Goodbye, Dear Connie

GOODBYE FOR NOW, dear Connie, loved and missed by so many. On Monday, the crematorium service at Gorleston was as tasteful as the crematorium itself – warm, welcoming, and respectful. It was sad and yet celebratory. Not surprisingly, there was a good crowd. So many people loved Connie.

Yesterday we had a service of celebration at Kingsgate Community Church, and again it was no surprise to see many people gathering to honour Connie. She had lived a full life, creating many precious memories for family and friends alike. She and Bob had been active and committed members of our church, Liberty, that meets in Frettenham, and never missed a meeting of the Full Gospel Businessmen. 

We sang four of Connie’s favourite songs, and 5 or 6 people shared precious memories of her. Wendy read 2 poems that Connie had composed – one was speaking of the fulness of her life, for which she thanked God, and the other was a romantic love poem of her love for Bob.

‘There’s not enough love in the world’, was something Connie said often. Very often!! And her life was like a mission to put that right. She brought love wherever she went, and spoke endearingly of many of her family, especially granddaughter Sophie, and was clearly head over heels about Bob! We read 1 Corinthians 13, probably the most famous passage on love ever written. In many ways, it is a word picture of Jesus, but we also see Connie there. She had embraced simple Bible stories during her childhood. Circumstances during later life made practising her faith rather difficult, but after she married Bob, she came to fully commit her life to Jesus. She was baptised in a local Baptist church (Colin King, pastor, showed photographs of the event), and threw herself into the life of the church and of the Full Gospel Businessmen. She spoke a lot about the goodness of God in her life. We should be inspired by the life of such a lovely and godly lady.

There was sadness and celebration; laughter and tears; songs of joy and praise, and prayers of gratitude.

We prayed for Bob especially, and for the family left behind. Already, Connie is so greatly missed, but those who know and love Jesus in this life, will be reunited in the future. There was an atmosphere of rejoicing and hope.

A big Thankyou to Kingsgate Community Church for their excellent accommodation and facilities, to the music group who were amazing, to all who took part, and to Fiona for producing the most amazing selection of cakes, scones……