The Chaplaincy at Paphos

 

This chaplaincy now has three flourishing churches; but it wasn’t always like that. Counsellor Emeritus, Pat Kingston, remembers the early days and sent us the following account.

The Early Days.

The Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf was created in 1976 and the first Bishop was Bishop Leonard Ashton.
The tiny church of Ayios Antrolios, St Anthony, was lent to the English community by the Orthodox Church at the request of one of the earliest residents of Coral Bay. The dedication by Bishop Len took place on 18th April 1976.
 
There was seating for a maximum of twenty five people. The small bar across the road would lend extra chairs when needed.

On Feast days we overflowed into the field surrounding us. No walls, no trees, no pavement. My husband went to the municipality to buy trees and when he said he intended to plant them around St Anthony’s he was not allowed to pay for them. And plant them he did! Thirty years later they are tall and strong; the Cypress trees behind the church, the jacaranda and hibiscus now flowering behind a handsome stone wall.

At first a chaplain came from Episkopi to take the service and all the books were donated from there.
 
Later we shared a chaplain with Limassol so the service was always in the evening.  The priest and his wife usually stayed the night with one or other of us.  Often there would be a supper party after the service and one of the first chaplains, “Ben” Gunn, always helped with the washing up. If the priest was unable to come over the only lay-reader, the stalwart Mervyn Sawyer, would conduct a service for us.

One Roman Catholic couple who attended the Roman Catholic church in the mornings in Limassol, there being no R.C. church in Paphos at that time, worshipped with us in the evening. They had a fine house in Coral Bay and their hospitality to us all was legendary. We were such a tiny community that Lent lunches, Harvest suppers and a chaplain’s farewell were all held in someone’s home.

Thanks be to God, we have three flourishing churches, about 300 or so on the electoral roll and all the parties are held in public places. This is wonderful growth but those days remain very precious in the memory.
Pat Kingston

From those humble beginnings we hear of exciting things happening at Ayia Kyriaki, St Stephen’s, Stephanie and
St Luke’s, Prodromi.

A few days before Christmas last December, a young mother stopped the locum chaplain outside Ayia Kyriaki and asked him what Christmas service was being held for children. With no children attending the church at that time the chaplain had to admit that nothing had been arranged but, after a quick consultation with one of the Wardens he told her, “If you can find some more parents and children we’ll put on a Christingle Service”. The Christingle was held and the 25 children attending, not to mention the parents and organisers, had a lot of fun! Later, with the cooperation of that mother and other church members, a Mothering Sunday service was arranged followed by a special children’s Easter service with an Easter Egg Hunt. Now, with a monthly children’s service the children’s ministry is well and truly established.

“Celebration” is a relaxed monthly meeting held at St Stephen’s church at 17.00 hrs on the first Tuesday of each month, and is a time for worship, praise, testimony and teaching. It was launched last January and has firmly established itself in the church diary with about 30 people attending. We pray for the congregation of St Stephen’s as they search for a new “home” as they will have to leave their present premises soon.

The congregation at St Luke’s has grown to about 30 for the Sunday service. Since June a said service of Holy Communion has been introduced on the first and third Wednesdays at 9.30am. This has been made possible with thanks to Assistant Honorary Chaplain, Revd John Wash and arrival of the Revd Kay Watters who, with her husband Max, moved into their new home in Drouseia. The congregation is also indebted to them for seizing the opportunity to bring over an organ for the church when they heard of one that needed a new home. Now, thanks to two organists who share the services, hymns are sung to the accompaniment of an organ. Certainly a long way from the CD player and 10 CDs that provided the music a year ago when the church first opened.
 


A group of children with their "creation"
 
In September 55 members and friends enjoyed a trip in a glass-bottomed boat that sailed along the coast from Latsi to Fontana and back. A long stop was made at the Blue Lagoon where many took advantage of the chance to swim in the crystal clear waters and then enjoyed a delicious BBQ before heading back to Latchi.