The Rev. Canon Dr. Ken Cochrane.

For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.    11 Cor. 4: 5

 

Just over eighteen months ago I was invited to give the address at a service to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Ordination of The Rev. Dr. Canon Kenneth Wilbur Cochrane, and these words from St. Paul’s second letter to the Church at Corinth seemed to me to reflect the life, ministry and service of an exceptional man of God. I use these same words again today as I attempt to pay tribute to a dear friend and a distinguished priest who served his Lord and his Church with singular devotion and dedication.  As we share in this Service of  Thanksgiving for the life of Canon Ken Cochrane, I am very conscious no words of mine will adequately reflect the deep love and affection in  which he was held not only in this parish, community and city, but in our Diocese of Connor and the Church of Ireland. Each one of us here today could write down our own personal memories of Ken and fill many books – so rich and special are those memories

Those of us who were his friends and colleagues are deeply saddened by his passing; yet our sadness and loss are nothing compared with those of his close knit and loving family, especially his dear wife Mildred, sons Peter and Michael, daughters-in-law Deardrie and Eleanor, and grandchildren Emma, Simon and Christopher, his sister Eleanor and brother-in-law Alan, nieces and nephews. I hope they feel uplifted and comforted by the great gathering of people who have been drawn to this parish church today by affection for Ken, and his love, support and care for them.

On behalf of Mildred, Peter and Michael, I would wish to express profound thanks to the many people who have supported them in these past weeks of Ken’s illness…. The doctors and nurses in Lagan Valley Hospital for their excellent care and kindness, the Rev. Paul Dundas rector of Christ Church for his sensitive and devoted ministry .. and to the Rev. Jim Carson, Rector of St. Paul’s for making this lovely church available for this celebration of Ken’s life.  And how appropriate it is to have this service in the very building Ken was responsible for. Indeed these stones speak more eloquently and adequately than any words.. for this church stands not just as a memorial but as a witness to an energetic priest with an infectious zeal for the Gospel and to the many who found comfort in his devoted pastoral care.

Kenneth Wilbur Cochrane was born in 1927 in Coleraine, the youngest son of James and Ellen Cochrane.  He was educated at Coleraine Tech. and Coleraine Inst. Following a short career as an Accountant, he went to Trinity College, Dublin and was made deacon in 1958 to serve his title in the parish of St. Aidan, Belfast.  He was curate of St. Nicholas,  Belfast from 1961-62, and in Christ Church, Lisburn, 1962-65, Curate-in-charge, St. Paul’s Lisburn 1965-1966 when he was appointed Rector, and from 1966 to his retirement in 1998, this parish was his life.  He was appointed Canon of Belfast Cathedral in 1986 and then Prebendary of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, in 1990.  In the midst of a busy and demanding ministry he studied for and was awarded his Doctorate in 1988 – a distinguished priest with a distinguished academic career.

Ken loved his work and never spared himself in any way during his ministry.  He was ably supported by his dear wife Mildred, and even when the boys were small she was involved in parish activities, and the Rectory was always a place of warmth and welcome. He loved his family and the blessing of a good family was great joy to Ken.  He performed the marriage ceremony for Peter and Deardrie and for Michael and Eleanor. He baptised his grandchildren and was enormously proud of his sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren - Simon for his success in gaining a diploma in music; Emma - for her continuing studies in Equestrian Science in Lincoln University, and Christopher - for his success in his school work and his ambitions in the medical science research field. You were all so special to him. I witnessed the family devotion personally during the past weeks, as you were constantly at his bedside in Lagan Valley Hospital.

The task of building a church from nothing presented many challenges, not least financial, but St. Paul’s was consecrated in January 1964.  Ken was a man with a large pastoral heart; he had the common touch and saw his clerical collar as an opportunity opening the windows that would help people find God.  Ken’s concerns were not just in the bricks and mortar but in the lives of people.. the hard graft of pastoral visitation, encouraging young families to attend worship, he was a team leader and a team builder and throughout all his life he retained that benign spirit and sense of humour and fun.  But even more than that, he had a great sense of the joy of living life, a glad engagement with the world, a fusion of the everyday and the holy, that some people like Ken are blessed with, that enables them to enjoy the good things of life as a great blessing from God.

For over 50 years, Ken faithfully proclaimed Christ Jesus as Lord.. that God entered our world, we have just celebrated that truth, and today the Feast of the Epiphany we are reminded that the Good News is for all people, and that He demonstrated grace, generosity and love without limit.... that Jesus was put to death on a cross and on the 3rd day He was raised from death....  that this crazy roller coaster world has still a centre and that is Christ. Christ is the heart of our message, the source of our life.

Ken made his own unique contribution to the wider church.  Secretary to the Diocesan Council/Synod, member of the Electoral College,  Examining Chaplain to the Bishop, member of the Board of Patronage, member of General Synod and School Governor.. his wise counsel, shrewd judgement and sanctified common sense, will long be remembered in the Diocese, and in the wider church.

Although he retired from full time parochial ministry in 1999, I don’t think he knew the meaning of the word ‘retirement’, because he certainly did not hang up his cassock and surplice... he helped out in Christ Church as well as fulfilling many preaching engagements.

Ken helped us all find nourishment in the worship of Christ, Christ the source of our life, the focus of our unity.  He loved the Anglican Liturgy, and in his life was sustained by prayer and Eucharist.  That of course lay at the heart of Ken’s own life, because in them the whole of life is encapsulated, and through them we come to meet the living God.

Today, we thank God for the pilgrimage and the life Ken lived as an ordained servant of God.  Above all, we thank God for the person he was, rich in spirituality and devotion, yet warm in acceptance and love of people.

It was a privilege to be his first Curate, he trained many, set standards in worship.  In his preaching, he was a gifted preacher, teacher and communicator of the word of God .. and not known for his brevity!  I still remember the little girl who nudged her mum ‘during one of his not so short sermons and said audibly .. ‘Mummy, is it still Sunday?’.  Even though he would take off his watch and place it on the pulpit it meant nothing.  I often said it was a calendar he needed,  not a watch!  He believed and impressed upon his Curates that to get to know your people you must first visit them in their homes.  He wasn’t afraid to tell it as it was .. be it in the Masonic, the Orange or the Black .. with Youth Leaders, Girls’ Brigade, Church Lads’ Brigade or Sunday School, 
Mothers’ Union or the Bowling Club. Ken had the ability to reach every level.  You felt valued and knew you were valued in what you did for the church.

Ken did not suffer fools gladly, he called a spade a spade... And you knew if he was displeased about something or other.. he told people their place was in God’s house and he got his message across.  If you were not at Church on Sunday and he was driving down the Longstone and he saw you .. he would put down the window .. and you wished the ground would open and swallow you.

In the difficult years of the troubles here in N.I. Ken spoke fearlessly against the men of violence .. and emphasised the worth and dignity of every man, woman and child regardless of denomination or political views.  He never tired of reminding us that to be a Protestant or more importantly – a Christian – meant accepting Christ as Lord and Saviour, worshipping and serving God and one’s fellowman.

Ken had standards, a devotion to his Lord and Saviour, a commitment to the excellence and the ethos of the Church of Ireland.  On one occasion when I slept in and heard the Church bell ringing at 8.50am, I knew I had to be in St. Paul’s or I was in trouble .. and even thought I made it through a couple of hedges .. I managed to get there, but as far as Ken was concerned, I was late .. Indeed if you were in the Vestry ten minutes before a service, you were late!

Ken Cochrane was an energetic and hard working Priest, outgoing, friendly and imaginative, a natural role model for his curates. He nurtured many vocations to the sacred ministry and offices in the church.  He transmitted confidence to those around him and the
Parish admired his attention to detail and his trusting availability to so many to whom he was supportive, and brought out their best.  A wise counsellor, his desire to get things done with warm hearted helpfulness remained equally strong in retirement, which he spent and enjoyed in Christ Church.

Ken has impacted on all our lives and ministry more than he ever knew, and there is so much we still need to learn from his example.  Just like all of God’s work, the Church is not just built on systems but on the lives of individuals who have surrendered their all to Him.  And Ken was one of those lives God used to build this ministry and is now in the presence of the Lord seeing what he once believed and rejoicing that we who believe and trust in Christ, will meet with Him one day. 

Death for those who believer in Christ is not the end – but the door that leads from this life to that greater life in God’s nearer presence.

‘We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake’.  Ken, for the whole of ministry, led us to make Christ the heart of our message, the source of life and the focus of our unity.  We give thanks to God for the life of Ken
Cochrane, Priest, husband, father, grandfather, brother, friend, uncle and servant of Jesus Christ.  We commit him into God’s hands and we assure Mildred and family of our love, prayerful and heartfelt sympathy.  We will sorely miss him, he was greatly loved.  May he rest in the peace of Christ whom he served so faithfully and rise in the Glory of His resurrection.