Within minutes of emailing the news of the death of Ernest Lloyd (seen above preaching in South Africa in the 1950s), the following two tributes appeared.
I have just heard a very sad news... My “adoptive” Grandfather, as we decided that I would call him, Mr. Ernest Lloyd, went to be with Jesus... I think I am still shocked... I was supposed to see him on January 10th, 2011... He was 97 and his life is one of the purest examples of what a servant of the Lord should be like...
He'd been serving the Lord through Christian Witness to Israel for over 70 years... a man whom God used to turn high numbers of people to Himself... A man with humble beginnings, but with an incredible Saviour, Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah)... A book was written about him -The Importance of Being Ernest, by Mike Moore -which impacted me greatly before entering this mission, but which was just a glimpse of the beautiful creation God had made in him...
I was going to see him... but Jesus wanted to have him quicker... I am not surprised He wanted to spend time with him... He is definitely someone everyone enjoyed spending time with...
Ernest Lloyd is with the One whom he'd given his heart and life to... what a gift for Jesus on this Christmas to take into heaven...
In my adoptive Grandfather's memory,
Andreea
I am very thankful that I had the opportunity to meet Ernest in 2006, when he was 94. I was impressed by his hospitality, generosity, his lively mind, and by his sense of the history of the Messianic movement. More recently, Ernest twice wrote to me to encourage me in my role as [BMJA] President and, when I rang him a few weeks ago, he told me that he continued to pray for the BMJA. I know that any others of you who have met him, will share my admiration for him. May our thoughts and prayers be with Ernest's family, and with the many, many people whose lives were, under God, touched by this remarkable man.
In Yeshua, our Messiah and our Hope
James
Having had the privilege of meeting and getting to know Ernie Lloyd a little at an SDHS conference in Bournemouth a few years ago, I can personally say what a very special and godly man he was, and what a loss he will be to the church on earth. But now he is in glory with the Saviour he loved and served so faithfully, “which is far better”.
Pam
I had the great privelege of meeting him a few months ago. It was so exciting to meet someone who is a Giant of the Faith to me. Yet he was so humble. And my what a memory!
ReplyDeleteWe pray that many of those who heard him speak, and those to whom he witnessed may be saved even now through the news of his death.
ReplyDeleteOur loss, but his gain.
(Mike, we met in Ness last summer, and you were good enough to keep us in touch with your work in Wales in the summer. Blessing, Finlay and Anne)
My father, George Craig - now 94 - telephoned me to tell me that Ernest had died. My father, born and brought up in Aberdeen, but who now lives near me in Bournemouth, was approached by Graham Swift in 1946 and asked if he would arrange meetings for Ernest. For many years Ernest would stay in our home while speaking all over the NE of Scotland - my brother and I remember with much fondness Ernest's fun at the meal table - pronouncing himself as 'Mr Gooblequick' who would come and eat our food if we did not eat up ours more quickly!
ReplyDeleteMy parents and Ernest had a long and valued friendship - Dad spoke to Ernest on the telephone just a few days ago.
Ernest was a towering figure in every way - especially as an example of straightforward godliness and faithfulness. It has been a privilege to know him as a friend of the family for 64 years.
David Craig.
This is from my wife, Jennifer who writes:
ReplyDeleteI along with my husband, Peter, are one of the thousands who have been impacted hugely by our much loved friend in Christ. When I read the news, I felt a chunk of my life had gone too and was deeply upset.
For me my connection with dear Ernest must go back 55/56 years when as a 7 or 8 year old girl, I first met Mr Lloyd through my parents and also a great family friend, Gwen Jenkins of Gloucester. Through Gwen & Ernest I was introduced to the work of Jewish Mission and as a young girl gave weekly some of my pocket money to the mission by having a Rachel’s Tomb mission box. Later I helped collect these for Gwen!
Through my parents hospitality, Mr. Lloyd often shared meals with us when ministering in Gloucester. As a teenager, I was able to invite Mr Lloyd to speak at our youth meetings.
After I married in 1967 and moved to Surrey, Peter & I maintained contact with dear Ernest and we were able to introduce him to the church we attended. It was always a pleasure to have Ernest stay over with us in our home and we have so many many fond memories of times together, and also of dear Jessie also on latter occasions in the Surrey days. His passion for God & sharing the Gospel through the Old Testament Scriptures were amazing. I always felt like ‘Mary’ – sitting at his feet and soaking in his wealth of knowledge and wisdom. He was always a wake early, and whenever Peter took him a cup of tea first thing in the morning, he would be reading the Scriptures. Then of course, the wonderful sense of humour Ernest had... and on one occasion his laughter had him almost toppling backwards on our swivel lounge chair!
God led Peter & I to help be involved with the building of what is now known as the London Hillsong church from 1993 and from where God would then bring us to Perth WA in 2001. During all these years too, we have maintained contact, receiving his regular Christmas greeting card with different Scripture each year, along with increasingly hard to decipher type written letters!
Wonderfully, at the end of November 2008 Peter & I were able to visit dear Ernest in Portrush, along with our younger son Paul who lives in Newcastle on Tyne. We visited his home, went out for dinner. We booked in a guest house for the night and next day we drove Ernest out to visit one of his favourite bays along the coast. Wisdom, humour and laughter were shared together. Before leaving Ernest in his home we prayed together.... our son prayed ‘thanking God that even tho roughly there was 30 years difference between the 3 generations with different interests, there was an incredible unity through the relationship we all had through our precious Saviour’. It was very moving and special.
My last conversation with dear Ernest was shortly after his birthday this year when I managed to get through from Perth to his home at a respectable time ... as ever he was asking about all the family and by name and so encouraging. What a brilliant mind he had and so caring of people.
Dear Ernest is a real Hero & Giant of the Faith, who totally laid down his own life to serve His Master. What an amazing legacy he has left, and with thousands of untold stories of lives being influenced massively by him, but one day all will be revealed. He will be hugely missed. I personally have lost some one very precious to me who was an incredible influence on my life. Ernest & Jessie his dear wife were much loved by my family He will be sorely missed. However, we know it is not the end, but just a temporary parting. For dear Ernest “for me to live is Christ, to die is Gain”. Thank God for the absolute assurance we have of Eternal Life.
Jennifer & Peter of Perth W Australia
Dear Jennifer
DeleteI was interested to read your memories of Ernest Lloyd and of my Aunt Gwen Jenkins.
I don't know whether you attended Gwen and her husband John's gatherings at their home 'Sursum Corda', 10 Denmark Road, Gloucester - Ernest was often there. My family and I remember in particular Ernest's special Passover Meal.
We still have John and Gwen's photograph album with many photos of Ernest and the assembled crowd. You may be amongst them.
Gwen and John gave hospitality to many missionaries, pastors and service people during the war and afterwards, keeping in touch with many people who had signed their visitors' book.
God bless
Vivienne Ruth Rogers (nee Thomas)