Jerusalem
and the Middle East
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Introducing:

Eqypt

On a Caravan: East and West Journeying together through the Arts
Exhibition at St John's Church, Maadi

St. John’s Church was turned into an art gallery for a week to house a major interfaith art exhibition. Twenty renowned Egyptian and Western artists, sponsored by the church, gathered to use art as a bridge for inter-cultural and interreligious dialogue. It was all part of the effort to build bridges of understanding and respect between East and West and between Moslems and Christians. Participants ranged from Egypt’s internationally respected leading contemporary artist, Mohamed Abla, to more local artists. Each artist produced two pieces of work on ideas that reflect the collective theme: East and West Journeying Together. The Rector, Rev. Paul-Gordon Chandler, and his team of helpers were greatly encouraged by more than 1300 visitors during the week and by wide publicity in the international media. All the paintings can be seen and purchased on the website, which is: www.oncaravan.org

Jerusalem

Two members of the Jerusalem clergy were recently honoured for their service

Rev’d Canon Dr. William Broughton was awarded the Cross of St. Augustine. He received the Cross from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, in a ceremony at the Chapel at Lambeth Palace. The Cross of St. Augustine has historically been awarded to clergy and lay people of foreign churches who have contributed conspicuously to advancing friendly relations with the churches of the Anglican Communion. More recently it has also been given, to those who have helped advance relations between the various Christian communions and churches. Father Bill was recognized for being “a massive source of knowledge and advice for pilgrims to Jerusalem and is equally respected by the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities. Father Bill is a former American Naval Chaplain who is also an archeologist assisting on the Ashkelon dig. Last year he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of the Holy Land where he also

Rev’d Canon Robert Edmunds has been inducted into The Most Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem in the National Cathedral in Washington. D.C. Father Bob is serving on mission from the US Episcopal Church as the Bishop’s Chaplain and Pastor to the English-speaking congregation at St George’s Cathedral in Jerusalem. He was nominated for this honour because of his work in supporting the work of the Order of St. John which is an international charity providing first aid care and support services in 42 countries around the world. Its workin Palestine is conducted through two foundations, one of which is the St.John Eye Hospital in Jerusalem. The Eye Hospital has satellite links throughout the West Bank and Gaza to support its work in delivering medical care, mobile outreach, training, teaching, and research.

Ethiopia

Horn of Africa... Gambella and the Somali Pirates

Bishop Andrew Proud’s ambition is to establish a Community Centre at Gambella in the South West of Ethiopia. It is a remote and undeveloped district where Sudanese refugees are among those who seek to make a living. A distraction has arisen in the form of the Somali pirates. He says ‘piracy is almost an industry’ and that it is ‘extremely depressing’. As there is no Christian church in Somalia he has been unable to make a visit. ‘It is a lawless region, the people are desperate to settle down and achieve some stability, but I do not see it happening’. Bishop Andrew has visited the autonomous region of Somaliland and he has hopes that the church in the capital, Hargeisa, will be rebuilt. On his last visit he baptised five Christians ‘we met in the dark and prayed and sang in a whisper.’

The Episcopal area of the Horn is a part of the Diocese of Egypt and has about 6000 Anglicans in Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti as well as Somaliland and Somalia. Bishop Andrew’s ambition remains to create in the neglected Gambella region a centre for employment and training but the great needs, dangers, insecurities and impoverishment throughout the region, also make heavy demands.