"I have called you by name, you are mine"

Mark Autherson, a second year ordinand here at Ridley, died yesterday as a result of complications following remission from leukaemia and a successful bone marrow transplant.

Although Mark had not actually spent much time studying due to the impact of his illness, he was well loved by those who knew him. He sounds like quite a character. Someone told me that he made me look sensible.

Each weekday the college gathers for about 30 minutes at 8.15am for Morning Prayer and it was my turn to lead yesterday's service. Shortly before I was due to start I learnt the sad news of Mark's death. The Principal announced the news to everybody, and as I sat at the front of the chapel facing forwards I could see a community looking back at me, waiting for me to lead them in prayer.

Little did I know that when I planned the service and chose an infrequently used prayer the words would be so appropriate on the day that it was used:
"Fear Not, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you
When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned"(from Isaiah 43)

I feel so privileged to have had the role I had in that service.


It is very quiet at Ridley. It's normally quite quiet, but it's now like when the office air conditioning goes off and you realise how quiet the real quiet that hides underneath the aircon is.

Please pray for the students, the staff, the spouses and families as we grapple with what has just happened, but especially please pray for Mark's wife Sally and their three young children.

Ridley is wounded and limping a little, but Mark is with Jesus now.