Dear brothers and sisters in Christ
In view of Archdeacon Bill Schwartz's impending retirement and after considerable thought, I am delighted to be able to tell you that I shall license the Reverend Dr Michael Mbona, parish priest of St Paul Kuwait, to carry the responsibilities of Archdeacon in the Gulf with effect from 1 May 2022.
Just as Archdeacon Bill has discharged those responsibilities alongside his principal ministry as Dean of Bahrain, so Fr Michael will do the same in respect of his principal ministry as our senior priest in Kuwait.
Prior to arriving in the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf he served as both archdeacon and cathedral dean in Zimbabwe in the Province of Central Africa.
I greatly look forward to working collaboratively with Fr Michael on my senior team and know that he will bring perspective, wisdom, and diligence to everything he undertakes.
You may also like to know that the particular task of overseeing, sustaining, and making known our presence and work in Aden at Christ Church and the Ras Morbat Clinic will be taken on by Archdeacon Christopher Futcher.
My prayers are in particular for all the parishes, churches, laity, and clergy of the Gulf archdeaconry as well as for the flourishing, despite these difficult times, of the whole of our remarkable diocese. Please join me in praying above all for Fr Michael, his wife Mama Christine, and their family together with the people of St Paul Kuwait.
In Christ our Lord.
+ Michael
The Most Reverend Michael Lewis
Archbishop
Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East
Bishop in Cyprus and the Gulf