Farewell and Thank You

Russell Eric James: 2 December 1933 – 2 August 2023

No one of us makes it on our own. All our lives are derivative in some way. We stand, or sit, on the shoulders of those who have preceded us – they give us a better view on what might be ahead and of what is possible. We all owe a debt to those who have gone before.

Russell James preceded me as Presbyter at Opawa. He and Ivy had led the Parish for 20 years. The ‘Cathedral of Charismatic Methodism’, by any measure their ministry was wildly successful - the lives that were touched and transformed; those sent out into mission and ministry; the way in which the church followed John Wesley’s dictum “Go not to those who need you, but to those who need you most”.

Russell was forced into ‘retirement’ by a debilitating stroke. In the years that followed both Russell and Ivy continued to support ministry at Opawa, and beyond. And when Ivy died 11 years ago, Russell just kept on. A mentor and support to many, Russell was first and foremost a pastor - right to his last breath – one who loved Jesus, his ever-growing family, and the people God put around him.

While it is not usual for a presbyter to stay in a parish in retirement, I am grateful that Russell and Ivy did. They lent stability to a rocky venture – my appointment was a difficult one, and although we ‘bled’ people over those ensuing years, ultimately fracturing in a church split, Russell remained loyal, supportive and committed. In his 90th year, cheerful and positive to the end, Russell died quietly in his sleep on 2 August.

While none of us know who we might have been if we’d chosen an alternate path, I’m grateful for the way that Russell’s life enriched mine. It’s only now, as I look back, that I see this with a greater clarity. Thanks Russ.