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Message and news from the Bishop in Egypt
Via the Egypt Diocesan Association
The Most Rev. Dr. Mouneer H. Anis
Bishop of the Episcopal/Anglican Diocese of Egypt
With North Africa and the Horn of Africa
President Bishop of The Episcopal/Anglican
Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, it is a great joy to welcome you all here in Cairo. I do pray that our worship, fellowship and meetings will be a blessing to us and to our parishes. I pray also that the Holy Spirit may guide us in every step during the journey of our Diocese in order to fulfil God's purpose who allowed our church to start and to grow during the last two centuries here in the heart of the Middle East.
I especially welcome the Rev. Dr. Gregg Brewer and his wife, Laura Lee. I am very grateful to them for accepting my invitation to lead us spiritually during the Synod. I also welcome brother, Kamel Botrous, the famous singer and musician to lead us in worship.
I welcome Canon Huw Thomas, the chairman of the Egypt Diocesan Association in the United Kingdom. I welcome also our beloved father in God, Bishop Ghais Malik, and my brother bishops, Andrew Proud and Bill Musk. Once again I welcome you all in your Diocese and in your Cathedral.
I want to start with thanks to God who honoured and qualified us to be witnesses of His love that was incarnated in Jesus Christ. I can't describe my joy when I see the Holy Spirit work in our churches and institutions and renew and mature the lives of many.
I also thank you all for all that you are doing to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ in this Diocese. God uses every one of you in different ways to fulfil His purpose. Without God's grace, your love and your efforts we would not see such growth that we have experienced now in our Diocese. We can say with confidence: "Thus far the Lord has helped us." (1 Samuel 7:12)
I would like to give thanks to the following organizations and churches that supported and contributed to our ministry last year:
Archbishop of Canterbury Anglican Communion Fund; JEMCA (Jerusalem and the Middle East Church Association); Anglican Board of Mission (ABM)-Australia; CMS-UK; CMS-Ireland; CMS-Australia; CMS-New Zealand; USPG; Danmission; Intercontinental Society (ICS); CBM-Germany; EDA (Egypt Diocesan Association, UK); Friends of the Diocese of Egypt (US), Biblelands Society, St. Saviours-Guildford; the Diocese of Singapore (our Companion Diocese); Trinity School for Ministry (US); Langham Trust; Early African Christianity Centre; St. John the Baptist, Maadi, Egypt; St. Georges, Tunis; Geneva Global; ARDF (US); Good Friday Offering from Australia and New Zealand; Japanese Embassy; Irish Embassy; British Embassy; German Embassy; CRPA (Christian Response to Public Affairs); Prime UK; Coptic Orphans Organization; Adult Education Organization; and Synod of the Nile.
We witnessed many encouraging events and developments in the life of our Diocese since the Synod of 2007. No doubt we will be able to realize this through the reports which we are going to hear. However, I would like to mention some of these encouraging developments which I think will have positive impacts on the ministry of the Diocese for many years to come. I would also like to assure you here that when I mention particular developments, it does not in any way mean that I underestimate the other developments which I haven't mentioned. I want you to know that I am proud of you all and I am grateful to God for all that He is doing in our midst.
Alexandria School of Theology.
I thank God for the Alexandria School of Theology (AST). In a few days we will celebrate the graduation of the first class. Many of the students said to me that their studies in the school helped them to broaden their perspective and deepen their knowledge of and relation with God.
I rejoiced when I confirmed quite a few of the students, both in the Cairo and in Alexandria classes. They became active members in our churches. In St. Mark's Pro-Cathedral in Alexandria a new congregation was formed mostly of AST students. Moreover, I licensed a number of students as Lay Ministers in different churches and I ordained three of the students and one of the staff.
One of the best ministries offered by the AST is the preparation of leaders and ministers from other denominations. This fulfils our dream as Anglicans to promote ecumenical work. I would like to record my sincere thanks to Rev. Emad Azmy and all the faculty and staff of AST.
Episcopal Areas in North Africa and the Horn of Africa.
Another development is the formation of the new Episcopal Area of North Africa and the appointment of Bishop Bill Musk. I pray that God may use Bill and his colleagues to prepare North African leaders to lead the church in this strategic and historical area. I trust that God who transformed the life of St. Augustine and raised him to be a bishop in North Africa, is able to raise other saints to revive the church in this part of Africa so that it may join the unprecedented revival seen in the rest of Africa since the resurrection of Christ.
I am also looking forward to hearing the report of Bishop Andrew Proud about the Horn of Africa. I know how great the challenges are in this area but I trust that the One who started a work will finish it.
The Church in Alexandria.
I thank God for the growth that has happened in Alexandria -- the numeric and the spiritual growth as well as the increasing vision for the North Coast. We thank God for the rededication of St. Mark's Church as a Pro-Cathedral and the appointment of Rev. Dr. Samy Fawzy as a Dean. I rejoiced when I attended a meeting of all the leaders and ministers in Alexandria and listened to their big dream which they already have started to fulfil.
New Church in Ezbit El Nakhl.
After two years of continuous evangelism in the area of Ezbit El Nakhl and great effort by Deacon Fayiz Nady, his wife, Martha, and the support of Canon Medhat, the church started in a garage. The number of attendees reached 100. After attending the Alpha course and studying John Stott's book, Your Confirmation (Arabic title is How I Become a Branch in the Vine), I was invited to confirm 38 members in this church. It reminds me of the early church as Luke described it in the book of Acts:
46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2: 46-47)
First Deaf Congregation
It was a real joy to confirm twelve deaf members of our Jesus Light of the World church. The Rev. Faraj Ibrahim Hanna is the first Anglican priest to be ordained in the Middle East, specifically to minister to the Deaf Congregation at Jesus Light of the World Church in Old Cairo. This came as the fruit of 25 years of faithful service to the deaf by Mrs. Clair Ghais.
Community Service.
I m ention also the noticeable achievement in the area of community development. Mme. Mariam Ibrahim started several development programs that helped in the transformation of many lives, especially women and girls. These include literacy classes, micro-loan programs, health and social awareness. She started these programs by faith without having the financial resources but God provided at the right time. How much I rejoiced when I visited the Community Development Centres in Ain Shams and Medinet El Salam, especially when I heard the ladies saying "I now can read and write," "I am now able to help my husband to meet the needs of the family," "I know now how to raise my children and deal with my husband in the right way," "I learned the risks of female genital mutilation and I will never allow my girls to go through what I went through," "I and my family now walk with Jesus."
Many of these comments reveal the spiritual and social transformation of the lives of those whom we serve. I am happy that our Centres care for the spiritual side of development. Transformational, holistic development involves the body, soul and the spirit.
It was also a joy when I signed the partnership agreement with the government Adult Education Organization. Through this agreement, we have been able to start 15 literacy classes supported by this organization.
These new projects add to our excellent educational services that are offered by the Episcopal School in Menouf, the Deaf School in Old Cairo, the Episcopal Adults Training Centres in Menouf and Maadi, and the Menara Centre for Children with Special Needs in Menouf. I look forward to the opening of the Computer Section in the Adult Training Centre in Menouf at the end of this month.
It is worth mentioning here the project, Planting a Tree of Hope, which develops the culture of dialogue and the acceptance of the "other" among Christian and Muslim school children. This project was started by the effort of Mr. Seleem Fouad. I am so happy with this unique project which will have many positive effects on the new generations.
Prison Ministry.
One of the encouraging ministries is the Prison Ministry. The Prison Ministry Committee cared for 130 inmates. We coordinate with the prison authorities and the Coptic Orthodox Church. I would like to record my deep thanks to all the members of this Committee for the great efforts they exert.
Ecumenical Relations.
We describe our church as a bridging church as we build bridges between us and other denominations so that Jesus prayer would be fulfilled, "That they may be one" (John 17). I rejoice for the growth of our ecumenical relations through the frequent meetings with Pope Shenouda and Patriarch Antonious of the Coptic Catholic and other heads of denominations.
I represented the Diocese in the 9th Assembly of the Middle East Council of Churches where we realized the importance of the dialogue among Christian denominations. We expect to start the dialogue with the Coptic Orthodox soon. We have already signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Coptic Catholic in the area of education. It is worth mentioning here that the Episcopal Publishing House has published some of the books that further the ecumenical relations like the writings of St. John Chrysostum and the Confession of St. Augustine. We are about to publish the Arabic edition of How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind, which we expect to be studied in the different seminaries.
I pray that our problems with the Presbyterian Church will be solved and All Saints Church in Ismalia will return to us.
Christian-Muslim Interfaith Dialogue
In regard to building bridges with other faiths, we commit our efforts to dialogue with Al Azhar through the annual meeting, and also with the Islamic Call Society in Libya and the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Algiers. Some may think that these dialogues are useless because there is no obvious impact especially at the grassroots level. However, I see progress, though slow, at the level of the religious leaders. We also are involved in what we call Life Dialogue, which happens everyday through our development work, our schools and hospitals. I was so encouraged when I visited the Community Development Centre in Medinet el Salam when I met two Muslim veiled ladies and I learned that they volunteered to help our staff in the literacy classes. They have recognized what the church is doing in community service. This is Life Dialogue that happens daily and is not mentioned in the newspapers but it strengthens coexistence and mutual respect.
The Province of Jersualem and the Middle East
We look forward to hosting the Provincial Clergy and Wives Conference next October. We also look forward to working together and exchanging our experiences and resources so that we can have a greater impact in the region of the Middle East. We are going to discuss some issues like the Anglican Covenant and the ordination of women. So, I request your prayers so that the Holy Spirit may guide us in these issues.
The Anglican Communion
It is sad that the fellowship within the Episcopal/Anglican churches in the world is impaired. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, described the situation as a "wounded Communion". There are a few dioceses in the USA, Canada, and other parts of the West who are involved in the ordination of practicing homosexuals and blessing of same-sex marriages. The ordination of Gene Robinson who is an active gay in 2003 led to strong reaction from many dioceses in the world, especially in the Global South. These provinces and dioceses hold to the official teaching of the church that was declared in 1998 and known as Lambeth Resolution 1.10.
The divisions over the issue of human sexuality came as a result of differences of interpretation of the Scripture. And because each province within the Anglican Communion is autonomous and because we don't have a mechanism for conflict resolution and because we don't have a central authority like the Pope for the Roman Catholic Church, it became necessary to find a way for conflict resolution that also avoids future crises. After lots of studies and discussions, it was suggested that we should have an Anglican Covenant. Such Covenant would define our faith, doctrine and mission. It would also affirm that what would affect all churches and could be divisive should be decided by all churches. This Covenant defines the mechanism for dealing with problems and crises. It will be put in front of us for discussion and the possibility of adoption. I see that the Covenant is so important for the future of the church and the protection of its doctrine, especially in a time when innovations and heresies are on the increase.
Last February we hosted the Primates Meeting in Alexandria. Almost all of the Primates came to this meeting. We had frank and gracious discussions and produced a clear and honest communiqué about the situation of the Communion. All the Primates expressed their appreciation and admiration for the general spirit of the meeting.
Prior to the Primates Meeting, Archbishop Rowan visited Libya with me and Bishop Bill. He gave an excellent lecture at the Islamic Call Society and visited our church there. After Libya, Archbishop Rowan joined us for a dinner at the Cathedral Hall in Cairo where he met all the clergy and their wives, the Executive Board, and some of the staff. After the meeting, Archbishop Rowan visited Harpur Community Health Centre and laid the foundation stone for the new Vocational Training Centre for the Adult Deaf.
I am committed to supporting Archbishop Rowan and I request your prayers for him – privately and in every service -- as he leads the Communion in this difficult time.
Signposts on our Journey
Now, after I highlighted some of what has been happening in the Diocese, I would like to share with you my vision for the next segment on our journey. In order to become effective in our mission we have to understand the region where we live, its spiritual, physical and social needs. Jesus said "As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world." (John 17:18)
The world where we live is disturbed and broken as a result of political, social, religious, and ethnic conflicts. Today's world distances itself from God day after day. It's a world that lost its hope. Although we live in this world, we are not from it. "They are not of the world, even as I am not of it." (John 17:16). We suffer like other people but we have a great hope in Jesus Christ who is the way, the truth and the life. In Christ we have the solution for the despair of our neighbours. He came to give us life and life abundant. This may sound to some as a type of arrogance when we claim that we have the hope and the solution and others don't. But what we are actually saying is that in spite of our poverty and need, we have found the One who fills our emptiness and gives us hope. For this reason we would be selfish if we didn't share the reason for our hope with those who have lost all hope in the world around us. We would be selfish if we did not share the good news in Jesus Christ.
But how can we preach the gospel in a world that rejects Christ? My dear friends, this world which does not accept Christ still needs the real love that we receive from Jesus. This is why we should evangelize using the same method that Jesus used – it is the method that translates true love into service, healing, feeding the hungry, and is not hesitant to proclaim the kingdom of God.
I think that the local parish is the best place to perform this kind of evangelism which is a mixture of community service and preaching the gospel. We need this balance. Here I would like to mention that the Alpha course has proven to be a simple and successful way to evangelize. It helps those who lost interest in the church to come back to the church. It uses Jesus' method of evangelism and teaching as he used to do this while having meals with others.
There are many who give their lives to Jesus and join the church as a result of attending Alpha courses. I am aware that there are many other ways for evangelism, not only Alpha. We also need discipleship programs to prepare the newcomers for confirmation. We now have John Stott's book, How to Become a Branch in the Vine (Your Confirmation). It is very useful for discipleship as it is easy to read. Here I should thank the Committee that supervises the work of Alpha in Egypt: Rev. Dr. Bahig Ramzy, Dean Samy Fawzy, Mr. Seleem Fouad. I would also like to thank Eng. Shady Mouneer for the effort he is doing to train ministers from all denominations on how to do Alpha.
I would also like to remind you that last October we decided to encourage all the faithful to realize that they have a mission to fulfil and a role in the community where we live. We should move on from being consumers coming to the church to listen to good sermons and sing uplifting songs to being active members in the church of Christ responsible for fulfilling Christ holistic mission in the communities where we live.
In a few days time we will celebrate the 75th anniversary of Jesus Light of the World Church in Old Cairo. This will remind us of Temple Gairdner and his holistic mission in this area of Old Cairo.
The best thing we can do today is to prepare leaders for tomorrow. This was Christ's vision who called disciples right at the beginning of his ministry. We need to invest in youth. We should do what Paul advised Timothy to do: to prepare faithful leaders. "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others." (2 Timothy 2:2)
I am so excited about the training program that is now being prepared by Mr. Mark Taki and Mr. Fuzz Kitto to train youth and Sunday School leaders during 2010.
My dear friends, our youth are our wealth and they are the ones who will continue the journey of our church in the near future. I like here to record my thanks to Mark Taki for his efforts in Youth Ministry.
I would like to remind you that last October at the Extended Executive Board we agreed that every church should make sure that there would be systematic Bible study. This will help our congregations to be rooted in the true Christian faith. This is especially important because we live in an age where false teaching, superficial knowledge and focus on emotional experiences are spreading.
My beloved, the journey seems to be difficult, challenging, and requires lots of resources but I want to assure you that the One who gave us the great commission has all the authority to provide all that we need for the road. All that we need to do is to be obedient and lean on all His promises because "The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it." (1 Thessalonians 5:22)
Lastly, I give thanks to the Lord that we are together companions on the journey.
May the Lord bless you!
Yours in Christ,
+Mouneer
The Most Rev. Dr. Mouneer Hanna Anis
Bishop of the Episcopal/Anglican Church in Egypt
with North Africa and the Horn of Africa
President Bishop of the Episcopal/Anglican Province
of Jerusalem and the Middle East
