Words from Tom Allen's funeral

Bishop David used Tom Allen's own words to begin and end his eulogy at Big Bulky Anglican's funeral this week.

"Death is not an unforseen accident, not something left out of the scheme of our Creator. Rather it is something natural in the sight of God … As we give thanks today, we are also given a blessed opportunity. We are each given a loving invitation to trust in God, and let him turn our fears into faith, our sorrows into joy, our loneliness, into divine companionship."

"When we have done everything, and said everything, we realise it isn't enough. At death we come to the end of human knowledge. We are left to the mercy of God. Comforting it is, therefore, to have a God to trust in, and one who has perfect love, absolute knowledge, boundless forgiveness and infinite patience. God is love, and that is a glorious fact to lean upon now. "

Tom's family were encouraging us all to listen to "life's a miracle, we've got to make the most of the passing moments" (prefab sprout) if we couldn't get to the funeral.

You can read the full text of the sermon here posted by Raspberry Rabbit - Bishop David has also put it on his blog but that seems to be down at the moment.