For 20 years, Bernard had been a Supernumerary Minister in the Preston Circuit. His death on 1^st January 2002, deprived us all of a friend, colleague and minister who had contributed much to the life of the Circuit and wider Methodism.

What follows is from Bernard’s obituary, written by Rev Michael Wearing, who also gave the address at his funeral.

"Bernard Ewart Jones was born in Liverpool on 25^th July 1916, into a Primitive Methodist family. His father and grandfather were local preachers. He attended Anfield Road Council School and the Liverpool Collegiate School. In 1938 he graduated from Liverpool University with a BA in Philosophy, candidated for the Methodist ministry, and was accepted for training at Hartley Victoria College, Manchester. He gained his BD degree at Manchester and then began studies for his MA in Philosophy, which he completed during his first circuit appointment.

His appointments were: Manchester (Swinton and Pendlebury), Liverpool (Grove Street and Woolton), then Hoylake and West Kirby, Manchester (Gravel Lane), Hartley Victoria College, Manchester and Wesley College, Bristol. His final appointment was as minister of the Cheadle Hulme church and Superintendent of the Bramhall Circuit. He retired to Preston in 1981.

It was not long before he was asked to take pastoral oversight of Ingol Methodist Church, where he was greatly loved by the congregation. His sympathies reached beyond Methodism, and he was keen to develop inter-church relationships. He was an ecumenical Christian, and increasingly he found depth and nurture through regular attendance at the Quaker meetings in Preston.

He was married to Marjorie the same year that he was ordained in 1943. Their daughters Hilary and Christa, were born during their time in Hoylake and West Kirby.

The main focus of Bernard’s ministry was with Ministerial Training – twenty six years in all. He lectured part –time at Hartley Victoria College for ten years before being appointed full-time to the Lewins Chair of Philosophy, which he held for a further ten years. In the late sixties he moved to Wesley College, Bristol for a further six years as Tutor in Philosophy and Practical Studies. He will also be remembered for his considerable and distinguished contribution to the Methodist Church as Connexional Church Membership Secretary. He brought a level of commitment and imagination to this role as not seen before. He was good with words and images, and was responsible for some highly commendable training material for Church Membership. For some twenty years he was a Director of Methodist Holiday Hotels and for some time its Chairman.

He had an impish sense of humour and whimsicality and yet, at the same time, he was a man of serious integrity and principle. True to his Primitive Methodist roots, Bernard retained the belief that any unbalanced exaltation of the ordained ministry would lead to the devaluing of the laity, the denial of the universal priesthood, and the consequent depreciation of the church as a whole. He was always keen to portray himself as a layperson as well as a minister.

One of the readings at Bernard’s funeral was about Jesus the Bread of Life. Bernard found strength and sustenance in his Lord. Moreover, he consistently and conscientiously sought to share that Bread with others through his life, teaching, faith and love – his warmth, his wit, his witness, his words and the eloquent silence that he learned to treasure.

He died on the 1^st January 2002, in the 86^th year of his age and the 63^rd year of his ministry.

(from ‘Preston Progress’)