Give rest, O Christ, to thy servant with thy saints:
where sorrow and pain are no more;
neither sighing but life everlasting.

From the Orthodox Kontakion for Matins of the Departed

One of ABM’s long-time supporters, Fr Noel Whale, died suddenly on Thursday 28 September 2023 in Melbourne.  Whenever he went into a new parish, donations to help ABM’s partners went up significantly.

Having studied at St Stephen’s House, Oxford, he was ordained as priest for the Diocese of Melbourne in 1971 by the then Bishop of Oxford at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. His first curacy was at St Michael’s, Amersham, a parish within the same diocese. He returned to Melbourne and served his second curacy at All Saints’, Newtown (1973-1976). A string of Melbourne appointments followed: Priest in Charge of St Eanswythe’s, Altona (1976-1979); Area Dean of Williamstown (1978-1984); Incumbent of St Eanswythe’s, Altona (1979-1985); Incumbent of the Parish of St George’s, Ivanhoe East (1986-1995); Development Manager of the Diocese of Melbourne (1995-1997); Director of St Paul’s Cathedral, Melbourne’s, 150th Birthday Appeal (1995-1996); Minor Canon of St Paul’s Cathedral, Melbourne (1997-2001); Precentor of St Paul’s Cathedral, Melbourne (1997-2000); Incumbent of St Peter’s Bundoora (2001-2011); Priest in Charge of Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Port Melbourne (2011-2022). He retired from stipendiary ministry last year and continued to hold the Archbishop’s Permission to Officiate.

Fr Noel had been diagnosed with cancer some two weeks before he died, but his death was sudden and unexpected. In the face of his diagnosis, he wanted all to know that his faith remained unshaken.

We give thanks to God for the life and ministry of Fr Noel, and particularly for his faithful support of ABM. We pray for his family and many friends as they mourn. May he rest in peace and rise with Christ in glory.

Lord, thou only art immortal, the creator and maker of man:
and we are mortal formed from the dust of the earth,
and unto earth shall we return:
for so thou didst ordain,
when thou created me saying:
Dust thou art und unto dust shalt thou return.
All we go down to the dust;
and weeping o’er the grave we make our song:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

From the Orthodox Kontakion for Matins of the Departed