Jerusalem
and the Middle East
Church Association

Editorial

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Obituaries

Synod is a time when we learn how the Holy Spirit is working in the different parts of the Diocese. The overall picture is that we are growing.

During the Synod we heard very moving stories from Ethiopia. God is rewarding the Revd Andrew and Janice Proud for their hard work. Nine new churches were established in the Western region of Ethiopia last year. The 31 churches in this region decided to contribute to the mission of the Diocese. The congregations sold some of their seeds and donated $72. Other people swim across the Nile from Sudan to attend our church on the other side of the Nile. These are thrilling stories.

Ethiopian clergy

Ordination and Commissioning

During the opening Eucharist, Michel Milad was ordained as Deacon in our church in Heliopolis, and the Revd Samuel Henry was ordained Priest in our church in Tripoli, Libya. The Revd Dr Samy Fawzy, the Revd Andrew Proud and the Revd Rajkumar were installed as Honorary Canons of All Saints’ Cathedral.

At Synod we commissioned the Revd Emad Azmy as first Principal of the Alexandria School of Theology (AST). Christa Lundherum, from Denmark, has been commissioned as the Co-ordinator of the new Centre for Interfaith Relations and Islamic Studies. The Revd Colin Chapman and the Revd Alistair Macdonald-Radcliff have been appointed as the Bishop’s Advisors for this Centre.

Farewell to Bishop Maurice and others

We said goodbye to Bishop Maurice Sinclair and his wife Gill. Without Bishop Maurice’s help during the past year we would not be able to finish all the details of Alexandria School of Theology (AST). I also appreciated him as a friend and mentor during this time. We look forward to their coming back to teach in AST.

We also appreciate the hard work Shirley Gent has done during her five years as Guest House Manager. She improved the whole facility. We pray that the Lord will bless her as she looks after the Guest House in Lahore.

We thank God for the ministry of Canon Rajkumar Sathyaraj and his wife Primla in Port Said. After two years of continuous prayers the Church now has an Egyptian congregation and is very active. He discipled two people who are going to be licensed as Lay Ministers. Canon Raj and his family are now having a year of training in Belfast Bible College. We look forward to having them back.

We are grateful for the leadership given by Robert Feige with our Diocesan Board of Finance and Properties, and his valuable contribution to the ministry of St John the Baptist, Maadi. Robert was a non-stipendiary Deacon, and is now working with the European Union in Luxembourg.

Claudette Turnbull, a nutritionist who worked with Refuge Egypt, left to marry Heny, with the view to returning in a year.

Welcome to new partners

Dr Edwin Martin, an expert in Family Medicine, has come for a year to Harpur Memorial Hospital. His main work is to train the doctors, while his wife Peta helps in the training of nurses. Patricia Mozelewski, a nurse from America, has come to serve full time at the Hospital.

Faye and Murray Ruddenklau have come from New Zealand. She is the new Guest House Manager and Murray is the Maintenance Officer of the Cathedral Compound.

We are grateful that Canon Jim and Elaine Doust have accepted our invitation to do a locum as Dean of All Saints’ Cathedral until May 2006. The Revd Augustin Rulinda and his wife Josephine and two sons have come from Rwanda. They are French speaking and will serve in our church in Algiers. Jim Doust went to Algiers to introduce Augustin to officials in Algiers and help the family settle.

The Rulinda family

Sameh Naim joined us to be the IT Officer of the Diocese. Ruth Sayers has come back after training with CMS to resume her ministry as my Personal Assistant. She is also involved in church music. Adel Farag has become our new Director for the Episcopal Training Centre in Maadi.

Change at Harpur Memorial Hospital

It was with great regret that we accepted the resignation of Dr Hany Abadir from his position as Hospital Director. Dr Hany poured himself out completely in the ministry of the hospital during these last five years. He developed the Family Medicine Department and a complete administrative system ready to be implemented by the new Director. He will continue to work as an internist at Harpur.

Dr Bahig, the Diocesan Director for Administration, is chairing a temporary committee responsible for studying the Hospital situation and the appointment of a new director.

Children's Conference

Manal Yessua, the Co-ordinator of Children’s Ministry, organised a very successful conference on the North coast, attended by 120 children from the different parishes. It was a great time for them all.

Sudden change in Asmara

The Revd Nelson Fernandez, the Priest in charge of our Church in Asmara, was told by the Security to leave the country in few days. We don’t know why, but they say that he was there for too long!

This was shocking news for us and for him. Sudha, his wife is in India, and she was planning to come to Asmara with their new baby. Please pray for Nelson as he tries to find another place to serve the Lord. We do hope that there will be a place for him in the Province. Pray also for the Church Council and its ministry. I urgently need to send a minister there who can train a potential leader and give advice on who would be a candidate for ordination.

Mouneer