The Reverend Colin Powell was a very private and reserved person who kept his personal life very much to himself. His conversations were very serious and sometimes highbrow. He liked to know what people thought and would ask lots of questions about science and religion.

The Bible was always at the heart of his discussions with people and knew the scriptures very well indeed and loved greatly. He did not like what he called 'speculation' when it came to interpreting it and he kept very closely to traditional evangelical understandings. He loved reading, especially bible commentaries and history books of a wide range, though the Reformation was probably his preferred period and Martin Luther a Middle ages figure you either liked or not liked. We discussed the thinking of Luther who was a fervent anti-Semite and I came up with this: If he was anti-Semitic then he was anti-Christ. Why?, because Christ Jesus was himself a Jew. That said Luther didn't think he was in the wrong having these bigoted thoughts believing Jesus had rejected Judaism the day he died on the Cross and embraced the new order. Biographies of great Christian lives he loved too. His house always had great piles of books scattered about. For such a private person he was usually found in company, especially where a meal was concerned, when he could he avoided being on his own.

Getting back to relationships and his belonging to the one and only true friend we as believers have…Christ. In our many talks during the last 6 months he was talking about marriage, having a family and grandchildren and said” I have perhaps lost my way”. I said your strong affinity with God overtook any idea of being a family man, you didn’t lose your way. Your family were fellow believers, those of us at St. Chads, Holy Trinity Platt and far afield.

Colin thought very seriously about the priesthood in his second year at Baines Grammar School (he was 13/14) and the calling to be ordained began … He thought about saving money for his future at university and opened a Post Office savings account saving every penny he could. He did raise enough cash to help him through his studies at Durham. Then he earned a salary as a teacher for a couple of years. Throughout his teaching career however the calling never left him, the Lord was appearing, more stronger in his mind and he faithfully went to chapel every Sunday. The call to serve was tempting him more and more and he decided in 1956 to leave teaching and train to become a Priest in the Church of England. Colin loved going to church and coped with difficulty because of his failing physical health.

Up until the time came for him to go to his eternal rest with the Lord he was thinking of others and their wellbeing.. In the last half year or so of his life we drew up a list of local good causes who would benefit. The bulk of his estate was bequeated to Christian Aid and OXFAM. Causes in the South Manchester area include the Withington Hedgehog Hospital on Parsonage Rd, Withington, Withington Civic Society, ASSIST charity and the Ladybarn Community Centre.