A moving tribute to minister who preached love (From Kingston Guardian)

A moving tribute to New Malden minister who preached love

11:00am Saturday 17th September 2011 in News By Tom Barnes

A Methodist minister’s grieving husband has paid moving tribute to his wife after she lost a brave battle against lung cancer.

The Rev Dr Angela Shier-Jones died peacefully at the Princess Alice Hospice on Sunday, September 11, after a prolonged illness, aged 51.

Distraught husband Brian, who was at his wife’s bedside when she passed away, talked of her compassion for others and love of her congregation.

Speaking at the home they shared in New Malden, Mr Shier Jones said: “She never stopped working, never stopped ministering even in the hospital.

“Her policy as a church minister and as a person was to love your people and that inspired everyone around her.

“She taught other Methodist ministers and would tell them once you have love everything else will follow.”

Newport-born Angela met her future husband while they were both members of a congregation at a church in Cwmbran, Wales, in 1978.

She ran her own computer company in the 1980s and joined the New Malden and Kingston congregation three years ago.

A talented singer, musician, painter and author of several books on theology she had just one flaw, according to her husband.

“She couldn’t bake. She wouldn’t mind me saying that, she could cook and do just about everything else but she couldn’t bake.

“It was scary sometimes just how talented a person she was. But it did not all come naturally to her, she worked hard at everything that she did.”

A respected academic and scholar who spent time on the committee of the World Methodist Council, her greatest passion was helping others.

“That was her great gift, not the talents she had, but her selfless and desires to put others before herself.

“She ran workshops for people without much formal education enabling others to be the best they could be.”