Saying goodbye

*Backblip*
As a Christian, there is always a tension at the funeral of another Christian. There is the pain of loss, of saying goodbye to a friend, yet the knowledge that they are in a better place, and that the separation is temporary. That was a comfort today, when we gathered to say goodbye to Gwyneth. One of first people in my church here in Oxford to welcome me and chat on my first Sunday there, she was a wonderfully kind, no nonsense woman, who had an infectious sense of fun. For much of my first six months in Oxford, my younger nephew was seriously ill in hospital and Gwyneth was always asking for the latest news, and rejoiced with me when he finally went home. She wasn't alone in that, but her continued interest in how he and the rest of my family are doing over the years since made her really stand out, and has meant a lot. She will be missed very much by all at Magdalen Road, and her family are in our prayers. I very much look forward to catching up with her again in that better place.