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I fail to remember when Michael first came to St. Peter's church West Row as our vicar, or even to the Mildenhall team. I guess it was the summer of 1993 though.
I remember going down to St. Francis church in Ipswich where my friend Pete Johnson attended, and where Michael was to take one of his last services as vicar there. It was at Pete's church, after many years as a minister, Michael had become a Christian :)
My earliest memories of Michael are rather elusive. I was helping in Sunday school when he first joined us. However, there are many things which stick in my mind.
I was to study and compare Job's life (from the Bible) to Christian's (from John Bunyan's Pilgrims Progress) for my 'A' level English (when I was 17). Michael kindly lent me a helpful book on Job, although he later claimed it wasn't his book, so I still have it.
Then there was my 'A' level art work. My 'theme' was Christian symbolism in Art/ My teacher thought it would be good to produce a triptych of the birth of Christ with my friends and family standing in for the relevant parts of the centre piece. Michael was only too willing to pose for photographs as my vicar :)
When 'A' levels finished, as I'd produced some rather large pieces of art work, we asked Michael if he would like to have one of them for the church. (That way it would be on display instead of collecting dust while hidden.) He agreed to the church taking and displaying 'my masterpiece' of the Crucifixion at appropriate times of the year.
Apart from helping in my education, Michael also helped in my spiritual life. It was he who agreed to me re-affirming my baptism vows. I just wanted to be baptized for myself as I felt it was right. I had waited two years for everything to finally fall into place like this. That day, Sunday February 28th, 1995, still holds happy memories for me :)
I started Newman College in Birmingham September 1995 and so was away from home more than I was there. Michael was always pleased to have me back for the holidays :)
When the Christian Union at college needed funding, Michael made it possible for a small collection of funds to be raised for us. That money helped the Christian Union through a sometimes trying year.
Christmas 1997 was when Michael announced his early retirement caused by a lack of funds in the team. We were all upset to be losing him a few months earlier than planned. We were originally to have him until Easter.
I fail to remember exactly when things started to go wrong. I think it was January when Michael was admitted to hospital for a 'stroke'. I was at college at the time, so Mum told me everything which was happening.
I nearly went home late February for the weekend. An American couple from church, Kirk and Kristie, had arrived back after their wedding in North Carolina (where they were from. Kirk was in the USAF and based in Mildenhall). Michael had organised a wedding blessing at St. Peter's as requested by them. The way he arranged thing, though, it was like they were getting married again. The children acted as bridesmaids, and the page boys, and there was even a wedding cake in the meal after the service! I hear it was a lovely service. It was also to (unexpectedly) be Michael's last.....
I can't remember how it came out, but Michael was admitted to hospital again. This time they found he had a brain tumour. They were to operate, but then found the tumour was embedded too far to be a success. Instead he had radiotherapy to counteract further growth.
One of the furst things we did when I came home for Easter, was participate in a service for Maundy Thursday. Michael had gone home that evening but was too tired to join us. Judy, his wife, obviously stayed home with him.
I hadn't expected Michael to last throughout the Easter holidays. He did though :) Unfortunately I never managed to see him. I think I was half scared off by the hospital tales Mum had relayed back to me of hers and others visits.
My best friend Tanya got married in May. I had really hoped to visit Michael while I was home that weekend. It somehow never got arranged.
After going away to college, working all of half term, and doing exams, the summer holidays finally came. I had a mere four weeks before I was to go to the states.
It was Thursday July 2nd when it happened. I got the afternoon off work. I decided I could finish organising things for my holiday later, and instead arranged to visit Michael :)
When I returned from my holiday, I intended to visit Michael again as I'd heard he was worried about the circumstances of my trip. I arrived home Friday 7th August. On the Sunday we were told Michael's speech was being affected. It was the one thing he had managed to hold onto throughout his ordeal (apart from his ever-strong faith!)
I had the day off that Thursday. I had thought about visiting Michael, but thought again. I'd got so used to him being on the brink of death for so long.
Friday morning, when I was at work, we had a phone call back home. Michael had slipped into a coma the day before, and finally gone 'home' that Friday morning. It was just a week before his birthday.
The funeral was held the following Friday in Worlington, the village he had lived in. He had wanted the service and burial to be at West Row, his 'favourite' church, but had been persuaded to have the service in Worlington, being buried in West Row afterwards.
The service was conducted by Cannon David Meikle, head of the Mildenhall Team Ministry, and was very much designed by Michael.We sang the hymns and songs he had chosen, and read his favourite Bible passage. The eulogy told us about his love of sports. It also included sections of what was to have been his last sermon to the team as a whole. He had prepared the sermon two months before it was originally to have been needed. It was a moving ceremony and very fitting. I think Michael would have been pleased with his send-off :)
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