My name
is Ralph Goldenberg and I am the Vicar of Christ Church,
Bayston Hill, Shrewsbury.
I was born in Khartoum, into an
Orthodox Jewish Family (my maternal grand-father was Chief Rabbi of the Sudan). I grew up multi-lingual (Arabic, French etc.) with
a normal, Jewish upbringing (eg - bar mitzvah at 13 years of age) and happy in my faith.
I came to England aged 17 to attend a
liberal Jewish boarding school and began to move away from my strict Orthodox Jewish
tradition. After taking my A’ Levels I
went on to The City University, London, where I met Helen (then a nominal Christian). In time, we got married and set up a home in
Ferndown. I developed two successful
Ophthalmic Optical practices in Ferndown & Parkstone.
Over the years I became very
successful, in worldly terms with enough money to provide a luxurious home, with a tennis court and a swimming pool.
To my professional success was added three wonderful sons. Although, still nominally a Jew, I felt an
unsatisfied hunger for a real knowledge of God. In 1980 friends from Round Table who were
committed Christians witnessed to me & I yearned to experience the relationship with
God which they obviously enjoyed.
I approached the local Vicar of St
Mary's Church, Ferndown, full of questions and began to read the books, which he lent me. When, eventually, I came to read the New Testament
for myself, I was amazed by ‘how Jewish it was’.
Written by Jews for Jews, with all the Jewish feasts and traditions and in Jesus
the fulfilment of the Jewish Messiah. This
was the start of a time of searching to find out more about the new faith, which had found
me. I was involved with St Mary's Church,
Ferndown, where I was ‘born again’. I became Pathfinder leader, then home group leader
followed by becoming Church Warden. I have
much more to share about my personal spiritual journey including difficulties in telling
my Jewish parents about my conversion and especially my decision to leave a successful
career and train for the Anglican ministry.
Even when I took the tremendous step of
selling up everything and moving to Bristol to attend Theological College, I had
occasional doubts about being ordained. Three
months before my ordination I went on a mission with the college where after a meeting
someone felt compelled to lay hands on me because God had a message for me. He thought he prayed in tongues, but to my
amazement, the man spoke in perfect Sudanese Arabic, confirming God’s call on my
life! As the man in question had no knowledge
at all of Arabic, I could no longer doubt that God did, indeed want me to go forward into
the ministry.
Since then, Helen and I have ministered
together, initially in St Andrews Kinson where we started a church plant, then I was
Curate in Charge of St Andrew’s Edgware, then I became Team Vicar
of Christ Church, Roxeth, Harrow.
I
came to Christ Church, Bayston Hill with a heart
full of Passion for Jesus & compassion for others. I pray that what is in my heart
will overflow into my ministry in Bayston Hill. We ae excited with all that
God is doing among us - "Growing God's Kingdom in Bayston Hill and
Beyond".
06/06/2004 |
