revealed 14 June 2024
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The Rev Dr Henry Dane Sherrard – identified all through his life as Dane – was born on 13 March 1946 in a nursing dwelling in Watford subsequent door to the soccer membership he would assist all through his life. His dad and mom, John and Mary, have been dwelling in Tufnell Park (London) on the time, each not too long ago demoted after the Second World Conflict once they met whereas engaged on the Enigma decoding challenge.
The household moved consistently throughout Dane’s childhood (John labored for the estates division of the railway), shifting from London to Pudsey in Yorkshire after which to Crewe, earlier than the age of two. His sister was born in Crewe however the now household of 4 was nonetheless unsettled and in 1949 moved to Dundee to permit John to serve within the NCR. Right here Dane attended Clappington Main Faculty for a 12 months earlier than the household discovered a beautiful dwelling in Panmure Road, Broughty Ferry.
For the subsequent few years, the household loved a reasonably settled time, and in 1954 the household was full with the delivery of Dane’s youthful brother. After a brief spell at East Main Faculty in Broughty Ferry, Dan was accepted as a pupil at Dundee Excessive Faculty. the place he spent the remainder of his college days.
In the meantime John had turn into a mature pupil of divinity research and was ordained as parish minister at Newtile in 1960 – the household had moved once more. Dane’s organizational and management abilities have been first seen throughout his teenage years at Newtile. He arrange and ran a really energetic youth membership within the disused church corridor – dance, badminton, drama, music have been all on this system and began an annual street race from Camperdown Park to Newtile on the outskirts of Den Dundee the place runners have been welcome. Dinner, a sizzling bathtub, and a celebratory “hop”.
Dane himself felt a name to turn into a minister and within the mid-sixties attended the College of St Andrews the place he met and fell in love with Rachel who turned his a lot liked spouse and lifelong companion. He was president of the Scholar Consultant Council and efficiently campaigned for college students to elevate the ban on vehicles and categorical opposition to apartheid. Rachel echoed his can-do angle and collectively they arrange a theater group, staging Shakespeare performs on the Citadel in the summertime.
Dane’s training was accomplished with a post-graduate spell at New School, Edinburgh, and he was despatched as assistant minister to Abronhill, within the then new city of Cumbernauld. After finishing his apprenticeship he anticipated to use for a parish in Scotland however as a substitute discovered himself despatched to Genoa to minister to sailors of all nations known as to port by the Workplace of Sailors’ Relaxation. Right here once more his organizational abilities have been put to make use of as he restored the attractive chapel and ran a busy enrichment middle for sailors removed from dwelling.
Getting back from this journey (1971-1976) Dane was known as to the parish of Bookhaven in Fife. There he discovered many issues – constructing a theater out of a disused church corridor and establishing an company to coach the unemployed and assist them get again into work. Many younger – and not-so-young – residents of Fife within the early eighties had their lives enriched by the laborious work of Dane, Rachel and their workforce throughout what was a tough time for a lot of.
When authorities funding for such schemes ran out Dan and Rachel left once more – this time to Cadre the place he labored for five years. Throughout this time, Dane was supplied the chance to review for a doctorate by Princeton College. He took this chance to train his extra contemplative facet and his thesis on baptism earned him a PhD from that prestigious establishment.
Finally, Dan’s official ministerial profession took Dan and Rachel to the parishes of Luce and Arrochar on lovely Loch Lomond. He by no means slowed down and Luce now has a Pilgrim Centre, a pedestrian bridge over the beforehand disused Glebe and lodging blocks for younger individuals from throughout Europe who come to take pleasure in Scotland’s tradition and contribute to the development of a Pilgrim Path. Up the newly opened Glebe.
The development of the bridge was managed by the military and the employees concerned turned acquainted faces of the church. Troopers who had simply returned from Afghanistan and people nonetheless serving at Camp Bastion have been receiving providers flowing from Luce and benefiting from seeing their households at church. Dane discovered a ability that served him properly through the ensuing pandemic – he put in streaming tools within the church and his providers have been broadcast not solely to troops abroad, but in addition to a wider congregation all through the English-speaking world. .
Dane lastly retired in 2013 and moved to Mount Nice, close to Duns, to assist his sister take care of their mom, now in her nineties. Dane was an avid follower of English cricket – significantly Durham Cricket Membership of which he was a member for 30 years. Now he can seem there extra usually. He may also go on to enhance his golf. Nonetheless, God had different plans for Dan’s retirement.
Discovering that Fogo’s lovely historic church was at risk of being closed and left to succumb to damp break, Dane launched into his last campaign. Anybody who visits Fogo Church at this time will meet a splendidly heat congregation and welcome them right into a heat snug well-run church the place Christians of all denominations worship collectively. They are going to witness the outcomes of this can-do man’s willpower to offer what is required and share within the huge heat loving dwelling legacy of this exceptional man.
There shall be a service celebrating the lifetime of Rev Dan Sherrard, Minister of Sailors’ Relaxation, Genoa, Italy, 1971-6, Bookhaven Parish Church, 1976-94, Cadre Parish Church, Glasgow, 1994-8, Luce and Arrochar Parish Church, 1998-2013 and not too long ago Fogo Parish Church in Berwickshire, twenty second June at St Andrew’s Church, Wallace Inexperienced, Berwick-upon-Tweed at 3.30pm. Welcome to all buddies and colleagues.
