Autumn 2015 2 …And You Gave Me Shelter
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
THE E UROP E AN A NGLICAN M IGRANTS ’ M IS E RY C HALL E NG E S FOR C HRISTIANS A G OOD V INTAG E 2 0 0 Y E ARS H ISTORY IN P ORTO F OR T HOS E IN P E RIL S E AFAR E RS M ISSION L INKS N O O RDINARY N URS E R emem B E RING E DITH C A ve LL A S U mme R OF S HARING F AITH E ve NTS A CROSS E UROP E europe.anglican.org No.67 AUTUMN 2015 2 …AND YOU GAVE ME SHELTER THE E UROP E AN E DITORIAL INISTRY M ONG UROPE S IGRANTS A NGLICA N M A E ’ M When the visitor arrived in Athens he was only trying to help but he found the locals were not over enthusiastic about what he had to say. For that matter everyone seemed to have their own The Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe The Rt Rev Robert Innes idea about what should be done. And Bishop in Europe’s Office if they had exhausted most of the old 47, rue Capitaine Crespel - boite 49, ideas they loved nothing more than a 1050 Brussels new scheme or plan. Belgium The visitor knew he could not please Tel: +32 (0)2 213 7480 Email: all the people because some looked [email protected] at their situation stoically – accepting that the austerity of life was only to be The Suffragan Bishop in Europe The Rt Rev David Hamid expected and borne bravely. Others Postal address: Diocesan Office embraced the “Spend, spend, spend” Tel: +44 (0) 207 898 1160 philosophy, living for the day and not Email: worrying about the future. [email protected] It may sound like a topical story but The Diocesan Office the visitor was St Paul who had arrived THE VIEW FROM BRUSSELS – 14 Tufton Street, London, in the Greek capital ahead of his SW1P 3QZ missionary colleagues. It gave him time David Fieldsend, Attaché to Bishop Tel: +44 (0) 207 898 1155 Fax: +44 (0) 207 898 1166 to watch, listen and try to understand Robert in his role as the Archbishop Email: the cauldron of ideas, fragile faiths and of Canterbury’s Representative [email protected] varying practices bubbling under the to the EU, writes about the issues Diocesan Secretary surface of city life. Mr Adrian Mumford The book of Acts suggests that the which have topped his agenda since Christian gospel met a limited response Appointments Secretary taking up the post. Miss Catherine Jackson on that first missionary visit to Athens. Many people mocked the idea of Finance Secretary Pope Francis and our Archbishop Justin a risen, living Christ; others put off Mr Nick Wraight last year took the initiative to commit both thinking about it (life has not changed churches to make a top priority of action Diocesan Website much!) but a precious few believed and www.europe.anglican.org to bring about the abolition of modern formed the earliest Christian church in day slavery. A survey of chaplaincies in the Editor and Diocesan the city. diocese has been researching how much we Communications Officer St Paul’s, Athens, one of the The Rev Paul Needle are already doing and how much more we successor churches, is still there – Postal address: Diocesan Office could do with more training and project despite the riots, the political quest Email: opportunities to combat human trafficking. [email protected] for news ideas and the battle between So far 26% of chaplaincies have responded Tel: +44 (0)7712 463806 austerity and flexibility. In Acts we are of which 19% have church members already only told about the Gospel preaching Friends of the Diocese actively involved and 44% said they had Secretary: Mrs Jeanne French but in other locations we read of members willing to volunteer to help in Email: collections and practical efforts to [email protected] the future given appropriate training and relieve poverty and hunger. On this project opportunities. Design page you can read more about what is Adept Design, Norwich being done in Athens and elsewhere Printer to offer a practical Christian response Colchester Print Group, Attleborough to a deep seated problem with no easy Distribution answers. CoDEStorm plc The Gospels remind us that in the Lord’s parable he puts the responsibility firmly onto our shoulders. “I was hungry and you fed me. I was a Front cover picture: stranger and you took me in” There is At the end of a sun soaked church Garden Party in St Alban’s, Copenhagen, the plenty of scope for much more prayer cook (clearly labelled for his role) keeps and action from across the Diocese. an eye on the barbecue sausages and looks A refugee Syrian family that had become divided R EV P AUL N EEDLE forward to a workout on the drums later but re-united through the intervention of the (see page 9). Photo by Julia Thordal. E DITOR , TH E E UROP E AN A NGLICAN Ecumenical Refugee Programme in Athens MEETING THE MIGRANT 3 CHALLENGE M INISTRY A M ONG EUROPE ’S M IGRANTS The Mission & Public Affairs Government’s decision to commit Committee has nominated Grace Royal Navy assets to join this effort. West, an Anglican prison chaplain in An initiative to seek to spread the Belgium, to lead a team of chaplaincy burden of caring for those who arrive contacts to match up training across the EU as a whole was also A collection of blankets, sleeping bags, shoes, provision with those willing to proposed by initially redistributing socks, toiletries and clothes for migrants and volunteer over the coming months. 40% of those arriving in Greece and refugees made by the members of St Paul’s But responses to the survey from the Italy to other countries (although the Anglican Church, Athens remaining 74% of chaplaincies would UK has an opt-out that exempts it still be welcome. from participating in this). A separate their assets has started but for the time The issue of the large number of naval mission proposed to go after being it is restricted to international migrants fleeing conflict zones in the people smugglers responsible waters, awaiting authorisation from the Middle East and North Africa for overloading migrants onto the UN Security Council to work up and putting their lives in peril at unseaworthy boats and confiscate to the Libyan coast. the hands of inhuman traffickers in unseaworthy boats to reach Europe has shot up the agenda since Pope Francis told the European Parliament last October ‘we cannot allow the Mediterranean to become a vast graveyard’. Our small congregations in countries which border the Mediterranean, especially the Greater Athens Chaplaincy, have been active in providing ongoing care and support for those arriving with nothing, many of them Christians fleeing persecution. Our last two Bishop’s Appeals have also been devoted to raising funds for projects to alleviate the plight of those Volunteers taking a group of refugee migrants who are unaccompanied minors to a bowling centre caught up in this in both Greece and Lampedusa in Italy. But the burden on these nations and communities is In late July, Canon Malcolm Bradshaw, Chaplain of Great Athens reflected the becoming intolerable. We therefore double edged challenge in Greece at that time. He wrote; “Apparently on average welcome the decision of EU leaders 500 people arrive per day on the island of Lesbos alone. Doctors without at a summit meeting in June to scale frontiers are sending out an emergency team. This is all being lived out while the up the rescue operation by tripling banks remain closed, ATM’s only issue Euro 60 per day and the amount is about the funding and welcome the UK to declining with businesses closing for lack of fluidity. God help us.” 4 GETTING THE SAFE CHURCH MESSAGE ACROSS SAFEGUARDING – WHERE ARE WE AND WHAT NeeDS TO BE DONE? Charles Clark has chaired the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Committee (DSAC) for two years and reviews its progress and looks to the task ahead. The Diocesan safeguarding team is the assessments, record keeping and the be leaving the Diocese although he church’s emergency service, always provision of new Safeguarding training will continue to serve in a similar ready and prepared to respond to calls packages. role with the Diocese of St Albans. for advice and to deal with any concerns There is a clear requirement from Chris has worked with us since 2008 raised or allegations made. If there the Church of England for all dioceses and has overseen the many changes is any suggestion of children, young to take safeguarding seriously. The in regulation at national level. He people or those who are vulnerable Church is proposing Safeguarding has also been invaluable as a case being at risk, immediate action must be Audits with options ranging from officer advising parishes with specific taken and the statutory authorities need ‘Peer to Peer’ Audits/Inspections to an Safeguarding problems. to be informed as a matter of urgency. ‘Ofsted Type’ Inspection/Audit. Our Safeguarding Coordinator In early 2014 an internal At the Diocesan Synod in June 2015, Lesley Weaver is also leaving her role Interim Terms of Reference’ were Safeguarding review looked at to pursue a freelance career. In the past agreed for the role of the Diocesan structures, systems and processes for year she has set up an administrative Safeguarding Advisory Committee. safeguarding across the Diocese. Every system for handling DBS checks and member of the DSAC responded to These make it clear at the outset that: “The Diocesan Bishop has ultimate played a key part in getting the online a detailed questionnaire covering training course running effectively.