William Alfred Orange died 28 June 1966 aged 76.
Canon Orange was Vicar of All Saints, Sumner, a quiet seaside suburb of Christchurch from 1930-1945. John Meadowcroft wrote that William Orange could be described as the father of the Anglican Evangelical movement in Christchurch. His Evangelical ministry based almost entirely on direct Bible exposition became a model for “orange pip” clergy. Besides his pulpit ministry, a Sunday afternoon Bible Class attracted students from all over Christchurch, many of whom were called to the full-time ordained ministry or to overseas missionary service. An ‘orange pip’ remembered Canon Orange at prayer meetings so much that we young ones could not fail to be aware that we were on holy ground. (R.A. Carson, Some Reflections on the Life of W.A. Orange, Latimer 111 August 1992).
In later years Canon Orange ministered in the Christchurch Cathedral, where his preaching attracted a considerable following.
Canon Orange was among the founders of the Evangelical Churchmen’s Fellowship set up in 1946, which later became the Latimer Fellowship.