beautiful things religion, music, literature and great vision, and that reflects on the church and the congregation."

All Saints' Church was founded in 1910, and in its first 46 years had five different vicars. This was to change when Mr Cocke arrived. He puts his long incumbency down to his desire to settle at the church and added: "There has been great development in the church over the years."

On Sunday, May 7, he will join friends at a tea party at All Saints parish hall to celebrate his birthday, followed by an evening service at which his friend, theologian and former Christ Church Cathedral Subdean Canon John Fenton, will preach.

q=csamantha.simpson@nqo.com In 2002, people travelled from across England to the church after Mr Cocke invited his friend and then newly-appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, to preach.

The previous year, he had one of his sermons 'The Glory of God', which he wrote for Christian Aid about how Christians show their affiliation with God by holding street collections for the world's poor, published in The Times Book of Sermons. VETERANS for panel THE Church of England said the country's oldest stipendiary vicar of a parish, not yet retired, was 84-year-old Rev Trevor Thorpe, vicar of North Weald, Epping.

England's other "older" vicars include: l+3oRev Dennis Sneath, 82, Vicar of Camp Hill with Galley Common, Nuneaton l+3oRev Edward Underhill, 81, Vicar of St George's, Gateshead l+3oRev John Vine, 81, Vicar of St Cuthbert's, Earl's Court l+3oRev Leslie Virgo, 80, Vicar of Chelsfield, Kent l+3oRev Noel Rogers, 80, Vicar of Rostherne, Cheshire Bishop takes his final Easter service f=85 Helvetica Heavy l=8.5q=lTRIBUTE: The Bishop at his retirement service at Christ Church Cathedral last week of=Helvetica s=6Picture: Name Order No. XXXXo HUNDREDS of people packed into Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, yesterdaySun, April 16 to witness the Bishop of Oxford conduct his final Easter service before retiring.

The Rt Rev Richard Harries gave two sermons marking the importance of Easter Day in the Christian calendar.

It was his final Easter service before he retires on June 2, his 70th birthday, after 19 years in service as bishop with the Diocese of Oxford.

In an Easter message, the Rt Rev Harries gave a blessing to everyone in the diocese and said he hoped Christians would rise to the challenge of those who questioned the resurrection.

He said: "As Christians, we needn't be frightened of the challenging questions. We have enough to go on so that with Christians throughout the world we can say Christ is risen. I hope in your church this Easter you will say it with a shout."

Last Tuesday, more than 1,000 people filled Christ Church Cathedral for a farewell service held for the Bishop.

A portrait of him by artist Charlotte Harris was unveiled and he was presented with the proceeds of a collection from all parishes in the diocese.

The portrait will hang alongside portraits of previous bishops at Diocesan Church House in North Hinksey.

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