Phil Burnham, CLC National Director, writes:
Phil Grant, a much-respected long-term member of CLC International (UK), was called home peacefully on September 27th. He was undergoing a further cycle of chemotherapy and had been admitted to hospital the day before.
He and Pat, together with five year old Jon, began their service to the Church through CLC in February 1977. Phil gave up a very successful career in the retail TV trade to follow the Lord’s clear leading into CLC. He had previously served as a volunteer in the CLC Birmingham bookshop and it was there that he returned fulltime after the Candidate’s Course, which in those days was an amazing six months in length!
Phil’s retail experience proved invaluable and in due course he became Manager of the store. His business skills, but also more importantly his heart for people and their spiritual needs, soon became evident. He was an avid reader and was very often able to connect the customer with the right book at the right time.
Upon the retirement of Allan and Doris Race, Phil became Head of UK Retail in 1988, overseeing the 18 or so Christian bookshops that CLC had at that time. He had great ability in upgrading shops so that they became more efficient, and also had a real passion for the welfare of the personnel in each of the CLC centres. His management skills and pastoral care were much appreciated by the CLC fellowship and he and Pat were later appointed CLC UK National Directors, a position they held until 2005.
After stepping down from CLC UK leadership in 2005, Phil continued to serve in CLC’s Birmingham shop on a part time basis and this he enjoyed greatly, despite increasing ill health and the toll taht this took on his body. Passionate to the end about Christian literature, it is no surprise that it was less than two weeks before his homecalling on 27th September that he decided he could no longer continue volunteering part time in the Birmingham shop.
Phil also served for a time as a Trustee of both CLC International (UK) and CLC International Office and was also involved in other charitable work as a Trustee.
He is and will be sorely missed not only by his CLC colleagues but also by many who knew him in the trade.
Funeral Arrangements
Phil’s Burial and Celebration Service: Friday 8th October
- Dress code: minimal black – Phil loved colourful things!!
- The committal, at which all are welcome, will take place at 12pm at Westall Park Burial Ground, Holberrow Green, Redditch, Worcestershire B96 6JY Tel: 01386 792806.
- The cortege will depart from Pat’s house (address available on request: contact Phil Burnham) at 11am should you wish to follow us. The journey will take approximately 45 mins from there
- Should you wish to meet us directly at Westall Park, directions are available here: http://westallpark.homestead.com/Contactuslocation2.html
The committal will take around 15 mins, after which time we will head back to Oldbury for the Celebration Service at 1.30pm:
- Kings Community Church, Tame Road, Oldbury B68 OJP
- Parking is limited at the church and you will have to use the surrounding side streets and the Co-op car park (at your own risk!)
- A hot drink will be available upon arrival at the church between 1.00-1.30pm
- Celebration Service, at which all are welcome, will commence at 1.30pm. it will last approximately 1 hr 15 mins
- A buffet will follow in the Oaktree Centre adjoining the church
Donations in Memory of Phil
Rather than floral tributes, we would prefer financial donations which will be split equally between the following charities chosen by Pat: Bradbury House Day Hospice, CLC and Krunch (the charity of which Jon is the Director). If you wish to write a cheque, please make it payable to ‘Kings Community Church’ and hand it to the treasurer after the Celebration Service. He will distribute the funds accordingly thereafter.
