On Sunday 25th February St Paul’s welcomed back the Reverend Canon David Goodacre as a guest to deliver a very thought-provoking sermon about how we can pray for those in war zones around the world. I caught up with Rev’d Goodacre after the service and we spoke about his time in Ryhope and what he has been up to in recent years.

Recently he has slowed down a little work wise as he is now in his late eighties but still works mornings, though now he does have some days off. He stopped services after the Covid pandemic, but still writes (he is currently writing another book). He is interested in the spiritual direction of the Anglican Church and is part of a project to rediscover a spiritual way of life for those living in a family, rather than those living a single, celibate life alone which he believes the church has largely modelled its approach on.

He now lives in Kingston Park near Newcastle and does like to travel. Both his daughters, Christine and Mary, live in Kent and teach at the same school there. He visits them several times a year. His son in law had been Dean of Chelmsford until last year.

Rev’d Goodacre arrived in the area in 1969. St Paul’s was a big parish, so he was surprised to be offered a position. He first worked as a hospital chaplain in Ryhope although nobody was informed that he was starting when he arrived. This gave him the chance to settle in and get to know everybody first though before he had to start work properly.

He loved his six years at St Paul’s. He and his wife loved the beach going almost every day. They used to live in the old vicarage on Stockton Road before moving into the lovely new vicarage. He likes the changes which have been made to the church interior, especially the raised floor at the front with the altar. He used to preach from the pulpit which hasn’t been used for many years now.

He introduced Ryhope Views magazine and saw it as community magazine rather than just a magazine for the Church. Hopefully, we are continuing his good work in the same way.

After the SAFC FA Cup victory of 1973 he invited one of the players to give a talk about the spirituality of sport and he shared some of the tactics the team used to win the cup but they were not very edifying!

A few people who attended the service enjoyed talking and reminiscing to Rev’d Goodacre afterwards, including some who were married by him in St Paul’s back in the 1970s. We all very much enjoyed his visit and he has left us with some interesting thoughts about prayer and the state of the world at the moment, leaving us feeling less futile in the face of conflict.

Rev’d Goodacre’s book: Morning Prayer in Urumqi is available at The Church House Book Shop currently priced £16.99.

https://chbookshop.hymnsam.co.uk/books/9781789592610/morning-prayer-in-urumqi

by Elaine Shanks