Jenny Digby. Newly commissioned Lay Elder at St Peter & St Paul’s church, Aldeburgh says
"Six years ago, I was enjoying my recently retired life, when out of the blue, my eldest son, Lee who was just 42, was diagnosed with cancer. As a parent, it numbs you at first, it can’t be true, not my darling son. Panic, shock, upset and such a desire to help him, to make things better all rush through your head.
I was not a churchgoer but Julian Worcester a Lay Elder who was also a Town Councillor at the time, asked if I would like him to add Lee’s name onto the Prayer List at church for ‘Those Who Are Sick’ and Lee’s name would be mentioned each day in Prayer.
When I found myself in this dire situation, I turned to God, like I’m sure so many other people do. So I decided I would attend Morning Prayer each Wednesday and pray for Lee myself.
Six years on, I ask myself why? Somewhere in my psyche I must believe there is a divine being who can put all things right and save us. It’s there, the seed has been sown, but some of us have never watered it and watched it grow.
Throughout Lee’s illness, he had a quality of life despite all the treatment he had, and each time he had a hic cup he bounced back again. I said to him, ‘that’s all the Prayers everyone is saying for you each day, the Lord is listening’.
Sadly, Lee passed away last January 2022 after five years living his best life with his lovely wife Michelle. They did so much together, he was so positive he was going to beat this awful disease and I believed he would also.
The positive side for me, throughout Lee’s five years combatting cancer, was meeting so many lovely, caring and supportive people at church. I gradually became a little more involved, and when asked if I would like to train to be a Lay Elder, I decided it was the best way I could give something back to the church. I was commissioned as a Lay Elder on Sunday 8 January 2023, together with 11 others within our Benefice.
I now lead Morning Prayer two mornings each week, and I’ve started writing articles on a regular basis in the Benefice Newsletter called, ‘Meet The People, Our Unsung Heroes’. Writing about our volunteers came to me whilst laying awake at night when I couldn’t sleep, I started thinking about the church and all the volunteers because they do so much, and I thought I don’t know who some of them are nor what they do. I realised that I wanted to write about them and share their stories with others in the church and beyond. I spoke with the Revd Sarah du Boulay and explained my idea and she suggested it was a brilliant way to give credit to all these wonderful people.
My life has changed in more ways than one. Being involved and making a difference is the perfect place to be when you are grieving. I’m still with the lovely Lay Elders within the church who have been so supportive while listening to me. Getting involved a little more is making me think outside my grief and helping me heal".