Tributes have been paid to the Rev. Moina Bernard, Chaplain to Bradford’s Courts and Associate Minister of St Peter’s Church, Shipley, who died on Tuesday February 9.
Her sudden and unexpected death was announced on the St Peter's Shipley website: "We are very sorry to have to announce that our lovely Rev Moina Bernard passed away in hospital yesterday. Her brother, Julie Bacon and Karen P were with her. She had collapsed earlier in the day after being unwell for a couple of days."
Tributes and condolences have arrived in Shipley from all over the world from friends and former colleagues. Many posts have been left on the church’s Facebook page.
Vicar of St Peter’s, Revd John Rainer said, “She has left a legacy of love and care wherever she has ministered; the church and the City of Bradford have lost a valued and talented pastor.”
The Bishop of Bradford, Dr Toby Howarth said, "Moina will be missed as a much-loved and greatly valued priest, in her roles as Courts Chaplain in Bradford as well as supporting the church's ministry at St Peter's in Shipley. I was shocked to hear of her death, and my thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends and colleagues."
The funeral for Moina will be held St Peter’s Church, Shipley, at 1pm on Tuesday 23rd February .
Moina, who was 59, was born in Leicester but had been associated with St Peter’s Shipley all her adult life. She led various Sunday school and youth groups there in the 1970’s and 1980’s whilst working as a florist.
In 1991 she joined the missionary organization Youth With a Mission (YWAM) working mostly at their UK Headquarters in Sussex for more than ten years. During this time much of her financial support came from St Peter’s Shipley as she prepared young mission partners for postings in many different areas of the world. She was able to make several visits to India during this time. She is also warmly remembered by the congregation of St Mary’s Slaugham, near Haywards Heath, the local church.
Returning to Bradford in 2006 Moina began to investigate ordained ministry and spent two years training at Cranmer Hall, Durham from 2007. Upon ordination at Bradford Cathedral in 2009 she became self-supporting assistant curate at Tong and Holme Wood with Canon Gordon Dey. During this curacy she was offered the part-time post of Chaplain to Bradford’s Courts, becoming responsible for the training of Chaplaincy volunteers from all over the Bradford district.
She moved back to Shipley and to St Peter’s in 2013 after Gordon Dey’s retirement, but continuing her work in the Courts. At St Peter’s she has had a significant role in developing pastoral care and will be greatly missed by many.