Our Diocese Mourns the Loss of Kath Pollard
We are deeply saddened to share the news that Kath Pollard, Deanery Lay Chair for Bury and Rossendale, passed away this weekend. Kath was a devoted servant of Bury Parish Church, her deanery, and the wider diocese.
We are deeply saddened to share the news that Kath Pollard, Deanery Lay Chair for Bury and Rossendale, passed away this weekend. Kath was a devoted servant of Bury Parish Church, her deanery, and the wider diocese, generously giving her time through a number of roles in church life.
A dedicated member of Bury Parish Choir, Kath contributed significantly to its life and found great joy in being part of the group. She was particularly passionate about creation care, faithfully serving as an Eco Champion, and supporting the role of church officers and lay leaders in our parishes.
Kath will be greatly missed by all who knew and worked with her. We give thanks for her life and service, and our thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends, and church community at this time.
Bishop Matthew Porter pays tribute to Kath writing:
“Kath was a considerate, dedicated, servant-hearted person. Her love for Christ and his church in Bury shone through, as she faithfully supported all sorts of people in the Deanery with kindness and practical care. She would often read the bible reading at the licensing of a new minister and in her very down-to-earth way modelled Christian discipleship to us all. Kath will be sadly missed by so many.”
Archdeacon Rachel Mann adds:
“One of the joys of moving up to Bury in 2021 was meeting and then getting to know Kath Pollard. During my time as Area Dean of Bury and Rossendale, her wisdom, local knowledge and unfailing love for the Deanery as Lay Chair was a profound blessing. More than that I was thrilled to see her increasingly spread her wings as she became a passionate advocate for the Deanery’s and the Diocese’s Eco-Church goals.
“We never lost touch once I moved role to be Archdeacon, and whenever we bumped into each other there was laughter and joy and a shared sense that God was up to exciting things in this diocese. Her passion for choral music and for the life of her local church, Bury Parish Church, was inspiring. This diocese has lost a great servant and I have lost a colleague who became a friend. May she rest in peace and rise in glory, and may God’s tender Spirit rest on her husband David, her children and grandchildren at this heart-breaking time.”