After living and worshipping in Eccleston for 38 years, Bryn and Suzanne say goodbye to all their friend here over the years.  In our Parish Eucharist we presented two lilac trees, a cash collection and a home made pavlova as mark of our gratitude for what each of them has contributed to Christian life and ministry in Eccleston over the years.

Here is Bryn and Suzanne's response.

Fr Andrew wrote about Bryn and Suzanne in the Parish Magazine back in April 2020.  As we were at the beginning of lockdown the words did not reach a wide audience and so are reproduced here.

They’ve gone but are far from forgotten

Fr Andrew says a ‘sideways’ farewell and thank you to Bryn and Suzanne Dixon

At the beginning of the year Bryn and Suzanne Dixon moved from their Doctor’s Lane home in which they had lived for many years to be closer to their family in Baxenden.  I first met this influential couple when I visited the parish for interview in the Spring of 2013.  I was met at Croston station by Bryn and Suzanne who had volunteered to provide a taxi service to the Parish Centre.  As we drove passed Bishop Rawstorne CE Academy, Suzanne waxed lyrical about that place and how, if I got the job, it would become a big part of my life.  In fact Suzanne never stopped talking about it both on the car journey and in the following 7 years.

Suzanne has always been challenging and supportive throughout (although I suspect I never convinced her that a Minister and a Priest in the Church of England are two different vocations and orders, but they really are Suzanne) although see admitted that out of all the candidates she provided a taxi service to in 2013, I was not her ‘first choice’!  I think we have worked well together, so thank you Suzanne.

Bryn was initially my PCC Treasurer and Stewardship Recorder moving to the role of Church Warden soon after my arrival.  What Bryn hasn’t done in and for the church is not worth mentioning.  From tenor in the choir, to money counter, light bulb changer, boiler timer programmer, hedge cutter, memorial cross painter and much, much more Bryn and his boiler suit is already being missed.

People are already asking how we do such and such.  ‘I don’t know’ comes the reply ‘Bryn and Suzanne looked after that’.  We were hoping to say thank you and farewell in a proper and formal way on 19 April.[Edit. due to closure of churches this took place on 26 July 2020]  It now looks unlikely that this will happen as planned.  However, I wanted to acknowledge that once some kind of normality returns to public worship we will invite Bryn and Suzanne back as we say a heartfelt Eccleston thank you.