Jerusalem
and the Middle East
Church Association

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News

Church of the Epiphany, Doha, Qatar

New Building and new needs

Canon Bill Schwartz writes, “we are excited with the way things are moving...it has been a whirlwind and there is much potential to develop in this place...”.When he arrived in October 2007 he found a financial crisis, with no funds to begin building the new church complex. This was a major set back as the land had been granted on condition that building started by May 2008. Fortunately, Bill has got agreement from the government to have an extension of the time before the building needs to commence. Planning permission has been granted for the revision of the original design, which will allow for phasing the project and increase the potential for accommodating more Christian groups. The revised plan will also include provision for a Chaplain’s house.

Money has been raised to enable to building work to commence and the congregation have given almost £50,000 with a further £150,000 from other sources; and a further £300,000 promised, it is enough for the work to begin and on September 1st, the foundations were dug. It is anticipated that some of the fellowships who hope to have a secure, legal place for regular worship in the new complex will also provide capital sums. A total figure in the region of £5million will be required. In August Canon Bill met with the UK fund raising group and was very encouraged. No outside appeals are envisaged until after building work is well started, as there has been criticism about the earlier delays and nothing to show for the money given.

Canon Bill also reports that the congregations are growing visibly week by week and there has been an increase in requests for Confirmation preparation and for Marriages. He is also encouraged because he has found people in the congregation with initiative and ability to take responsibility for things which need to be done.

Christ Church, Jebel Ali. (U.A.E.)

Big building, big ideas

Canon Stephen Wright the Chaplain, reports from the newest and largest church building in the Diocese, only completed in 2001 with room for 1500 worshippers in the main church; a vast underground car park, and many other halls and rooms with accommodation to meet the needs of other Christian Fellowships. Congregations and communicants are showing a steady increase.

The importance of this ministry, twenty miles from the centre of Dubai, is indicated by the figure of almost two hundred marriages in 2007; forty four baptisms; and marriage seminars which are held every two months and which attract 25-30 couples on each occasion. They joined other congregations to organise a Christmas Shoe Box campaign and filled 2,100 boxes. Stephen highlights the importance of working as a team and he is well supported with an administrator, secretary, office assistant and a Co-ordinator who has oversight of the five groups in Friday School and who organises the music groups. Three members of the congregation have been on a Course to train them for children’s ministry and as a result the Family Services have benefited with occasional puppet shows. Stephen is concerned that the new labour camps now stretch South from Dubai almost to Abu Dhabi border while the building of houses apartments and offices continues at an incredible pace all around Dubai.

St Martin's, Sharjah. (U.A.E.)

Church, labour camps and prisons

Ernest Victor, the chaplain, writes to say that the regular congregation increased by 25% last year and so they normally have about two hundred worshippers at main Services. The trend has been for an increase in those coming from the African continent. There has been a significant increase in numbers at Junior Church and in the Youth Fellowship and many more Home Bible Study Groups have been established. In addition, there is a very active ministry in the local labour camps and they are currently in touch with over four hundred of these men, with about two hundred regularly coming to worship held in the camps. The Prison ministry has also grown and last year thirty eight women were provided with flight tickets to enable them to return to their home countries after completing their prison sentences.

Christ Church, Adfen

Bishop Michael's visit

Peter and Nancy Crooks were encouraged that twenty people came for a recent two day Retreat led by Maggie le-Roy. They rejoiced in the visit of Bishop Michael and his wife Julia, when they made their first visit. Bishop Michael was able to meet with the deputy Governor of Aden, and had a meeting with fifty Somali fishermen in an effort to obtain their long overdue wages. He encouraged people to visit Aden and it has worked, Peter and Nancy have welcomed a flood of visitors ever since! Peter reports that the visitors included a delegation of Canadian Embassy Officials from Abu Dhabi, and they have formally appointed the Clinics as the medical processing centre for all refugees they approve from Yemen for resettlement in Canada.

Holy Trinity Resource Centre, Dubai

Prize Winners!

Timothy and Anthea Fawdry have managed this Centre since 2001. Every year has seen an increase in the turnover of these strategic Christian materials - up 35% in 2006 and a further 20% in 2007. Long hours of patient negotiation with customs and government departments have paid off and Timothy has made many friends and helpful contacts. Dennis Gurney comments that it seems a far cry from 1984 when he began this part of the ministry in his old Chaplaincy House. In 1995 when the new Chaplaincy House was built that ministry took a great leap forward. With the purpose-built Resource Centre and the appointment of Timothy and Anthea as full-time Managers the ministry grew from strength to strength. They have given complete dedication to making this venture an ever increasing success, and above all providing materials to support and encourage Christians from every persuasion in their discipleship. Last year the Resource Centre received a framed “Award of Excellence” for the Best Customer of the Year from Operation Mobilisation books in India.

St Paul's, Kuwait

Singapore responds...

Andy Thompson, the Chaplain, wrote the day after the death of the former Emir of Kuwait, which plunged the nation into three days mourning. He had just returned from the Palace where he had offered condolences on behalf of St. Paul’s Church; shaking hands with the King; Prime Minister and other members of the cabinet.

The English lessons continue for other language groups but primarily for the Chinese. Andy is thrilled by the news that the Diocese of Singapore has seconded the Archdeacon Siow Chai Pin to lead the Chinese ministry in Kuwait. They have also agreed to fund him for the first two years. He was formerly the Archdeacon of Singapore.

Andy is the Warden of Readers in the Gulf and will be visiting the Canterbury Group to assist in the training programme. He is continuing to build a platform for Christian-Muslim relations, seeking to help church members understand Islam and respond to Muslims from a Christian framework. The ministry of Advocacy for the Poor continues but is most difficult, being politically sensitive.

Limassol Mission to Seafarers

Rev Martin Bamforth says...

Food, fuel and countless raw and manufactured goods arrive every day in Cyprus by merchant ship, in fact 90% of global trade travels by sea. None of us can manage without the people who crew the world’s merchant ships. As well as providing a haven for seafarers there are many young foreign crew who work very hard for nine months of the year who visit the Centre to have a time away from their ship. Now our facilities are re-organised with three new computers, webcam and SKYPE we have a bright and welcoming place for them to relax. Thanks to the great team of volunteers who staff the Mission Centre we are able to offer friendship and a sense of care and concern for our visiting seafarers. Please pray for all who work at sea and for the many others who, through the shipping industry, provide for our daily needs.