Requiescat in Pace, Göran

Fr. Göran Koch-Swahne (1954-2011)

I dina händer, o barmhärtige Frälsare, vi berömmer din tjänare Göran. Erkänn, bönfaller vi ödmjukt dig, ett får av din egen vik, ett lamm av din egen flock, en syndare av dina egna försonande. Emot honom i armarna på din nåd, i den välsignade resten av evig fred, och i det härliga sällskap med de heliga i ljuset. Amen.

Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant Göran. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen.

Eternal Rest Grant Unto Him O Lord,

And Light Perpetual Shine Upon Him.

Evig vila låta honom o Herre,
Och ljus Perpetual lysa för honom.

For his long time friends who may not know, Goran was diagnosed with a particularly aggressive and fast moving form of prostate cancer. It spread to his bones. He was placed in Hospice care on 26 June.

An anniversary for Terry Martin

On this day in 1991 Terry Martin was ordained to the priesthood. Congratulations, Fr. Martin!

News of our brother Göran.

Our very beloved brother, Gören, has been on hospice for a week. He has an aggressive form of prostate cancer. According to his niece, the does not have a lot of time before he joins the Communion of Saints. Please keep him in your prayers as he graduates from mortality. And remember his blood family and his adopted family one of whom I am privileged to be.

Growing up in the shadow of a Swedish Lutheran Church, I learned Children of the Heavenly Father at a very young age. It was always sung in times of distress and for funerals. The last verse of the English translation says:

Neither life nor death shall ever

From the Lord, His children sever.

His the loving purpose solely,

To preserve them, pure and holy.

Bishop Shimpfky at rest

It is with great sadness that I report the death of the Rt. Rev'd Richard L. Shimpfky, D.D.. Bishop Shimpfky graduated from this life into that life of perfect freedom at 6 a.m. today, 28 February 2011. 

I no words to express my sorrow.

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord,  that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.  For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4.13-18

Requiescat in Pace.

Et lux perpetuia eis, Domine.