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Showing posts from April, 2017

Prayers in solidarity with Armenian Christians today

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Divine Liturgy at St Yeghiche Church It has been 102 years since the start of the Armenian deportations and genocide. Today I was invited by His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukian, the Primate of the Armenian Churches of the UK, to assist at the Divine Liturgy in St Yeghiche Church in London, and to take part in the prayers commemorating the estimated 1.5 million Armenians who were killed during the period 1915 to 1923. The solidarity of Christians in this solemn commemoration is vitally important. As Bishop Hovakim said in his homily today, we should never be indifferent to those who suffer violence and endure hate and death at the hands of others. His Grace also pointed out that this week a film debuts in cinemas, called "The Promise". It is set during the last days of the Ottoman Empire. It is essentially a love story involving an Armenian medical student but set in the midst of these historic and cruel  events. The main character prays "Dear Lord, Help us survi...

Welcoming, active, inclusive .... and youthful. St Thomas Becket Hamburg

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The Church of England parish in Hamburg has existed since 1612. However, St Thomas Becket Church is far from being an "old" community nor even a particularly ethnic English one today. It is, as its website proclaims, "a welcoming, active, inclusive Church". The electoral roll includes folk from many national backgrounds. Indeed the international make-up is at the heart of its leadership. The Chaplain, the Revd Canon Dr Leslie Nathaniel, is originally from India. His wife (who assists at St Thomas's when she is not at St Catherine's Stuttgart), the Revd Dr Julie Lippe-Nathaniel, is German. Many on the servers guild are from Ghana. The excellent choir and other musicians come from around the world and make the liturgy at St Thomas's rich with music. Discussing details of the liturgy before the service One of the exciting and growing dimensions of ministry in St Thomas's is the inclusion of children and young people. Already an integral part of church l...

Christ is risen, alleluia

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To followers of Eurobishop I wish a joyful Easter, filled with the love of Christ and with the hope to which we are called.   Posted with Blogsy

The Veneration of the Cross in Hamburg

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The Solemn Liturgy of Good Friday has many words: the substantial lessons and of course the proclamation of the entire Passion story from the Gospel of St John, plus a sermon. But It is also a liturgy of movement which dates back to the 4th century when pilgrims flocked to Jerusalem on Good Friday to venerate the precious relic of the True Cross, discovered by the Empress St Helena. About the 7th century the practice of devotions before a wooden cross was introduced into local churches for the benefit of the vast majority of Christians who cannot journey to Jerusalem. Of course Christians come to the cross, to kneel before it, touch it, even kiss it, not to venerate a piece of wood but to give honour and praise to Christ who died on the cross. For many, coming into contact with the hard wood is a reminder of the reality of what he has done, for us and for our salvation. So with Christians around the world and across the ages, on this Good Friday in St Thomas Becket Church Hamburg, f r...

Mandatum novum

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Mandatum novum - a new commandment. From this phrase from the Gospel of St John, the Thursday before Easter, Maundy Thursday, takes its name. The new commandment of our Lord was, of course, to love one another, as he loves us. In St Thomas a Becket Church Hamburg, following the solemn liturgy of the Lord's Supper and Washing of Feet, some members of the parish, including some of the adult candidates who will be confirmed at the Easter Vigil joined the Revd Canon Dr Leslie Nathaniel, the Chaplain and me for a simple meal, and some rich conversation. The mood of the sacred rites we had just celebrated seemed to be still among us and we reflected on the meaning of love, and what it means to say that God is love. We spoke about what that signifies for those who are not Christian, or who never will be, in terms of God's gracious embrace of them. We reflected on how we address this central teaching in our dialogue with this of other religions. We spoke of the wonder of our salvati...

Chrism mass in the city of St Ambrose

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The Archdeacon of Italy and Malta, the Venerable Vickie Sims, hosted a Chrism Mass in her parish of All Saints, Milan on Tuesday. Clergy and Readers from Italy, Denmark and Spain gathered for the annual service at which the oils used for baptism, anointing the sick and confirmation are blessed, and the diaconal and priestly vows of ordination are reaffirmed, along with the promises made by licensed lay ministers, or Readers. The celebration was enhanced by the presence of Archbishop Sir David Moxon, the Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome, who was able, along with me, to reaffirm his vows as a bishop in Christ's Holy Catholic Church. Archbishop Moxon retires from the Anglican Centre in Rome later this year. We were able to pay tribute for the way has has opened so many doors in Anglican-Roman Catholic relations during his time as Director, and for the warmth of our present A-RC relations, which is due in no small part to his remarkable ecumenical ministry. His Associate ...

Prayers for Coptic Christians in Egypt

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As the news of another terrorist attack on the Christian community in Egypt emerges, on behalf of the people of this diocese, I have sent the message below to my dear friend Bishop Angaelos, the General Bishop of the Coptic Church in the UK, and the Moderator of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland. _____________________________________________ Your Grace Bishop Angaelos, my dear Brother in Christ I can hardly believe the news that has just reached me, that on this most Holy Day when the Christian faithful begin our commemoration of the passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, a passion and death which was for the reconciliation and peace of humankind, the Coptic community attending the sacred liturgies in Alexandria and Tanta have been victims of a bloody terrorist attack. I understand that at least 36 have been killed and many more are seriously injured. I assure you of my closeness in prayer to you and to your Church at this most sad and troubled time. With other Anglicans...

Holy Ghost Genoa - International and outgoing, like this ancient maritime city

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There has been an Anglican Church in Genova (Genoa) since at least 1818. The first services were held in the home of the British Consul. The present building, dedicated to the Holy Ghost, dates from 1873 and is an architectural gem. It was designed by the famous British architect George Edmund Street who also designed the Law Courts in the Strand, London. The Romanesque style draws from typical architecture from this Ligurian region of Italy. The city of Genoa has a long maritime history. Christopher Columbus is perhaps the most famous son of the city. Today it is still the second busiest port in Italy. True to this heritage the congregation of Holy Ghost Church is very international and outgoing. At last Sunday's Eucharist I met parishioners who hailed originally from England, Italy, Ghana, Chile, Japan, Switzerland, and Nigeria. The congregation is also growing in faith and modestly in numbers. Eight persons were confirmed last Sunday. A splendid community lunch wa...

The Prayers of the Diocese are with Stockholm at this time

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Church of St Peter and St Sigfrid, Stockholm Sadly, once again terror has struck in the heart of one of our European cities, this time Stockholm. I have been in touch with the Chaplain of St Peter and St Sigfrid's Church, the Revd Nick Howe, to ensure that our immediate community members are safe, which they are, thankfully. On Friday afternoon I also wrote to the (Church of Sweden) Bishop of Stockholm, the Rt Revd Eva Brunne, and to Fr Nick to convey a message on behalf of our diocesan family. The message is below. To:          The Bishop of Stockholm                 The Chaplain of St Peter and St Sigfrid Anglican Church Dear Bishop Eva Dear Nick I have just heard the news of what appears to have been a deadly terrorist incident in Stockholm which has left at least 3 dead and many more injured. We in the Diocese in Europe are deeply shocked at what seems to be a new pattern of violence emerging, after Nice, Berl...

St George's Madrid: a parish with an international and ecumenical outlook

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Mothers' Union Members, Madrid It is no surprise given the growing number of members from Africa, that the Mothers' Union is well represented in St. George's Madrid. My recent parish visit was on Mothering Sunday which was an appropriate occasion for the members of the MU to wear their distinctive uniforms. St George's looks outward to the world Church in so many ways. For instance during my visit I attended a session of one of their Lenten Bible studies at which they were using material produced by the mission agency USPG, which draws upon the experiences of Christians around the world. The session I attended challenged us as Christians in our relations with those of other faiths, reflecting on the experience of St Peter in the Acts of the Apostles, supplemented by moving testimonies gathered by USPG from members of the Church of Pakistan. I was very pleased to see the faithful of one of our parishes working on the important issue of interfaith dialogue....

Residents of our See City, Gibraltar, are deeply troubled by EU Brexit guidelines

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The Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Gibraltar   A clause inserted in the EU draft guidelines for the Brexit process has taken the residents of Gibraltar, and apparently the UK government, by surprise: "No agreement between the EU and the United Kingdom may apply to the territory of Gibraltar without the agreement between the Kingdom of Spain and the United Kingdom." It appears that the EU is siding with Spain in its long dispute over the territory and Gibraltarians are rightly alarmed. The Cathedral of this diocese is, of course, in Gibraltar. The Dean, the Very Revd John Paddock, is concerned for his parishioners and their worry at this turn of events. This morning I wrote this message to the Dean, and his parishioners: __________________________________________   Dear Fr John, dear Brothers and Sisters Adding to all the political and economic uncertainty caused by the referendum, and now the triggering of the Brexit process last week, the people of Gibraltar must be fee...