Jeff was well known and much respected by a significant number of clergy in our diocese - beyond the Stafford area. He was a Fresh expressions minister and often asked by Bishop Mark to run seminars at conferences.

At his funeral, Rev Andy Ackroyd, Rector of Cheswardine, read a short eulogy about Jeff as a person, a colleague and a cricket captain, and it is shared here:

"I have had the privilege of playing cricket with Jeff since 2000. He loved his sport, I loved to hear the stories of his travels over Europe watching Nottingham Forest (tales of Brian Clough and the glory years), and I loved playing cricket with him. He has played for the Lichfield Diocese Cricket Team (Church of England – the old enemy), for better or worse – the first decade was mostly worse, but the last three years, with him as our captain, we have been the most successful diocese in the country – three national finals in four years.

Jeff is a very gifted Batsman, aesthetically pleasing when in full flow. I can still picture his front foot cover drive. His running between the wickets mind you, was less than aesthetically pleasing – a source of immense fun every game, for his team mates. When he joined us he was clearly a more accomplished cricketer than the rest of us, had played at a higher level, and yet he was just one of the lads – encouraging, modest and a true team player. He gave 100%, was great to play with, and was good company on and off the pitch.

As a captain Jeff excelled. Several people have commented that they found Jeff to be the best captain they ever played for. I agree 100%. He was an astute tactician, a great leader, understood the game, but most of all he understood people. He wanted to win, but he wanted to win in the right manner. He always won with modesty, and when we lost he behaved with dignity and good grace.

A typical example was after the final in London last year – we had been royally thrashed. Jeff was gracious in defeat as always, gutted we had lost, but he went and congratulated the opposition on their deserved victory. He came into our changing room, was honest enough to say the best team won on the day, then as he looked forward to our meal and beer in the pub he said ‘WE WILL HAVE MORE FUN THAN THEM TONIGHT.’ You see Jeff knew, that important as it was to win, we had a special camaraderie, a great team spirit, and we would have great fun with each other, even in defeat!

People genuinely liked Jeff ON and OFF the field. He inspired people to play for him. People willingly responded to what he asked of them. And then there is that huge booming laugh to be heard all over the pitch whenever we played!

He loved captaining the diocese. He clearly got a sort of perverse pleasure as a Methodist Minister being captain of an Anglican Diocese. Often when + Mark invited Jeff to speak at diocesan events, Jeff would introduce himself, tell everyone he was a Methodist Minister, then tell all the gathered people that he was Lichfield Diocesan Cricket Captain, which he explained - meant that every Monday he got to order 10 Anglican ministers around a cricket field, and that he got to tell two bishops when they could move diagonally! I bring very heartfelt condolences from the Bishop of Shrewsbury who is in Israel – who described Jeff as a great Christian Leader and a great sporting leader.

We truly respected Jeff, but we were rather merciless in the amount of stick we gave him – before, during and after the game! Banter and good friendship is what characterises our team, and Jeff was at the heart of it – always willing to dish out a little banter (and even sledging), and always able to laugh when he was the source of our amusement (a lot of the time). He was a man of great passion and compassion, a man of integrity, a man of depth, a man with a great sense of humour, a man of great generosity, a man who made people feel valued and made them feel they belonged, a man whose been the heartbeat of our team! A man with a huge ability to ‘live life to the full’ just as Jesus encouraged us to do. A man whose untimely death leaves a huge hole in so many lives. Our team will never be the same again! I cannot begin to image what it must be like for team ‘Reynolds’.

On a personal level I want to pay a tribute to Jeff. At a time in my life and ministry when I was struggling, Jeff believed in me, when I am not sure I believed in myself or my calling. He understood what Christians call GRACE and he lived it. I ended up working with him here in the circuit for two wonderful years, and I will always be grateful to him for that (I know Jeff also influenced another of our team (Arthur) to offer himself for ordination).

I am grateful to speak on this poignant occasion. I am grateful for the hope that we have today – that real Christian hope that ‘the best is yet to be’, this hope which Jeff believes in, this hope that because of the resurrection of his saviour Jesus Christ – death is not the end. It is wonderful to celebrate the life of a genuinely good guy, of a person who truly lived life to the full, who truly lived well. But in closing I have to say this. Philippa, Olivia, Rhiannon and Phoebe – on behalf of our team (and everyone else gathered) – our hearts truly go out to you. There is much to celebrate in Jeff’s life, there is that wonderful resurrection hope to cling on to, but there is a huge part of me that wants to say this just feels so wrong, it feels far too premature, it just doesn’t seem to make any sense at all?"

Taken from the Lichfield Diocese website. We all here at Brewood CC would like to express our shock and loss of a great bloke, captain and friend to the Club. R.I.P. Jeff