Göran and Jack at our gathering in Leeds
From IT at The Friends of Jake:
Long time friend at Fr Jake's and Friends-of-Jake Göran Koch-Swahne, a Swedish priest and formidable Biblical scholar, has been ill for some time, and has now entered hospice. I am assuming this means the same in Sweden as it does here. Notes are being put on his facebook.And friend of Wounded Bird. Göran flew in from Sweden for our blogger gathering in Leeds two years ago. He is a lovely man, a truly gentle man, whence comes the word "gentleman". Göran is the very essence of a godly gentleman. Some mornings, I woke up to four or five of Göran's wise and gentle comments at my blog.
May God the Father bless Göran, God the Son heal him, God the Holy Spirit give him strength. May God the holy and undivided Trinity guard his body, save his soul, and bring him safely to God's heavenly country; where God lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
Love, prayers, and tears.
ReplyDeleteOh my God, Mimi, this is awful news!
ReplyDeleteI remember taking the photo of Jack and Göran you posted here and I can't believe this is happening!
I am so so deeply shocked, we postponed a planned visit to Göran last year and had hoped to see him in Sweden next year.
Thank you for posting this.
As Paul says, "Love prayers, and tears."
ReplyDeleteThis is so sad. Tell me we're not a community, when we can love, cry, and pray together for each other.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to read this, Mimi.
ReplyDeleteGod bless him and be gentle with him...
ReplyDeleteMay the angels carry him on their wings and make his passage sweet. He was such a kind man in all his comments and with his presence.
ReplyDeleteWell, this is exactly what I've feared for some weeks now. I'm deeply saddened to hear this but not really surprised.
ReplyDeleteI will continue to hold him in my prayers.
I, too, will miss him. Sad news. Prayers from Guatemala.
ReplyDeleteWhat susan s. said. God bless Goran.
ReplyDeleteI'll miss him greatly. I've got to know him through Facebook and he left so many kind and sweet comments for me. And I've learned so much from him.
ReplyDeleteGentle man is right.
Shocked at news. What everyone else has said, and praying.
ReplyDeleteWe are a community no doubt about it. As we share our joys sO we will share our sorrows as some of our members leave us too soon. Keeping Goran and Kristin close in our hearts right now.
ReplyDeleteVery sad news indeed. Prayers go heavenward for our brother Goran.
ReplyDeleteYes ... we are a community. In many ways we are closer than those who are geographically connected. I often feel a closeness to people on this blog and on OCICBW that I don't experience elsewhere.
Being a Christian makes the likely death of friends so confusing. Hardly sad because it's unlikely they will find it so but sad because we will have a piece of our lives missing. I just returned from the crying/joyous funeral of an amazing woman and fellow Integrity member. I was happy for her when she chose hospice but found myself (and lots of others) leaking a lot of tears this afternoon.
ReplyDeleteIt's all been said above. I'm so sorry.
ReplyDeleteOh Jack! Each time I think about Göran, I tear up. We had such a lovely time in Leeds.
ReplyDeleteI weep afresh as I read comments. Love and prayers to Göran and Kirstin and all who tend and love them.
ReplyDeletePrayers from Vermont for Göran, those of you have had the gift of time with him for whom this news is all the harder... God bless all of you and hold you in a tight embrace of love.
ReplyDeleteI am very sorry to hear this too. I hope he's not in pain :(
ReplyDeleteGöran is such a lovely man. I pray he goes gentle....
ReplyDeleteI echo all the thoughts here, and your prayer, Mimi. I've so enjoyed the few musings from him I've read.
ReplyDeleteCiss, the prayer is an edited version of a prayer from the BCP, changed enough that I couldn't use quotes. The BCP is a treasure.
ReplyDeleteI will never forget the way Goran would PREACH IT at Thinking Anglicans. Amazing---and blessed.
ReplyDeleteTraveling mercies, {{{Goran}}}