Eurobishop

The Revd John Neal is licensed as priest-in-charge Another new parish has opened in the Diocese in Europe. The Church of St Alcuin of York in Touraine was formally inaugurated last Sunday, and its priest-in-charge, the Revd John Neal, licensed to this post. Churchwardens were admitted to their office, and significantly, two young acolytes received crosses as they began their own work of serving at the altar. The active involvement of youth in the services is a key strategy of Fr John. The acolytes receive their crosses It was a joyful occasion, celebrated in the Protestant Temple in Tours. The music was splendid from a largely francophone choir, and the organ music very fine indeed. The new parish has two worship centres, one in the Protestant Temple in Tours and another in l’Eglise St. Michel in Savigny-en-Véron. Since both Roman Catholic and Protestant buildings are used by the parish, it was fitting that the Eucharist was attended by the Pastor of the Eglise Protestante ...

Dr Richard Briggs leads Bible Study Worship and bible study are integral to the life of the Synod of the French Archdeaconry. Yes, there is business to be done, finances to be agreed, and reports to be received. But there is also daily prayer, eucharist and engagement with scripture which under-girds its work. This year, at the Synod in St Jacut de la Mer in Brittany, the Bible studies were led by the Revd Dr Richard Briggs. Dr Briggs is the Lecturer in Old Testament and Director of Biblical Studies at Cranmer Hall in Durham. He is a specialist on the Pentateuch and is about to publish a study of the Book of Numbers. His studies at the synod were stimulating explorations of the Book of Jonah and the Book of Daniel. Patrick Sturges (3rd from left) admitted as a Reader During one of the daily Eucharists at the Synod, Mr Patrick Sturges was admitted to the office of Reader and authorised to carry out this ministry in the parish of Aquitaine. The theological, liturgical and pas...

Archdeacon Ian Naylor opens the French Synod The French Archdeaconry Synod is one of the largest in the diocese. There are over 60 congregations of the Church of England in France, grouped in approximately 30 parishes or chaplaincies, served by about 30 clergy and about 30 licensed lay ministers (Readers). Archdeacon Ian Naylor has been the Archdeacon of France (and Monaco) for the past 4 years. In the past two years he has been working full-time (but without a stipend!) in this position, after he retired from his parochial duties at St Andrew's Pau. Archdeacon Ian announced to the Synod on the last evening that he would be stepping down on 30 September. The members of the Synod were very saddened indeed by this news. Several times the assembled clergy and laity broke into applause for Fr Ian, expressing their thanks for the support and leadership he has given to the churches of the Archdeaconry, and their appreciation for his pastoral care. Area Deans Debbie Flach and Andrew...

Max McClellan introducing his work in Greece The Synod of the Archdeaconry of France met from 18 to 21 May in St Jacut de la Mer in Brittany. The theme of the synod was "Migration and Refugees" which provided a focus for the clergy and lay representatives of our communities in France and Monaco to examine this global phenomenon and its impact in our continent and diocese, and to consider ways that the Church and Christians can respond. Two main speakers to this topic were Mr Max McClellan and Ms Doris Peschke. Max has worked with our Anglican Church in Greece, seconded by Us (formerly USPG) to assist Fr Malcolm Bradshaw in Athens in efforts to address the needs of refugees in that country. Doris is the General Secretary of the Churches' Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME), an ecumenical agency of the Churches in Europe, and a body which provides much needed advice and support to our own diocese. Max spoke of his work based in Athens during the time when hundr...

Members of the Sunday School in El Campello There is still some myth-busting to be done about the Diocese in Europe. For instance, I often find that people assume that congregations in the Archdeaconry of Gibraltar, and particularly in Spain, are rather sleepy places. It may be that this assumption comes from the fact that many of the members of our parishes in Spain are either retired or senior in years. First of all, it is not the case that our congregations consist only of retirees. And secondly, there is a great deal of activity and life in these congregations, even where there is a large sector who are retired. Our congregations in Spain are outgoing in their mission, building links with other English-speaking institutions and bodies in the pastoral area, such as the British Legion, social clubs, and schools, to make sure that the Anglican Church is known. The local Anglican priest is generally seen by the many English speakers as "their Vicar", even though, like in Eng...

The Parish of the Holy Spirit, Costa Blanca, seemed a very fitting place to spend Pentecost weekend. This is likely the largest parish in the diocese covering about 7,500 sq km, and with the largest electoral roll. The Senior Chaplain is the Revd Marcus Ronchetti. He is assisted by the Revd Ray Andrews and there will soon be two other priests joining the team. Also on the team is a licensed Reader, Stephen Carden. The parish visit included a service of confirmation for candidates from across the parish (there are 8 congregations in total) on the Eve of Pentecost. The sense of joy in the candidates and among the members of the congregation who gathered to support them was palpable. People were really happy to be in Church! The service was enhanced by the presence of the Basingstoke Ladies' Choir, who were in the parish to do a fund-raising concert that evening. They were suitably dressed in red, for Pentecost! Like so many of our parishes across the diocese, the best of...

  The Cathedral in Valencia The Revd Marcus Ronchetti is Senior Chaplain of what is likely the largest parish in our diocese. The parish of the Holy Spirit Costa Blanca in Spain includes 8 congregations and continues to grow numerically and in spiritual depth. The chaplaincy borrows Roman Catholic churches for their Eucharists, but these are in two different Roman Catholic dioceses. On a parish visit this Pentecost weekend, Fr Marcus arranged meetings with both Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera of Valencia and Bishop Jesús Murgui Soriano of Orihuela-Alicante, to thank them for their hospitality and to hold discussions about collaboration in the future. Cardinal Cañizares and Fr Marcus Cardinal Cañizares has been back in his native Valencia for about 18 months now. He was previously the Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship in the Vatican. We had a very warm visit and shared insights into how to reach people today with the Good News. The Cardinal has noticed how young peop...

Fr Walter Raymond, the Chaplain of St Paul's Monaco, has reported on Earth Sunday celebrations at Saint Paul's which took place on 8th May. These celebrations were organised and led by the Sunday Club. Members of the Sunday Club gave a group reading of the story of the Creation in Genesis 1 and provided an "Eco Challenge" in the place of the sermon, with each child representing one important element in God's creation: trees, water, air and more. A colourful poster helped illustrate their message, and the message was quite clear: we have a responsibility and it is in our best interests to care for the beautiful world God has provided as our home. During the service the children distributed seeded hyacinths in biodegradable pots to each of the households represented at the service. The Sunday Club children also served as greeters, helped take up the collection, and led the congregation in some very joyful singing! The leadership of the young folk at St Paul's i...

150 years ago on Ascension Day at Lambeth Palace, 3 archbishops and 17 bishops (from Southern Africa, West Africa, England, Ireland, Wales and the Isle of Man) met to re-establish the ministry of Reader, These early Readers (all men in those days) worked on the boundaries between church and world as as a kid of lay order, extending the work of the traditional parochial system, as teachers of the faith and preachers. That ministry continues to flourish today, with over 10,000 serving the Church of England today. To mark that great event in the life of the Church, Readers from all over the Churches of England and Wales came to All Souls, Langham Place in London last Thursday, Ascension Day, to celebrate in a festive Eucharist of Thanksgiving. 7 Readers from the Diocese in Europe attended, from Finland, Belgium, Italy, Spain, France, the Netherlands and Greece. HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, Patron of the Central Readers' Council, was in attendance. The Archbishop of York presided an...

All Saints Church in Milan, where Anglican worship has been offered since 1897, is a welcoming place for visitors as well as permanent and temporary residents from all over the world. The parish makes it a central feature of its life to be an inviting place for everyone, no matter their background or circumstances - all are invited into a loving relationship with God in a fellowship of unconditional acceptance. That international welcome was evident last Sunday as the community gathered for a service of confirmation and reception for members of the parish. I met parishioners from places as far away as Chennai, Seychelles, and Tehran, as well as many native born Italians, all who find All Saints to be a warm home. The younger confirmands certainly had an enquiring faith, according to Archdeacon Vickie Sims, the parish priest. She told me of some thought-provoking questions from these young minds which arose in the preparation classes. Here is one: "Was God being a bit ...

Archdeacon Potter (l) with Archdeacon of France Ian Naylor There are some changes happening in membership of the Bishop's Staff Meeting. Before long Archdeacon Peter Potter will retire from his post as Chaplain of St Ursula's Berne and as Archdeacon of Switzerland. He is the longest serving Archdeacon in the diocese at present and also covered as Archdeacon of Germany and Northern Europe when that post was vacant for about a year. Last week's meeting of the Bishop's Staff was his final one. Meanwhile it was Archdeacon Vickie Sims's first such meeting. In February she took up her duties as Archdeacon of Italy and Malta, in addition to her responsibilities as Chaplain of All Saints, Milan. The Bishop's Staff Meeting is not a synodical body like the diocesan synod or the Bishop's Council, but an operational committee, bringing together the senior staff who hold particular responsibilities sharing in the day to day oversight and care of the clergy and peop...

It was a full and joyful congregation which turned out to support the candidates for confirmation at St John the Baptist Church in Varese last Saturday. The candidates came from Danish, English, Italian backgrounds, and had been prepared for this sacrament by Reader Angela Mirani, who serves this congregation which is linked to All Saints, Milan. The candidates sign themselves with the cross, to remind them of their baptism Angela is a member of the Executive Committee of the Central Readers' Council of the Church of England, and is also an Advisor for the Bishops's Advisory Panels of Ministry Division, which selects candidates for training for Holy Orders in the Church of England. The newly confirmed lead the prayers of the people In Varese our Anglican congregation is hosted by the German Evangelical Church who make us very welcome at their attractive facilities. Ecumenical life is flourishing in this northern Italian city. Reader Angela Mirani participates...

Canons Kelham and Dimmick take their oaths The Cathedral Chapter of the Diocese has two new canons. On 27 April, the Revd Kenneth Dimmick, Priest-in-Charge of St Catherine's Stuttgart,and the Revd Adèle Kelham. Chaplain of Christ Church Lausanne, were "collated" during a Eucharist at a recent meeting of the Bishop's Staff in London. Canon Dimmick is also Area Dean of Germany and Canon Kelham who has been an Area Dean in Switzerland and Diocesan Advisor for Women's Ministty in the past is shortly to become the Archdeacon of Switzerland, so their wider ministry in the diocese is honoured by their canonries. The Very Revd Dr John Paddock, Dean of Gibraltar, received the formal mandate at that service to install the new canons in their stalls. The canons of the diocese support the ministry of the bishop with prayer and counsel. As the occupant of the stall of St Andrew in the Chapter, I welcome the two new canon colleagues!   Posted with Blogsy