Eurobishop

The congregation of Christ the King in Tampere was established as a joint ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland and the Diocese in Europe back in 2006. Both the Finnish Church and our own see this as a concrete way to put the Porvoo Agreement into action. The Church now has a very interesting outreach to the neighbourhood in Tampere, especially with younger folk and students. The congregation members are a very international group from Finland, other parts of Europe including the UK, Africa and Asia. Fr Tuomas Mäkipää, the Chaplain of Helsinki, and Area Dean of Finland, oversees the Anglican collaboration in Christ the King.  Fr Amos Manga, an assistant priest in the Anglican Church in Finland, lives in Tampere and has a particular relationship to this congregation which ministers to many from the South Sudanese community, most of whom were refugees who were welcomed to Finland close to 2 decades ago. Fr Amos Manga and Bishop and Mrs Repo I was able to preside at confi

  The Nordic/Baltic synod met in Copenhagen from 29 September to 1 October. This is one of the most scattered of our deaneries. Clergy and lay representatives came together from our chaplaincies from Iceland to Estonia. Archdeacon Leslie Nathaniel chaired the synod.   Bible studies were led by Bishop Jana Jeruma-Grinberga. The synod theme was “called to be peacemakers”. As is happening a lot these days, virtually every place I go, there was a time for me to hear very generous words (and receive some very beautiful gifts) from the gathering, marking my upcoming retirement on 29 February. I am deeply moved by all the kind words that synod members have shared, both in the Italy/Malta and Nordic/Baltic gatherings.  The closing service was in St Alban’s Church, again with some words of thanks and farewell from members (and an Indian shawl as a mark of gratitude).  I will miss you all.

  It is synod season once again for much of the Diocese in Europe.  The synod of the Archdeaconry of Italy and Malta met from 26 to 29 September in Rome. Fittingly there was a strong focus on St Francis and St Clare and Franciscan spirituality, given that we were in the midst of the season of creation, and St Francis of Assisi is the patron of the environment. Bible Studies were led by Fr Chris Williams (Florence) and Fr Tony Dickinson (Genoa), and presentations on St Francis and St Clare by Fr James Hadley (Palermo) and Mthr Jules Cave (Naples and Area Dean).  At one of the synod masses, I had the joy of collating Fr Rob Warren to the canonry of St Catherine of Siena. Canon Warren is the Chaplain of All Saints Rome. St Catherine, a 14 century mystical theologian, is celebrated as a patron of Europe and a Doctor of the Church. Her body (minus her head!) lies in the Church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva in Rome.

Chancellor David Wright (on the right) On Sunday 24 September, the Revd Prebendary David Wright became the Chancellor of St Paul’s Pro Cathedral in Valletta, Malta, and Chaplain of the Anglican Church in Malta and Gozo. The Cathedral was packed as parishioners gathered to welcome their new priest. It was a joyful ecumenical occasion with significant Roman Catholic presence at the service, including His Grace Charles Scicluna, the Archbishop of Malta.  Archbishop Scicluna giving the blessing at the end of the installation mass The President of the Republic, and High Commissioners and Ambassadors from the UK, Australia, and Ireland were also present, underlining the significant role of the Pro Cathedral and the Chancellor’s ministry in Malta, even though Anglicans are a minority.