Page 48 - AECA.org.uk ¦ Koinonia 70

priest poured water on him and said, “Douglas Geoffrey, I baptize thee in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. It was his profound
belief that at that moment he was joined to Christ, born again unto the joys of
eternal life and entered into the communion of the life of the Blessed Trinity. It
was fitting then that Bishop Geoffrey died peacefully on the morning of Trinity
Sunday, 11 June. His life in communion with Christ begun in baptism then took
on a new dimension, as we affirm in the Eucharist for the departed, “life is
changed, not taken away”.
At his funeral in Chichester Cathedral on 5 July the Cathedral was filled
with hundreds of ordinands, priests and bishops, whose vocation had been in-
fluenced by Geoffrey’s learning and nurture, as well as a host of laity, who have
been strengthened by Geoffrey in their own faith. Along with representatives
and friends from a number of Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches,
from the Roman Catholic Church and from the Nordic Lutheran Churches, we
bade farewell to Bishop Geoffrey, and entrusted him into the loving embrace of
the Blessed Trinity, whom he worshipped and adored.

The Editor adds:
Bishop Geoffrey was a talented composer of hymns. This hymn was sung at his
Memorial Service at Keble College, Oxford to the tune Abbot's Leigh:
Living Flame of Love most holy,

God of Pentecostal fire,

Blaze on us, the Lord’s disciples,

Kindle in our hearts desire

To proclaim to all creation

God’s own being shown in Christ,

Life outpoured for our salvation

Offered up in sacrifice.
Teach Christ’s Church of God’s self-giving,

Love that stoops to meet our need;

Love, the source and goal of being;

Love, not dreamt but shown in deed.

Fount of life and adoration,

Source of prayer within our hearts;

Words of joy and words of wonder

Spring from all your grace imparts.

$46