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Bob
 Rev Bob Magor held his last service at St Catherine's, East Tilbury, on Sunday 18 October.
Bob is taking early retirement after illness over the past two years.
The communion service was held in the evening and was attended by a good crowd from East Tilbury's village and estate and Linford. Rev Rosemary Pritchard (left, below)represented Linford Methodist Church, along with some of the congregation from there. Also present was Colin Baker, pastor at Grays Baptist Church, and Transformation Thurrock was represented by Tim & Vera Harrold (below, right).
 In a moving and honest sermon, Bob cut to the chase by emphasising the love of Christ - freely received for the express purpose of passing it on - over everything else. He stated that it was that perfect love that had helped him through recent health challenges.
Bob related how members of the congregation at St Catherine's had made frequent visits to the Rectory over this period, and a number had spent time with him on walks around Coalhouse Fort and along the river. This was an outworking of the love at the core of Jesus' message.
 Bob also paid tribute to the folk at Linford Methodists for their support. He also said he'd felt the support of the wider community of believers.
 Members of the congregation presented Bob with a laptop computer (right) - which was obviously pleasant surprise - which he'll be able to use in his forthcoming new life in the Southend area.
John Bell presented Bob with a scrapbook of photos and memories from his time in East Tilbury, and gave a heartfelt tribute in which he said that during his own walks with Bob,
he felt he'd 'got to know the man behind the job'. 
Photos were taken of Bob with the whole of the St Catherine's community (see below). There then followed an excellent bun fight at the back of the church. St Catherine's has a fine ministry in hospitality, and the food - and wine! - was superb. Thank you to all those responsible.
We'll miss Bob for his extraordinary exploits and excellent example in prayer! The New Year's Day prayer walk from Linford, through the Bata Estate and down to the village. The Hallowe'en prayer walk around the fort in the black of night (when someone bounded out of the darkness dressed as a devil, followed by a load of adults and kids in fancy dress...). The Thames Gateway Prayer Day when Bob poured out half a bottle of olive oil as he declared the rulership of Jesus Christ over the land of Thurrock. And the day when we prayed outside the church with the Havering prophetic ladies who were prayer walking the county boundaries of Essex. This just scratches the surface, but there's probably loads of other stuff he got up to that only the Lord knows about.
Bob - thank you for your passion for Jesus and compassion for people. Shalom.
With thanks to John Bell for letting us use his photos.
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Tim Harrold, 26/10/2009 |
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