Reeves' title post (curacy) was at St Albans, Golders Green (1926–1931), during which time he was also secretary of the theological department of the Christian Social Movement.[9] His first incumbency followed, in Scotland: he was Rector of St Margaret's, Leven,[10] where he remained until 1935.
On Trinity Sunday 1949 (12 June), Reeves was ordained to the episcopate by Geoffrey Clayton, Archbishop of Cape Town, at St George's Cathedral, Cape Town.[11] He served as the third Bishop of Johannesburg (succeeding Clayton)[9] from his consecration[12] until 1961 – his position became untenable when the government of South Africa deported him on 12 September 1960[13] and he resigned the see effective 31 March 1961.[14] Both during and after his tenure as bishop, Reeves was remarkably outspoken against the South African government's policies of apartheid – he published on the subject in the 1960s (Shooting at Sharpeville: the Agony of South Africa, 1960; South Africa-Yesterday and Tomorrow, 1962; Let the facts speak (Christian Action), 1962; Calvary Now, 1965) and served as president of the Anti-Apartheid Movement from 1970 until his death.[1]
Back in Britain
Once he had accepted he could not return to Johannesburg (and resigned his see), Reeves hoped for a see in England but an appointment never materialised. He served as general secretary of the Student Christian Movement (SCM), 1962–1965[6] (during which time he was also an Assistant Bishop of London until 1966.[1] He then moved in 1966 to Lewes, East Sussex, to serve St Michael's parish as priest-in-charge until 1968, then as rector until his retirement in 1972; he was additionally licensed as Assistant Bishop of Chichester from 1966 until his death (functioning in retirement in Shoreham-by-Sea[1] as what is now called an honorary assistant bishop).
