Eurobishop

Most people in this diocese know Frances Hiller. Deacon Frances has served as my chaplain since 11 November 2002! She is a member of the Diocesan Ministry Team, the Bishop’s Senior Staff, advises at many levels across the diocese, manages my office, my diary, and much of my correspondence, prepares my liturgical celebrations and generally helps to keep me sane. Last Wednesday she was collated as a canon of our Cathedral Chapter, with the stall of Our Lady of Europe. Congratulations to Canon Deacon Frances Hiller! 

20 years ago today, the feast of St Ignatius of Antioch, Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, assisted by Anglican bishops from England, Portugal, Spain, Latin America, Scotland and Canada, and Old Catholic bishops from the Netherlands and Germany, consecrated me a bishop.  It was deeply moving also to be supported on that day by the presence of so many ecumenical guests from the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox Churches. Today I recollect, with a combination of humility and joy, the privilege of serving this part of God’s Church. The pastoral, multicultural and ecumenical dynamics continue to make this diocese an exciting context for episcopal ministry. I am deeply grateful for the prayers and generosity of so many, and for the wise counsel and warm collaboration of colleagues. And for the patience and love of my family that carries me through the challenges. “We have not only to be called Christians,  but to be Christians."  -St. Ignatius of Antioch

Yesterday, 28 February, was the feast of a saint not often celebrated across the Christian world, Pope St Hilary. (He is not to be confused with St Hilary of Poitiers, who is more widely commemorated). Pope St Hilary succeeded St Leo the Great as Bishop of Rome. He died in 468.  Among Hilary's accomplishments were the building up and strengthening of churches and communities in what is modern day Spain. He is also known for enforcing discipline among bishops. What a splendid occasion, therefore, for the re-licensing of Deacon Frances Hiller. She is attached officially to the Archdeaconry of Gibraltar which includes Spain, of course, and her day job is being a bishop's chaplain!   In the presence of staff at Tufton Street yesterday, I was pleased to license Frances for the next term of 5 years.  Pope St Hilary   

I am taking a couple of weeks leave beginning Saturday 22 July. Do not expect many blog posts during this time! My Chaplain Deacon Frances Hiller , or Mrs Bron Panter, or Mrs Emma Biaggi emma.biaggi@churchofengland.org  at the Diocesan Office, are able to reach me, if there are any urgent matters.

I am taking a couple of weeks leave beginning Friday 5 August. Do not expect many blog posts during this time! My chaplain  Deacon Frances Hiller  is able to reach me, if there are any urgent matters. "To give no time during life to pious and beneficial leisure, is this not to lose your life?"  (St Bernard of Clairvaux) 

I am taking a couple of weeks leave, beginning Saturday 3 July, so there may be few blog posts during this time. Deacon Frances Hiller is able to reach me, if there are any urgent matters. I am inspired by very wise words that the Revd Darren McCallig recently wrote to his parishioners: (Fr Darren is the Chaplain of St Alban's Copenhagen). I think that taking time away from the incessant demands of phones, emails and social media might be one of the most counter-cultural things that people of faith can do in today’s world. The practice of “switching-off” is, when you think about it, a beautiful act of trust and witness. It testifies to the conviction that God is able to act in the world apart from our human efforts or achievements — it is not all up to us! Thank you Fr Darren!

I'm back. I did not do too badly with my intended 2 months study leave. Since 18 February when I signed off I was able to have 38 days out of the 56 which were completely free from any diocesan or ecumenical activities or concerns. It was a gift: time to pray, to catch up on reading, and enjoy quality time with family and friends, especially some whom I do not see too often. I am indebted to the Senior Staff of the Diocese who supported this time of leave and shouldered some extra work on my behalf. I thank Deacon Frances particularly who has been brilliant in keeping things moving which come to my desk, and for ensuring that I was not disturbed except in unavoidable circumstances. So as I get back into the swing of things again, there will be a resumption of articles on this blog.

The Revd Deacon Frances Hiller has been invited to be an Honorary Minor Canon of Southwark Cathedral. This, as the title indicates, is an honorary position - we are not losing her from the diocese. Deacon Frances continues to serve as my chaplain, supporting my work in the Diocese in Europe. But this is wonderful recognition of her ministry as a deacon given by her London home, Southwark Cathedral. Many congratulations, Frances!

I will be taking some leave from 1 to 20 August. Do not expect too many blog updates during this time! My chaplain Deacon Frances Hiller (+44 (0) 20 7898 1161), or the staff at the diocesan office (+44 (0) 020 7898 1155) are able to get messages to me in case of urgent need. ¡Hasta luego!

Since last Friday, all computers, servers and telephones in Church House, Westminster, have been completely shut down. This has meant that the Europe Diocesan Office and my own office have been left with extremely limited capacity to respond to any messages or emails. (We have been able to get some messages in and out through our mobile telephones). It is not possible to access any documents or work stored on the servers. Needless to say, this is an extremely frustrating situation, given that next week we are all in Cologne for the inside of a week at Diocesan Synod! Nerves are frayed, understandably. Meanwhile, the Diocesan Finance Officer, Mr Nick Wraight, is offering his colleagues comforting cups of tea. A classic English solution in times of hardship. The IT department of Church House is working on this systems meltdown. We sincerely hope to be back to full operation by the end of today. We apologise for any delay in correspondence or in matters related to the work of the D...

Canon Adrian Mumford, Diocesan Secretary, with Bishop Griselda Delgado of Cuba  At least a couple of times on each parish visit people ask where I am based and I say, "in that great European capital city called London!" Some are surprised to learn that the bishops of this diocese do not live in Gibraltar. (Bishop Geoffrey lives in Sussex). There are a number of reasons why I keep my office in London. For one, it is by far the best transportation hub in Europe. But another vitally important reason which may not be well known is this: my office and the adjoining Diocesan Office host a large number of visitors each week. Some just want to say hello; some want to find out about the Diocese; some want to have some conversations about matters of mutual interest. Very often archbishops and bishops, ecumenical partners, diplomats and other international visitors, perhaps on their way to or return from Lambeth Palace (5 minutes away) or to Church House add on a visit to the ...

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.

17 October is the feast of St Ignatius of Antioch. He was the second bishop of that city in Syria and was martyred in Rome in the year 107, torn apart by two lions. On his journey to Rome he wrote seven letters to various churches, in which he defended the true teaching handed down by the  Apostles, so that the brothers and sisters in the early Christian communities, (and we are their spiritual descendants) would keep from being led astray by false doctrine.     St Ignatius of Antioch and his teaching mean much to me. On this day, 10 years ago in Southwark Cathedral, I was consecrated a bishop.  Feed us, O Lord, with the living bread and make us drink deep of the cup of salvation that, following the teaching of your bishop Ignatius and rejoicing in the faith with which he embraced a martyr's death, we may be nourished for that eternal life for which he longed; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The following announcement was made by the Anglican Communion Office on 25 June . As it involves someone in our diocese, I thought it should be posted here: "The Archbishop of Canterbury has named the Right Reverend David Hamid, Suffragan Bishop in the Diocese in Europe, as the Anglican Co-Chair of the International Anglican Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission (IARCCUM). IARCCUM was established by the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church in 2001. It is a commission of bishops ‘to promote our relationship by seeking to translate our manifest agreement in faith into common life and mission’. In its first report, Growing Together in Unity and Mission (2007), IARCCUM made an appraisal of the work to date of Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) and ‘offered practical suggestions on the way in which Anglican and Roman Catholic ecumenical participation can be appropriately fostered and carried forward’. There has not been an Angli...

Please note that email addresses for the bishops, their staff and all in the diocesan office have changed from the start of 2011. The new email format is: firstname.lastname@churchofengland.org So, for example, my email is now david.hamid@churchofengland.org  and that of my chaplain is frances.hiller@churchofengland.org . It is felt that this format is more memorable and much easier to explain than the old one which was cluttered with with hyphens! The old email addresses will still be usable for all of 2011 but please do make this change to your own contact lists now.

I will be taking some leave from 23 August, until 3 September. Do not expect too many blog updates during this time! My chaplain Deacon Frances Hiller  (+44 (0) 20 7898 1161), or the staff at the diocesan office (+44 (0) 020 7898 1155) are able to get messages to me in case of urgent need. ¡Hasta luego!

Our insurance agents require a summary of travel within the diocese each year to determine if they are providing adequate cover. So I just completed a quick tally: by the end of 2009 I will have spent 133 days in the territory of the diocese itself. What's involved in these days? The majority of the time is spent preaching, teaching, presiding at liturgies, attending meetings and synods, ecumenical commitments and conversations, and engaging in pastoral work with clergy and laity. When I am in my London office it is normal to spend on average 8 hours a week on the telephone, mostly pastoral conversations with clergy and laity, as well as about 8 - 10 hours each week in face to face meetings, consultations and interviews. I try to schedule one day every week just for reading, study, and writing. Most correspondence I receive is related to pastoral or mission concerns of the congregations or with ministry matters pertaining to clergy, readers, po...

I am officially on leave from today until 2 September. Do not expect too many blog updates during this time! As Deacon Frances is also on leave until 24 August, should you need to be in touch before 24 August please contact either the diocesan office +44 (0) 20 7898 1155 or Bishop Geoffrey's office +44 (0)1293 883051. ¡Hasta luego!