MetaCatholic

My previous posts on the tragic death of Worcester bookshop manager Steve Jeynes have attracted a number of visitors. I note here a brief summary of today’s memorial service in Worcester Cathedral, especially for those who would like to have attended but couldn’t.

First, the Order of Service

1. Welcome
2. Hymn: At the name of Jesus
3. Opening Prayers
4. Memories of / tributes to Steve
5. Songs: Light of the world (Here I am to worship) & Faithful One, so unchanging
6. Readings: Isaiah 40:28-end, Philippians 2:1-5
7. Address
8. Songs: How lovely on the mountains & Give thanks to the Lord (Forever God is faithful)
9. Prayers ending with the Lord’s Prayer
10. Hymn: O Lord my God (How great thou art)
11. Blessing

A few comments

Among all the tributes there was one (planned) from one of Steve’s daughters, and a brave and unplanned one from his wife Joy, which received an ovation from the congregation by way of thanks and affirmation. The three main strands of the tributes (I think) were his open and unthreatening sharing of his deep faith, his family life, love and fun, and the passion he had for book-selling as mission and service.

The cathedral’s nave was full, and there were substantial numbers also in the side aisles. I would guess numbers were between 500-600, but that is only a guess. In his address Paul Swann commented that there may never have been such a gathering of so many doctrinally and temperamentally different Christians and Christian traditions in the same place in Worcester beforehand.I think he was right, and also right to draw attention to the fact as a significant tribute to the way Steve has seen his book-selling ministry, first (and for the longer period of time) in the independent Icthus bookshop, and latterly at SPCK.

The thanksgiving had a decided awkward moment. It was open for anyone to offer a short tribute, and a lady with mental health problems took the opportunity, but quickly veered off into a long (and sad) reflection of her own, her husband’s and various friends’ suicidal feelings and attempts. On the one hand, she, as a regular customer, was one of those people with serious problems Steve and his staff had always handled with gentleness and kindness, and that she was there to say thank you was its own very significant tribute to him. On the other hand, many people were clearly becoming quite embarrassed.

Nonetheless, it was probably good that someone, even in this strange way, made the congregation face up to the fact that Steve had died by his own hand. From a great deal of the service you wouldn’t necessarily have known that. There was an awkward disconnect between the many affirmations of his faith and his love of family, and the ending of his life. (Obviously I don’t know either what went on his mind, nor how temporarily unbalanced his judgement had become. Nor do I know what he may have told his family in any last message. Nor do I know what they had decided in consultation with Paul, exactly what they wanted and needed.) But it seems to me that we together needed to recognise that the pain and distress at losing the book-selling mission he felt called to seems to have loomed so large in his mind that he was unable to draw on the strength that was there for him in faith, family and friends. That sad and painful reality of suicide is exactly what we need to bring before God in our prayers as we entrust Steve to him, and thank God for his life.

God our strength and our redeemer:
you do not leave us in this life
nor abandon us in death.
Hear our prayer for those in despair,
when days are full of darkness
and the future empty of hope.
Renew in them your sustaining strength
for we believe that there is nothing in all creation
that can separate us from your love
in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.¹

1. Common Worship: Pastoral Services © 2000 The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England – Funeral Prayers 46 Source [↩]