The Revd Vernon Frederick (Fred) George MBE: 1943-2025
‘Relentless in challenging racial injustice’ - the Revd Frederick George was a long-serving Baptist minister who became the first Asian-born individual to serve as President of the Baptist Union (1997-98), and was awarded an MBE in recognition of his charitable work
The Revd Vernon Frederick (Fred) George MBE was a pioneer in helping our Union’s understanding of racial justice issues, including successfully advocating for a national racial justice officer. His presidential theme ‘Take the Risk’ was focused in part on combatting racial injustice, and his work in this area led to his being the recipient in 2009 of the first ever Baptist Union of Great Britain racial justice award.
Locally he had a 40-year ministry as the minister of East Barnet Baptist Church, his only pastoral charge, where he was described by wife Hilary as ‘a man of prayer and action… faith and vision’.
He oversaw the rebuilding of the church after a fire burnt it down in April 1980, and was instrumental in founding The Friend-in-Need Community Centre in 1982 to serve the needs of the local community. Many churches sent representatives to see how it operated. Over time, the centre entered a contract with the local authority to provide day care for vulnerable adults.
His expertise in care in the community led to him being appointed in 1999 by the then Labour Health Minister Frank Dobson as one of the first non-executive directors of NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence). Fred also wanted to give something back to his homeland, and in 1998 founded the Still Waters Trust Society to support vulnerable children in Sri Lanka. The charity continues today.
In 2010 he was awarded an MBE for services to Barnet and to Sri Lanka and in recognition of his charitable work.
Speaking at his Thanksgiving Service on 23 September, Hilary described Fred as a man of ‘practical love and kindness, who preached about the importance of hospitality and inclusivity.’
‘He would drop everything when called upon,’ she said, ‘whether to help repair or purchase a vehicle, to help with painting and decorating or to support people in distress.
‘He worked hard to encourage the congregation to be inclusive and he fought against racism. He was a man for everyone.
‘He was above all a man of faith and vision. He trusted his Lord and Saviour for everything.’
Fred was born in Sri Lanka in 1943 to first generation Christian parents and spent his childhood and early life in the suburbs of Columbo.
There he was nurtured and challenged by the proclamation of the gospel at Cinnamon Gardens Baptist Church. He recalled hearing in his early teens the summons of Jesus to deny oneself and take up the cross and follow. Going home he was initially convinced that he was not prepared to do so, that such a notion was far too risky. But over the course of the few years that followed, he found himself captivated by the extraordinary call of God to ‘take the risk’, a conviction that would inform his Baptist Union presidency 40 years later.
He was baptised and led the Christian Endeavour group at Cinnamon Gardens, as well as providing enthusiastic leadership for the Baptist youth movement across Sri Lanka.
There followed the testing and affirmation of a call to Christian ministry, which brought him to Britain, first to Bristol and then to train for ministry at Spurgeon's College from 1964 to 1968. He was accepted into Spurgeon’s by its then Principal George Beasley-Murray, and once there met future General Secretary David Coffey.
‘I was a fellow student of Fred, and since our college rooms were nearby, we often spent time together,’ David recalled. ‘He was a clear thinker and enjoyed debating—sometimes quite vigorously—on a wide range of topics, especially on issues of racial justice.’
Fred was ordained at East Barnet Baptist Church in November 1969. It was not an easy start: he was the only non-white face in the church and attempts to introduce change were thwarted. A breakthrough came in 1978, when the church began to get involved in its community, and he would spearhead many areas of change and growth. His ministry at East Barnet was ‘highly successful,’ noted David.
The transformative impact of this ministry came to be felt not only in the local congregation and the community, but throughout the structures and councils of the London Baptist Association and the Baptist Union nationally.
From 1988 Fred began to get involved in wider Baptist life, joining the Social Action Committee and the Racial Justice Task Group. This saw him begin to get more active in tackling racial injustice, which he had many experiences of in England.
Pat White was the moderator of the Racial Justice Working Group, as it became known, and worked closely with Fred, who served as the group's deputy moderator.
She said, 'He was just so formidable with getting us to face up to some of the issues within our denomination. He had that sort of command where he would say something and people would listen and take it seriously.'
During his presidential year Fred highlighted the lack of resources in the Baptist Union for tackling racism and lamented the lack of a national role on the issue. As a person of colour, from the stage of the Baptist Assembly, he named perhaps for the first time, ‘the hurt, pain, anger and brokenness of those who have for generations been marginalised and abused on grounds of race and colour.’ He called the Assembly to ‘a repentance that leads to active reconciliation.’ (1)
'Fred spoke with such gentle authority and yet often also with a controlled passion,' said Michael Bochenski, who served as Baptist Union President in 1999, two years after Fred. 'A calm but determined man opening up the doors to fresh understanding of racism in British society and within the Baptist Union itself.'
In January 1999, the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) held an 'International Summit of Baptists against Racism and Ethnic Conflict' in Atlanta. Fred insisted a UK team attend to represent the Baptist Union. The four strong team returned with several resolutions, including one to appoint a racial justice secretary. This was approved and Fred was central to determining the roles and responsibilities of the post, and subsequent job description. The process resulted in the appointment of Wale Hudson-Roberts in 2002.
Fred's impact extended in other ways at the Baptist Assembly (‘I remember attending the Baptist Assembly, year after year after year and being able to count the number of non-white people on my fingers, and thinking there is something radically wrong here,’ he once said.) He was insistent that speakers and books were representative of the growing multicultural life in the denomination, that the Racial Justice Working Group had a stand, and he led workshops on the issues. Regionally he was also involved in a forum supporting Black and Asian Baptist ministers.
'Fred's impact on ensuring that the Union's racial justice work was established was immense,' continued Pat. 'He was just a wonderful colleague.'
In 2009 Fred received the first ever Baptist Union of Great Britain racial justice award, for his ‘outstanding contribution to racial justice’ at an event called The Gathering. While accepting that attitudes to ethnic minority Christians had improved during his four decades in the UK, Fred noted there was still ‘lots more’ to be achieved when he received the award.
The intervening years have seen numerous developments, including the introduction of the Sam Sharpe Project and its annual lecture, the creation of the Racial Justice Advocacy Forum, several regional justice hubs, and the publication of resources, publications and training programmes to help churches become multicultural. Kate Coleman became the first Black President of our Union in 2007, and Kingsley Appiagyei the first Black male President in 2009. The Baptists Together Key Roles Nominations Team, created in the wake of the Futures Process of 2013, 'seeks to ensure, as far as is practicable, appropriate diversity' in key leadership roles.
More than 20 years after his initial appointment, Wale Hudson Roberts continues to serve as Baptists Together Justice Enabler. Like Fred in 2009, he maintains more needs to be achieved, not least on the issue of reparations. Nevertheless, Fred’s imprint is on all that has been – and is still to be – achieved, he said.
‘The Revd Fred George was a pioneer of his time. He would not stop challenging racial injustice in the Union structures. He was fearless, robust and relentless.
‘The legacy he left, many are building on today.’
A Thanksgiving Service for the life and ministry of the Revd Vernon Frederick George (Fred) was held at East Barnet Baptist Church on 23 September 2025. Fred died on 26 August, aged 82.
The Still Waters Trust contains links to the service and a slideshow of photos documenting Fred's life.
Notes
1 From The Baptist Times, May 1997, quoted in Fred George: 1943-2025 - Andy Goodliff blog