Tribute from Australian Pastor Stephen van der Hoeck to his Finnish friend and mentor Pastor Anssi Simojoki RIP

Our friends in the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland are mourning the recent death of The Reverend Anssi Simojoki, a courageous orthodox stalwart on the Finnish scene who spent many years working with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kenya. Pr Simojoki, who was born in 1944, is the maternal uncle of The Very Reverend Dr Juhana Pohjola, Dean of the Mission Diocese, who has close connections with us at CLTS. As he interfaced with Pr Simojoki in Kenya, Pr Stephen van der Hoeck, who is a courageous orthodox spokesman in Australia, discovered a common love of boating, which has inspired the beautiful hymn, to be sung to The Old Hundredth, that he has composed in his mentor’s beloved and blessed memory. The late Pastor Simojoki’s son, The Reverend Tapani Simojoki, has served for many years as a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of England in Fareham on the south coast of England. JRS

Hymn in memoriam Anssi Simojoki

1

To you, the Captain of my soul,
O dearest Jesus, Lord of all,
My soul and body I commend,
My earliest days, my life, my end.

2

The mighty drag-net of Your Word
From deepest depths drew me aboard
Your wondrous vessel, Mother Church:
Your heavenly kingdom here on earth.

3

Although she looks so poor to me
Her decks reach to eternity:
The Word of truth her life sustains,
Forgives her sins, and breaks her chains.

4

But Satan has a mighty fleet
Seeking Your kingdom to defeat,
He fires his cannons and abuse
To ruin souls and sink the truth.

5

Christ, take the helm, dispel the night,
Break Satan’s teeth and all his might.
With shield and sword, O Lord, defend
Your Holy Word and sacrament.

6

O You, whom winds and waves obey,
Grant peace and wipe all tears away!
Strengthen your flock through all their woes!
Rule mightily amid your foes!

7

And when my time comes to depart
Then, lead me to the Father’s heart,
Let down your anchor, I implore,
When I shall reach that heavenly shore.

8

Dear Jesus Christ, our Captain true,
Praise, glory, honour be to you,
Whom with the Father we adore,
And Holy Spirit evermore.