Today is the last of the funerals. We will be celebrating Edna's life today. Edna died at the age of 95, after 88 years of association with the church here. Edna was a spinster, who has a younger (93 year old) sister, Evelyn, also a spinster. Edna and Evelyn had lived together for the whole of their lives, and supported one another in good times and difficult ones. In fact, for the last few years it is Edna who had been caring for her younger sister.
Edna and Evelyn were not well-travelled people. Indeed, some doubt whether, since the war, they have travelled outside the environs of Brentwood and district, except to go for hospital appointments. For years they cared for their elderly mother, who died aged 98, and then they looked after their dogs and their garden and home. But although they didn't travel far, their eyes and minds had wide horizons. For many years Edna was Missionary Secretary of the church, for 70 years she ran the Baptist Missionary Society Birthday Scheme in the church, and she was enthusiastic in her support of the mission of the church in other parts of the world.
And although they had no children of their own, both Edna and Evelyn were also passionate about the church's work with children and young people. For many years they taught in Sunday School, and led the various Sunday School departments. And long after Edna was not able to share in that work she still remained concerned for it. I cannot remember a time when I visited her when she did not ask about how that work was going.
I will miss Edna, but we give thanks to God for her, and we celebrate her faithfulness in so much.
Our fathers owned Thy goodness, and we their deeds record
