T HE E UROP E AN A NGLICAN A VISIT TO A TH E NS C HURCH PION ee RING PROJ E CT I T F E LT LIK E FIR E ON MY H E AD O RDINATION E XP E RI E NC E S F ORTY Y E ARS A R E AD E R M E MORI E S FROM M ADRID P UBLICITY POINT E RS G E TTING TH E M E SSAG E ACROSS A BISHOP CONFIRMS G RAND P RIX CAN B E NOISY ! FREE N o . 4 3 AUTUM N 2 0 0 9 2 ACTIO N I N A T hen S T HE G O INTO ALL TH E WORLD – OR AT E UROP E AN A NGLICA N L E AST ON E SIXTH OF IT People discover the Diocese in Europe in different and variant local laws and across many ways and are surprised at what they nine time zones – which can make physical find. Some travel on business or holiday communication challenging. The Bishop of Gibraltar and are delighted to find a church in their In this issue we report ordinations and in Europe own language with worship that is familiar news of clergy and church members facing The Rt Revd Geoffrey Rowell to them. Others make a life changing move the challenge of spreading the gospel in a Bishop’s Lodge, Church Road, from Britain or elsewhere for a new life in disparate diocese linked with a common Worth, Crawley RH10 7RT Europe and are equally pleased to discover purpose and supported by mutual love and Tel: +44 (0) 1293 883051 a local church where they are welcomed fervent prayer. You will also find reports of Fax: +44 (0) 1293 884479 and in which they can become involved. Christians involved in local communities, Email: For others, the European Anglican or having fun in their faith fellowships and [email protected] other diocesan publications may be a first looking at how we can further spread the The Suffragan Bishop insight into the Church of England’s fastest news of our ministry and mission. The Rt Revd David Hamid growing diocese. We are listed with the 43 If your church is not included in these Postal address: Diocesan Office other dioceses in England and have many of pages that may be that we need to Tel: +44 (0) 207 898 1160 Email: the privileges and responsibilities which they hear more of your news and welcome [email protected] have. Yet, we are different because of our contributions and ideas for future editions. vast scale of distance – covering one-sixth The Diocesan Office of the world’s land surface. We operate in Paul Needle 14 Tufton Street, London, 45 European countries – often under very Editor, The European Anglican SW1P 3QZ Tel: +44 (0) 207 898 1155 Fax: +44 (0) 207 898 1166 Email: diocesan.office@europe. c-of-e.org.uk Diocesan Secretary Mr Adrian Mumford F AITH IN WORDS Assistant Diocesan Secretary Mrs Jeanne French Finance Officer AND WORKS Mr Nick Wraight Diocesan Website www.europe.anglican.org Malcolm Bradshaw, Senior Anglican Chaplain in Athens, writes about Editor and Diocesan a successful delegation visit and a project putting faith into action Communications Officer The Revd. Paul Needle Postal address: Diocesan Office Email: [email protected] Members of the Tel: 0034 662 482 944 delegation in Friends of the Diocese Athens, (from left) Secretary: The Revd. Philip Warner Archimandrite Email: [email protected] Maximos, Design Archimandrite Adept Design, Norwich Gabriel Printer Papnicolaou, Mr. Norwich Colour Print Ephraim Bons, The Bishop of London, Distribution Revd Canon CoDEStorm plc Malcolm Cover photo: Bradshaw, Canon Preparing for priesthood. Rev Peter Jonathan Goodall, Hales reflects on the thrills and chal- The Bishop of lenges of being at the helm of Christ Birmingham Church, Coutances, as he holds a firm course on his yacht during the Summer. Peter is to be ordained priest on 3rd October. (Picture by Humph Farnsworth) “W hen I W A S H U N G R Y Y O U 3 fe D M E ” ‘ W E KNOW W E AR E NOT ALON E ’ Mohammed, Nadir, Manuel, Ahmed, young people seem to be qualified and living among the migrants. We, Hassid, Wedad, so the names rolled and skilled workers, and a few have the Orthodox, don’t have these but out as did the countries, Somalia, graduated at universities in their home we have the resources. Why don’t we Morocco, Sudan, Eritrea, Nigeria, countries. There is no employment to put your knowledge and our resources Iraq, Palestine, Iran, Afghanistan. be found in Athens. Outside the city together?’ So there emerged, ‘The Over 1,600 migrants in the very heart temporary jobs are available in centres Church in the Street’ – a programme of Athens signed up to receive a daily of tourism or on farms picking the jointly delivered by the Greek meal. They are just the tip of a surge Mediterranean crops. Sadly Greece Orthodox Archdiocese of Athens, the of illegal migrants that have entered has failed to implement a African Pentecostal Churches of Greece over the past two years comprehensive immigration policy. Athens and the Anglican Chaplaincy averaging well over 10,000 per The situation is acute. in Athens. It is considered to be the month. Many arrive overland from The food for the meals is provided first social action programme, Turkey and the Balkans, while others by ‘Solidarity’, the humanitarian ecumenically delivered, to have take boats from the Turkish coast NGO of the Greek Orthodox happened in Athens. His Beatitude, assisted by human traffickers. An Iraqi Church. The ingredients were Hieronymus II, Archbishop of Athens spoke of rowing 8 hours from Turkey originally destined for the Gaza strip has given his full support and visited to Samos. Increasingly the islands of but only a small percentage of the the distribution centre twice. There is the Aegean are affected. They are ill total collected was allowed entrance. now talk of expanding the scheme to equipped to receive such huge There is enough food to cover six 3,000 meals each day delivered numbers. On the small island of months. Meanwhile major food through churches as well as within Agathonisi, between Patmos and manufacturers are donating further some of the major city squares. Later Turkey, 400 rather elderly residents resources so that the programme can it is hoped that a centre for a change found themselves drawing upon continue and be enlarged. of clothing will be established. their own resources to care for a The initiative began with Fr Along with the revelation that 1,000 migrants. Gabriel Papanicolaou, the young some of the recipients have not eaten It was Monday 13 April (Orthodox Vicar General of the Archdiocese of for at least twenty four hours comes Holy Monday) when volunteers Athens. The Anglican Chaplaincy in the occasional expression of ‘thanks’. gathered to distribute the first meal. Athens made its own contribution by However, the greatest compliment 600 recipients benefited but quickly helping with the vision but also as the was from a young Somalian at his first that number moved to the present link body with the pastors of the appearance. He had been in the figure of 1500 per day. Young men in African Pentecostal Churches of country 90 days. ‘Thank you for their mid twenties are the main Athens. Fr Gabriel, after listening to doing this. It is not so much the food beneficiaries but there are also these pastors for ninety minutes, that matters. It is the fact that you are mothers with children, addicts and the responded by saying, ‘You have the here which is so important. We know occasional Greek senior citizen. Many knowledge and experience of working we are not alone.’ S Y N O D C E L E B ra T E S an 4 O R DI na TIO N M AK E TH E M FAITHFUL TO S E RV E There were celebrations in France, Germany, Florentinus to serve at Christ Church, the Netherlands and Spain in a series of Amsterdam and Ankje Robinson-Muller to Summer ordinations where candidates the East Netherlands Group of churches. confirmed their assurance that God had called Lindy Jordan, an assistant curate of St them to ministry and the ordaining bishop Andrew’s, Fuengirola on the Spanish Costa prayed for the Holy Spirit’s power and grace del Sol, was ordained deacon in Calahonda. to “make them faithful to serve” in advancing Rev John Moore, from St Michael’s in the gospel in the world. Paris, was ordained a priest in that church Frances Hiller was ordained deacon at a in July, while Rev Christine Bloomfield was service in Cologne as part of the Diocesan priested in St Albans, Strasbourg where she Synod in June. She will serve as Chaplain serves as an assistant curate. to the Suffragan Bishop. It was a double We recapture these happy occasions deaconing in Arnhem in July when the in words and pictures introducing our Diocesan Bishop Geoffrey ordained Rik new deacons. Rik with Rev Sam Diocesan Van Leer discuss Bishop the service with the Geoffrey bishop with Ankje A DIFF E R E NT KIND OF 4 TH OF J ULY Rev Sam Van Leer, Chaplain, East Netherlands, recalls a double ordination Americans associate this day with basking in the sun, Family and friends present remarked how moved they enjoying food with friends, and finally gathering for a were by simple beauty of the ordination – the prayers for fireworks display.