Willibrord			 November 7
Archbishop of Utrecht, Missionary
Willibrord was born in 658 in Northumbria, England. His father was a recluse and eventually became a hermit. At the age of seven Willibrord was sent away to be trained as a church boy and was educated by Wilfrid in his monastery at Ripon. 
In 678 Willibrord went to Ireland to improve his education, and while there became enthusiastic about missionary work. After twelve years in Ireland he was ordained as priest, and with a number of companions set out to preach the gospel on the lower Rhine, in what we now call The Netherlands. The Frisians who inhabited this region were being incorporated into the growing Frankish Empire. While Willibrord was visiting Rome, one of his fellow missionaries, Swithbert, was consecrated in England as a bishop for the district. In 695 Willibrord went back to Rome and was himself consecrated bishop, with instructions to put the organisation of the church on a sound footing. He established his centre at Utrecht. He founded several monasteries, the largest of which was at Echternach in what is now Luxembourg. He appointed bishops to various new sees.
Willibrord was dependent on the support of the secular rulers, and between 714 and 719 was forced out of Utrecht by the pagan king Radbod. After Radbod’s death, Willibrord returned to Frisia and continued his missionary work, extending it even into Denmark. Little is known about him personally. He was a patient, thorough worker, content to lay good foundations, on which later evangelists could build. He began a century of English Christian influence in Europe. Boniface (see 5 June) worked with Willibrord for a while before eventually going to Mainz. Willibrord died at Echternach in 739 and was immediately revered as a saint.
For Liturgical Use
Willibrord was born in Northumbria in 658. During studies in Ireland he developed an enthusiasm for missionary work. In 690 he went with some others to Frisia, and in 695 was made bishop of the region, with his centre at Utrecht. His patient laying of foundations was the beginning of a century of English missionary work in Europe. He founded monasteries and appointed bishops to new dioceses and did much to establish the church on a sound base in the face of pagan opposition. He died in 739.
Sentence
The faithful will abide with the Lord in love, because grace and mercy are upon God’s holy ones.			Wisdom 3:9
Collects
Everliving God,
in your great love
you called Willibrord to be an apostle to the Netherlands;
give to your faithful people today
a will to follow your leading,
a heart open to strangers,
and a thirst to bring others to know you;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Jesus Christ, new life to the world,
you called Willibrord to be an apostle to the Frisians;
give us his confidence to lay secure foundations,
so that, at our death,
others may build on what we leave behind.
Psalms	18:17-30	111
Readings
Wisdom 10:9-14		The power of godliness
Ephesians 2:13-20		No longer aliens
Mark 13:3-13		The gospel must be preached
Post Communion Sentence
Jesus said, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”	John 20:21