Archdeacons in the Diocese in Europe

There are seven archdeacons for the Diocese in Europe. There are two main reasons for this. The first is that archdeaons in our diocese are first vicars/rectors (stilled referred to anachronistically as chaplains) of usually larger churches in our diocese, who later are invited by the bishop to also take up the responsibilities of an archdeacon. The second reason has to do with the geographical spread of our diocese. The diocese covers all of mainland Europe together with parts of Asia and North Africa. This way of pastoring and administering the diocese was envisaged back in the seventies before the end of the Cold War, the expansion of the European Union and the migration of Britons to various warmer climes within Europe and Turkey. For many years the diocese has been looking at new ways to pastor and administer the diocese wanting to take up more fully the mission opportunities that are presenting themselves.

The archdeacons from left to right: Jonathan LLoyd (Germany and Northern Europe), Peter Potter (Switzerland), David Sutch (Gibraltar), John de Wit (North West Europe), Patrick Curran (Eastern) and Kenneth Letts (France). That makes six! The missing archdeacon is Jonathan Boardman (Italy and Malta). 

A Prayer for the Second Sunday of Advent

Christ, now and always, you are our peace. May the second candle of this Advent wreath remind us that that you came and come to bring peace. May your peace fill our lives, our relationships, our churches, our cities and this nation. Your peace is a peace that we cannot give ourselves but all things are possible with you. Your peace passes human understanding help us to open ourselves to your peace. Amen.

The sketch above is by Christine Kohlmann of the Memorial to the women who served in World War II, Whitehall, London.

Advent musings at the weekly Wednesday celebration of Holy Communion

The four candles on the Advent wreath are the subject of two different interpretative models. The common model and probably more traditional one is that these four candles represent the Patriarchs, the Prophets, John the Baptist and Mary. This scheme reminds us that God has made his will known through his people with whom he has been in conversation ‘since the world began’. Our God ‘teilt sich mit!’ It belongs to God’s nature to make himself known in each and every generation. It is in his nature to seek relationship with those created in his image. 

The other model is based on four longings deeply embedded in us and which find their fulfilment in Jesus. These four longings are our longings for hope, peace, joy and love. As the first candle is lit the candle of hope we can articulate this hope. It is concrete. We hope for people who are not afraid, not suspicious and not second guessing people constantly but people who can trust, who are willing to grow and to grow you need to let go, to repent.

The four traditional themes of Advent are the Four Last Things: death, judgment heaven and hell. Today’s reading form the Book of the Prophet Isaiah addresses death. God will act decisively on his holy mountain and when he does this, this will be the outcome:

And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples,the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death for ever.

We believe that God has acted decisively in Jesus Christ and as we prepare to welcome Christ anew into our lives at Christmas through a keeping of the Christian season of Advent we do so with the expectation that God will lift the veil that remains spread over us, let alone the nations, and that we will fear death no more as death in and through Jesus Christ has been swallowed up for ever.

Through this Eucharistic meal, the sacrament of the altar, we anticipate now what is yet to be in all its fullness. Here on this holy mountain (replicated thousands of times in parish churches across Europe) none other than the Lord of hosts ‘makes for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-matured wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-matured wines strained clear’ as we journey on towards the great feast of Christmas. Today Jesus looks at us and says to his disciples, ‘I do not want to send them off hungry, they might collapse on the way!

We thank God for this provision for the way that leads to him. This provision gives us strength so that we may continue hopeful, trusting together with the generations of Christians who have preceded us in the wonderful message of the prophets. God’s good purposes for all the nations!

Ljubljana has a website!

Christ Church, Vienna has oversight for the congregations of Klagenfurt, Ljubljana (Slovenia) and Zagreb, (Croatia). Presently the congregation is ministered to by the Revd Dr Richard Major. He holds the Bishop's permission to officiate. Recently he set up and launched a website. The address is: http://www.anglican.si

Christ, now and always, you are our hope. Through you, forever enfolded in your love, we can know true peace and experience lasting joy. We ask you to bless this wreath, an increasing source of light and a symbol to us of this Advent season: a time for reflection, for saying yes to waiting and for measured expectation. May our Advent observance draw us closer to you as you scatter the darkness from before our path. You who are the hope of the nations, the peace that is greater than our understanding, the joy that can never run out and the love that lays down its life for its friends. Amen.

Crete - interviews held in London

On Monday 11 October interviews were held for the post of assistant chaplain of the Greater Athens Chaplaincy at the Diocesan Office of the Diocese in Europe in London. The assistant chaplain is to serve St Thomas', Kefalas, Crete. This is a new part-time stipendiary post. The following were part of the interviewing panel from left to right (see photograph above) : Canon Mike Peters, Canon Malcolm Bradshaw (Area Dean), Jan Lovall and Revd Tony Lane (representatives for St Thomas) and the Archdeacon.

The portrait in the background is of the first Bishop of the Diocese in Europe the Rt Revd John Satterthwaite. The Diocese is an amalgamation of the Diocese of Gibraltar and the rest of Europe that up until then was under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of London and was the particular responsibility of the Bishop of Fulham. The Diocese was founded in 1980. 

Patrick Irwin licensed as Chaplain of Bucharest with Sofia

Representatives of the churches in Romania (Romanian Orthodox, Armenian and Lutheran) together with members of the diplomatic corps amongst whom where the Ambassadors for the United Kingdom, the United States and Ireland joined the Anglican congregation for the licensing of the Revd Patrick Irwin as Chaplain of the Church of the Resurrection, Bucharest, Romania with Sofia, Bulgaria. The service was conducted by the Ven Patrick Curran on behalf of the Bishop of Europe as his commissary.

The Anglican church building was built during the time of Queen Marie of Romania (1875-1938), a granddaughter of Queen Victoria and stayed open throughout the Cold War. The church is home to an icon that was given to the Anglican Bishop of the Diocese by the Romanian Patriarch on the occasion of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s visit to the country in 1965.

For the last seventeen years Patrick Irwin served as a chaplain in the British Armed Forces. The church building was recently redecorated inside and plans to repair the roof are well underway.

Labels: Bucharest

First Communion at Christ Church, Vienna

On Sunday 3 October six children were admitted to receive First Communion at Christ Church, Vienna. I am often asked about this recent practice within the Anglican Communion and especially in the Church of England. There are three things I would like to say. Firstly, all children who ask to receive Holy Communion are supported by their parents and are carefully prepared by a member of the congregation to do so. Secondly, children must be of an age that they can distinguish (appropriate to their age) between their daily bread and the food of the Lord's Table. Thirdly, the custom of admitting children to First Communion is about ensuring that at an early date children receive the grace this food supplies while at the same time anchoring their belonging in the Body of Christ. Confirmation is then about making a mature confession of Christian faith and not about admission to Holy Communion. In our Austrian context our practice mirrors that of the Roman Catholic Church, whereas the historic Protestant churches in Austria have gone over to an open table not requiring either Confirmation or even Baptism to receive Holy Communion.

Report on the Eastern Archdeaconry Synod, Vienna  16-19 September 2010

This was my third synod as representative from Vienna, and it was certainly convenient to leave the church office at 4pm and arrive at the Palotti house half an hour later, rather than spend a whole day travelling to some far-flung destination in the Eastern Archdeaconry.  

New participants this year were Revd Patrick Irwin, Bucharest and Jack Noonan, Prague. Janet Berkovic attended as an observer from Zagreb. Other participants attended from Athens, Corfu, Crete, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kyiv, Warsaw, Prague, Budapest, Izmir, and Vienna.

Belgrade, Istanbul and Ankara were unable to send representatives this year.

 The Synod started at 5pm on Thursday with Evening Prayer; after supper meetings were held until 9pm, including a short presentation on the Roman Catholic Church in Austria by Christa Pongratz-Lippitt.  The synod continued on Friday and Saturday with two full days of meetings, starting each day at 730am with morning prayer.

The Revd Dr. Walter Moberly led three informative and inspiring sessions on the use of the Old Testament in public worship and preaching on (1) Self-interest, suspicion and the dark night of the soul: the story of Job (Job 1.1-2.10); (2) Whence spiritual blindness? The story of Balaam and his ass (Num.22.1-35) and (3) How can we be honest in worship? The conflict of faith and experience (Psalms 44 and 89).

Ann Turner, Diocesan General Synod representative, led two sessions on the Diocesan Strategic Review, giving a concise presentation of the review with explanations where necessary and concluding with a short discussion on the two questions: What is the view of the Archdeaconry on the DSR as well as its views on the actual cost and financing.  A motion was passed (one abstention) as follows:

The 2010 synod of the Eastern Archdeaconry of the Diocese in Europe affirms the recommendations of the Diocesan Strategic Review as presented to and signed off by the 2010 Diocesan Synod (May) and encourages their implementation, aware that funding will need to come from a variety of sources including the churches and congregations of the Eastern Archdeaconry.

 Furthermore the 2010 synod requests that the proposal to locate the archdeacon responsible for the Eastern archdeaconry outside the Eastern archdeaconry should only be taken forward after consultation between the respective archdeaconries (Italy and Malta, Eastern) and the diocesan bishop.

 The Diocesan laity report from the General Synod in York, July 2010 was also discussed and in particular the draft legislation on women bishops.  In conclusion, the participants of the Archdeaconry Synod voted on the question “Would you personally accept the authority of a women bishop?” (14 yes, 7 no, 8 abstentions, 1 spoilt ballot).

David Healey, Communications Manager and General Manager of the Intercontinental Church Society gave a presentation on “The how and why of group bible study”, and suggested suitable material and resources.

Chaplaincy reports were presented from Moscow, Bucharest (including Sofia and Skopje), Kyiv, Budapest, Crete, St. Petersburg, Izmir, Prague, Athens, Corfu, Warsaw and Vienna.  Reports had also been received from Belgrade and Ankara. The Revd Denis Moss in presenting the report for Budapest, remarked that this would be his last synod. He expressed his thanks for all the support he had received over the years from these synods and in particular from members of the Vienna congregation, noting that “it was always good to hear about others worse off.”

It was agreed that following the suggestion of one of the representatives from Corfu, a day of fasting would be held in the Archdeaconry, the exact date to be announced.

The synod concluded on Sunday morning with Sung Eucharist at Christ Church and the congregation had the opportunity to meet the participants over coffee.

Miranda Kopetzky, Archdeaconry Synod Representative, Vienna

Vienna, 26 September 2010

ANGLICAN MINISTRY IN HUNGARY - Diocese of Europe

THE ANGLICAN / EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF ST MARGARET OF SCOTLAND, BUDAPEST, HUNGARY

The Bishop seeks to appoint a priest from January 2011 to serve this small but enthusiastic congregation in a vibrant and culturally rich capital city. St Margaret's is the only Anglican Church in Hungary, and there is considerable potential for growth within the international and national community.

Applicants should be outgoing, interested in working with members from a wide variety of backgrounds and be comfortable with a traditional worship style.

Resolutions A and B have been passed.

The appointment initially for three years will be on a 'house for duty' basis. Accommodation, utilities and expenses of office will be provided. Appropriate arrangements for health care will be made by Church Council.

Further information and application form from:
The Assistant Diocesan Secretary, Mrs Jeanne French
14 Tufton Street, London SW1P 3QZ
Email: jeanne.french@europe.c-of-e.org.uk

Closing date: 28 October 2010 • Short-listing date: 2 November 2010 Interview date: 16 November 2010

There is a commitment to safeguarding children and young people and child protection screening will apply to this post

THE ANGLICAN CHURCH, WARSAW, POLAND

Priest-in-Charge (Part-time House for Duty)

The Bishop seeks an experienced priest to serve this chaplaincy, consisting of parishioners from five continents (Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and North America), for the equivalent of three days a week including Sundays. The chaplaincy looks for a priest who will:
• Help us develop our focus and vision as a parish
• Nurture a team approach
• Provide pastoral care to people of various cultural backgrounds
• Be outgoing and engage with the wider community, particularly with English-speaking schools, young people and families
• Have good organizational skills

We offer recently refurbished two-bedroom accommodation with good transport links in a vibrant capital city in the heart of Europe and a three-year appointment, with expenses and pension contributions provided. Resolution B passed

Further information and application from:
The Assistant Diocesan Secretary, Mrs. Jeanne French 14 Tufton Street, London SW1P 3QZ
Email: jeanne.french@europe.c-of-e.org.uk

Ordination on Crete

On St Thomas’ Day members of the Eastern Archdeaconry gathered outside of Chania, Crete to witness and participate in the ordination of Tony Lane to the priesthood. St Thomas’, Kefalas, Crete is one of the youngest congregations in the Diocese in Europe. Tony Lane has been a driving force behind the emergence of this congregation which formally asked to become a congregation of the Church of England back in 2005. The congregation has grown steadily from a small group meeting once a month around Tony and Suzanne’s dining room table to a congregation that meets every Sunday with an average attendance of forty plus. A few years ago a chapel dedicated to St Thomas was built together with an adaptable worship area which provided space for the 121 people who gathered for the ordination.

Canon Malcolm Bradshaw, Area Dean, was the preacher. He has had a special role in establishing, strengthening and settling the congregation. Canon Bradshaw began his sermon by using an image from Greek family life that sees Greek families gathering from 130pm onwards on Sundays to join in a common meal that has all the signs of the Eucharist. This imagery is particularly apt as amongst the duties of a priest belong the duty to preside at the celebration of Holy Communion together with the ministry of reconciliation and blessing. Malcolm reminded Tony and Tuomas Mäkipää, a Finnish ordinand, not to lose hold of their humanity as they seek to be faithful to their calling as ministers of God’s word and sacrament. One particularly moving moment was when the hands of the newly ordained priests were anointed by the Bishop as he said, ‘May God, who anointed the Christ with the Holy Spirit at his baptism, anoint and empower you to reconcile and bless his people.’

Bishop David Hamid, Suffragan Bishop presided at the ordination, the Revd Frances Hiller, the Bishop’s Chaplain, was the deacon and Christine Saccali, Reader in the Greater Athens Chaplaincy was the Bishop’s chaplain on this occasion. Other members of the Eastern Archdeaconry present were the Revd Canon Ian Sherwood (Chaplain of Christ Church, Istanbul) and Daphne and John Reece. Ms. Reece is one of Athens’ archdeaconry delegates.

The following day, Sunday 4 July, the Revd Tony Lane presided for the first time at the celebration of the Eucharist as a priest in the Church of God.

The congregation will soon be advertising for a priest to help the congregation continue to develop its ministry on Crete.

The Venerable Patrick Curran

2010 Eastern Archdeaconry Synod

The 2010 Eastern Archdeaconry Synod of the Diocese in Europe is meeting in Vienna, Austria from Thursday 16 to Sunday 19 September. Our guest speaker is the Revd Prof Walter Moberly. He is a staff member of the Department of Theology and Religion in the University of Durham, England. He writes,'The overall concern in my scholarly work is the responsible understanding and use of the Bible in the life, thought, and spirituality of Christian faith today.'

The synod will conclude with a Sung Eucharist at the Christ Church on the Sunday at 10am.

The White Angel - a parish visit

During May a group from Christ Church visited the Serbian Orthodox Church in the second district. We were warmly welcomed by our guide Miroljub Gligoric. Soon thereafter we were joined by one of the iconographers of the church Uglĵeša Mileta who together with his wife is presently working on the frescoes in the church’s refectory. Members of the group could echo this sentiment. The step towards appreciating the best of Orthodoxy is not such a big one to take and very worthwhile.

The church in the second district is one of three Serbian Orthodox churches in Vienna. It is dedicated to the Resurrection. An imposing fresco of the Resurrection behind the iconostasis and the altar dominates the church. It is based on the famous fresco of the Resurrection in the Chora monastery in Istanbul. One detail was new to me namely that the Risen Christ grasps the wrists and not the hands of Adam and Eve whom he is pulling out of Hades. This detail is there to remind the believer that the work of our redemption is God’s work alone. Other frescoes of particular interest on this occasion were the Birth of Jesus, the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, the White Angel and the Transfiguration.

The fresco of the Transfiguration is particularly apt because the church is former tram garage that has been wonderfully transformed into a church that shows forth some of the glories of the Orthodox tradition. The fresco of the White Angel is based on a detail from a fresco in the Mileševa monastery, Serbia. The original dates from about 1230. It depicts an angel sitting in front of the Empty Tomb. The White Angel has been adopted as an emblem by the United Nations

Before we retired to the rectory for further conversation and refreshments Miroljub sang parts of the liturgy in Church Slavonic. He is a cantor in the church and currently writing his doctoral dissertation. In the refectory we heard how both Miljoub and Uglĵeša came to embrace the faith of their ancestors having grown-up in communist Yugoslavia. Miroljub mentioned the film The Time of Miracles based on the novel of the same name by Borislav Pekić as being influential. We also heard about Saint Nikolaj Velimirović (1881 – 1956) who was Bishop of Ohrid and Žiča, imprisoned in Dachau by the Nazis and at the end of the war not permitted to return to Yugoslavia. Hearing something about the life of Saint Nikolaj was appropriate as he studied in Oxford and enjoyed very good relationships with the Anglican Church in Britain and America. The title of his doctorate was Berkeley’s Philosophy.

We came away enriched by our brief encounter with Orthodoxy lamenting the divisions of Christianity into a Latin West and an Orthodox East, but joyful to have met a living church rich in history, art, culture and fuelled by the faith that the Risen Christ brings - a faith that both Miroljub and Uglĵeša were eager to share with us and the world.

Greece - World Church Focus

written by the Revd Mary Vickers

Greece occupies the southernmost part of Balkan peninsula in SE Europe , plus an archipelago of over 2,000 islands in the Mediterranean , Aegean and Ionian Seas , the largest of which is Crete . Although only 227 of the islands are inhabited, with only 78 having more than 100 inhabitants, they constitute around 20% of the total 131,940 sq km land area. Nearly four centuries of Turkish rule ended in 1829 when Greece achieved its independence from the Ottoman Empire . Following Germany ’s occupation of Greece in World War II, civil war broke out between supporters of the king and Communist rebels. Democratic elections and a referendum in 1974 created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy. Civil war and military dictatorships have been part of Greece ’s recent history, as has tension with neighbouring Turkey , particularly over Cyprus . However, shared earthquake experiences in 1999 have significantly reduced tensions between these two NATO members. Greece joined the European Union in 1981.

Greece was slow to recover from World War II, and remained one of Europe ’s poorest countries; but recent years have seen economic and social change. The financial crisis of the late 2000s hit hard, as the legacy of high public spending and widespread tax evasion combined with the credit crunch and the resulting recession left the nation with a crippling debt burden. This was the first challenge for Prime Minister Papandreou after his election in 2009. He announced austerity measures but in recent months Greece came close to being unable to meet its debt repayments. Its fellow eurozone nations agreed an unprecedented $146.2bn package to rescue its teetering economy. The main condition attached to the loan - drastic cuts in public spending and tax hikes - has led to the current social unrest and instability.

Greece was the first European country to ever hear the gospel, when Paul took his second missionary journey. Today it is a predominantly Christian country with 98% of the 10.75million population professing Christianity. There is a small Muslim minority of around 200,000 people, and a tiny Jewish community. Athens is said to be the only EU capital without a purpose-built place of Muslim worship. Plans to build one were put forward in 2006, but they have yet to come to fruition and Muslims meet in several makeshift mosques. Most Christians belong to the Greek Orthodox Church. Recognised and legally protected by the state as the dominant and established religion, it is at the heart of Greek culture and identity, and plays a greater role in political, civic and government affairs than in many countries. This means that other expressions of Christianity can be perceived as a threat, despite the constitution removing some of the discriminatory legislation against non-Orthodox bodies. ( Greece and Russia are the only countries to have such a great proportion of people that belong to the Orthodox Church.) Although tensions are still evident on occasions, the gradually lessening restrictions on religious minorities are welcomed by many. Evangelical mission work started in 1858, and partly gave birth to the Greek Evangelical Church . Current membership is around 5000 people in 33 congregations. Less than 1% of Christians are Roman Catholic and around 0.5% Anglican, with the latter belonging to the Church of England Diocese in Europe .

Pray for: President Karolos Papoulias & PM George Papandreou at this time of financial crisis and civil unrest; those who’re suffering at this time - the injured, bereaved, unemployed, homeless, those struggling with poverty; other countries who may be affected; complete religious freedom & an end to prejudice; and for the churches’ response to the current crisis, both pastoral and political.

Information compiled in May 2010 from various sources, by the Revd Mary J Vickers, from who further information may be available. Contact her by Email at: mpvmailbox-wcf@yahoo.co.uk ‘World Church Focus’ is produced as a resource for local churches, and is partly funded by ‘Christians Aware’ (www.christiansaware.co.uk). Articles can be reproduced in church magazines, prayer letters, sermons, etc, but wider use needs permission from the Revd Mary J Vickers who owns the copyright

VOCATIONAL INTERNSHIP IN BRUSSELS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ICS

VOCATIONAL INTERNSHIP IN BRUSSELS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ICS

In May 2008 Gary Wilton was appointed as the first Church of England Representative to the EU to ‘help the EU to understand the Church of England and the Church of England to understand the EU’. He also has pastoral responsibility for the growing 7.00pm Service Community of the Pro-Cathedral of Holy Trinity, Brussels. This community includes a significant number of people in their 20s and 30s who work for the EU Institutions or NGOs.

From mid September 2010, ICS and Gary Wilton are eager to put in place a programme of three successive internship opportunities each lasting nine months from mid September to mid June with 2 weeks holiday at Christmas and a week holiday at Easter. The internship is for 20 hours a week, usually worked between 9.00 and 3.00 on four days as agreed. It involves: basic administrative and research duties, regular prayer meetings at Holy Trinity and in the Parliament, liaising with ecumenical and other partners, attending events in the EU Institutions, supporting the administration of the 7.00pm service community, supporting a termly Church of England E-Briefing for UK MEPs, participation in the ministry of the 7.00pm service community and observation of the wider Pro-Cathedral ministry

The gross salary for this part-time post will be c.700 euros a month dependent on the health insurance costs of the successful candidate. Members of the 7.00pm service community will assist the person appointed to find appropriate accommodation. This will be an exciting and developmental opportunity for three graduates/postgraduates in succession who wish to explore Christian mission and ministry in a pioneering context, are interested in the interface between the Church and the institutions of the EU in Brussels and (ideally) have some foreign language(s) skills.

For information please contact Gary Wilton on: +32 (0) 2 511 71 83 or e-mail: gary.wilton@holytrinity.be

Closing date: 21 May 2010; interview: w/c 14 June in Brussels or Warwick. Enhanced Disclosure required.

Turkey identity cards

Turkey censured over identity cards 

THE European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Turkey’s insistence that its citizens specify their religion on identity cards is a breach of its duty of neutrality and impartiality. “Freedom to manifest one’s religion or beliefs has a negative aspect, namely an individual’s right not to be obliged to disclose his or her religion or to act in a manner that might enable conclusions to be drawn as to whether he or she holds such beliefs,” it ruled on 2 February. The case was taken to Strasbourg in 2005 by Sinan Isik, a member of the Alevi community in Turkey. (Church Times 26.02.2010)

THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF ST MARGARET OF SCOTLAND, BUDAPEST, HUNGARY

A priest is sought from the end of November 2010 to serve this small but enthusiastic congregation in a vibrant and culturally rich capital city. There is potential for growth both within the English-speaking international community and amongst those in the wider community who have a preference for traditional and dignified Anglican worship.

Applicants should be in the Catholic tradition and appreciate the centrality of the liturgy together with preaching in the congregation’s life.

The appointment, initially for three years, will be on a ‘house for duty’ basis. A furnished flat, close to the church, will be provided plus utilities and expenses of office.

Resolutions A & B passed.

Further information and application form from: The Assistant Diocesan Secretary, Mrs Jeanne French

Short-listing date: 26 March 2010

Enhanced Disclosure Required
Closing Date: 25/03/2010
Interview Date: 27/04/2010

Contact Information
The Assistant Diocesan Secretary, Mrs Jeanne French
14 Tufton Street, London 
SW1P 3QZ
Email: jeanne.french@europe.c-of-e.org.uk

Holy Trinity, Corfu

Holy Trinity, Corfu have a new website address.




Have a look under www.holytrinitycorfu.net The present chaplain the Revd John Gulland moved to the island in October 2009. He was licensed by the Archdeacon in November. Representatives of the Greek Orthodox Church, the Greek Evangelical Church and the Roman Catholic Church were in attendance. The chaplain's wife Mary Gulland is an artist. She has a website www.marygulland.com

The Archbishop of Canterbury on freedom from isolation

Christian freedom as St Paul spells it out is always freedom from isolation – from the isolation of sin, separating us from God, and the isolation of competing self-interest that divides us from each other. To be free is to be free for relation; free to contribute what is given to us into the life of the neighbour, for the sake of their formation in Christ's likeness, with the Holy Spirit carrying that gift from heart to heart and life to life. Fullness of freedom for each of us is in contributing to the sanctification of the neighbour.

Presidential address, General Synod, 9 February 2009

No applicants for Kyiv, Ukraine

Last week I was informed by David Healey of ICS that no one had applied for the post of priest-in-charge of Christ Church, Kyiv, Ukraine. This is a severe blow to the congregation there who are trying to manage an interregnum. Pasted in below is the original advert. If you are interested please contact ICS or me.

Christ Church, Kiev/Kyiv (Ukraine)
Priest-in-charge, House-for-duty
At the invitation of the Diocese, ICS seeks an ordained priest of evangelical conviction to serve for (ideally) eighteen months to lead, teach and nurture this small international English-speaking congregation, develop its outreach, and represent the Church of England ecumenically. A good standard in – or the ability and willingness to learn – Ukrainian or Russian is desirable. Rented accommodation, outward and return travel, insurance and usual expenses of office will be met by the congregation. Enhanced Disclosure required. Informal enquiries welcome. For an information pack contact: Mrs Jeannette Skuse, Intercontinental Church Society, 1 Athena Drive, Tachbrook Park, Warwick CV34 6NL United Kingdom. E-mail: ajskuse@ics-uk.org www.ics-uk.org tel: 01926 – 430 347; fax: 01926 – 888 092

Snow covered plain

Majestic bird perched on a single branch
Deer in a winter landscape
A fox seeking prey on an open white field

You give each to eat in due season

Now is winter
And yet there is life and food
Enough to sustain us

If we will but
With enduring patience
Watch, seek and persevere.

11 January 2009
written on the train from Zagreb to Vienna