Eurobishop

Fr Patrick and Lucille Curran The Synod of the Archdeaconry of the East was held in Zabreb, Croatia, at the end of last week. Clergy and lay representatives come together from what is geographically the most extensive archdeaconry in the diocese, covering central Europe, the Balkans, Turkey, the Caucasus and all of Russia. It is a tradition at this synod for members to bring an item from their own country or area to be auctioned to other members, with the proceeds going to a designated project. (There are usually some tempting items on the auction block - I bid for and won a very good bottle of Ouzo, one year, I recall). After the traditional auction that ends the Synod of the Eastern Archdeaconry, Archdeacon Patrick Curran was presented with an icon of St Cyril and St Methodius as an expression of thanks from the congregations of the Archdeaconry for his long and dedicated service to them. Fr Patrick has been Archdeacon of this area for longer than I have been a bishop in this dioce...

Refugees seeking to cross from Greece to FYRO Macedonia Some progress appears to have been made yesterday by EU interior ministers meeting in Brussels to address some aspects of the current refugee crisis. Nevertheless EU nations are far from united in their approach. The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania voted against yesterday's proposals. The UK, while pledging further aid to assist agencies working with refugees in the camps in Turkey and the Middle East, has opted out of the plan to share in a relocation quota of refugees currently in Europe. But at least at the EU level some steps in the right direction have been agreed. It is not a time to be complacent however. The agreement to distribute 120,000 refugees currently in Europe is vital (and to the shame of the UK we are not participating in this), but with up to 6000 arriving each day in Europe, mainly into Greece, in theory in as little as 20 days time there could be another 120,000 needing urgent relocatio...

Archbishop Rowan Williams with Dr Constantine Dimtsas. Fr Malcolm Bradshaw to the right The situation in Greece which preoccupied us until the focus moved recently to the refugee crisis was the hardship that so many of the population were facing as a result of the imposed austerity measures. People across the diocese will remember that our 2015 Lent Appeal raised funds to assist with these needs, via the partnership between St Paul's Athens (the Revd Canon Malcolm Bradshaw) and Apostoli , the philanthropic organization of the Archdiocese of Athens. A letter of appreciation has been received for our diocese's gift of £13,571.91 from the Lent appeal. Here are extracts from that letter sent by Dr Constantine Dimtsas, the Director General of Apostoli . First of all, I wish to thank you for sending us this important donation through our local Anglican friends and fellow partners, Fr Malcolm Bradshaw and his Parish in Athens. With your precious contribution you  have demons...

The border crossing, Greece to FYRO Macedonia 'How can we put Matthew 25 into action across Europe?' This was the question that the delegation from the Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) discussed in a meeting with partners from the Greek Orthodox Church, Evangelical Churches, the UNHCR and the Anglican Chaplaincy. 'The church is the world's biggest NGO; and the preservation of human dignity for the refugees our common denominator', was one of the affirmations that underlined the strong role for the Churches in the midst of this crisis. 'We need to go back to our roots; if we are not caring for and loving our brothers and sisters, what is the point?' Archimandrite Ignatios of the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece A powerful unity emerged during the meeting and a shared vision of working together to preserve human dignity and save lives. A future partnership is being forged dedicated to the spiritual and moral shared duties of protec...

Ambassador John Kittmer (2nd from right) 'I am shocked by the lack of interest from the UK. You are the first official group to visit Greece to learn more about the refugee crisis', said HE John Kittmer, the UK Ambassador to Greece. The ambassador hosted a meeting on 15 September with delegates from Churches Together in  Britain and Ireland (CTBI). He had just returned from the Greek islands where he witnessed the huge challenges facing Greece as about 5000 refugees arrive on these islands from Turkey each day. Yet the ambassador noted how the issue continues to be largely ignored and misreported despite this flow of refugees being the biggest crisis to hit Europe since the end of World War II.  CTBI General Secretary Bob Fyffe (left) CTBI is hearing a strong plea from those working on the ground in Greece to take a prophetic stand on the refugee issue. As the crisis grows in magnitude, CTBI will look closely at how to take bold action on behalf of the churches...

On Tuesday our Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) delegation visited Eidomeni on the Greek/ FYRO Macedonian border. We were the first group of UK clergy and lay leaders to see for themselves the impact of the refugee crisis in Greece. 'We saw incredible desperation in refugees who will take death boats as a means of escape from what is obviously a dire situation. But we also saw incredible dedication from those who serve them; many of whom are volunteers', said Bishop Angaleos, the Moderator of CTBI and General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the UK. 

So many moving encounters on the border between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. I'm here with a delegation from the Churches Together in Britain and Ireland.  "Close the borders and you put refugees into the hands of mafia and smugglers" was the clear message we heard from UN workers, local politicians, volunteers, and the local police. A stern warning given what is taking place in Europe now.

The Nordic and Baltic Deanery of the Diocese in Europe covers 7 countries in the northernmost part of Europe. Lay and clergy delegates from our congregations in these countries (except for our reps from St Thorlak's. Reykjavik who sent regrets) gathered in Helsinki for their annual deanery synod to discuss business and to engage in some education on issues facing the Church. A former member of the synod, the Revd Dr Mika Pajunen, who was the assistant curate at St Nicholas's Helsinki and who is now the Theological Secretary to the Archbishop of Turku, was given a warm welcome back as he came to give a presentation on paradigm shifts in the Church's history, as a way to help us understand how contemporary issues may be causing some division among Christians. Synod members thank Dr Pajunen for his presentation It was the last synod for Area Dean the Revd Canon Barbara Moss. Canon Moss retires from St Andrew's Gothenburg at the end of this year, but at this s...

Bishop Irja Askola with Archdeacon-designate Colin Williams to her right The Bishop of Helsinki, Irja Askola, visited the recent synod of the Nordic and Baltic deanery at its meeting in Helsinki last week. She was welcomed warmly as our local "Porvoo Bishop". She reflected with us on what has now been 5 years in the episcopal office. Bishop Irja was the first woman to be made a bishop in the Church of Finland, and is still the only woman bishop in that Church. Bishop Irja spoke of trends in her Church. In the Helsinki area the Church is facing a decreasing membership. "Only every other baby born in Helsinki is now brought to baptism", she reported. Confirmation camps are still well attended but there appears to be a failure on the part of the Church to retain these young people within the active life of the Church. One of the challenges the Finnish Church is facing is moving from an emphasis on organisational life to developing more of a community life, engagi...

Archdeacon Designate Colin Williams During the Nordic and Baltic Deanery Synod held from 4 - 6 September in Helsinki, I was able to grant a general licence as a priest in the Diocese to the Archdeacon-Designate of Germany and Northern Europe, Colin Williams. This is the first stage of Fr Colin's entry into his ministry among us. He will, over the next few weeks, also receive a commission as Archdeacon of Germany and Northern Europe as well as a commission as Archdeacon of the East. The clergy and lay delegates to the Nordic and Baltic synod were pleased to have a chance to get to know their new Archdeacon.  L to R: Fr Tuomas Mäkipää, Bishop Jāna Jēruma-Grīnberga, and Fr Colin Williams It was fitting that Fr Colin's first official act in this diocese was to preside at the Eucharist for the Nordic Baltic Deanery in the Orthodox Chapel of the Sofia Centre in Helsinki where we were meeting. He was assisted by Fr Tuomas Mäkipää, the Chaplain of St Nicholas's Helsinki...

Refugees in Budapest: Photo Credit: Daniel Fekete/ Hungarian Interchurch Aid / ACT Alliance / WCC Thanks to the Anglican mission agency Us (formerly USPG), a way for individuals and churches to respond to the refugee crisis in continental Europe has opened up via the agency's Rapid Response Fund. Us has issued an appeal for donations to fund the Diocese in Europe as it reaches out to refugees arriving throughout the continent. A statement on the Us website reads: "The Diocese in Europe is working on the frontline with refugees, and has asked Us to be the official agency for Anglican churches in Britain and Ireland to channel donations for its work; and we can receive donations from any country. Your donations to our Rapid Response Fund will help the diocese to provide emergency medical support, food, shelter and pastoral care for refugees. Initially, there will be a particular focus on the situation in Greece and Hungary. Bishop David Hamid writes: 'Thank you ...

I recently had the privilege of spending some days in the Tur Abdin region of south east Turkey. I was the guest of Archbishop Mor Timotheos Samuel Aktas in the monastery of Mor Gabriel. Mor Timotheos is the abbot of the monastery and the Metropolitan of Tur Abdin. The region borders with Syria and Iraq. Mor Gabriel is the oldest monastery of the Syrian Orthodox Church. It was founded in 397; according to some historians, perhaps even earlier. The Tur Abdin is the historic heartland of the Syrian Orthodox Church. Its Patriarch lived there until 1932 when he moved his seat to Damascus. Today, there are very few Syrian Christians left in the region, perhaps less than 4000, as so many have moved to other countries to escape discrimination, persecution and violence. There is much anxiety among the remaining Christians in the area, due to the growing unrest and increase in violent incidents between Turkish authorities and the Kurdish minority in this part of the country. Tur Abdin Christian...

  As refugees make their way across Europe our parishes along the way are on hand to give support and assistance. By know many readers of this blog will know of Anglicans in Athens and Budapest who are responding to the crisis. Also last Saturday in Vienna, members of Christ Church, our Church of England congregation there headed to the Meanwhile, on Saturday in Vienna many people headed to the Westbahnhof in the city to help the refugees coming over from Hungary by taking food and clothing or by giving families a place to shower and have a rest before the next leg of their journey. Christ Church has been collecting money to support the work of Diakonie in Traiskirchen (a local Church charity) as well as supporting the Anglican Chaplaincy relief work in Athens. The Venerable Patrick Curran is the chaplain of Christ Church (and currently Archdeacon of the East). The Revd Mike Waltner is the assistant curate.   Posted with Blogsy

A special guest at St Nicholas's Helsinki made a service of confirmation extra memorable on Sunday 6 September. Already the congregation welcomed members of the Nordic and Baltic Deanery Synod, which had just finished their annual meeting, along with their new Archdeacon Colin Williams. But in addition we welcomed to our celebration the Most Revd Ezekiel Kondo, the Archbishop of Sudan within the Episcopal Church of Sudan and South Sudan and the Bishop of Khartoum. Archbishop Kondo was starting an ecumenical visit to Finland, where there are many Sudanese and South Sudanese refugees, including many members of our own Helsinki and White Nile Congregations. In his greetings to us, His Grace asked particularly for our prayers for the regions of the Nuba Mountains, the Blue Nile, and Darfur where peace with justice is desperately needed. Four young persons were confirmed at the service. Archbishop Kondo gave them a blessing in Arabic, the official language of his diocese. Incidentally...

Today, 7 September, I received the report below from the Revd Dr Frank Hegedűs, the Priest-in-Charge of St Margaret's, Budapest, and Area Dean in the Archdeaconry of the East. It is a moving story of yet another of our parishes of the Diocese in Europe mobilising to help refugees in their countries. _____________________________________________________________ Moved by the plight of thousands of refugees traversing Hungary, members of Saint Margaret’s Anglican Episcopal Church in Budapest, Hungary – along with many friends of the parish -- gathered on Saturday, 5 September, to prepare aid-packets to be distributed among the refugees at the Keleti International Train Station. "There were about twenty-five to thirty of us in all," reports Fr Frank. "Everyone was enthusiastic and eager to help." After prayer together and trips to local shops and stores to gather appropriate provisions, the volunteers put together approximately one hundred and thirty packets...

Refugees in Budapest The refugee and migrant crisis deepens as people continue to flee war-torn lands seeking safety and security in European lands. In recent days, the spotlight has been on Hungary where many refugees have arrived after travelling through Turkey, Greece, Macedonia and Serbia. The Revd Dr Frank Hegedus, the priest-in-charge of St Margaret's Anglican-Episcopal parish in Budapest, has written to his parishioners and friends of the parish, to indicate how St Margaret's community is doing its part to assist in the current crisis. In his communication Fr Frank writes of one of the members of St Margaret's who grows apples for a living, who is donating some of his harvest for distribution to the refugees. The parish will be collecting additional donations for distribution, pre-packaged food, and personal hygiene products and bottled water, particularly. Fr Frank with parishioners of St Margaret's St Margaret's is collaborating with Migration A...

Farmaconisi Ecumenical partnership can result swift action in the midst of the current refugee crisis. Here is an example from Greece: Last Saturday afternoon at 2.45 pm, I received an email from my good friend and ecumenical colleague, Bishop Angaelos, the General Bishop of the Coptic Church in the UK. A person contacted the Coptic Orthodox Church Centre in Stevenage, England, to inform them that over 500 people from Syria were stranded on the island of Farmakonisi, Greece. Farmakonisi is a small uninhabited island, about 1 1/2 square miles in area, off the Turkish coast.  Bishop Angaelos was in Frankfurt; I was in Ankara. Bishop Angaelos 2 hours later I managed to alert our Senior Chaplain in Athens, the Revd Canon Malcolm Bradshaw, who has been central to inter-church efforts in addressing the needs of arriving refugees in Greece. By 9 pm that night, Fr Malcolm had been in touch with partners in the neighbouring island of Leros. Contact was made with the Syrian r...