Hertingfordbury Parish News: July 2003

John Wood: 22 May 1942 - 10 June 2003

JOHN, child of God and Gift of God to all whose lives were touched by his.

John in many ways was the diamond in our midst, not hard and cutting, but shining, with many facets that reflected the colour of life and the situation of the moment.

I met John and Jean almost 17 years ago when I became the Parish Deacon at Hertingfordbury. John was on the PCC. This being only one of the many hats he wore for Church and Parish life. He was a leading light in the Churchyard maintenance team, mowing and tidying on a regular basis, (mostly when no one else was around). With Jean he was a sidesman. He became a reader of the Lesson, an Intercessor, a chalice bearer, and was Churchwarden when I was appointed Priest in Charge. John observed, listened, spoke firmly but never unkindly. It was John who insisted I find myself a Spiritual Director, advice I never regretted taking, and he always checked on my time given to this area of my Ministry.

John had a wonderful sense of humour; but told the most awful jokes when he and Jean left us to come here to join you, I missed the cartoons he always managed to find, appropriate to any given topic and placed on my Stall before the 9.30 am Service; the first was of a woman priest in the Pulpit wagging her finger, and a male parishioner in the front pew turning to his neighbour and saying, "If I wanted to be nagged I would have stayed at home!". The last one I will treasure. John sent it at Easter this year; we have been having problems with our heating system, and the cartoon John sent showed a Priest in the pulpit para-phrasing Matthew 22 v14, "for many are COLD but few are FROZEN!", here through his suffering shone the sparkle of John's humour.

John was also responsible for kneelers and runners in our Church, he was a keen and fine cross stitch worker. - 12 - He had an active life outside the Church too; he sang in a choir, a choir which often travelled to France and I would playfully tell him off for deserting us in favour of a French Cathedral. He played the piano and a home organ. Prideaux House in Hackney was very close to John's heart also, and he did much to raise awareness of their needs to those who were in a position to help in love the needs of their neighbours seen and unseen. John was no paragon of virtue though it is difficult to fault him. John was a Christian through and through, but he also had a great understanding and a gentle sympathy with those of other faiths and those struggling with the faith issue. A line he frequently used in Intercessions was, "those of other faiths and those whose Faith is known to you alone". Many known and unknown owe much to this gentle gentleman and his prayers.

But, above all John's priority was his family, Jean, Fiona, Kirsten, son in law David, and his adored granddaughters Annie and Freya, his brother and sisters, while they were all safe and well then John was content.

Those of us whose lives he touched were Blessed, and I feel privileged to call him friend.

I know John has been received (not taken) into the safe and everlasting arms of Our Heavenly Father, albeit too soon for us; he will be our light and guide to that distant shore when we too make the inevitable journey.

You will be missed John, but not forgotten, and we will follow your example of 'life goes on and we must make the best of what we have'. So for now dear friend, much loved child and gift of God, Good night, God Bless, Rest well until we meet again.

Address given at John's Service of Thanksgiving by Rev'd Rosemary. Tuesday 17th June, 2003.

Please note: Although the Hertingfordbury Parish News is produced by St. Mary's PCC, the opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the PCC.