LETTER FROM THE ECUMENICAL MODERATOR
the venerable david goldie
MURDOCH MACKENZIE
june 2002
Dear Friends
None of us will ever forget David and we can see him now twirling his spectacles in one hand and looking at us with that kind and friendly yet eager and penetrating look in his eye, making each of us feel that we were the only person in the whole world who mattered at that moment. David was a Cambridge man and around the time of the boat race I was always aware that the Cambridge second eight was called 'Goldie' and when Cambridge won, as they often did, David would look at me with a satisfied twinkle in his eye, as if to say: 'What do you expect ?' !
For twenty years David has served the people of Milton Keynes as City Centre Chaplain, as Vicar of the Church of Christ the Cornerstone, as Borough Dean and as Archdeacon of Buckingham. His wisdom, his vision, his abiding faithfulness especially during his illness, his prayerfulness, his pastoral care, his theological awareness, his Scottishness, his family life, his gifts in music and worship and his ecumenical commitment will continue to encourage and inspire us for many years to come.
At the Second Vatican Council it was said: 'When we die, we will not be asked if we have achieved unity, but if we have worked, prayed and suffered for unity.' These words most fittingly apply to David. Whilst he brought to the ecumenical movement all the very best which the Church of England has to offer, his great passion was ecumenical and he was hugely instrumental with many other people, in ensuring that Milton Keynes would have at its heart a church which would be truly inclusive, not only of all Christians, but open to the whole Milton Keynes community. In St Paul's Cathedral the plaque to Sir Christopher Wren reads: 'Si monumentum requiris, circumspice.' 'If you need a memorial, look around.' In a similar way the Church of Christ the Cornerstone stands as a memorial to David.
But the best thing each of us can do if we wish to remember David is to continue the work which he was doing. Having put his hand to the plough David never looked back, but remained obedient to the heavenly vision of one Church, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, of the coming great Church within which the Church of England and the Oxford Diocese would find fulfilment. Because to be ecumenical does not mean abandoning all the precious gifts which Anglicans have to offer but celebrating and sharing them with others. This is precisely the opportunity which our Diocese is giving each of us next month as we are invited to gather in High Wycombe for a feast of truly Christian nourishment from 11th - 13th July.
We hope as many people as possible from Milton Keynes will seize this not to be missed opportunity of meeting and hearing from some of the leading Christians of our day from across the denominations. These include Joel Edwards, Director of the Evangelical Alliance; Lavinia Byrne, Roman Catholic Writer and Broadcaster; John Bell from the Church of Scotland, Iona Community and Wild Goose Worship Resource Group; Kevin McDonald, Roman Catholic Bishop of Northampton with expertise in Interfaith and Ecumenical issues; Tony Campolo, a leading evangelist speaking about Evangelism in Changing Times; George Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury speaking on Courageous Leadership in Changing Times; Daleep Mukarji, Director of Christian Aid; John Drane, from Aberdeen and author of The McDonaldization of the Church; Jeremy Martineau, expert in Rural Issues; Bishop Itumeleng from Kimberley and Kuruman; as well as Taize-style worship, the Holy Fools -Clowning and the Gospel,The Labyrinth - a spiritual experience in travelling life's road and much much more. So let us book dates in our diaries now.
Full details are available in The Door, on the website www.oxford.anglican.org/convention or from the Mission Partnership office on 311310. Bursaries are available towards the cost for those who need help by telephoning Richard Cattley on 237777. If you are going and have spare car seats or if you need a lift telephone me on 311310. Above all please pray for the Convention especially at noon on Thursdays. For us all to join in this 'unconventional convention' will be one of many ways in which we can honour the memory of David Goldie as we put our heart and soul into those things which were precious to him.
May the Lord bless each one of us in these Summer days.
Murdoch MacKenzie
None of us will ever forget David and we can see him now twirling his spectacles in one hand and looking at us with that kind and friendly yet eager and penetrating look in his eye, making each of us feel that we were the only person in the whole world who mattered at that moment. David was a Cambridge man and around the time of the boat race I was always aware that the Cambridge second eight was called 'Goldie' and when Cambridge won, as they often did, David would look at me with a satisfied twinkle in his eye, as if to say: 'What do you expect ?' !
For twenty years David has served the people of Milton Keynes as City Centre Chaplain, as Vicar of the Church of Christ the Cornerstone, as Borough Dean and as Archdeacon of Buckingham. His wisdom, his vision, his abiding faithfulness especially during his illness, his prayerfulness, his pastoral care, his theological awareness, his Scottishness, his family life, his gifts in music and worship and his ecumenical commitment will continue to encourage and inspire us for many years to come.
At the Second Vatican Council it was said: 'When we die, we will not be asked if we have achieved unity, but if we have worked, prayed and suffered for unity.' These words most fittingly apply to David. Whilst he brought to the ecumenical movement all the very best which the Church of England has to offer, his great passion was ecumenical and he was hugely instrumental with many other people, in ensuring that Milton Keynes would have at its heart a church which would be truly inclusive, not only of all Christians, but open to the whole Milton Keynes community. In St Paul's Cathedral the plaque to Sir Christopher Wren reads: 'Si monumentum requiris, circumspice.' 'If you need a memorial, look around.' In a similar way the Church of Christ the Cornerstone stands as a memorial to David.
But the best thing each of us can do if we wish to remember David is to continue the work which he was doing. Having put his hand to the plough David never looked back, but remained obedient to the heavenly vision of one Church, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, of the coming great Church within which the Church of England and the Oxford Diocese would find fulfilment. Because to be ecumenical does not mean abandoning all the precious gifts which Anglicans have to offer but celebrating and sharing them with others. This is precisely the opportunity which our Diocese is giving each of us next month as we are invited to gather in High Wycombe for a feast of truly Christian nourishment from 11th - 13th July.
We hope as many people as possible from Milton Keynes will seize this not to be missed opportunity of meeting and hearing from some of the leading Christians of our day from across the denominations. These include Joel Edwards, Director of the Evangelical Alliance; Lavinia Byrne, Roman Catholic Writer and Broadcaster; John Bell from the Church of Scotland, Iona Community and Wild Goose Worship Resource Group; Kevin McDonald, Roman Catholic Bishop of Northampton with expertise in Interfaith and Ecumenical issues; Tony Campolo, a leading evangelist speaking about Evangelism in Changing Times; George Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury speaking on Courageous Leadership in Changing Times; Daleep Mukarji, Director of Christian Aid; John Drane, from Aberdeen and author of The McDonaldization of the Church; Jeremy Martineau, expert in Rural Issues; Bishop Itumeleng from Kimberley and Kuruman; as well as Taize-style worship, the Holy Fools -Clowning and the Gospel,The Labyrinth - a spiritual experience in travelling life's road and much much more. So let us book dates in our diaries now.
Full details are available in The Door, on the website www.oxford.anglican.org/convention or from the Mission Partnership office on 311310. Bursaries are available towards the cost for those who need help by telephoning Richard Cattley on 237777. If you are going and have spare car seats or if you need a lift telephone me on 311310. Above all please pray for the Convention especially at noon on Thursdays. For us all to join in this 'unconventional convention' will be one of many ways in which we can honour the memory of David Goldie as we put our heart and soul into those things which were precious to him.
May the Lord bless each one of us in these Summer days.
Murdoch MacKenzie
