Bible Lands Winter 2020 Magazine of the Jerusalem and the Middle East Church Association www.jmeca.org.uk & TH M E M LE ID SA DL RU E E EA J S N T I D H I C O R C E U S H E C O L F A J P E O R C U S S I A P L E E M E H T Jerusalem Cyprus & the Gulf Iran Alexandria Embrace the Middle East ....................................................................... p.4 Explosion in Beirut .................................................................................. p.6 New bishop in Jerusalem ....................................................................... p.7 Safe migration ......................................................................................... p.9 Book Reviews ....................................................................................... p.19 THE JERUSALEM AND Bible Lands Editor Letters, articles, comments are welcomed by the Editor: THE MIDDLE EAST CHURCH The Reverend Dr. Stephen W. Need ASSOCIATION Email: [email protected] The next issue will be published in June for (JMECA) Summer 2021. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily Founded in 1887 those of the Association; therefore only signed articles ‘To encourage support in prayer, money and will be published. personal service for the religious and other Front cover photo: Beirut: Diocese of Jerusalem, charitable work of the Episcopal church in Hassan Ammar. Jerusalem and the Middle East’. JMECA Website www.jmeca.org.uk Reg. Charity no. 1158476 www.jmeca.org.uk The site has information for each of the dioceses with links to the websites and regular updates of Middle East Patron news. The Most Reverend and Right Honourable The Archbishop of Canterbury THE CENTRAL SYNODS OF THE TWO PROVINCES Chairman The Reverend Canon Anthony Ball Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East Administrator President: The Most Rev Michael Lewis Mrs. Shirley Eason Diocesan Office, PO Box 22075, 1517 Nicosia Tel: +357 22671220 Website: www.cypgulf.org Assistant: Mrs. Shirley Atkins 1 Hart House, The Hart Secretary: Mrs Georgia Katsantonis Email: [email protected] Farnham GU9 7HJ, Surrey. Treasurer: Mr Ehab Edward Khalil [email protected] Diocese of Jerusalem Office days: Monday to Friday, 9.30am – 2.00pm. The Most Rev Suheil Dawani Tel/Fax 01252 726994 Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, PO Box 19122 The Council of JMECA delegates the administration 65, Nablus Road, Jerusalem 91191 of its assets to a Standing Committee which is Tel: +972 2 6272932 Website: www.j-diocese.org Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf THE JERUSALEM AND THE EAST MISSION TRUST The Most Rev Michael Lewis LIMITED (JEMT) (details as above) Administrator as above Diocese of Iran Directors Vacant Province of Alexandria Mr. John Clark (Chairman) President: The Most Rev Mouneer Anis Dr. Clare Amos All Saints’ Cathedral, PO Box 87, Mr. Andrew Hill Distribution Zamalek, Cairo, Egypt Mr. John G Pringle (Hon Treasurer) Tel: +20 2 2738 0821 The Reverend Dr. William Taylor [email protected] Mr. David Wright OBE Website: www.diocese ofegypt.org The Reverend Canon Hugh Wybrew Secretary: tbc The Reverend Canon Dr Matthew Rhodes Treasurer: tbc Diocese of North Africa Consultants The Rt Rev Samy Fawzy The Reverend Dr. Stephen W. Need Diocese of the Horn of Africa Mr. Richard Owens OBE The Rt Rev Kuan Kim Seng Sir Harold Walker KCMG Diocese of Gambella Vacant 2 Mr John Clark, chair of the JMECA standing committee, writes: Summer Bible Lands opened by referring to the crisis Bishop in Jerusalem, with a view to succeeding Archbishop caused by the coronavirus pandemic. As the year has Suheil in 2021. With the development of dioceses in the continued the impact of the virus on the Middle East and Province of Alexandria and consequently new bishops to North Africa has grown increasingly serious with almost be appointed, a new generation of episcopal leaders will 2.5million cases including Iran by the end of October be taking the two provinces forward into the new decade. and total deaths well in excess of 50,000. The impact on A report from the Provincial Administrator and Anglican national economies and the wealth of individuals has been Alliance Regional Facilitator for the Middle East, and devastating. numerous news items from the Diocese of Cyprus and The region is already afflicted by the consequences of the Gulf reflect vibrant church life in the region in spite of conflict in Libya, Yemen, Iraq, Syria and unrest in Lebanon difficulties. and Israel and the Palestinian territories. Millions of people News from Iran is limited but we do have news of the are refugees or internally displaced, levels of adult literacy change of use of the former Bishop’s House. are low despite a good education being the greatest single priority for families. Two-thirds of the population are under The new Province of Alexandria was inaugurated by the 30. In this context it is good that in this issue we learn of Archbishop of Canterbury at the end of June and this issue the social ministry of Embrace the Middle East which has provides extensive news and background about this major a wider brief than JMECA. development and the formation of some new dioceses. So now JMECA is providing support for two provinces. The The pandemic has had its impact on Christians and map on our back cover is marked by different colours so churches. With churches closed in most countries they can be clearly distinguished. Christians are not able to meet and so are isolated. In this issue Richard Sewell writes about the impact on the close JMECA itself is simplifying its structures. At its end of in Jerusalem. Closure has also had an effect on church November Annual General Meeting it will formally approve collections. Archbishop Mouneer, for example, wrote the a new constitution so that its trustee directors are the same other day that ‘many of the churches are now suffering as those of The Jerusalem and the Middle East Trust – and from very low income (few collections). They are not able in place of a Council it will hold an annual gathering for to support the salaries of all the staff.’ It has also had an representatives of the provinces in Britain and interested impact on chaplaincies in the Gulf dependent on regular friends. collections Although Bible Lands focuses on the Anglican Church As our Treasurer John Pringle reports in this issue the within the wider Christian community, all of whom are set Directors of JMECA have been able to make available within the tapestry of larger communities in the Middle a Special Fund specifically to support dioceses with the East, there should be no less prayer for all peoples and impact of the virus. Grants are being made to dioceses communities of the region at this particularly stressful and to assist with salaries and essential needs. In Egypt, for threatening time. We hope that the feature on Praying example, some have been used to help provide technology Around the Provinces will provide a focus for that wider to record videos and services for use in homes in place of prayer. church meetings and to support students with their fees. John Clark In Cyprus and the Gulf a grant has been used to support the clinic in Aden within war torn Yemen. STOP PRESS! We have just taken The Beirut explosion in August, so loud it could be heard delivery of Angela Murray’s The in Cyprus, has had a devastating effect in Lebanon. Anglican Diocese of Cyprus & the Gulf – JMECA has made a grant of £5000 used by the Diocese The Unfolding Story, as featured in the of Jerusalem to help families. Our online Beirut appeal Summer 2020 edition of Bible Lands. is still open. Special offer for JMECA supporters: Despite the pandemic, significant events in the life of the £20 (+ £5 p&p). churches have taken place. We report on some of them. Order now for Christmas – www.jmeca.org.uk Bishop Hosam Naoum was consecrated Co-Adjutor 3 Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East Jerusalem The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, a diocese of the worldwide Anglican Communion, extends over five countries, including Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Israel, within the Province of Jerusalem and the Archbishop Suheil Dawani Suheil Dawani Archbishop Middle East. There are 27 parishes that minister to the needs of their communities, centered on the Cathedral Church of St. George the Martyr, Syria Lebanon in Jerusalem. The diocese supports 35 institutions, which include hospitals, clinics, kindergartens and schools, vocational training programmes, as Palestine well as institutions for the deaf, the & Israel disabled and the elderly, reaching out to Jordan interfaith neighbours in mutual respect and cooperation. Embrace – committed to partnering with the church of the Middle East to bring lasting change to the most with our partners. We are in it for the long term and marginalised prioritise bringing about lasting change to those our In 1854 the Turkish partners work with. These priorities allow us together Missions Aid Society to build well-managed and resourced initiatives, which (TMAS) was founded empower our partners to bring the lasting change in London by a group they seek in the lives of the most marginalised and which included the great vulnerable in their communities. social justice reformer The Rev. Dr Mouneer Hanna Anis, Anglican Archbishop Lord Shaftesbury. The in Alexandria and former Bishop in Egypt, emphasised Society was one of many this when he described the ministry of BibleLands tangible responses to in terms of being centred around people’s lives. the suffering caused Throughout the Bible, the body of Christ is called to by armed conflict in look out for the most marginalised and vulnerable Crimea. Unlike many amongst us. Our work and the work of our partners other responses, this Society prioritised working is inspired by that invitation and seeks to bring care through existing local Christian-led organisations.