Sharing Memories of The Highbury Centre

As The Highbury Centre prepares to close its doors to guests, people from all over the world have shared their favorite memories of their time here. From quiet mornings to conversations over shared meals, these reflections capture the genuine warmth and community that defined The Highbury Centre. While this season is coming to an end, these memories serve as a lasting testament to a place that served those who served the Lord.

I took 12 months leave from my teaching job in Australia and landed in London in January 1980. Within a couple of weeks, I had procured some temporary work as a security guard at The British Museum. I was at that time booked in at The Foreign Missions Club for a couple of weeks while I looked for 'digs' in London.

But I liked it there, and with some trepidation, asked Mr Hewitt if I could stay on for a couple of months. He looked me over, and very kindly said I could.  I developed a good 'working' relationship with him and helped out a bit where I could.

During my stay, from the end of January to 25 April, I became good friends with some Norwegians who were studying English at a language school in London. And particularly with a lovely young woman named Anne Margrete.

Mr Hewitt obviously discerned what was happening and arranged for our napkin rings (which determined where you sat for breakfast and dinner) to be often side-by-side.

To cut a long story short, we were married in Australia in 1982. We've both been active in the 5 churches we have attended since our marriage. We are SO thankful, that two people from the opposite sides of this planet met at FMC and are sad to hear of its closing. In 1995 we went back to London and stayed with our two boys at the Foreign Missions Club. We've been back in 2015 as well. It holds wonderful memories for us.

We thank God for the role it has played in our Christian journey.

Blessings to all who have worked and stayed there

When I was just 16 I joined the housekeeping staff, later I was trained to take over the kitchen from Grace. I made many life long friends. As a young Christian I loved talking with the guests and learning from them. A real privilege. 

Edel from Germany, Greet Bos from Holland, me from the Isle of Wight, and behind is Jim from Glasgow. Greet became a Christian while at the club. It was a highlight of my life. We became lifelong friends, spending a week every year together. She has since passed and has gone to be with our Lord.

"So sorry to hear this! We have availed ourselves of the accommodation offered on numerous occasions since the early '80s, when we were a young couple taking a break in London, through other times when we were returning missionaries from Italy, and then as a pastor here in the UK while attending conferences in London. We always enjoyed our stays there. We even did a major missions rethink there as a Leadership Group from GLO Europe—that was probably about 15 years ago. We are truly sorry that it is closing and are praying for God's guidance for the way forward."

"The Foreign Missions Club has certainly been a joyous part of my life, both as a missionary kid and later as a missionary. We stayed there in 1963 for two weeks when my parents, along with five children, were on our way to Ghana (from the U.S.) to serve with Wycliffe Bible Translators. It was at that time that the assassination of John F. Kennedy took place, and I remember my parents gathering with staff and guests for a prayer meeting.

During those rainy November weeks, we kids found ways to entertain ourselves, and I have to confess that we took to sliding down the banisters (there were lots of them!), always with one of us looking out for staff members. Years later, when my parents served as missionaries in Japan, I stayed there as an 18-year-old on my way to Capernwray Bible School in northern England.

Fast-forward: my husband and I were (and still are) missionaries in Germany, and we stayed there a few times—one instance being when many Christians came to London at the time of the King’s coronation to pass out Gospel tracts. What a delight to meet others over breakfast who had come for the same purpose!

How grateful we have been for The Highbury Centre and its service to the body of Christ. We are certain you are following God’s leading in your decision to close. May He give wisdom with all the details. Many thanks!! Claudia Chase Aanderud"  

"I believe it was in 1991 when my husband James and I visited the Highbury Centre. My husband had had a miraculous encounter with Jesus. He came from a criminal lifestyle into the Kingdom of God. He had tried to escape from a Dutch prison and suffered a long fall toward his death. Supernaturally he did not die, but went into a coma. During that time, he had an encounter with the kingdom of hell, but God pulled him out into heaven, where he fell on his knees before Jesus and begged for forgiveness. He woke up out of the coma in a Dutch prison hospital, where he asked for a Bible.

This attempt to escape placed him in a wheelchair, with doctors saying he would never walk again. James and I got married in prison. But God healed him on the first morning we woke up together on our honeymoon after James was released from prison. I will never forget his response when he was asked to pray before we all had our breakfast at the Highbury Centre. He felt so honored—he could hardly believe he was asked to pray. The Highbury Centre was one of our first adventures together in freedom.

I am sad the lovely house is closing. Thank you for everything, and a big God bless you. James has been with Jesus now since 2009. We got married in 1990 and were together for 18 and a half years."

Here is the polished version with corrected spelling, grammar, and punctuation while preserving your beautiful narrative, emotion, and personal voice:

"I stayed there for one night back in 2005. I had just finished volunteering in Jerusalem for one month with Bridges for Peace. My return flight back to the US required an overnight layover in London—as a volunteer I was responsible for all of my expenses, so this ticket was the least expensive.

I had planned on sleeping in a chair overnight in the airport until my 11:00 am flight the next day. However, another dear volunteer in Israel—she was from Switzerland—told me about The Highbury Centre. This is how I came to stay with you.

I arrived at your door after closing and in the dark. The door was locked; however, a group of women who were staying there happened along just after I arrived and entered the code to unlock the door. My name and room number were on the whiteboard behind the front desk, and one of the ladies showed me where my room was—the key was in the door.

Although my stay was only one night, it touched my heart in such a big way. Leaving Jerusalem had been so difficult—it felt like leaving home and family.

My mind's eye can still recall what my room looked like, with the bed, sink, and water kettle. To this day, I am sure it was the most comfortable bed I've ever slept in, and in the morning, another whiteboard outside of your dining hall had my assigned seating. How thoughtful of you to seat me with a family so I wasn't dining alone! After breakfast, this dear family walked me to my train station.

So for my one night in London, our dear Heavenly Father took me to a safe, loving place to rest. In the morning He fed me and then deposited me at my train station. His mercy endures forever.

Thank you all for answering Him when you were called to serve at the Centre. You showed His love in such an extraordinary way that will never be forgotten. May your next season be blessed as you continue your walk with our Lord."

"I'm sorry to hear that you will be closing at the end of October. I have stayed there many, many times in the last twenty-three years and have always found a warm welcome, a comfortable room, and an excellent breakfast! The Christian ethos is an important plus as well, and it is a delight to sense this whenever I stay there. It has also been a chance to meet new people and have good conversations. Once, I even met someone whom I had known slightly many years before, over in Australia!

May the Lord guide the Trustees as they consider the next steps. If possible, please do keep me posted."

"I have so many memories of staying at what was once called the Foreign Missions Club, and later, of course, The Highbury Centre. My parents were missionaries with MAF in the Sudan and came to England to adopt me from the Mission of Hope. I was brought to The Highbury Centre right after 'collection.' Over the years we came back to stay, and I remember Miss Angus and Miss Dawes—and even visiting one of them when she was living in the apartment at the bottom of the garden. As a young girl, I can remember running into the kitchen and asking for treacle pudding with custard.

I have always enjoyed the atmosphere and meeting people over meals from all walks of life, and I am sorry to see it go. When I have visited in recent years, it has felt like coming home for many reasons—even the walk through the park to the Underground feels right—and I look forward to how the charity will reform and move forward.

Thank you so much for serving us so very well over the years. I am deeply grateful to God for your active presence in London and am aware of how you have ministered to Christian workers and others from all over the world."