RIP

Our friend Ian was born on 8^th March 1948 along with his twin sister, Jackie in the Lancs. town of Nelson. A few years later the family moved to Blackburn (it has a much better football team!)

Sadly their father died when Ian & Jackie were aged 13 ( as someone who also lost his father when only a teenager, I know the impact this will have had on the family).

After completing his GCEs, Ian joined the Army as a boy soldier and it is then that we begin to see the first signs of the Man he was to become.

A keen horseman and athlete, Ian was in his element serving with Kings Troop, Royal Artillery. During this time he learnt his trade as a Battalion Clerk and also achieved his Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award. (Presented to him by H.R.H at Buckingham Palace – an occasion about which he failed to inform his mother, so that she could have been there to witness the presentation!)

Why he did not tell her I suspect is because he did not like to make a fuss – to be the centre of attention ( Oh no…..?) For one of the qualities I soon learned about Ian was that he was a very private man.

However, Ian was a very determined man also – impulsive at times – but determined. If he had made up his mind to do something he would do it! – a quality that enabled him to gain his “green beret” with the Royal Marines, and transfer to 29 Commando R.A.

His determination was also a quality that would be seen later as he exercised his Christian ministry.

At the age of 21 L.Bdr. Brown attended a Billy Graham rally in London and it was then that he gave his life to the Lord. Now to do that as a civilian is one thing, but as a serving soldier – a Commando remember – the toughest of the tough, was to open himself up to a great deal of teasing! Indeed he became known as “Brown the Bible” and was the butt of many a prank!

I said earlier that Ian was impulsive, and to give you an example of this, 6 months from the end of his contracted service with the Army, Ian decided to buy himself out. He couldn’t wait the 6 months and thereby save himself money – no, Ian had made a decision that the Lord was calling him to serve with the London City Mission – and once the decision had been made there was no time to wait!

So it was that at the age of24 Ian joined the L.C.M.

It was whilst he was serving with them that he met Esther – whose father was a Missioner.

(Actually, I have to tell you that Ian, who was almost tone-deaf, decided that he would join the choir because he quite fancied the pianist! Guess who that was!)

On the 13^th December 1975 Ian & Esther were married at the Haven Green Baptist Church in Ealing. During these early years in London both Daniel & Mark were born and, after responding to God’s calling to move to Bolton, they were blessed with Sam ( whether he remained a blessing I’m not sure! …..of course I am!)

After a very difficult period of time in Bolton, with the Nazarene Church – mainly because Nazarene Minister’s pay is very poor (and sometimes non-existent!) – but also because Ian was training at the same time as having responsibility of a Church – and raising a family!

(A family that included Daniel, who with Downs Syndrome, despite the joy that he brought to their lives, required more attention than usual.)

It was not surprising that Ian asked God to lead him into another situation! So it was that at 3.00am one morning Ian woke Esther to tell her that God had called him into the Church of England! I’ll leave it to your imagination as to how Esther responded!

Now, I don’t want you to think that I am suggesting that his calling was unreal or convenient – far from it. Above all else Ian was a man of deep spiritual integrity and conviction who had a sensitive ear for the Lord. Also, from my own experience, I would say that God uses our situations at times to move us forward to the place he wants us to be.

So it was that Ian trained for ordination in the C of E. (He must have been one of the most highly trained of ministers! 2 years L.C.M., 3 years Nazarene & 3 years C of E!)

In 1991 Ian was made Deacon, priested the following year whilst serving his curacy at St.Margaret’s, Burnage, Manchester.

After this, Ian and his family were ready to move to their first “living” with the C of E.

Now, having said to the Bishop that he was happy to serve anywhere in the Diocese of Manchester, except Halliwell in Bolton, where he had served as a Nazarene Pastor, guess where he was sent! Yes, you’ve got it, Halliwell! – what a sense of humour God has ! (Something that Ian would often see, which would produce that legendary laughter of his!)

Actually on this occasion, it was not that the Lord was teasing him but providing an already established network of friends the family would need – for just as they were to move into St.Paul’s vicarage Daniel, aged 16 ½ passed away.

The devastation this caused them might have made lesser people give up. But Ian & Ester together with their boys, Mark & Sam, relying heavily on God’s grace, came through those awful times and served their Lord faithfully and wholeheartedly, making many more friends in Bolton.

Their experiences with Daniel spurred on Ian to do more work with the Society for the Protection of the un-born child and was one of it’s greatest champions.

During their time at St.Paul’s, Carol, my wife, and I met Ian for the first time. We, as newly weds, were looking for a church to belong to. And so it was one fateful evening Carol and I attended an evening service there.

I had had to take time out of ministry through ill health and felt very demoralised and broken. Ian didn’t know who we were at first but, along with Sam they made us feel so welcome that we knew this was the place to stay! –And this was another side to Ian’s nature – he was so warm and enthusiastic with his greetings that everyone was made to feel special.

We soon forged a close friendship with Ian & Esther which not only brought me back into full time ministry in Bolton but also, following another word from the Lord to Ian, caused Carol & I to follow them south after they came to the Melbury Team. So it is that we now live and work in Chard. All this because of Ian’s enthusiasm and encouragement!

As a man of God, Ian was so full of enthusiasm for his Lord. He was passionate about preaching the Gospel – in an uncompromising way. He had a clear vision of what had to be done. And so, like everyone else, I was stunned to learn of his cancer when I phoned him just before Christmas 2003 (whilst seeking his advice on my own ministry & future)

Why would the Lord he loved so much cut short his life in this world when he had so much more to give? - A question that not only everyone who knew Ian asked, but also Ian himself.

What made it worse was that Ian was not a good patient – never having had a days illness, being so super fit (still running marathons in his early 50’s) – it seemed so difficult to come to terms with this news. And yet, when the time came, finding himself in hospital (not because of the cancer but an accident on a horse – although it was the cancer that finally took him) he made peace with God, said his farewells to Esther and the boys - and enthusiastically pronounced, “now I’m ready for Glory!”

The 2 readings he chose for this occasion speak volumes about his faith, faith in the Resurrection of Christ and the certainty of a place prepared for him in the Father’s House.

Ian, never one to hold his counsel when he saw injustice (especially for the unborn child) or a lost opportunity to preach the Gospel by the preacher (especially when he visited other churches whilst on holiday!) held fast to the faith to the end as the Apostle Paul had encouraged.

I am going to miss our conversations about cars (especially BMWs), his love of dogs and horses and the many books that he had read. I am going to miss the times that we had a curry together and the laughter we shared at the irony of “L.Bdr Brown the Bible” becoming Chaplain to the Honourable Charlotte Townsend and having high ranking retired Officers in his congregation!

But like many of you I will be eternally grateful to this small, bespectacled, half deaf, incredibly brave and big-hearted servant of God for the encouragement, enthusiasm and passion that brought inspiration to those who knew him.

The world has been a better place for having had Ian in it. So many owe so much to him.

He gave his all to the Lord; he was devoted to Ester and his 3 boys; and he was a great friend.

But now he is resting with the Lord waiting for the Great Resurrection Day when all the faithful will be raised to life.

Finally let me close by quoting from a tribute made by Alison Davis, National Co-ordinator of “No Less Human”:-

“Ian called his son Daniel a gentle prophet for the pro-life movement. That is a fitting epitaph for Ian too.”

God bless you Ian, and thank you. Amen.

Ian’s Farewell

By John Trowbridge of the Melbury Team.

Ian was a man who meant so much to so many people and nothing could measure more accurately the profound effect that Ian had on the Christian life of the Melbury Team than the packed churches at Maiden Newton and Evershot for the Thanksgiving and Funeral Services on the last Sunday and Monday of November.

Words cannot really express what Ian meant to us but Bishop Tim and Ian’s friend the Rev. Tony Woodward were able to speak movingly of how much Ian had taught them. This was a theme running throughout - that Ian was above all else a truly great teacher and a man whose life, in the words of Bishop Tim, made a real difference.

The Holy Communion on Sunday was a fitting Team Thanksgiving for the Ian, whom God so graciously brought to us, and the opportunity to try and put into words what Ian had meant to us individually was provided by cards given to those present and collected at the end of the service to be presented to Esther and the family.

Bishop Tim also conducted Ian’s funeral at Evershot the following day. Evershot on the fourth Sunday in Advent had been Ian’s last sermon for the Team and was printed in last month’s magazine.

Ian had, as one would expect of him, decided exactly how his funeral would be celebrated and his journey to the Lord was a most moving and joyous occasion.

The tribute to his life from Rev. Tony Woodward provided details of Ian’s time in the Army, how he came to serve Christ through the ministry and celebrated his strong faith, strong opinions and his huge enjoyment of life. All who met him were able to enjoy his enthusiasm for everything and everybody. He was always delighted to see you.

The hymns chosen by Ian all had great meaning for him, including the beautiful hymn sung at Ian and Esther’s wedding – May the mind of Christ, my Saviour, live in me from day to day - and all reflected his uncompromising faith in Jesus Christ.

At the commendation and committal the Team Choir sang John Rutter’s The Lord bless you and keep you.

Ian’s burial took place on the following day at St.Peters, Smithills, Bolton.

Ian has been called by the Lord and we rejoice that he showed so many that he met along his journey through life how to find the true path to Christ.

John Trowbridge for the Melbury Team.