Condolences - Fr Paul Singleton

This message of condolence has been sent following the death of Fr Paul Singleton, formerly of the Community of the Resurrection

My dear Geraldine

It is with great sadness in my heart that I write to send you and the whole family condolences and love and the assurance of our prayers from me, Lungi, and indeed the whole Anglican Church of Southern Africa, on Paul’s death. Yet at the same time, in this Easter season in which we celebrate Christ’s victory over death, I am also so grateful to God for his gift of this faithful servant, who shared so many long and fruitful years with us, and touched the lives of countless numbers, more deeply than perhaps he knew.

I count myself privileged to have known him, as both a great teacher and dedicated pastor, since our time together on the team at Christ the King in Sophiatown. The love of God for his children shone so strongly through Paul, with his gentleness and clear dedication to our Lord. I shall miss him more than I can say, especially his affirming spirit; and the care he always showed, first of all, for you, but also to me and to so many others. He always asked about my work, or rather, about how God was progressing his work through me, as he would say: an important reminder to me ‘not to think too highly’ of myself, as St Paul writes in his letter to the Romans.

‘Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones’ wrote the Psalmist (Ps 116:15), and I am sure that Paul, far more than most people I have known, is counted among the faithful ones of God. May this good servant of the Lord rest in peace and rise in glory. And may our God comfort you, and all who mourn Paul’s passing, with his strength and compassion and endless love.

Yours in the service of Christ

+Thabo Cape Town