THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN JERUSALEM AND THE MIDDLE EAST
DIOCESE OF CYPRUS AND THE GULF
 
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FROM:		 NICOSIA 22671220
NICOSIA 22674553
georgia@spidernet.com.cy

 THE DIOCESAN OFFICE		 2 Grigori Afxentiou
P O Box 22075
NICOSIA 1517
Cyprus
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DIOCESAN NEWS
October  2007
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FROM AROUND THE DIOCESE:

CYPRUS
 KATAFIYIO RETREAT HOUSE
Unfortunately we have had a couple of cancellations this month by groups booking to use Katafiyio. However, we have been able to offer hospitality to someone from the Gulf, and Judy will be leading a retreat at the house for the staff of the Pregnancy Care Centre in Nicosia. Maggie has been to Egypt for a week to lead a retreat and was able to talk about Katafiyio with a wide range of people. Maggie will be leading the next Space For God day on 10 November at St Barnabas Church, Limassol.
Maggie Le-Roy


LIMASSOL
The renovations to the Church Hall, Vestry and Kitchen are very nearly finished and we hope Bishop Michael will open it officially on his first visit to us on 27th January, 2008. St. Barnabas help a Concert at Fasoula Art Studio Amphitheatre featuring the Premier Amateur Theatre Club, Carol and Brian featuring music from the shows. This was organised by Chris and Susie Oldham, Heather and David Henchie. A wonderful location for a lovely evenings entertainment. There was even time after for a picnic in the grounds. The Church was full to overflowing for our Harvest Festival last Sunday, 14th October. The preacher was the Reverend Eric Freeman, a fellow member of St. Barnabas'. The Sunday School put on a presentation for the congregation during the service - A big thank you to Mrs. Pam Caulfield for all her hard work. This was followed by a Pot Luck Lunch in the gardens of St. Barnabas' House. Another day enjoyed by all. There was a church coach outing to the Troodos painted churches followed by a Tavern lunch attended by about 40 members of the congregation and friends. It was a day we all enjoyed and a big thank you to David and Heather Henchie for organising it for us. The Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir from North Wales held a concert in St. Barnabas' Church on Sunday 7th of October at 4 in the afternoon together with the woodwind sections of the St. Johns School Episkopi and Kinds School Gutersolh. Yet another success. Thanks, Rod, for organising the event.
Rod and Beryl Price

AYIA NAPA
Here in South East Cyprus we have begun our '5 Stages of Discipleship' initiative. (see website www.angsecyp.org  for all the details.) We are very excited as we begin really getting to grips with our Mission in this part of the world. Please pray for energy and continued enthusiasm for all taking part and God's blessing on the whole process.
Michael and Jacqueline Crawford

FAMAGUSTA
Since the beginning of the new Semester at the EMU in Famagusta, numbers attending church are well up, probably over 150. The Thursday evening fellowship at the Chaplaincy house following the DVD series by Philip Yancey, based on his book 'What's so Amazing about Grace', is attracting good numbers. Our not very large home hosted five groups of 6 this week. Shortly we shall commence Cell Groups, led by student leaders, studying Nehemiah, on the last Thursday of each month. We anticipate that by this time next year Midweek Fellowship in the Chaplaincy house will have ceased and be replaced by many cell groups meeting inside and outside campus. Upcoming special dates includes a Seminar on 'Love Sex and Dating' led by the Rev Rick Dugan of the Nicosia International Church that meets in St. Paul's Nicosia - on Sunday 18th at 3.30pm with panelists from around Cyprus assisting Rick to answer questions submitted by the students. The other very important date is the visit by our new Bishop on December 30th for a Covenant Service for the New Year, preaching on our theme of 2007, “Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within ” Romans 12:2 (J.B. Phillips). We are delighted he will be with us so early in his ministry in Cyprus and the Gulf.
Robin and Val Brookes

GULF

QATAR
 There is much excitement and anticipation about the future as we all begin a new chapter in the life of the chaplaincy with the arrival of Bill and Edie, the new chaplain and his wife. The building project is crystallising into two emphases; one in respect to the drawings and arrangements with the builders and the other in organising the effort to raise the necessary funds. During the interim over the past month we have acquired a backlog of baptisms, and weddings, and there are a number wanting to prepare for confirmation.  All of these things are good signs of a congregation flourishing in spite of a long interregnum and also hope and expectation for building a stronger sense of our identity as a Christian community in this place.  We appreciate your prayers as we set goals, parameters and directions for ourselves while communicating this excitement to the larger community, inviting more and more to participate in the excitement of what God is doing here.
Bill and Edie Schwartz

ABU DHABI
St. Andrew’s, Abu Dhabi, is entering into an exciting new phase. We have plans for an extensive upgrading and refreshing of St. Andrew’s Compound and architects are offering their proposals for the new design. This is the first major change to the Compound since construction in 1984.  The Coptic church, one of our largest guest congregations, are relinquishing their premises, so we are also able to give space for worship to many more congregations, several of whom have been waiting for space for years.  We also hope to offer residence to the new MECC representative, Revd. Bo Hansson and his wife, Carina, there.  In Al Ain we intend that a new building for funerals and cremations will become our Church and the Sales Director of Hayes and Finch is visiting from the UK to help me furnish it. Finally, I am in correspondence with HH Sheikh Mahommed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for land on the islands and mainland of Abu Dhabi for new churches to accommodate the proposed expansion of Abu Dhabi in the next few years.
Clive and Marian Windebank

GULF CLERGY GATHERING
On Wednesday 3rd October most of the Gulf clergy (and some wives) met together in Kuwait at the invitation of Andy and Navina Thompson for what has become our annual ‘Quiet Day’. We were all generously hosted by various members of the church community in Ahmadi and Kuwait city meeting together for a quiet time on the morning of the 3rd and then a more open business meeting in the afternoon. The time of reflection was due to be led by Andrew White from Baghdad but unfortunately Andrew was unable to leave Iraq in time for the meeting. At very short notice we persuaded an American evangelical pastor, Dr Richard West from California to speak.

He certainly evoked a spirited response. We are grateful to him for sharing his experiences with us at such short notice.
The day concluded with a wonderful meal at the British Embassy hosted by Stuart and Sibella Lang, the British Ambassador and his wife, both of whom are active members of the Anglican church in Kuwait.   We are very grateful to them and everyone who helped make this occasion so memorable and as always an essential opportunity for us to meet each other.
LICENSING OF NELSON FERNANDEZ

Nelson was formally licensed as the Anglican Chaplain in Ras al Khaimah in the UAE on Wednesday 17th October, appropriately the eve of St Luke’s day in whose name the local church is dedicated.

A crowd of nearly 100 gathered in the small church with other members of the clergy team from Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates and other local church representatives. It was a very happy occasion when Nelson, Sudha and Divia were formally welcomed as the clergy family and the new ministry of the church inaugurated by the Archdeacon.

THE DIOCESAN OFFICE

Michalis Patsalides (Diocesan Accountant) will leave the office at the end of October and David Hardacre (Diocesan Secretary) will leave at the end of December. Nearer the time, there will be opportunities to properly thank them both for their long and invaluable service to the Diocese and to wish them well for the future.

The Diocesan bookkeeping and preparation of accounts will be outsourced to an accounting firm in Nicosia and on an interim basis the Archdeacon of Cyprus will assume some Diocesan executive responsibilities.

DIOCESAN FINANCES

A number of factors are helping to significantly improve the finances of the Diocese.

• following discussions at Synod, most chaplaincies have now committed to an increase in their contributions to the Diocese
• the Endowment Fund have agreed to continue their annual contribution to the Diocese and in addition pay for refurbishment of the Bishop’s residence
• Jerusalem and Middle East Churches Association (JMECA) have agreed to partially fund the Bishop’s stipend for five years in addition to the other monies they already commit to the Diocese.

It should go without saying that we are very grateful for all these contributions.

The accounts for 2006/7 show a deficit $93,000. $45,000 of this reflects a one time adjustment but there still remains an underlying deficit of about $50,000, very similar to the deficit anticipated in the budget for 2007/8.  Reorganisation of the Diocesan office and the additional contributions will change this situation.  There is every reason to believe the actual result for 2007/8 will be close to breakeven and that the budget for 2008/9, which will be tabled at Synod in January, will show a reasonable and sustainable surplus.

STANDING COMMITTEE

Standing Committee met for two days at the end of September with Bishop Michael and John Banfield in attendance.  John chaired the 2006 Finance Task Force and has now been formally co-opted as an advisor to the Committee. Topics discussed included:
• Diocesan office and future organisation
• Diocesan finances including 2008/9 budget
• 2008 Synod agenda and 2009 Synod venue
• Bishop Michael’s enthronement
• overview of each Archdeaconry
• effectiveness of companionship links
• feasibility of changing Diocesan financial year to January/December
• significant issues for future consideration