Page 8 - Moravian Messenger October 2018

Derrick was born on 31st May 1959 to Mary and Graham Purnell and he grew up in Bristol. His grandmother used to take him to Kingswood Moravian Church where
she used to worship. During his teens, Derrick
was regularly involved at the Moravian Church in
Kingswood and was hugely influenced by Rev Trevor Auty who
was Minister there at the time. After school, Derrick read Economics at the University of Portsmouth, and gained a BSc (Hons) degree. This was followed by studying for a Postgraduate Certificate in Education at the University of Bristol, after which he pursued a career in teaching. His first teaching post was at Thornbury in Bristol. He met Anita Packer at the Moravian Church Synod in Belfast in 1986 and they married in April 1987 at Westwood Moravian Church in Oldham. Derrick left teaching and went into business. He worked at Air Products, in Crewe, for about 20 years, as an Accounts Manager. In his late 40s, Derrick discerned a sense of calling to the Moravian Ministry which he was keen to explore. After applying and being accepted for training, Derrick spent two years at St. John's College, Nottingham, where he very much enjoyed studying theology. After two years, he qualified with a Post-Graduate Diploma in Theology and was called to serve the Moravian congregations in Baildon and Horton. After two years in Yorkshire, Derrick was called to serve in Bedford, and Harold Road in London. Derrick was finally ordained as a Moravian Minister in Bedford on 27th September 2014. Although Derrick enjoyed his ministry and was very gifted in many ways, the impact of moving, being vulnerable to the 'call' system and living in conditions that he had little say about, took its toll on the family - and Derrick really wrestled with that, and often felt selfish and guilty that he had pursued his call to Ministry, but that the family were having to pay a price for that. So, Derrick decided to leave Ministry, for the sake of the family, and return to teaching. One thing that Derrick was to the core was a provider for his family. Their happiness and fulfilment were what was of primary importance
to him. I know that the thing that haunted him most after his brain tumour was diagnosed was that he would be letting the family down through no longer being able to provide for them.
In returning to teaching, Derrick found enormous fulfilment at Oakham School. You could say that he had to leave teaching and do other things, to discover what probably was his true vocation. The words from TS Elliott's poem, 'Little Gidding', were never truer than they were for Derrick:
We shall not cease from exploration And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the first time.
Derrick loved the outdoors. He was never happier, or more spiritually fulfilled, than when he was outdoors in nature - and preferably in the Lake District. Nature seemed to connect him with something higher and transcendent - perhaps what we might call 'God' - and I know that he was keen on pilgrimage. Indeed, he wanted to turn his Postgraduate Diploma into a Master of Theology degree, by undertaking some research into pilgrimage, but he never got around to completing that. I guess that, at some level, Derrick's life (like all of our lives) has been a pilgrimage - a journey of spiritual seeking.
Derrick definitely touched so many people's lives - through his Church work, his day to day encounters with people, and through his involvement with Oakham School. There is a huge unfairness, then, that such a wonderful person should become afflicted with such an aggressive brain tumour - but life is not fair. Derrick was very much a son of God. He brought the intentions of God, for humanity, alive in the way that he strived to live close to God in his day-to-day living, and in the way that he lived out the love of God in his encounters with those around him.
So, let us give thanks for Derrick, and carry a spirit of gratitude and appreciation for his imprint on our souls and our lives. For the world and our lives are better for having encountered him, and for that let us give thanks and praise.
Abridged Eulogy given by the Revd. Professor Peter M. Gubi, PhD, ThD, on 13th September 2018
Derrick James Purnell
1959-2018
BP Moravian Crafters
Synod Prayer Squares
The Moravian Crafters
116
Back in March 2017 Sr Lorraine Shorten set up a Facebook group for Moravian crafters. This is what she wrote as she invited others to join: “This is a space to share your creativity with other Moravian
sisters and brothers. If you have any suggestions as to the direction of the group please let me know or if there are any charities that could benefit from our creativity. Thanks.”
In January this year Lorraine shared a beautiful prayer shawl that she had gifted to someone to wrap them in prayer during a time of illness. Sr Joy Raynor came up with the idea of making prayer squares for Synod to wrap Synod in prayer. Soon individuals and groups were busy knitting and crocheting squares of many colours and designs. Each square was accompanied by a card which read, “This square has been made with love and prayer. May it remind you that God's love and the prayers of his people
surround you at all times.”
There were
enough
squares for
everyone
at Synod,
they were
well received and spare ones were taken back to congregations for those in need.
If you would like to join the BP Moravian Crafters go to Facebook, type the name of the group in the search bar, when the page has been found press the 'like' button. See you there!
Sr Elisabeth Hollindrake
Horton
© Sr Sarah Groves
© Sr Joy Raynor