Logo

 

Banner Image:   Baptist-Times-banner-2000x370-
Template Mode:   Baptist Times
Icon
    Post     Tweet


A special farewell
 

Yorkshire Baptist Association held an event to mark the retirement of regional minister Mary Taylor


Mary TaylorRegional Minister Mary Taylor will be remembered by the YBA for her wisdom, grace, calmness, stability, great humility - and for being the first retiring Regional Minister to have her farewell celebration on Zoom!

It had been due to take place at Wakefield Baptist Church but three days before, several key people involved - including Mary and her husband David - tested positive for Covid-19. Plans were hurriedly rearranged and on Sunday afternoon we were able to share online our thanks and tributes.

Team Leader Graham Ensor welcomed everyone and Regional Minister Kez Robinson prayed and gave thanks for Mary's ministry and for the next season of widening horizons. She was our friend, minister, teacher and colleague.

Graham hosted a light-hearted quiz based on fascinating facts about Mary then "Mother Inferior" Clive Burnard took part in a musical presentation before a virtual cake-cutting.


Mary's time at Wakefield Baptist Church

Michael Bradley, who served as church secretary during Mary's time at Wakefield Baptist Church, spoke about Mary's ministry, her involvement with the overnight shelter for the homeless and the asylum seekers' drop-in, through which a significant Iranian community had grown in the church. Mary had introduced the concept of a listening meeting, which encouraged everyone to take part. She had pinpointed the kind of church God wished Wakefield to be, helping people follow Jesus through spirituality, mission, justice and welcome.

Mary and Dave had the gifts of welcome and hospitality and had shared their home with many people over the years. Mary’s witness and example had been without equal - people had been grateful for her wise counsel and willingness to go the extra mile.


Mary's role nationally

Centenary Enabler for Baptists Together Jane Day said Mary had a significant profile nationally within Baptists Together and presented her with a bunch of virtual keys representing peace, persistence and participation - which highlighted Mary’s contribution nationally.


Mary and the YBA Team

Graham said he had valued Mary's friendship over the last nearly nine years. She was a very special and unique person - she was Christ-like in how she acted towards others, a brilliant speaker with real depth in her words. She showed wisdom, calmness, stability, great humility and was a champion for justice. Her ministry was full of grace and truth.

YBA Legal and Property Officer Revd Ann Chesworth encouraged Zoom participants to add their personal messages to Mary during the playing of the hymn Here is Love. The YBA Team had sent Mary a prayer shawl which was rested on her as Kez and Clive prayed.


The future

Mary thanked everyone and said it had been a huge privilege to be called into this ministry with the YBA. "I genuinely love and care for everyone I have met and worked with."

Her retirement plans included gardening, dog-walking - and offering pastoral supervision to help other ministers. Mary and Dave planned to walk the Wilberforce Way from Hull to York this summer, highlighting the end of the transatlantic slave trade and the need for reparations from those who had profited. Mary said it would be a prayer walk. She also planned to be involved in national Baptist conversations about reparations to Britain's former Caribbean colonies.

Mary shared Jesus's manifesto, which inspired her at 13. Luke 4: 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners." (NIV).

Graham added a farewell collection had been held among the churches, the staff and the Trustees. Mary's daughter Eleanor concluded the celebration with a sung blessing. 

 

This report originally appeared on the Yorkshire Baptist Association website, and is republished with permission



 
Baptist Times, 05/04/2022
    Post     Tweet
YBA Home Mission Stories
Examples of how Home Mission funds are being used in the Yorkshire Baptist Association
SubArticleD2019
'She’s a beacon of light'
A church in an East Yorkshire town is doing sterling work through community chaplain Tracy Green, funded by a £12,000 grant from Baptist Insurance
St Hild appointment for Nike Adebajo
The Revd Dr Nike Adebajo will lead the first year of the Baptist Formation programme at the St Hild Centre for Baptist Ministry, it has been announced
'His skills are directly aligned with our focus on planting, revitalising and reimagining church'
St Hild has announced the appointment of the Revd Dr Nick Allan as the Director of its Centre for Baptist Ministry
Shipley Baptist Church unveils new banner for Easter 
The new banner features the Risen Lord Jesus alongside several specific local references
'It creates space to understand the powerful emotions we all feel when someone close dies' 
Oakes Baptist Church in Huddersfield has run the Bereavement Journey five times. Trustee Richard Waller explains more
‘You'll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew’ 
The story of how Skipton Baptist Church in Yorkshire transformed an empty row of Victorian cottages next door, which has given the church more capacity to meet growing community needs and be more missional
     Regional News 
    Posted: 16/09/2024
    Posted: 06/01/2022
    Posted: 07/09/2020
    Posted: 09/04/2020
    Posted: 18/12/2019
    Posted: 01/11/2018
    Posted: 31/10/2018
    Posted: 31/01/2018
    Posted: 28/06/2017