The Revd Michael John Collis: 1933-2025 

'A faithful servant of God, who always tried to unite people and encourage and develop others'

Michael John Collis was born on 12 July 1933 to George and Elsie Collis at the Old Queen Charlotte Hospital London. Three years later dad's sister Elizabeth was born. 

Dad's childhood was filled with many wonderful family times living in Kent and then Suffolk when they took the family caravan away to Ramsgate, Wales and the Lake District. 

Dad's life was saved by following his mum's instructions while on a holiday in Devon during the war. Devon a safe holiday destination turned out to be far from safe and one evening his mum told him to hide under the kitchen table. The bomb dropped next door and all their lives were ended but dad's family were all ok. 

At the age of 13 a letter dad wrote quoted Shakespeare who said all the world s a stage and  all the men and women are merely players; they have their exits and their entrances and one man in his time plays many parts.

Dad definitely went on to play many parts in his life. He wrote at the same time, the most important principle in my life is to live like Jesus Christ the most perfect man who has ever lived. I believe Christ died on the cross in order to save me a sinner. 

During Dad's schooling he was evacuated  from Kent to Northamptonshire to Corton Hall. Here the boys slept with Van Dyke pictures on the the walls, not a usual boarding school situation.

Dad slowly adapted to boarding school but not all subjects. He went on to get a bachelor of science and then a PhD in chemistry at the Chelsea polytechnic, and was a life long member of the Royal Society of Chemistry for 70 years. At the end of the war the school had a huge bonfire. 

In 1958 dad went to USA to work in Ohio university teaching chemistry. 
Dad s loyalty showed when he moved back to the UK even though Ohio wanted to keep him, but this eventually paid off as he moved to Sale where he met mum - Anne Lomas. They were married at Sale Baptist Church on 17 July 1965.

At 6ft6 and 4ft9 they made a unique couple. The minister at their wedding service encouraged them to have undivided devotion to the Lord. If they had that, he said, we can then love and serve and show hospitality. That for me that summed mum and dad up throughout their marriage. This then brought them  four children, eight grandchildren and three great-grand children. Elizabeth, their first born, died as a baby.
 
In the early part of their marriage dad worked for Shell as a research chemist, living in Kingston-upon-Thames. It was after fostering teenagers dad felt called into the ministry. Dad rejected a higher promotion at Shell and took to training at Spurgeon's and working with Hampton Wick Baptist Church.

Dad then went on to serve for 47 years  as  a minister in Hertford, Stafford and retiring to Sarn in 1998. During these years many deep friendships were formed. 

Over the years dad has written many articles and historic documents about Baptist history. The latter started only because he wanted to help a friend. Some of the various articles dad wrote include one on Miss Anne Davies Lodwick, the first woman Baptist minister to serve Wales to the local history of Radnorshire and Montgomeryshire Baptist churches. He also wrote a chapter on unity of spirit and bond of peace for the Baptist Union of Wales and its English-language churches, 1866-2016. 

In 1997 Dad became a member of the order of St Luke and to the very end enjoyed joining them online for prayer and in recent years an online Bible study organised by Pentref Chapel. 

Dad had such a dry sense of humour and his awkwardness was outweighed by kindness, gentleness, self control, and his positivity was catching. Dad had so many medical issues but apparently his life only got a bit challenging the day before he died as he told his sister on the phone.

Dad was a faithful servant of God, had a humble, thankful heart and was filled with gracious gratitude Even his last words were 'thank you'. He always tried to unite people and encourage and develop others, and was delighted when under his ministry God called his servants into full time ministry both in the UK and abroad.

Dad learnt many new skills after mum's death in June 2019, and on 28 April God called dad home from his earthly home in Wales where he dearly loved and served the community to the end. 

To God be the glory. 
 

Vicki Nankivell, Andrew Collis, Justin Collis