Eurobishop

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 ...

Special Zoom Study Meeting announced Led by Dr Clare Amos, the Diocesan Director of Lay Discipleship Saturday April 25 2020    10.00am-11.00am and 11.30am-12.30pm CET (BST+1) Dr Amos writes:  "Drawing on both the Old Testament and the New Testament this study morning will explore what the Bible has to say about the relationship between human beings and the rest of creation, which is increasingly seen as one of the most significant issues for our time. It will suggest that our relationship to creation is absolutely integral to our Christian faith". This study morning was originally scheduled as a physical meeting for the parish of Holy Trinity Geneva. It will now be held by Zoom due to the lockdown.  Given the widespread interest across the diocese in the theology and care of creation, Dr Amos has widened participation in this study to any who are interested.  To meet the needs of ‘Zoom’ security issues, and in order to ensure that you ca...

You rose from the tomb as God in glory,  and raised the world up with you. Mortal nature sang your praise as God, and death disappeared. Adam dances, O Master, and Eve, now freed from her chains, rejoices as she cries: It is you, O Christ, who grant Resurrection to all. (Orthodox Kontakion for the Resurrection)  May you be comforted in this time of trial, and filled with Easter joy and peace. Χριστός ἀνέστη! Christ is risen!

To assist the faithful across the diocese with their prayers during this time of lockdown, Fr Louis Darrant has produced a resource specially for us. It is a PDF booklet, which, as Fr Louis states in the introduction   "is to support us in our common prayer  during Holy Week".  You may already have found it among our diocesan resources on the website.If not, the link is here: https://europe.anglican.org/downloads/praying-at-home-in-holy-week-2020.pdf Louis writes: "The Church is responding quickly to the changing  circumstances in which we find ourselves. With imagination and creativity  we will find ourselves caught up in the Easter mystery in such a way as will  bear fruit in due time. No Christian prays alone. Together we share the  sacred work of the Church in offering praise to the Father through the  Son and in the power of the Holy Spirit." Fr Louis Darrant is the Chaplain at St Christopher's Costa Azahar in Spain. He is also...

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 ...

The Annunciation, (unknown), the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.  Addressing the leaders of all Christian Churches, communities and confessions worldwide, the Pope invites us all, on 25 March at 12 noon in each local time zone, to recite the prayer of all Christians. “In these days of trial, as humanity trembles at the threat of the coronavirus pandemic, I would propose that all Christians join their voices together to heaven to invoke the Almighty, the All Powerful God, by reciting contemporaneously the prayer that Our Lord Jesus has taught us”.  25 March is the Feast of the Annunciation. Its central focus is the wondrous moment in history when the Eternal Word became flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary; in short God became one of us. The feast marks the dramatic entrance of the divine into our everyday world, God with us, Emmanuel. As we remember the closeness of God to us – God who took on our very flesh – Pope Francis encourages us in reciting our common...

Fr Parvez is blessed for his new ministry, Fr Tuomas Mäkipää looks on The job of any bishop includes personnel management, pastoral care, many meetings and much administration (the latter two these days particularly to do with safeguarding). That is not to mention conflict resolution. It sormetimes feels like my desk is a magnet for complaints and negativity. Overall there is rarely a pause in the work; as Deacon Frances Hiller my chaplain says, "it never slows down!".  But the most important things I do are also the most joyful: being with God's people together with their priests, deacons and lay ministers, celebrating the sacraments of the new covenant and teaching the faith to so many people.   It is a huge privilege to preside at the sacraments of initiation, to baptise new Christians, to confirm those who have been previously baptised and who seek to be renewed and strengthened by the Holy Spirit for Christian discipleship.  A recent parish v...