A Tribute to Julia Chapman, Trustee and Treasurer of Open Ears from 2017 – 2024
A Thanksgiving service for the life of Julia was held in Wokingham Baptist Church..
The service was led by Mr Tony Brown, Chair of Torch Trust for the Blind. After the welcome and opening prayer, the congregation sang the hymn by Keith Getty and Stuart Townsend, ‘In Christ Alone.’
In Christ alone, my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song.
This Cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease;
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe.
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For every sin on Him was laid,
Here in the death of Christ I live.
There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain.
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again.
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His, and He is mine,
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
No guilt in life, no fear in death –
This is the power of Christ in me.
From life’s first cry
To final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny;
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand,
‘Til He returns, or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.
This song encapsulated Julia’s own faith and her real hope and joy in anticipating her eternal future with the Lord in heaven.
Scripture passages were read, John 14 vv1-6 and 1 Thessalonians 4 vv 13-18, followed by Julia’s sister, Sharon, reading Julia’s favourite Psalm, 139.
The readings were followed by tributes from Julia’s father, Brian Chapman; Anthea Owen (Chair of Open Ears), and Gordan Temple (long time serving Trustee of Torch Trust).
Brian gave an interesting insight into the many achievements of Julia’s life, telling of awards won and successful jobs held. He spoke of her salvation and baptism as a young person, and how that decision informed how she lived her life, in service to the Lord and through friendship and support for so many.
Anthea then gave the following tribute on behalf of Open Ears:
It is a great honour for me to have been asked to say a few words, and a privilege to be able to share some of the love and respect that we, at Open Ears, had for Julia.
Open Ears is a charity for people with hearing loss, which supports individuals, their friends, families and churches in various ways, including through friendship, Christian fellowship, practical advice, Bible teaching and – perhaps most importantly – by providing a place of belonging and understanding. Although Julia did not have a hearing loss, her sight loss gave her an empathetic and compassionate understanding, and a real heart for those who felt isolated. As one of the Open Ears Team said, “I loved Julia for her warm heart, her passion for God and her care for others, she had a real heart for those who felt isolated and was passionate to think of creative ways to include them”.
In 2017, Julia responded to an advertisement in a Christian magazine for a Treasurer for Open Ears. She was invited to attend a Committee meeting, held at a church in Reading, when through her perceptive contributions to the meeting, she impressed the whole committee as being the natural choice for Treasurer, and so she was duly appointed. Her skill and experience as an accountant was invaluable over the subsequent years. Julia was instrumental in the legal process of converting Open Ears from an unincorporated association into a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. This was no mean task, yet Julia’s diligence, patience and attention to detail were exemplary. Alongside her financial expertise, Julia was great at keeping us ‘on track’ – asking pertinent questions and gently but persistently ensuring that decisions were made and acted upon. She was interested in policy decisions, always with the aim of improving the lives of Open Ear’s members.
Another Team member remembers how Julia was unfailingly knowledgeable and helpful, especially on matters to do with vision and strategy for Open Ears’ future, saying, “I will miss her supportive presence.”
Many here will, no doubt, have benefitted from Julia’s hospitality; on joining the Open Ears’ Team, Julia invited us to hold committee meetings at her home and we had many good times at her house until the Covid pandemic when everything was moved online!
Always self deprecating, Julia seemed unaware of the huge contribution she made to our Team. At a recent Team Retreat focussing on vision and strategy for the future, we were asked to draw or write something which expressed what we felt God was saying to us – Julia said that she was neither an artist nor a wordsmith, so she presented her vision in the form of a mathematical formula!
Julia was a highly intelligent lady who loved the Lord and who held deaf people close to her heart. She was fervent in prayer, always keen to give opportunity for our members to share in prayer and frequently leading times of open prayer at our events, where she delighted in times of praise and worship.
One lasting legacy Julia has given to Open Ears is our annual Prayer Diary. She was single-minded in creating a resource which would encourage and stimulate prayer, and she was outstandingly successful in achieving this as, for the first time, every Open Ears member received a daily prayer calendar for 2024. It is testament to Julia’s personal walk with God, and to her faithfulness in listening to Him, that the verse she had chosen – many months ago – for the day she was called home to be with the Lord was Revelation 21:4
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall their be any more pain for the former things are passed away.”
It was a privilege to know her, not just as a colleague, but as a friend, and we will miss her sorely.
A final tribute, from Gordon on behalf of the Torch Trust for the Blind touched on Julia’s journey with sight loss, her deep compassion for those who, like her, had lost their sight in adulthood, and her inestimable contribution to the board of Trustees.
Marilyn Baker then sang a solo, one of her own beautiful songs, which Julia had heard and appreciated.
What a Great Day
Jesus Himself has promised
That whosoever puts their trust in Him
Will live forever
Though they may die yet they shall live again
O what a great day that will be
Living in perfect harmony
With our God so close by our side
And knowing
We’ll be evermore with Him
And He says, don’t let your hearts be troubled
For in my Father’s house are many rooms and I am going
To prepare a place there just for you
O what a great day that will be
Living in perfect harmony
No more sickness, no more pain
And knowing, we’ll be evermore with Him.
Jesus Himself has promised
That when your life comes to its journey’s end
He will not leave you, He will come Himself to take you home.
O what a great day that will be,
Living in perfect harmony
God will wipe away all tears
And we shall, be evermore with Him
© Marilyn Baker
Tony then gave an address, emphasising the importance for Julia as she faced death was that she knew the Lord Jesus had taken away her sins and she would SEE Him in His glory. The invitation was given to those who do not yet have this assurance, to turn to Jesus and know cleansing and forgiveness.
The service closed with a prayer and blessing after the congregation had sung Matt Redman’s song, ‘Ten Thousand reasons:
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship his holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I worship your holy name
The sun comes up
Its a new day dawning
Its time to sing your song again
What ever may pass and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship his holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I worship your holy name
You’re rich in love and you’re slow to anger
Your name is great and your heart is kind
For all your goodness I will keep on singing
10,000 reasons for my heart to find
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship his holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I worship your holy name
And on that day when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come
Soon my soul will sing your praise un-ending
10,000 years and there forever more
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship his holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I worship your holy name
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship his holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I worship your holy name (repeat 3x)
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I worship your holy name (repeat 3x)
What a joy to know that Julia is now worshiping the Lord in the beauty of holiness, in that place where there is no more sickness, sorrow or pain.
We give God thanks for her life well lived and the blessing she was to us in Open Ears, and to so many others.
