Eurobishop

Clergy and lay ministers normally try gather with their bishops in Holy Week for the Chrism Mass, when the sacred oils for the sacraments are blessed and consecrated and vows of ministerial commitment are renewed. Given our vast geography in the Diocese in Europe, one such gathering would not be logistically possible if a good number of clergy and lay ministers are going to be able to attend. So customarily 4 such services are held, two at which Bishop Robert presides (Brussels and Paris) and two at which I preside, in Madrid and Rome.  These are privileged moments when we gather in the midst of the busiest week of the year, to show our unity in the mission and ministry of Christ's Church to which we are called, and to demonstrate that unity through renewing our vows together and blessing the sacred oils which we use throughout the year.  More than 45 clergy and Readers were in attendance in Madrid and Rome. We were blessed also by the presence of ecumenical partner clergy fro...

Sad news from Fr Tuomas Mäkipää, Area Dean of Finland, concerning Emmanuel Eneh, Reader: _____________________________________________________________ Emmanuel Eneh RIP It is with great sadness that I have learnt the news about the death of Emmanuel Eneh. Emmanuel passed away on Thursday, 23rd April 2020. Emmanuel was a long-standing member of the Anglican Church in Finland and had a significant lay ministry at the International Congregation of Christ the King in Tampere. He served many years as an Anglican Licensed Lay Reader, working together with the priests of the Lutheran Parishes in Tampere in providing pastoral and liturgical ministry to the international church community, gathering in Vanha kirkko in Tampere. His commitment to the implementation of Porvoo Agreement (between Anglican and Lutheran Churches), and his service to the wider community by participating in local politics in Tampere, were a source of inspiration for many. Emmanuel remained as ...

In Holy Week in this Diocese in Europe there are normally several Chrism Masses celebrated in various centres. I was scheduled to preside at those masses in Madrid and Rome, for instance, with Bishop Robert presiding in Brussels and Paris. But due to the Europe-wide lockdown, these services were cancelled.  However, Bishop Robert and I thought it would be fitting to have a service, streamed online, for the clergy and lay minsters to renew their vows, which is normally a part of this rite. A diocesan production team went into action and about 180 priests, deacons and lay ministers joined in the service yesterday. A "screen shot" of some of the participants is above. It was a new experience for all! I had the privilege of preaching the homily. If you care to listen, it is here: It was a privilege to give a word of encouragement to the clergy and Licensed Lay Ministers (Readers) in this strange time, when our ministries are so radically disrupted. Among my words to ...

Area Dean Canon Debbie Flach admits Donna to the office of Reader The Chaplaincy of Christ Church Coutances has a new licensed Reader. On 11 January the Revd Canon Debbie Flach, Area Dean, admitted Donna Derrick to the office of Reader and licensed her for ministry in Coutances. The Church in Gratot was full for the occasion, with clergy from the ecumenical fraternity present, signifying the warmth and esteem with which our new Lay Minister is held. Debie receives her blue scarf, symbol of her licensed lay ministry As there is no chaplain licensed to the parish at present, Donna will have a full ministry as a Reader, working alongside PtO priest, the Revd Chris Probert. There are two centres of worship in the Chaplaincy, Gratot Hommel and Vivey. Among Donna's first duties was to host the RC Bishop of Coutances and Avranches for the opening of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity celebrations which was held in our church in Gratot. Donna has written in the Countance pari...

The Diocese in Europe has been described as "the Anglican Communion in miniature". Not a bad description, given that 40 of the 165 countries of the Anglican world are in this diocese! Not a bad description since in most of our congregations there are over a dozen nationalities at worship. Not a bad description given that our present licensed clergy come from about 20 different countries around the world. It often surprises folk who come to know our diocese that migrants from the UK are no longer the majority in so many of our congregations. Our diaspora communities are made up of migrants from all around the world! Canon Paul Wignall, Director of Reader Ministry If we are "the Anglican Communion in miniature" it follows that our Licensed Lay Ministers (Readers), as preachers and teachers of the faith, need to be very familiar with the essentials of Anglican ecclesiology, the nature of the Anglican Communion and the fruits and challenges of Anglican ecumeni...

One of our Diocesan Readers, Simone Yallop (St Mary the Virgin, Twente), has written this report on a recent Readers' workshop. ___________________________________________________________________________ In the weekend of 26 to 28 April 2019 a group of 11 Readers and 4 Readers-in-Training came together at St, Columba’s House in Woking, for a workshop on Discipleship. The facilitators were Dr Clare Amos (Director of Lay Discipleship), The Revd Canon Elaine Labourel (Director of Readers) and the Revd Deacon Frances Hiller (Bishop David’s Chaplain). Clare Amos took us on an enthralling Biblical journey, looking at what the gospels tell us about Peter’s experiences as a disciple of Jesus. Discipleship is about following, learning and serving. It is a journey sometimes with two steps forward and one step backwards. We will not get it right the first time. Neither did Peter. It was interesting how Clare pointed out that in John’s gospel, Jesus does not say ‘follow me’ to Peter un...

Angela Mirani and Celia Paterson Two Readers (Licenced Lay Ministers) of our Diocese in Europe will be enjoying a very special Easter this year. Angela Mirani, Reader in St John the Baptist Church, Varese, Italy and Celia Paterson, Reader in St George's Church, Madrid, were honoured by Her Majesty the Queen as recipients of the Royal Maundy money last Thursday, in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. In addition to their long service to their own congregations, Angela and Celia play vital roles within their own respective Archdeaconries, and have served the wider Church also at Diocesan and international levels.  Angela said in an email to me: "It was an amazing day: the service was beautiful and the music superb. A very emotional time".  Warm congratulations to you both from across the Diocese, and Happy Easter!

Canon Elaine Labourel introduces the weekend workshop Readers (Licensed Lay Ministers) and those in training for that ministry recently came together in Woking, England, for a workshop on the ministry of preaching. Organised by the Director of Reader Ministry, Canon Elaine Labourel, this workshop included some theological reflection on the doctrine of revelation, how God communicates divine truth to the human community, some principles of Anglican preaching, as well as practical guidance and skill enhancement in homiletics. The Revd Dale Hanson of St Mark's Versailles was a key resource person for the event. As Warden of Readers, I was also able to spend some hours with the participants. Reader Angela Mirani (left) was the first Reader I admitted to this office back in 2003 These training events are very well supported by the Readers, and are generally oversubscribed! One participant thanked Canon Labourel for her encouraging leadership, "because of her, the read...

Readers and trainee readers at the funeral workshop In the Church of England funerals are normally conducted by the clergy. Canon law does provide for the possibility of Readers (Licensed Lay Ministers) conducting funerals if the Reader has been authorised so to do by the bishop. In this diocese such authorisation is given to Readers following the satisfactory completion of extra training . In so many of our chaplaincies, this ministry is highly valued and indeed where there is a great volume of funerals and where there are large distances to cover, duly authorised Readers perform an essential pastoral service.  The specialised training is delivered under the supervision of our Director of Reader Ministry, the Revd Canon Elaine Labourel, in periodic residential worshops. Last June, one such workshop was held at St Columba’s, Woking. Canon Labourel was assisted by the Revd Canon Paul Omrod, the Chaplain of St George's Madrid. Eighteen Lay Ministers and Lay Ministers in traini...

As part of its ecumenical vocation, the Anglican Communion engages in official ecumenical dialogues with other Christian world communions. These dialogues are mandated by the Anglican Consultative Council. The Archbishop of Canterbury as Primus Inter Pares  in the Anglican Communion and the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion seek appropriate names from around the Communion to appoint as Anglican members of each dialogue. It is a great honour that one of our own staff and a member of the Diocesan Ministry Team, Director of Reader Ministry the Revd Canon Elaine Labourel, has just been been appointed by the Secretary General in consultation with the Archbishop of Canterbury to serve on the International Reformed-Anglican Dialogue (IRAD). This recognises Elaine's own theological and ecumenical expertise..It also underlines the important part that this diocese plays in being the shop window of Anglicanism for many other Christians in Europe. Of the 165 countries where the ...

Twice a year residential training events are held for our Diocesan Readers and Readers in Training. One such gathering has just finished. It had a more reflective and prayerful emphasis, as one of our trainee Readers, Simon Yallop, from St Mary’s Church, Twente writes in this report: "In the first weekend of December 2017 a group of fourteen Readers and Readers in Training, under the very capable leadership of the Revd Canon Elaine Labourel, came together at St. Columba’s House in Woking for a retreat. The theme was ‘Listening to God’. With the help of a number of spiritual exercises we all heard God speaking ‘loud and clear’.   It was a wonderful time of worship and fellowship, with a chance to catch up with news from fellow Readers. During the Retreat we were introduced to ‘Godly play’ by Reader Celia Patterson (St George’s Madrid). The carefully played out stories of Jonah and Samuel certainly helped us as we were invited to put ourselves into the stor...

Philip Gwynne Jones is a Reader-in-Training at St George’s, Venice. After a career working in IT for the European Space Agency in Frascati, Italy, and following a stint with a Scottish bank during the global financial crisis, he dediced to return with his wife Caroline to Venice in search of a better and simpler future. ‘We were wrong about the “simpler bit”’, Philip wryly comments. Nevertheless, he is now established as a translator and teacher. Being Welsh he naturally has a love for music and so can be found singing bass with the Cantori Venezione and the Ensemble Vocale di Venzia .  During the lengthy inter-regnum at St George's he assisted greatly to keep the worship life going both in Venice and at Christ Church, Trieste. But a new talent has come to light:  Philip has published his first novel – a gripping thriller called The Venetian Game . Full of contemporary local colour it portrays Venice as a city of secrets, ...

The Revd April Almaas presents Susan to be admitted to the office of Reader At one of the eucharists at the Nordic and Baltic Deanery synod, I admitted Susan Boyd to the office of Reader and licensed her for that ministry in the Anglican Church in Norway. Her ministry will be exercised mostly in Trondheim where she lives. The Revd April Almaas, our priest in Trondeim presented Susan for admission to this lay ministerial office. Susan now joins a colleague Reader in Trondheim, Priscilla Beck, who works together with Mtr April in caring for our congregation there. The Revd Darren McCallig will soon become the Senior Chaplain of the Anglican Church in Norway, and will be based in Oslo. He will oversee the clergy and people in the daughter congregations of Stavanger, Bergen and Trondheim. (L to R) The Revds Darrem McCallig, April Almaas, Nick Howe, Kirk Weisz  and Archdeacon Colin Williams with new Reader Susan Boyd It was a splendid occasion as the service was held...

Reader Sharon Grant On Sunday 18 June, Sharon Grant was licensed as a Reader (Licensed Lay Minister) to serve the Anglican Church in the Costa Brava. The service took place in the ancient, (probably 13th century), Church of St Stephen, in Madremanya, At the festive eucharist, 5 persons were also confirmed, and one received into the communion of the Church of England. A wonderful lunch rounded off the day at the parish house in Corçà. Somehow, the parishioners found out it was my birthday, too! The Anglican Church of Costa Brava was formally constituted in 2012 and its first priest, the Revd Anne Jenkins appointed. Sharon now joins the ministry team as a licensed lay minister serving this active parish which meets in 4 different locations in the beautiful part of Catalunya. The entrance to the parish house patio The parish puts great emphasis on the welcome offered to everyone. This welcome is summed up in this statement on their website: "We are a...

The conference theme was taken from closing words in the Eucharist On the frontier of Church and world. This sums up the ministry of our Licensed Lay Ministers (a.k.a Readers). From 19 to 22 May in Cologne, Readers and those in training for this ministry from across the diocese gathered for a conference to consider the challenge of frontier ministry. Licensed Lay Ministers are in the position of having a listening ear in two camps: the Church and the world that the Church is called to serve. "Double listening" is how this was summed this up in one of our sessions. Listening to the Word and listening to the world: this is the ministry of the Reader and it is a key role in our diocese. The conference was bracketed by two liturgical moments: We began as scattered individuals around the edges of St Edith Stein chapel at Kardinal Schulte House, symbolising our dispersal across the islands and continent we serve. We came together to form community around the Word and S...