Edna Margaret Bell

Edna had the rare privilege of being the first Office Administrator of Precept Ministries NI (now Precept Ireland). It sounds much grander than it was!

Our first office was the back storeroom of Evangelical Ministries Offices, and we had two bookshelves of Precept Studies in the corner. Neither of us had any experience in working for a Charity or setting up a new Christian Ministry but God knew what was needed and I needed Edna.

Edna was an organiser and she soon had neatly labelled files both on her desk and on our new computer. She developed processes for filling out orders, keeping stock records and building a list of new contacts as the ministry started to grow. All this was done without fuss and if there was a problem or something that we did not understand, Edna always took the initiative to resolve the issue. And on the crazy days her dry sense of humour kept us going.

The greatest gift that Edna brought to Precept was her love for the LORD and her desire to know Him more deeply. As we journeyed in faith, depending on God’s provision in every way to keep the ministry going and growing, Edna embraced the challenge and was often the one to encourage us from her daily readings as we grappled with decisions requiring stepping out beyond our safe place. As the growing team prayed together Edna would remind us through her prayers of the God who was “completely reliable”. Over the years we gathered so many stories that proved this to be true.

It was with huge sadness that we learned of Edna’s short illness and call home. The last words of Scripture that were read to her by her daughter just before she went home to be with the Lord were found in Psalm 4:8:

“In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

Edna died as she lived, fully trusting in the Lord she had come to love and serve. And I am so thankful for every memory of her.

Valerie Murphy

A service of thanksgiving was held for Edna at Scrabo Hall, Newtownards on Saturday 5 September.