Missing Brian

We will miss Brian Barron.

Since joining MPCC, I can hardly remember a service when he wasn’t there. He was my go-to person—and I know I wasn’t the only one—whenever I needed to load the latest version of my sermon PowerPoint, which I seem habitually to edit right up to the last minute.

At every church camp and event, Brian would be there, even though his health often seemed to take a hit during camps.

Living with severely damaged lungs, Brian knew how precious his remaining years were. A remarkable healing some years ago gave him more time. And he used that time well. He worked hard to improve his knowledge of AV, and over the last few years, it showed.

Brian was a servant through and through. Behind the AV desk, he served many “bosses”, taking instructions from just about everyone, whether on stage or in the congregation. When something went wrong with the sound, a frown or an impatient word could easily come his way. Much of his work went unnoticed when everything went smoothly.

But make no mistake: Brian was deeply loved by the MPCC family.

Perhaps it was his quirky humour. Perhaps it was his heart, so clearly without guile. It was easy to be fond of him. Brian grew on you. He certainly grew on me.

He had much to be proud of this year. The AV at our anniversary dinner was fabulous. When we recently made major changes to our mixer and AV setup, Brian rose to the challenge. If you hardly noticed the transition, that itself was a testament to the effort he put in. His initiative and DIY skills helped improve our AV while saving the church money.

To put it simply, Brian was a very good human being:, husband and father, a faithful friend, and someone we could count on.

At a time like this, we reach for the promises of our faith. Brian is with Christ, beyond the struggle for breath, held in perfect love and peace. In Christ, we look forward to meeting again. We give thanks for his faithful service and find comfort in our Lord’s words: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

These are precious truths. Yet they do not take away the sadness of his absence. We will feel it deeply, and Jessica, Kaeven and Chloe most of all. Life at MPCC will continue, but we will miss Brian’s place among us.

This is why Scripture calls death “the last enemy”, an enemy that Christ will finally destroy (1 Corinthians 15:26). Our hope in the resurrection gives us room to grieve, even as we trust in His promise.

As I shared with a brother how I felt about Brian’s sudden departure, I realised something: after six years, MPCC has become my family. I belong here. These are people whose lives have become bound up with mine. MPCC is no mere stepping stone, a proving ground for my leadership or another parish badge to add to those that came before—even if it may be my last.

Church is first and foremost, family. It is where I belong, where I am loved, and where I learn to love. Very little else matters as much.

And among the many things I am thankful for being in MPCC is the privilege of knowing and working with Brian.

Thank you, Brian, till we meet again.