Eurobishop

The Diocesan Advent Appeal 2012 is to support two areas within our diocese helping refugees.  Syrian Refugees in Turkey Turkey: Syrian refugees This tragedy is a result of the civil war and violence in Syria. Caritas Turkey and the Jesuit Refugee Service are both helping support the refugees with food coupons, hygiene items, medical assistance, blankets and other items to survive the winter. The Syrian refugees out of the camps are not able to enter the state's assistance system and most of the time are left on their own. As they are foreigners with no work permit they have a difficulty to make their own living. Their psychological trauma increases with a situation of uncertainty about official procedures. It is important for them to feel the support from international community as much as possible in these days of displacement due to the violence in their homeland. This project was recommended by the Church of the Resurrection, Istanbul, our Turkish-speaking congregati...

Even while emotions and reactions were very raw following the failure of the women bishops' measure in General Synod, our own members of General Synod were able to enjoy a more relaxed and joyful moment in the Diocesan Office on 21 November when we celebrated Deacon Frances Hiller's 10th anniversary as my chaplain. In the photo above, the General Synod members the Revd Canon Dr Gary Wilton and the Revd Canon Debbie Flach congratulate Frances (on the right, purple socks!) for managing to tolerate working for me for a decade. Frances is not only a vital support for my ministry, but is a key contact, friend and advisor to so many of our clergy, readers and lay officials across the diocese.

The Revd Mary Styles (All Saints Rome) and the Revd Maurice Ryan (St Mary's Didim) “Breaking Open the Word of God – Preaching in Today’s Church” was the title of a recent residential session of our diocesan post-ordination training programme (or IME 4-7 as is the official title) for clergy recently ordained and  recently received into the communion of the Church of England.  This particular session was held from 16 - 19 November at George Bell House in Chichester and focussed on the art of preaching and provided an opportunity to deepen knowledge of the principles of homiletics and to develop further preaching skills.  In the course of the four days the programme dealt with different aspects of preaching. I gave a lecture on the principles of Anglican homiletics today, entitled  “Godly, wholesome and necessary for these times". Deacon Frances Hiller led a session on  “Preaching and Personality”. Canon William Gulliford led the curates in an  explorat...

On Thursday, 22 November, in the Ermita Corazón de Maria in Dénia, the Anglican Parish of The Holy Spirit, Costa Blanca, had a joyful double celebration: The Revd John Richardson was licensed as Chaplain-Team Vicar, and the Senior Chaplain, the Revd Peter Edwards was collated as a Canon of the diocese. Fr Richardson (left) arrives in the diocese from the Parish of the Risen Lord in Preston, Lancashire. Canon Edwards (right) will have the stall of St James in Holy Trinity Cathedral in Gibraltar. The Area Dean, the Revd Hugh Broad (centre), presided at the liturgy, with over 80 people In attendance, including a number of ecumenical guests.

Following on the failure of the proposed legislation to enable the consecration of women as bishops to gain necessary approval in the final consideration vote in the General Synod, Bishop Geoffrey and I have sent the following letter to the women clergy of our diocese:  21 November 2012 To the women clergy of the Diocese in Europe     Dear Sisters As a result of the vote in the General Synod yesterday, there is deep sadness and disappointment felt by so many in our Church, and bewilderment in the world we are called to serve. For both of us, yesterday’s pattern of voting raises questions about the processes of the General Synod in considering this kind of legislation. We know from the results of the diocesan synods across the Church, including our own, that the Church of England does want women bishops. The size of the majority which voted in favour of the legislation at the General Synod yesterday confirmed this. However, as we know, the hurdle to attain 2/3 of the votes...

There are four congregations in the Anglican parish of St Laurence Lanzarote. Earlier this year the parishioners welcomed their new priest-in-charge, the Revd Tom Barnfather. Already the fruit of Fr Tom's ministry is being experienced as confirmations were celebrated on Sunday 11 November. A significant part of the confirmation rite is when the candidates gather at the baptismal font to renew, along with the members of the congregation, their vows of baptism. The candidates then cross themselves with the baptismal water to remind themselves of that moment they were joined to Christ in baptism. The Reader in Lanzarote, David Dowdell (blue scarf) assists me at the font in the Church of Our Lady of Carmen, in Puerto del Carmen, one of the local Roman Catholic Churches in Lanzarote which we use for our services. At the Sunday morning service, I also admitted Fr Tom Barnfather as a member of the Mothers' Union (yes, men can join!) and welcomed his wife Rosie who transferred her memb...

Bishop David, Bishop Francesc, the Revd Anne Jenkins, Mr John Copestake The Diocese of Girona in which our new Anglican Parish of Costa Brava is situated takes its ecumenical vocation most seriously. The Bishop of Girona, Mons. Francesc Pardo i Artigas, has an active ecumenical officer, Father Joan Busquets, who states clearly that the divisions among Christians must be overcome as they are 1) contrary to the will of the Lord, 2) a scandal to the world, and 3) cause of difficulty in our work of evangelization in these secular times. In this ecumenical spirit, on 27 October Bishop Francesc hosted a fruitful meeting with our new priest-in-charge of Costa Brava, the Revd Anne Jenkins, the parish Reader Mr John Copestake, Fr Joan and myself,  at his Episcopal Residence. John has built very fruitful ecumenical inks in Costa Brava and the Bishop was keen to meet our priest Anne who is the first resident Anglican priest in the area. It was a very warm and engaging meeting. B...

Today Downing Street announced formally what the press had already been proclaiming for a couple of days, that the Queen has approved the nomination of the Right Revd Justin Welby, the Bishop of Durham, as the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury. I am very pleased to hear of this appointment. It is excellent news for this Diocese in Europe as Bishop Justin already knows us rather well. Before his ordination he lived and worked in Paris and was an active member of the Council of St Michael's Church there. He retains a keen interest in French culture and life. Archbishop Elect Justin Welby at Gibraltar Synod 2011 More recently, in 2011 while he was still Dean of Liverpool, he was a keynote speaker at the Synod of the Archdeaconry of Gibraltar and led reflections on " Growing Together: Conflict and Growth" which were very well received, and showed a deep wisdom in matters to do with congregational life and conflict in communities. Many delegates to the synod sp...

The 15th meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC-15) has been in session in Auckland New Zealand from 27 October until 7 November. Each member Province/Church of the Communion has from 1 to 3 members on the ACC, depending on the population of the Church. In addition to the 3 members representing the Church of England, the Diocese in Europe has, for the first time, a co-opted member to represent the Europe region. That member is the Revd Canon Ulla Monberg, our Director of Training. The Anglican Communion Office  points out that Anglicans are present in over 165 countries of the world. But 45 of those countries are in our own Diocese in Europe, where our over 300 congregations serve Anglicans and other Christians from Iceland to Russia. So it is very good news for the Diocese that we have our own representation, thus giving a profile to our life and ministry in this international instrument of the Anglican Communion.   Canon Monberg has been busy at the...

On Sunday 4 November the Dean of Gibraltar, the Very Revd Dr John Paddock installed the Reverend Canon Professor Robin Gill as Canon Theologian of the Diocese of Gibraltar in Europe, in the Stall of John Keble in Holy Trinity Cathedral. Canon Gill (photo above, signing the declaration to accompany his installation) was the Michael Ramsey Professor of Modern Theology at the University of Kent for 20 years. In 2011 he assumed the position of Professor of Applied Theology at the University. He has served on advisory groups on both theology and medical ethics for the Archbishop of Canterbury. I first had the privilege of meeting Canon Gill when he was theological consultant to the bishops at the Lambeth Conference 1998. I was on the staff of the Anglican Communion at that time. There are now two Canon Theologians of the Diocese. Canon Gill joins the Revd Canon Dr Jack McDonald, the Priest-in-Charge of Saints Mary and Martha, Leuven, Belgium.

Last week I presided at the first confirmation service in St Stephen's Madremanya, the centre of the Costa Brava Anglican parish. This relatively new parish in the diocese also hosted some candidates from St George's Barcelona. who came with their priest, the Revd Andrew Tweedy. The priest-in-charge of Costa Brava, the Revd Anne Jenkins, was only licensed a month ago, and is hoping for a "normal" Sunday soon! Among the candidates from Barcelona was Lydia Lau whose parents, the Revd Drs Timothy and Theresa Lau, are both priests from the Diocese of Melbourne Australia, and both teachers at the International Chinese Biblical Seminary in Europe, which is located in Barcelona. Dr Timothy Lau is in fact the Principal of the Seminary. Many of the Chinese Christian community came to support Lydia.  Its hard to get more international than that: an Australian priest from a Chinese seminary at a Church of England confirmation service in an ancient parish Church in ...

The Revd Dr Juris Calitis (above left) , our priest at St Saviour's Anglican Church, Riga, has completed a long, special and historic task. As a theologian at the University of Latvia he coordinated an academic team of 22 theologians and translators over the last 17 years to prepare a new translation of The Holy Bible in the Latvian language. Working from the original Greek and Aramaic, the scholars have produced the first such translation in modern Latvian.  The last Latvian Bible was translated over 300 years ago. The new translation was launched at an ecumenical service on 13 October at Riga Cathedral, and all 3000 copies sold on the first day of publication. Archdeacon Jonathan LLoyd (above right) was at St Saviour's Church Riga last month to congratulate Dr Calitis on behalf of The Diocese. The Archdeacon said, "This is an incredible task and Dr Calitis and his colleagues are to be warmly congratulated on such a major achieve...

When a church or congregation in the Diocese in Europe is without a resident priest at the time of a vacancy, a locum priest is appointed to ensure the continuity of worship, the availability of the sacraments and the pastoral care of all who need it. Scores of clergy, most resident in the UK, but some in other countries, have Permission to Officiate in order to provide such essential ministry. Such Permission to Officiate is only granted after a priest has completed the extensive safeguarding procedures required by the Church of England and after I have received the necessary references and assurances that they are in good standing. The length of time a locum priest may serve during a vacancy is negotiable but very often a period of at least 2 months is desirable  We are very grateful for the dedication of these locum priests who often respond to requests at very short notice and who travel sometimes thousands of miles to take up their assignments.   ...

New congregations continue to be organised and welcomed into the diocese in Europe. An example is the congregation which worships in St Pargoire in the Departement of Hérault, in the south of France. Mr Adrian Mumford, the Diocesan Secretary, and I visited this congregation recently, to encourage them in the next steps towards congregational status in the Diocese. I presided at a Eucharist which was attended by about 50 people, which was followed by a time of discussion and then a splendid supper provided by parishioners, including some excellent wine from the local wine producer! The emerging congregation’s care has been under the oversight of the Revd Jenny Deverill, priest-in-charge of St Michael’s in the Gard. Although St Michael’s is the nearest congregation, it is about 2 hours journey away. Jenny attended the service which gave parishioners a chance to express their very warm appreciation to her for her pastoral oversight. Two priests with Permission to Officiate, th...