Prayer following the Istanbul Airport attack

Mosaic from Hagia Sophia in Istanbul

The Conference of European Churches (CEC) has sent a message to His All Holiness Bartholomew I, Patriarch of Constantinople, following the deadly bombings at Istanbul's Ataturk airport which killed 41 people in injured hundreds more. On Tuesday night, as soon as news reached us of this latest terrorist attack, Archdeacon Colin Williams and I sent messages of solidarity and condolence to the clergy and people in our Istanbul parishes. 

The General Secretary of CEC, Fr Heikki Huttunen speaking on behalf of European Christians said “The attack on Istanbul hurts all of us because it targets one of the cradles of European civilisation. Istanbul is a city at the crossroads of east and west, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. It is the biggest city in Europe and it is one of the centres of global Christianity, although the Christians there live as a minority among a Muslim majority in a secular state. To target this bustling centre of historic and contemporary importance is an attack against the development of Turkey as a democratic and open European nation.”

The CEC has asked our member Churches (which includes the Church of England) to pray for Istanbul and Turkey.

The text of the CEC message to His All Holiness is as follows:

Your All Holiness,

The news of yesterday’s violent attacks at Ataturk international airport has reached the people and churches of Europe with deepest sorrow. On behalf of the Conference of European Churches, we extend to you our sincere condolences to you and all the people of Turkey.

Acts motivated by the desire to promote fear and terror place strain our communities and our societies. They create suspicion of neighbour and erode solidarity. In the aftermath of this deadly attack, we must be courageous in our resistance to these forces, and draw strength from the Holy One.

We commend the mission of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and personally of Your All Holiness for the continued Christian presence in Istanbul and Turkey, and your work for a spirituality of justice and peace.

We pray that God may keep the souls of those who died, heal those that have survived, and sustain the families and communities touched by this immeasurable loss. The prayers of European Christians are with your witnessing church and all the people of your blessed and historical city.

With deepest condolences,

Rt Rev. Christopher Hill KCVO, DD
President

The Very Rev. Protopresbyter Heikki Theodoros Huttunen
General Secretary

O God, we commend to your care all who have died in terrorist attacks. May they be held in your everlasting love and rest in peace in your eternal home. Comfort and heal all who have been injured or bereaved, and surround them with your love and give them strength for the days ahead. Help us to continue our pursuit of justice and peace, to confront hatred and violence, and to build up our common life. 

Confirmation at All Saints, Cologne

Many of our parishes regularly produce candidates for confirmation which for me is a sure sign that Christian life is flourishing in this diocese. All Saints Cologne with St Boniface Bonn is one two point parish which seems to have candidates to present each year, and all from a diverse background, reflecting the multicultural make-up of these congregations. On Sunday 19 June, 6 candidates were confirmed, who came originally from Northern Ireland, Gambia, Sri Lanka, Iran and Morocco.

A moving moment in the liturgy happens around the font where the candidates renew their baptismal vows and sign themselves with the cross using baptismal water - to remind them that they are part of the Body of Christ.

Orientation for clergy joining the diocese from outside the C of E

The norms, canons, measures and customs of the Church of England can be mystifying to Anglicans from other Provinces. The mystery is further complicated in this particular C of E Diocese which covers 42 countries outside England, necessitating some unique practices and procedures.

As a Diocese we welcome and indeed we are blessed with many clergy who come from Provinces other than the Church of England. Experience has shown that it is worthwhile gathering newly appointed clergy from other parts of the Communion to share some orientation material and to provide a forum for questions and answers pertaining to the norms of the C of E and the Diocese in Europe.

On 20 and 21 June, six such priests joined the Diocesan Secretary Mr Adrian Mumford, the Archdeacon of Gibraltar, Geoff Johnston and myself for a 24 hour orientation session held at St Columba's House in Woking. The clergy are serving parishes in Versailles, Gothenburg, Fontainebleau, Freiburg, Marseilles and Berne.

What do cover in this 24 hours? Everything from "who's who?" in the diocese to record keeping, liturgical matters, and the ever-exciting "Church Representation Rules".
 

Fr Tuomas Mäkipää and Mr David Coulston elected chairs of Houses of Clergy and Laity, respectively

House of Clergy Chair Fr Tuomas Mäkipää (l) with Fr John Perris and Ms Cynthia D'Alimonte the (US) Episcopal Church Reps.  

The Diocesan Synod, the body that draws together elected representatives of clergy and lay people from across the Diocese, is composed of three “houses”. The House of Bishops consists of Bishop Robert and myself. Then there is the House of Clergy and the House of Laity.

As this was the start of a triennium, the Houses of Clergy and Laity met during the recent Synod to elect their chairs, who then become vice-presidents of the Synod. The Revd Tuomas Mäkipää, the Chaplain of St Nicholas Helsinki and Assistant Area Dean for Finland, was elected chair of the House of Clergy. Mr David Coulston, a parishioner in St Andrew’s Puerto Pollensa, Mallorca was elected chair of the House of Laity. Both are also members of General Synod from our Diocese.

Congratulations to them both.

House of Laity Chair Mr David Coulston shares a joke with Area Dean of France Canon Debbie Flach

We remain a European Church which serves all people. Let us resolve to be even more faithful to this calling.

Like so many in the UK, Europe and across the world, I awoke today to the news of the outcome of the Referendum with deep sadness. As a Scot with background in Burma and Canada and who serves the Church of England as a bishop I have been immensely proud of my red EU passport and feel such regret that the UK electorate has voted the way it has.

Our Diocese in Europe is part of the Church of England, but it is wholeheartedly a European Church. Our responsibility as a diaspora jurisdiction is to serve English-speaking and Anglican Christians from around the world who make our beloved European continent (plus Morocco and Turkey) their home. Our clergy will now take seriously their ministry to members of our churches, particularly to those UK passport holders who may now be filled with worry about their life on the continent, the future of health care, their pension provision, the right of residence, their freedom to work and study, and perhaps also anxious about the future of children and grandchildren whose place within the world’s largest free-trade and economic area is now far less certain.  Our pastoral care and accompaniment is offered to them as a matter of priority.

Our clergy and lay leaders will no doubt be asked for explanations by our sister and brother Christians and our European neighbours among whom we live. We will wish to reassure them that the UK referendum result is not a rejection of them, their nations, cultures, gifts, hospitality and generosity. It was a political decision and certainly not an ecclesial one. Now we will need to redouble our efforts to demonstrate our commitment to the common good, rejecting narrow nationalism and selfish individualism. Our alliances, covenants, commitments and unity agreements with sister European Churches will be all the more important now so that we can demonstrate our solidarity and communion as Christians together on the continent. For as Christians we are committed to the unity of all people.

With great shame the UK may have initiated a possible domino effect in the EU in general, fragile as it is in these days, as right wing parties may now feel inspired to seek a similar path to the UK decision. (Indeed the beginning of the dismantling of the EU itself is what Mr Nigel Farage himself has expressly wished). But we will want make clear to our neighbours and friends that such a wish is very far indeed from the position of UK folk who live in other EU countries, who find there a welcoming home.

The Church of England is a European Church. St Alban our first martyr was a Roman soldier. Our first Archbishop of Canterbury, St Augustine, was from Italy, The list of our Archbishops includes such luminaries as St Theodore of Tarsus, St Anselm, Lanfranc, and even more recently Rowan Williams, all Europeans from outside England. The Church of England is a member of the Conference of European Churches, and indeed a Church of England Bishop, Christopher Hill, is its President. Our liturgy, tradition, canon law and schools of prayer and spirituality are rooted in the Latin tradition of the Western European Church. Even the Reformation which coloured our own development was a European phenomenon. All this will not change as a result of 23 June, but remain our precious shared gifts with other European Christians, our common heritage, and an inheritance which unites us.

As Christians we are a Pentecost people. The unity of nations and peoples is part of our vision of the new society, the kingdom of God, which we work to reveal, that vision which is poetically summed up in a canticle we recite in Common Worship Daily Prayer:

You are worthy, O Lamb, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed for God saints from every tribe, and language and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God.

So this Diocese in Europe, as a Christian family, will continue to be a European family, working, worshipping and witnessing alongside our sister European Churches and with them serving and loving our neighbour. We remain a European Church which serves all people. Let us resolve to be even more faithful to this calling, with the help of God.

Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart and especially the hearts of the people of Europe, that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and prejudice and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Dr Harry Hagopian, academic, ecumenist, Middle-East and North Africa specialist, addressed the Diocesan Synod

Dr Harry Hagopian at the Kardinal Schulte Haus, Cologne

For the last couple of years, the refugee situation has been on the agenda of the Diocesan Synod. At this last Synod held in Cologne from 13 to 17 June, we continued our education and reflection but this time returning to the causes of the present crises. To lead our discussion we were privileged to hear from Dr Harry Hagopian who shared perspectives on the "shuddering political and demographic upheavals in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) over the past five years" which are producing the large numbers of refugees.

Dr Hagopian is a lawyer who holds a doctorate in Public International Law and an LL.M in Alternative Dispute (Conflict) Resolution. He is the Middle East Advisor for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference in England & Wales and works also with the Vatican, Lambeth Palace, Majlis El-Hassan and the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies in Jordan, Minority Rights Group International in England, as well as with think tanks, universities and institutes across Europe and North America.

An Armenian from Jerusalem, Harry worked until 2001 as Executive Director of the Middle East Council of Churches in Jerusalem where he also held the position of Executive Secretary of the Jerusalem Inter-Church Committee. He was able also to share insights into the circumstances of the mosaic of Christian communities that have been indigenous to this troubled region since the birth of Christianity itself, circumstances which are indeed very complex.

It was a stirring, passionate and erudite presentation which left us with much to ponder and much to pray for.

Harry prepared a piece entitled "An Anglican encounter over the MENA region in Germany" that is posted on his website. The article is here:

Prayer on Referendum Day

The outcome of the referendum today, 23 June, will have consequences for the future of the UK of course, but also for the rest of Europe and indeed for the world.

In choosing the path to the future I pray that UK voters will not forget what divisions in our Europe have brought upon us in the past, and that they will remember the values (which were Christian-inspired) that underpin the vision of the EU. I pray that the electorate will cast their votes bearing in mind what is right for the common good of all, in the off-shore islands of Britain and Ireland, on the continent and in the family of the world's nations.

May the Patrons of Europe, St Benedict of Nursia. St Cyril, St Methodius, St Bridget of Sweden, St Catherine of Siena and St Edith Stein (Teresa Benedicta of the Cross) stand alongside us and pray with us.

I voted to remain.

 

Curates in Post Ordination Training explore models of prayer and spirituality to sustain their ministry

Part of the mandatory training of clergy in the Church of England happens after ordination. What was previously called "POT" - Post Ordination Training - is now termed "IME Phase II". In our diocese the Director of Ministerial Development, the Revd Canon Ulla Monberg, is responsible for this training.

A recent residential session was completed just a couple of weeks ago during which time the new ordinands explored dimensions of Benedictine, Franciscan, Dominican, Julian, Ignatian and Evangelical approaches to prayer and spirituality, both to sustain their own ministry as well as to equip them for their role as teachers of prayer in their congregations.

The curates at this recent session came from churches in Turkey, Poland, Germany, Spain, France and Armenia. Four of the curates were finishing their IME Phase II and presented Canon Ulla with a card and present (which appears to be a "spiritual gift") to thank her for her guidance and care over the past several years.

St Christopher's Costa Azahar rejoices in their new Reader, Jenny Hoskins

On 5 June, Mrs Jenny Hoskins was admitted to the office of Reader and licensed for that ministry in the parish of St Christopher's Costa Azahar, Spain. The parish consists of 3 worship centres in Alcossebre, Vinaros and L'Ampolla, and also runs three "drop-in centres" which are key elements in the outreach mission of the Church.

Members from all three congregations came together at the Fisherman's Church in Vinaros for this festive service, including one senior member, John, who does not get to church very often any more but who was determined to be present for the great day, as was Jenny's mother-in-law. The support from the members for Jenny was palpable - it is a long journey to be a Reader, normally 3 to 4 years of intensive study, and there was much joy when, after taking the usual oaths and declaration of assent and her vows of Reader ministry, I placed the blue preaching scarf around her neck and gave her a copy of the New Testament, the symbols of the office of Reader. Over 40 attended a celebration lunch at a local restaurant following the service.

St Christopher's is one of the newer parishes of the diocese. It was founded in 2007 following on the pioneering work of a retired priest in the area, the Revd John Phillips. The first priest-in-charge of St Christopher's was the Revd Paul Needle who is now our Diocesan Communications Officer. Fr Paul was on hand for Jenny's big day, and it is good to have him in the picture, as he is normally on the other side of the camera!

Jenny is the first reader in this parish. Another is in training. At present, St Christopher's is without a priest-in-charge, If any readers of this blog are interested in applying or know of someone who might be interested, please do not hesitate to be in touch with our Appointments Secretary, Catherine Jackson (catherine.jackson@churchofengland.org). A stunning location on the Spanish coast, welcoming parishioners, and an enthusiastic corps of lay leaders await the next priest-in-charge!

St John's Ghent hosts the Anglican-Old Catholic International Co-ordinating Council

 

Bishop Dick Schoon, Co-Chairman, Fr Lars Simpson Co-Secretary

One of our parishes in the Diocese in Europe recently hosted a meeting of the Anglican Old Catholic International Co-ordinating Council (AOCICC). The Council met in Ghent from 7-11 June and St John's Church in that city gave us a warm welcome and provided logistical support through their priest, the Revd Stephen Murray, and the pastoral intern, Mr James Roberts.

The Revd Stephen Murray offers local Ghent "treats" to AOCICC members

James Roberts, intern at St John's

The splendid St Elizabeth's Church, which is used by the Anglican parish of St John was the venue for the closing Eucharist of the Council meeting, at which Bishop Dick Schoon, the Bishop of Haarlem presided.

Bishop Liederleitner

Since we last met as a Council one of our members, Dr Heinz Lederleitner, has become a bishop. Bishop Lederleitner is the new Old Catholic Bishop of Austria. We took the opportunity to mark his election and consecration with a suitable gift.

The AOCICC is the official body which serves the communion between the Churches of the Anglican Communion and the Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht, established by the Bonn Agreement in 1931. The full communiqué from AOCICC is below.

______________________________________________________________________________

Ghent, 11 June 2016

The Anglican-Old Catholic International Co-ordinating Council (AOCICC) met in the Carmelite Monastery in Ghent, Belgium, from 7-11 June 2016. The meeting was hosted by the Anglican Communion. This was the fourth meeting of the Council under its current mandate.

The work of this meeting included:

• reflecting on the nature and meaning of our communion;
• updating each other about developments within each Communion;
• briefing each other about developments in the bilateral and multilateral ecumenical relationships in which both Communions are engaged;
• considering how to develop concrete proposals for the common mission of the Anglican and Old Catholic Churches on the European continent.

A significant feature of the 2016 meeting of the Council was its meeting with Archbishop Joris Vercammen (Union of Utrecht of Old Catholic Churches), Bishop Robert Innes (Church of England, Diocese in Europe), and Bishop Pierre Whalon (The Episcopal Church, Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe). We engaged in an open and wide-ranging discussion, which was mutually enriching and informative. The Council was encouraged by the bishops’ affirmation of its mandate. This strengthens the Council’s resolve to serve usefully the bishops and the two communions as upholder and guarantor of the Bonn Agreement.

For this reason the Council took time to hear from Archbishop Vercammen and Bishop Whalon about their concept of a ‘Missionary Alliance’ between the Convocation and the Union of Utrecht in France. The Council would like to take further time to consider the many dimensions to this proposal. The meeting with the bishops began to explore creatively how the two communions could celebrate the centenary of the Bonn Agreement in 2031. All agreed that the encounter, held in an atmosphere of trust and mutual support, had been valuable in taking the mandate forward. It was agreed that the bishops would meet again with the Council at its meeting in 2018.

The Council warmly encourages Anglican and Old Catholic churches to send participants to the AOCICC Young Adults’ Pilgrimage from 25-28 May 2017 to Echternach, Luxembourg, the site of the shrine of St Willibrord. The pilgrimage is open to Anglicans and Old Catholics between the ages of 18 and 30 years. The pilgrimage will be led by the two Co-Chairs, Bishop Michael Burrows and Bishop Dick Schoon.

The Council prayed the Daily Office together according to the Anglican and Old Catholic traditions. The Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe presided and preached at the Eucharist on the Feast of St. Columba in the chapel of the Carmelite Monastery and the Bishop of Haarlem on the Eve of St. Barnabas in the Anglican Church of St. John. The council appreciated the help and assistance provided by the local Anglican priest, the Revd Stephen Murray, and the parish intern Mr James Roberts.

The Council will meet again in Germany, 4-8 July 2017, hosted by the Union of Utrecht.

For further information, please contact the Revd Lars Simpson (lars.simpson@christkatholisch.ch) or Canon John Gibaut at the Anglican Communion Office (john.gibaut@anglicancommunion.org)

Websites: www.utrechterunion.org and www.anglicancommunion.org

Members of the Council:

Anglicans

The Right Revd Michael Burrows, Co-chair

The Revd Jennifer Adams-Massmann

The Right Revd David Hamid

Mrs Jennifer Knudsen

The Revd Tony Litwinski

The Revd Canon Dr John Gibaut, Co-secretary

The Revd Neil Vigers, Anglican Communion Office

Old Catholics

The Right Revd Dr Dirk Jan Schoon, Co-chair

The Revd Prof Dr Angela Berlis (unable to attend)

The Right Revd Dr Heinz Lederleitner

The Revd Prof Dr David Holeton (unable to attend)

The Revd Lars Simpson, Co-Secretary

 

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Canon Kelham installed in stall of Our Lady of Europe

Canon Kelham, Dean Paddock, Fr Ford

On Wednesday 8 June a new canon joined the chapter of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Gibraltar. The Revd Canon Adele Kelham, Chaplain of Christ Church, Lausanne, and soon to be the acting Archdeacon of Switzerland, was installed in the Stall of Our Lady of Europe during Solemn Choral Evensong.

The service was sung by the Sub Dean, Fr Peter Ford OGS, Port Chaplain of Gibraltar, and the installation was done by the Dean of Gibraltar who brought personal greetings from the Canons of the Cathedral Chapter throughout Europe, with greetings from canons in the See Cathedral of Gibraltar, and the pro cathedrals of Malta and Brussels.

The Dean and Canon Kelham were delighted to have in the congregation the Custodian of the Roman Catholic Shrine of Our Lady of Europe in Gibraltar, representing the Roman Catholic Church. The Swiss Consul in Gibraltar also sent greetings and assurance of prayers. The service concluded with the solemn recitation of the Angelus in the Chapel of the Annunciation, where there is a statue of Our Lady of Europe.

Then, in true Gibraltarian style, there was a celebration banquet!

Our Lady of Europe

 

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Fresh recruitment strategies and over 30 vacancies keep our Appointments Secretary very busy

Most lay leaders and clergy of the diocese know Catherine Jackson, our Appointments Secretary. Her official title sounds rather administrative and bureaucratic, but her ministry is very much one of service to our parishes, guiding congregations, parish reps, Churchwardens and treasurers through the complicated processes related to recruitment and appointment of clergy, She works closely with the relevant Archdeacon, Area Dean and Lead Bishop in giving essential support to congregations from the moment a vacancy is declared, guiding them through the complex matter of discernment, and also offering guidance to enquiring priests about particular posts and assisting with their own sense of calling and search.

As you can imagine, balancing so many interests, keeping things proceeding smoothly and consulting daily with relevant staff and volunteers on safeguarding protocols, finance, health/visa/employment issues, advertising deadlines, as well as arranging and participating in any discernment interviews, is no small task! At any given time in our diocese there can be up to 40 vacancies, and although there are set procedures, in a complex diocese like ours, so often a "bespoke" touch is needed! Just in the last two weeks alone, 4 major posts have been filled, each would have involved countless hours of preparation and staff support. There are approximately 150 licensed clergy in the diocese – but of course there are another over 30 posts that are currently vacant.

Catherine is also constantly pondering new and innovative recruitment strategies. In May she and I were invited by the General Seminary of the Episcopal Church in the USA (TEC) to attend their alumni meeting, to spreading the word about ministry opportunities, particularly part-time ones, for priests in this diocese. During that time, extensive meetings were also held with the Office for Transition Ministries based at the Episcopal Church Headquarters. As a result, she is now working with her direct counterpart in TEC, the Revd Meghan Froehlich, who manages the deployment and discernment of all that Church's clergy to implement ways for our own vacancies to be listed among ministry opportunities in TEC. This will enhance significantly our potential for attracting quality clergy.

Whilst retirement age for Church of England clergy is creeping up to 68, thereby possibly reducing the number of priests who are interested in part-time posts after they draw their pension, in TEC, clergy can now retire on a full pension after 30 years of service. So some "retirees" are as young as 55! Our experience of TEC clergy serving in our C of E parishes has been very positive. Indeed, two of our own Area Deans are clergy from TEC.

Catherine and I had a chance for some discussions with the new Presiding Bishop of TEC while we were at the Episcopal Church Centre. Bishop Michael Curry is a warm, charismatic individual, genuinely interested in our work and mission in Europe. It was a very good connection to make, again for future networking.

From Sudan to Finland: Refugee journey ends and joyful new journey begins

Sunday was a memorable day in the life of the Anglican Church in Finland. Five children from two Sudanese refugee families were baptized in St Nicholas's regular Sunday Eucharist in Espoo. This small community gathers every other Sunday for Eucharist in a small room in Tapiola (Lutheran) church.

The Espoo congregation is quite used to songs in Swahili but on Sunday the room was filled with songs in Arabic as the Revd Amos Manga (priest-in-charge of the White Nile congregations in Finland) presented five children for baptism. Muntase, Mawahib and Manar arrived in Finland last winter. Muntaser (2000) and Mawahib (2001) were born in Khartoum before the family had to flee to a refugee camp in Cairo. Manar was born in the camp in 2006. Ten years later they have now arrived in Finland and have received pastoral support from Fr Amos. Other candidates were Yasine, who was born in Khartoum in 2001, and her sister Fairuz , who was born in Cairo in 2006.

Fr Amos Manga

The Revd Tuomas Mäkipää, the chaplain of St Nicholas, Helsinki (which includes Espoo) presided at the service, while Fr Amos did the actual baptism in Arabic. In such situations in the diocese in Europe we find that the Church of England's liturgical texts must (and indeed can!) be adapted for various kinds of situations. It was a moving service, signifying not only the safe ending to a perilous journey these children have been on already, but a new beginning on the journey of life in Christ.

At the end of the service the newly baptized were given a lighted candle depicting the patron saint of the Helsinki Chaplaincy, St Nicholas the Wondermaker. St Nicholas is the patron of children. He is depicted on the candle with children in a tub and his hand raised for a blessing. While handing out the candles Fr Tuomas reminded the congregation that according to one legend, St Nicholas helped children to have a better future by giving gifts. These were enough to give a better future for these children and their families. The other legend is the one where St Nicholas raised three children from the dead thus giving them back their lost future and adulthood. Fr Tuomas noted that those fleeing from their homes and homeland today want to do precisely the same thing; to give their children better chances in life and to restore what has been lost.

Here is a short video clip of the opening song.

Toothpaste - an essential for detained refugees/migrants in Athens

In Athens, with the help of the pharmacist Maria Karayianni, a thousand tubes of toothpaste  have been obtained to add to the equivalent male hygiene packs provided by the USA Christian NGO Samaritan Purse. The packs will be delivered to a Detention Centre for refugees/migrants.This initiative arose from a conversation between the Police Officer directly responsible for those incarcerated in the Detention Centre and our Chaplain in Athens, Canon Malcolm Bradshaw. The Officer asked whether we had access to such packs.

Over the past four months the Athens' Chaplaincy has been providing a cooked meal each week at the Detention Centre. It has also provided footballs,basketballs and ping pong balls to use in the recreation yard. The Chaplaincy is grateful to all who have sent donations enabling it to do this work. Apparently the Officer was near to tears when he heard that such a provision could be made.

The men in the Detention Centre were described by the Officer as 'being those whom the authorities do not know what to do with'.

Another example of our parish in Athens filling in the gaps in provision for those caught in this refugee limbo.