What a deeply moving and inspiring funeral service at All Souls for John Stott. I got the bus in to London, power-walked down Oxford Road (which is not a short road) and got a seat under the side gallery 2nd row from the front, 30 minutes before the start of the service. His warmth and interest in his own and church family shone through - what a tribute to a greatly influential and humble servant of the Lord.
One funny story was about John Stott in his mini-car on a narrow country road and right behind him, in urgent hurry - the fire brigade!
The description on the front of the bulletin read:
Thanksgiving Service for the Life of John Stott. 1921-2011: A life of faithful service.
On the first page were printed two Scripture verses:
“May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. " Galatians 6:14
"Whoever has My commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves Me.” John 14:21
Those there sang with one voice:
- “Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne…”
- “Name of all majesty, fathomless mystery…”
- “When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory died..”
And finally “Thine be the glory” without the thee-words.
- “Glory to Jesus! risen, conquering Son, endless victory over death You won..!
There is so much more to be said, but for now something from “Christian Today will do. The rest of the CT report is to be found after my snaps/ photographs. I hope this post convey something of the respect, the love for and the final farewell of John Stott.
Christian Today Report:
There were moments of poignant reflection but also much laughter and thanksgiving at the funeral of John Stott today.
All Souls Langham Place, Stott’s beloved church in London, was filled to capacity with friends, relatives and many others who did not know him personally, yet had in some way been touched by his preaching and more than 50 books.
The queue of Christians waiting to enter the church prior to the start of the service stretched to a block away.
I cannot tell you, after all the goose-flesh, triumphant singing, how poignant and most moving it was when John Stott’s coffin was carried out of All Souls – no music, just the silent final farewell and tears for a man loved.
And here the last of the throngs gathered on All Souls steps – the hearse on the right - and London bustling on as cities do.
The procession is just about ready to leave All Souls. (The undertaker is dressed in top-hat, etc)
Brave man he is, he brings the London traffic to a halt and then walks ahead of the solemn procession in the middle of the street in Langham Place.
On the left is the BBC (white and blue) adjacent to All Souls
The onlooker on the left asked me what was happening across the road. He has never heard of John Stott and did not seem to know that acceptance with God and heaven come through Jesus. I thought he was a journalist, because he asked so many questions! But the rest of the story is for another time….
I hope to post something more about John Stott, our brother and God’s servant – who always was suspicious of fame!
Here is
the link to Christian Today where you will find the whole article – or else, if you are interested – and I hope you are! – please read the rest of the same article right here.
There was heartfelt sadness at the passing of a much loved teacher and friend, but the tone of the service was joyous as All Souls conductor Noel Tredinnick led the congregation with typical enthusiasm in hymns such as Crown Him with Many Crowns and Thine Be the Glory.
Those who knew Stott personally brought laughter to the service as they shared humorous anecdotes about his keen attention to detail and love of bird watching.
Stott’s niece, Caroline Bowerman, recalled with fondness the many Christmases spent together with Uncle John and said that he never lost an opportunity to share his faith with her.
Former study assistant Toby Howarth spoke of the undivided attention Stott gave to each person he encountered and remembered him as someone who always “pointed not to himself but to Jesus”.
Also paying tribute was former All Souls church warden, David Turner, who described him as “a Christian giant, a hero, a mentor, and a friend we loved”.
The greatest tribute, however, came from Dr Chris Wright, international director of Langham Partnership and the man Stott asked personally to preach at his funeral.
Dr Wright spoke admiringly of Stott’s legacy and the example he had set for Christians the world over, contrasting his integrity with the “too many” Christian leaders who fall short of the mark by preaching prosperity or failing to lay themselves at the foot of the cross as Stott had done throughout his life.
He praised his friend and mentor for his “anger” against injustice, the way in which he honoured and respected women, his love of children, his rejection of wealth, and his delight in God’s creation.
“John Stott modelled that obedience of faith,” he said.
“Is there any life that has more beautifully borne the fruit of the Spirit? … In so many ways, John was simply like Christ.”
Dr Wright appealed to his fellow Christians to honour Stott’s greatest desire – to see the church united and Christians loving each other as Christ loved them.
"His was a cross-centred, Christ-glorifying life, lived in obedience of love."
He added: “Walk in the obedience of love and the obedience of hope.”
Stott died on July 27 at the age of 90. He is credited with doing more to change the landscape of global evangelicalism in the twentieth century than any other evangelical.
He was rector of All Souls Church, Langham Place, from 1950 to 1970, and went on to write 51 books on the meaning of the cross and the Christian faith.
He was named by Time magazine in 2005 as one of the 100 most influential people in the world and appointed CBE in 2007.
