A godly lady, a caring and gentle friend and a wonderful work colleague!
Evelyn Sloan, a member of Wycliffe Bible Translators for 27 years, died on Saturday 27 October 2012. I was asked to speak at the funeral yesterday at St Mary’s Parish Church, Dundonald on behalf of her Wycliffe colleagues. This is what I said.
Since sending out news that Evelyn had passed away on Saturday afternoon, I have received many messages from Wycliffe colleagues via e-mail and Facebook. Some of these colleagues are here today; others are abroad and have asked me to pass on their sympathies to the family.
In these messages, the same words kept appearing: caring, welcoming, lovely, gentle, humble, godly. Evelyn showed Christ to other people.
Evelyn’s desk in the Belfast office is still referred to as “Evelyn’s desk” – no one else has permanently occupied it since she retired. Quite often recently I have looked up from my desk, looked through the open door and across the space to Evelyn’s empty desk. I miss Evelyn in the office.
Why? Quite simply because Evelyn Sloan was a godly lady, a caring and gentle friend, a wonderful colleague.
As Ruth and I drove to Donegal on Sunday morning, we listened to a CD in the car. It’s called Waymarks: Songs for the Journey produced by the Northumbria Community. As we listened and sang along, we thought – these words are so appropriate to Evelyn.
I would like to share these Scripture based words with you. The song is called Brother, sister, let me serve you.
Brother, sister let me serve you.
Let me be as Christ to you.
Pray that I might have the grace
To let you be my servant, too.
We are pilgrims on a journey.
We are brothers on the road.
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load.
I will hold the Christ-light for you
In the night time of your fear.
I will hold my hand out to you;
Speak the peace you long to hear.
I will weep when you are weeping.
When you laugh, I’ll laugh with you.
I will share your joy and sorrow
Till we’ve seen this journey through.
When we sing to God in heaven,
We shall find such harmony
Born of all we’ve known together
Of Christ’s love and agony.
Brother, sister let me serve you.
Let me be as Christ to you.
Pray that I might have the grace
To let you be my servant, too.
Richard Gillard © 1977 Scripture in Song
That’s what Evelyn did throughout her years with Wycliffe Bible Translators: first at the UK Centre in England; then in Nairobi; latterly in the Belfast office. Evelyn served others.
And so I say to Evelyn’s family and to her St Mary’s family… today with you, her Wycliffe family thanks God for a godly lady, a caring and gentle friend, and a wonderful work colleague!
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