Following the death of Dr Laurence Whitley on Sunday 4th Nov, we mourn with his wife Catherine, his children Hilary and Edward, all whose lives were enriched by him and all who knew him. We have very much missed Laurence during his illness, and now that he has gone to the Lord, we take encouragement from the church’s faith that ‘if we have died with him (Christ), then we shall live with him.’
Laurence’s presence in ecumenical life in Glasgow Churches Together and at Glasgow Cathedral bore fruit in the happy relations among the churches – he worked so hard at encouraging the churches to take a fuller part in the life of the city, in organising services and events, in his calm presence and wisdom at meetings, in his wit, diplomacy and good sense in dealing with difficulties, in shifting hundreds of chairs with us for the St Mungo Festival and other occasions, in his sermons whether in the Cathedral or the City Chambers, in his many short talks for radioalba.org – his contribution has been immeasurable.
The loss of a friend directs our attention to ‘what next’? ‘No eye has seen or ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man to know the things that God has prepared for those who love him’ – our faith sustains our hope that Laurence has gone to a fuller life, to the Banquet of the Lamb. Truly may he rest in peace.
