Letter from Jon, August 2024 

 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ
1 Cor 11:1

Dear Liberty Friends and Family

Many of you will know that last month we said goodbye to Fiona’s Dad who died peacefully in
hospital earlier in the month. Fiona and I had the privilege of being involved in Dad’s funeral last
Friday and Fiona finished by saying “He wasn’t just our Dad. He became our hero”, and that is
truly what he was to us.  Over these last weeks we have heard from so many people who knew
Dad whether for a long time or briefly, with words such as ‘wonderful friend’, ‘true gentleman’, ‘kind
and thoughtful’.  He always took an interest in people, made a conscious decision never to 
complain, was endlessly patient, witty and clever, determined and a man of honour.

Now don’t get me wrong, he wasn’t perfect, but then who is, but there was so much in his character and
behaviour, his actions and reactions, that I have long admired and wanted to be imitate. The
number of family and friends that turned out to his funeral last week was testimony to the legacy
he leaves behind and the impact he made on this world.

As I considered Dad and his life I realised what a wonderful thing it is that anyone would look at
our lives and see something that they would want to imitate or follow. As I said earlier, none of us
is perfect and we are usually too painfully aware of our own failings and imperfections, but I
believe it is there in each one of us to be an example to someone else as we ourselves seek to
become more like Jesus, and I am so often blessed and encouraged as I look round the Liberty
family and see Jesus in our lives. For us to leave behind any legacy of love, care, hope and
kindness, and to live a life that points others to Jesus is a remarkable thing.

I am also aware that this sort of life doesn’t happen in isolation. So much of what we saw in Dad
was because of the love, support, encouragement and sacrifice of Fiona’s Mum that allowed Dad
to flourish. In the same way I believe that if we are to become more like Jesus, to be those who
can say ‘follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ’, then we need each other as the
body of Christ to mutually love and support each other, to champion each other and to pick each
other up when we fall, and for that I am so grateful to and for you.

One of the phrases most often quoted back to me from a message a couple of years ago was that
we would always seek to leave a person or a place better than we found them. That is what I saw
in Dad and that is my prayer for your life and my life as we seek to follow Christ together.
Much love
Jon