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Home , Archdeacon, Bishop in Europe, David Hamid, David Waller (priest), Diocese in Europe, Geoff Johnston

A Statement from and David on St George’s A Supplement to the Profile – 21 August 2019

Archdeaconry and

St George’s is part of the Archdeaconry of . The is required to participate, along with the lay representatives, in the life of the Archdeaconry. There is an annual meeting of the Archdeaconry Synod, which in the Diocese in is the equivalent of synod in other C of E . The synod is linked with a meeting of the archdeaconry and the combined meetings are residential over a total period of 4 – 5 days. The Acting Archdeacon of Gibraltar is the Revd Geoff Johnston who is based in the UK. Fr Geoff will be retiring in early November and it is planned that a full-time Archdeacon will be recruited to replace him. The Archdeacon is assisted by three Area Deans; the Revd Canon , based in , is the Area with responsibility for Madrid. The nearest neighbouring parish of the diocese is on the Spanish coast, several hundred kilometres away, but there are excellent fast-speed rail links. In the diocese either the or the is Lead Bishop for a given archdeaconry, providing pastoral care and oversight for the clergy and congregations (including vacancy and appointment matters), care of , consultation with mission agencies, strategic direction, mission planning and new initiatives. The Suffragan is the Lead Bishop for the Archdeaconry of Gibraltar. There is an indigenous Anglican Church in , La Iglesia Española Reformada Episcopal (the Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church or IERE), with its bishop, the Rt Revd Carlos López Lozano, based in Madrid. The of IERE is on Calle Beneficiencia. Good working relations with the IERE cathedral, bishop and clergy are important, even though on a day to day basis there is not much overlap in terms of work, as we deal with distinct language groups. Bishop David will give the new Chaplain of St George’s a full briefing on matters related to IERE.

Buildings

The chaplaincy is fortunate in having its own church building which is in a good state of repair and the interior was re-decorated a few years ago so the inside is bright and welcoming. There has been considerable work undertaken on the drainage system at huge expense. There are other buildings on the church site including a good-sized church hall and another building which houses an office and upstairs a small apartment which is rented out to generate income. These buildings form a square, inside which is an old fig tree, under which many church social events take place.

14 Tufton Street, London, SW1P 3QZ

Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 1160; Fax: +44 (0)20 7898 1166; E-Mail: [email protected]; Skype: eurobishop

Diocesan web site: www.europe.anglican.org Bishop’s web site: www.eurobishop.blogspot.com

Charity Commission registration number: 250186

The chaplaincy also owns a two-bedroomed apartment which is used by the Chaplain and family. It is in good condition and comes furnished. It is admitted that if a Chaplain were to be appointed who had children, then this accommodation would not be adequate, and negotiations would be offered to find a more suitable home. The current flat is about twenty minutes’ walk from the church. The chaplaincy does not provide a car as it is easy to get around the city by public transport, but expenses are covered for such travelling. Liturgy and worship

The liturgical life is centred around the Holy Eucharist. Sundays are busy with three eucharists which claim to meet different needs in the chaplaincy; this is a demanding schedule and a review would be beneficial. The is a key member of the ministry team. She has a significant profile and is highly respected in the archdeaconry and diocese (she is a member of ). She is a competent preacher and teacher, and a dedicated and collaborative minister. There is a good and active choir led by a highly competent and creative director of music. There is permission given to St George’s to prepare and admit children to Holy Communion before . Eucharistic vestments are customary. There has been expressed a growing need for bilingual services, particularly pastoral offices. Some facility in Spanish is necessary for this, of course. With some deeper thought, prayer and teaching on the liturgy the worship could be made more inspiring and exploit the many possibilities in Common Worship. A new hymn book more geared up to modern worship would also be a great advantage.

Children’s Ministry

One of the great strengths of St George’s is its work with children and young people, ably led by the Reader. It would be good if more people could be encouraged to train in the work of Godly Play. The Reader is now one of Europe’s leading experts and promotors of Godly Play. Ecumenical Relations

The has a particular ecumenical vocation on the continent. Diocesan regulations state that we seek “to minister and engage in mission in partnership with other Churches especially the historic Churches of the countries in which we live”. It will be helpful if the has some basic familiarity with and appreciation of the progress made in Roman Catholic-Anglican dialogue in the past 50 years. As St George’s is in the Spanish capital, there are many opportunities for a presence at ecumenical occasions. Nurturing good relations with the Ecumenical Officer of the Archdiocese will be important. The chaplain of St George’s has a significant part to play in deepening the bilateral - Spanish RC relations. There are also good relationships with the Orthodox, including interestingly the Serbian Orthodox. The Orthodox Metropolitan of Spain (representing the Ecumenical Patriarchate) knows of the chaplaincy and is very friendly towards the Church of England. There are many opportunities to increase ecumenical cooperation, but to make a real impact in this area, a good working knowledge of Spanish is essential.

Some challenges

A greater emphasis on pastoral ministry has been identified as an area which needs further development. Although there have been Bible study and Lent groups a chaplain who could lead these and encourage more people to participate would be valuable. While the chaplaincy is financially stable, there is an acknowledgement that it is now seven years since the last stewardship campaign and that there is a need to look again at Christian giving. There are no historic endowments at St George’s so a disciplined and imaginative management of assets is essential.

There is an ordinand currently on the Eastern Region Ministry Course who will need continued support and the chaplain would be responsible for supervising his ministry if he is ordained and serves in the chaplaincy as an NSM . The chaplaincy is at an exciting and interesting stage in its history. It is blessed by a rich diversity in its members in terms of nationalities, backgrounds and age groups and has some very able and enthusiastic people. Far from being a parish of “Brits Abroad” St George’s is home to Anglicans and English-speaking Christians from every continent. As the Anglican Church in the capital city of Spain it has a unique opportunity to reach out into the wider community and to be involved in the many networks already there. It requires an experienced and committed priest who has the energy and imagination to take the church forward. Part of this will include helping the chaplaincy to prepare for and to celebrate its centenary in 2025.

The package on offer

The chaplaincy council has accepted that this is a full-time post and the package includes a stipend of €27,500 plus Church of England pension contributions. As well as the apartment, all the utilities will be covered.

Conclusion

The post of Chaplain in St George’s Madrid is an important and key post in the archdeaconry. A priest with experience, a sense of the vision and a high commitment to forwarding the mission of the Church in the city would ensure that the chaplaincy grows and flourishes.