Humanist Minister's Eulogy from Tim's funeral - 28th May 2004

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Friends and family members - we meet here today to pay our tributes to the life of Timothy Jacobs. I will be calling him Tim throughout the rest of the service as that was his known name to you all.

This ceremony will not be a religious one because that might have been out of keeping with what Tim believed - which is why I am officiating here as a Humanist. I recognise, though, there may be some amongst you who as practising Christians or some other faith group are used to a slightly different form of service. It is to be hoped however, that all of us here present, whatever our beliefs at a deep personal level, can but accept that the values we share and have in common, are more important than the Theological differences which may divide us.

Death is a very personal matter for those who experience the death of someone who is close to them - but we are all concerned. I am here to represent the concern of others. Those of you who knew Tim well. Those perhaps who knew him a little, or those like myself, who did not know the fella at all but have been touched, directly or indirectly by his life and by his passing. Nowadays - with international travel and instant worldwide communications we are all involved in the life and death of each one of us. This whole world is a community and Tim was a part of it. Human life is all about caring for each other and the world we live in, and the creatures with whom we share the earth. Who could have put it better than the Elizabethan poet John Donne when he wrote:

"No one is an island, entire of itself
Any person's death diminishes me, because I am involved in humankind
Therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls
It tolls for thee..."