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MISSION AND MINISTRY IN ENGLISH FOR EVERYONE

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IS S U E 63 JANUAR Y - M AR C H 16 IZMIR OUTREACH APPEAL 3 ALGIERS 4 GRENOBLE6 BARCELONA 8 VINA DEL MAR 10 WENGEN & ZERMATT 12 KANDERSTEG 14

ICS NEWS

WELCOME Looking forward to Easter, I hope you will have space to really connect with the season. ICS Chaplaincies will celebrate the resurrection in a myriad of ways around the world. It is one of the privileges of this role to hear news back from Egypt, Europe, South America, the Falklands and the Levant as they rejoice.

As you read this we are in the final preparations for the ICS conference. Gerard and Chrissie Kelly are our main speakers and we look forward to it being a huge encouragement to all those chaplains able to be with us. More than that, we look forward to God speaking into the lives of us all as we seek him together.

This edition of ICS News, while giving the usual stories and updates, seeks to give you a bit more of a behind the scenes look. A few more interviews and digging a little deeper. We find ourselves at that wonderful moment of developing new ministry opportunities, seeing existing places flourish with new energy, as in the case with Algiers (written about later in this magazine) and seeing new people join the ICS family.

Finally, I want to draw your attention to the Easter Outreach Appeal on the opposite page. This is work in a new area for us and I commend it to you.

Thank you for standing with us in prayer, practically and in fellowship.

All the best,

Richard Bromley Mission Director

Intercontinental Church Society Unit 11 Ensign Business Centre, Westwood Way, Westwood Business Park, Coventry, CV4 8JA telephone +44 (0) 24 7646 3940 email enquiries@ics-uk.org web www.ics-uk.org

Registered charity no: 1072584; a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales no: 3630342 Intercontinental Church Society (ICS) is an Anglican mission agency. Founded in 1823, we have worked in most parts of the world, ministering and reaching out to people from many nationalities and backgrounds. From the early days we have planted churches in mainland Europe where our work is still strong but also in and around the Mediterranean, North Africa, the South Atlantic and South America. English language ministry has a strategic part to play, alongside national churches, in outreach as increasing numbers for whom English is a second language, attend English-speaking churches.

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EASTER OUTREACH APPEAL

Izmir (Biblical Smyrna) is one of the major cities of modern Turkey. Britain and British people have been deeply implicated in Izmir’s history, for better and for worse. The days when Christians made up a majority of the city’s population are in the past. But the city has maintained a culture of relative openness to the Christian faith.

The church, St. John the Evangelist, has existed in Izmir since 1625. The present day ministry includes being willing to give an answer to enquirers from all backgrounds who find their way to the landmark church buildings. ICS now has the opportunity to work with the Diocese in Europe to recruit a Minister with a heart for the good news of Jesus who will nurture the work in this strategically important city.

They will be ministering at two levels. Firstly, by developing ministry amongst the English speakers within Izmir, consisting of students, people who are resident there through work, marriage or being part of a historic population in the city.

Supporting and encouraging the ongoing ministry of the church. Secondly, by ensuring that the building is a place of welcome and that those wishing to find out more about Jesus can take steps to do so.

There are two ways you can help:

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Support the work of ICS in Izmir financially

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Pray with us

To effectively resource this new work we have set ourselves a target to raise £46,430 for the first four years. This Easter I would ask you to stand with us and make a gift towards this. You may also wish to support the ministry on a more regular basis.

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that this ministry will be a beacon of hope

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for the right person to lead this ministry, ‘Lord of the harvest, send the workers…’

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for those who minister with ICS in majority Muslim countries

You can make a donation by cheque (please return your donation with the appeal form on the back of the address label), online or over the phone.

Please quote ‘Izmir appeal’ when getting in touch.

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Fr. Gus and Marliese Ketola

ALGIERS ABIDING IN LOVE AND SERVING GOD’S PURPOSE

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Located in the largest country in Africa on a majestic landscape rivalling the French Riviera, Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Algiers serves a diverse, vibrant, international congregation in the Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa.

While Christianity in Algeria extends back to the days of the early Church Fathers, the de trinitatis of its most notable theologian, St. Augustine of Hippo (near modern day Annaba), was arguably behind the Anglican Church’s choice of appellation.

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Although the oldest plaque in the church records an armiger et mercator Anglicanus in 1620, the first Holy Trinity Church was consecrated on 1 January 1871 by Bishop Charles Amyand of Gibraltar on land given infructum by the French authorities. For some years prior to that, the congregation (mostly Europeans who spent the winter in Algiers for health reasons) had rented a vault to use as a place of worship. By 1906, the French authorities wanted the land on the Grand Place as the site for a new central post office and offered, as compensation, the site in Mustafa Superior where the church currently stands overlooking the bay.

The foundation of the second Holy Trinity church was laid by Princess Beatrice, granddaughter of Queen Victoria, on 6 March 1909 and materials from the old church, including some of the stained glass and woodwork, were incorporated in the new. Over a hundred memorial plaques would soon chronicle the dedication of those who lived, served, and appreciated the Anglican Church in Algiers over the years, especially during WWI and WWII. In 1971, on the centenary of the original church, Archbishop George Appleton of Jerusalem re-consecrated the church in a joyful service of thanksgiving and in 1980, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Prince Phillip visited the church.

During the Islamic insurrection of the 1990’s the church faced many difficulties as the chaplain and many expatriate members of the congregation were advised to leave on security grounds. For a time the church closed and during this time, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office took possession of the entire church site, including the church and a substantial building originally used as the parsonage. The Diocese is still trying to recover all this property. However, despite these difficulties, the church has survived, the congregation is growing, and links with the Roman Catholic churches and Ministry of Religious Affairs in Algiers have been strengthened. In the last ten years, Holy Trinity has had British, Rwandan, American and Egyptian Anglican priests, as well as student-led services during periods when no priest was available, and is growing numerically and in reputation.

Today, the congregation of Holy Trinity is comprised mainly of young, energetic and dedicated Africans, studying at local universities with a growing number of expatriates and other

Christians in Algeria. Two of the hallmarks of the church are its choir which enthusiastically sings in multiple languages and has produced several CD’s in recent years, and its youth fellowship focused on making Christianity relevant to modern life and strengthened by cell groups meeting at the different university campuses.

One of the challenges facing Holy Trinity is encouraging young Christians living in majority Muslim countries to engage in interfaith dialogue and build bridges of understanding at the grassroots level. Another challenge facing Holy Trinity is the need to renovate several parts of the church which were affected by the March 2006 earthquake or from cumulative use and lack of proper maintenance over the years. A further challenge is the high turnover in a congregation composed mainly of students and expatriates who are in Algiers for a limited period.

2016 WILL BE A BIG YEAR FOR US. OUR THEME IS ‘ABIDING IN LOVE AND SERVING GOD’S PURPOSE’.

We are grateful to God, to Archbishop Mouneer Anis, to Bishop Bill Musk (retired), and to ICS for appointing Fr. Gus Ketola, a Canadian priest, and his wife Marliese who will come to serve at Holy Trinity in January 2016 with over thirty-five years of experience in Tunisia, Mauritania, and Libya. Please pray for us as we prepare for our AGM in March and look at our mission and vision for the next 5-10 years, including a plan for local leaders. Finally, we hope that a permanent accommodation for our priest as well as space for increased community services and outreach will be finally secured.

We are very grateful to Revd Richard Bromley and ICS for supporting Holy Trinity through providing necessary funds for accommodation of the priest for the last few years as well as 2016, and for their prayerful support for the future of Holy Trinity.

The Revd Drew W. Schmotzer Chaplain, Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Algiers

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HOTDOGS

Richard Bromley caught up with Revd Bob Hurley, chaplain in Grenoble, and put a few questions to him. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

What are the highlights from the ministry at St. Marc’s, Grenoble?

It has been quite amazing. We are finding that the church is filling up with people who want to know about Jesus, who are choosing to come to church. it has moved from being a church that was very much down on its uppers financially and numbers-wise and we are now beginning to see this turnaround. We have started to pay our way, which is quite a big thing for us at Grenoble. We are seeing the church grow, we are welcoming people, some of whom we did not expect to come but they are coming and we are delighted. We are seeing a great population change in terms of the make-up of our congregation. I think we have moved from just having a handful of folk from Africa to really having more than half our congregation now from Nigeria. Really quite exciting, but also it has its challenges.

What has been challenging?

The kind of ethnic and national make-up of the church. If you turn back the clock seven or eight years, there were lots of professional people in the church which was great. Then the church went into a bit of a slump and when I arrived, I noticed a group of Nigerian single ladies at the back of church. So I just bounced up to them and said: ‘Jesus loves you ladies’. ‘You are very welcome in this church, bring your friends’ and well they did! Now we have more than half of the church made up of Nigerian refugees and that is really exciting and amazing too because let’s just say that their profession was taking place on street corners at midnight. They are welcome and they are coming and they are finding that Jesus loves them unconditionally and I just find that extremely exciting. A kind of a place where Jesus might have hung out if he had been in Grenoble.

What is a story that stands out over the last term?

We had an Eastern European lady come to church with a child who asked me the most amazing question: ‘What must I do to be baptised?’. I wish that everyone I bumped into would ask me that. So she met with my wife Jane for quite a few weeks and went over the basics of the Christian faith. Then she said: ‘yes, I want this’. So when the church threw a barbeque, she asked if she could be baptised and I said: ‘yes sure!’. The people throwing the barbeque had a swimming pool, so there were people from all over the world turning up with a hotdog in one hand and Ivanna being baptised in the name of the WHAT Lord Jesus in the midst of it all. So MUST yeah hotdogs and baptism!

I DO

You were also involved in mission in Northern Ireland. Tell me how it went?

We have a mission link through ICS with Drumbeg Parish Church in Belfast. Their minister, a fantastic guy called Willie Nixon, asked me to do a mission project in their church.

They organised different events, from a Gospel concert to a Ladies’ Supper in the local garden centre – all kinds of activities. We saw people coming to faith in Christ, it was really exciting.

When we got to the end of the week there are more than fifty new Christians. The church had really done their homework, they had prepared properly and they had invited their friends.

I went to a coffee morning and forty-seven people attended, they could not all fit in the room so they spread through the house. They tried to wire up the speaker system so I could be heard in all the rooms of the house.

TO BE BAPTISED?

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Why do you think this was so successful?

I think it has to do with the Bishop there, he said to the churches: ‘you will do a mission in 2015’. So I was asked by Willie if I would take their mission week. It made me realise that the days of old fashioned missions are not over. They can be incredibly powerful when people are properly prepared and pray about it and invite people to come along and do things, amazingly powerful.

Can you think of one story that stands out from your week there?

I can think of loads but the one that stands out most to me is when Willie and I went through the response cards afterwards he kept on saying: ‘wow that person has responded, gosh isn’t that amazing’. Just seeing his excitement, lives that he is a part of, transformed and changed and a new start happening.

Maybe this is something that ICS needs to get more involved in, to encourage chaplains to have these kinds of parish missions because people are just ready to fall into the Kingdom if they hear the Gospel at a kind of an event that isn’t cringey.

Moving on, tell me about Provence Praise?

I was at the ICS Conference with John Coles (former Director of New Wine), he mentioned New Wine and I thought: why not have something like that in France? This idea of Provence Praise came to mind and I suggested it to John and he said: ‘if the Lord is in it go for it!’. We got together with a

Revd Bob Hurley

campsite in the South of France and I asked them how they would feel about a bunch of Christians turning up for the second week in July and making lots of noise and having worship and praise and Bible Study. The owner said: ‘Do it! Why not?’, and he is not even a Christian, how exciting is that!

So Provence Praise is good to go. It is open to everyone who wants to come. We have space for 300 people: families, students, singles, any age, any background. We are not putting any walls up, anyone who fancies hanging out with Jesus in the South of France is welcome to come.

What can people expect?

Nothing is compulsory but we will hold three meetings a day. I want people to have fun, to be refreshed, refilled, re-envisioned and to have a fantastic time in Provence.

A kind of holiday with a purpose. If you want to book, Google Provence Praise, it costs only €40. Then you book what level of accommodation you want, mention my name and you will get 15% off, how good is that!

Finally, what are you hoping for in 2016?

2016 is going to be a really interesting year.

I am hoping for worship to explode at St. Marc’s, Grenoble. I would really like to see the whole way in which people worship God just take on a new life and a more exciting direction. Getting nearer to God, growing in our worship together. For everyone to grow in their relationship with Jesus, that for me will be a cool 2016!

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A YEAR IN

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BARCELONA Arriving by train from Lyon we were met at Sants railway station by Jimmy, a member of the Chaplaincy Council and now a Churchwarden. The spacious flat above St. George’s church in a beautiful and higher part of the city was like coming ‘home’.

In April I wrote in my report for the Annual Church Meeting: What can I say in my first report here at St. George’s? I can say that we feel very welcomed and loved. I can say that the preparation for our coming led by the Council was better than ever could be expected. I can say that house and location are superb. I can say that we love and enjoy St. George’s. I can say that we are thankful for the safety and freedom we enjoy. But what difference do all these make besides creating a very pleasant beginning?

Being a chaplain involves the regular activities and responsibilities of being a vicar in England with the added spice of being an international (twenty-six nationalities), often transitory (whether two years or a weekend break) and very spread out community (from Km40 in every direction inland from Barcelona). The fact that both my wife and I are ordained makes for a creative dynamic different to what the church has been used to.

The welcome of the St. George’s community, a united council that works together well, the enthusiasm of our Youth and Young Adult Coordinators (who arrived from Philadelphia the same day as we arrived!), the administrative set-up, the development of relationships in our Northern Spain ‘clergy cluster’ (Barcelona, Costa Brava, Ibiza, Mallorca, Menorca and Madrid) - all led to a special year.

In June I preached a sermon on ‘unexpected interruptions’ and then it happened to me!

Due to the superb Catalan health system doing regular ECGs, it was discovered that part of my heart was not working and I was ordered to have seventy days’ rest. Here the care of the people of St. George’s, the reliability of the 9

council and the benefit of locum chaplains were proven and I am deeply thankful.

September saw a return to work, to a new academic year and the grand cycle of the Christian year began again at Advent. All the ‘unexpected happenings’ of our lives happen in the presence of a Lord who does far more than we can ever ask or think.

What about challenges? There are the normal challenges of a pastoral and missional ministry in a city such as Barcelona. There is the need to ensure sacred space, both in terms of time and location, otherwise this becomes our work and not God’s. There is how to make the most of opportunities to relate in Spanish, and my wife Deborah (who had lived in Barcelona and worshipped at St. George’s in the 70s) also in Catalan. After over thirty-five years of mission work, God has given us the incredible privilege of being missionary priests here in Barcelona.

My report to the Annual Church Meeting finished with these words: But the real life of our church is in relationships - relationships with God, with each other, and with all our ‘neighbours’ that we meet along the way. I believe that the greatest ministry of St. George’s is when her people serve as witnesses for Christ by how they live every day. The priest’s role is simply to model and enable the priesthood of all believers. A word given to me over the summer before coming, and repeated at my licensing, said that we are to be signposts to Jesus. St. Paul said ‘For to me to live is Christ, to die is gain’ (Phil 1.21) - that, I believe, is to be the ministry of St. George’s whether gathered or scattered. May God enable us by his indwelling Holy Spirit. Thank you for your prayers.

John Chapman

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celebrating

IMMIGRANTS

The annual Remembrance Day Service at St. Peter’s holds a special place in the calendar of the Church. As in every town and village in Britain a community remembers those who gave their lives for the sake of generations to come. Sadly, the list of those killed in the First World War is long. Here we remember young men, sons of the strong British community that came to Chile as engineers, miners, farmers, shippers and merchants.

They came, they married and many stayed to found a strong Anglo Chilean community.

Today their memory is honoured by the boys and girls of the six British schools and strangely to me, the firemen of the 14th English fire brigade! There was, as well, a strong congregation from the Anglo Chilean community who still retain their English language in church. It all seemed a little odd to the new chaplain, Chileans waving union flags and singing the national anthem!

The strong ties Anglo Chileans still feel for the ‘old country’ and the honour given to these pioneering immigrants is part of the reason that St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s the two chaplaincy churches continue to support a full time chaplain like me supported entirely from their own resources.

The week following I joined leaders, priests and pastors from the Greek Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church, the Synagogue, and the Mosque at the Gala de Imigrantes in an act of worship at the start of the Gala or Carnival.

The Carnival, is another strange tribute to the immigrant communities that make up Chile.

I have to admit I felt a bit like a rare animal in a zoo: this is the Anglican chaplain! We

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prayed for the peace of the world following the terrorist attacks in Paris and happily we could celebrate the happy fusion of cultures and faiths that make up Chile.

The setting was a reminder of the cross currents of history that have brought the British to Chile.

Under the Arco Británico – the triumphal arch donated by the British community in 1906 in the centre of Valparaiso, Chile’s largest port and naval base, the youth orchestra play Elgar’s ‘Pomp and circumstance’ a fitting tribute to the national heroes whose names ring out in so many streets and public buildings.

National heroes from the time of the independence struggle and the War of the Pacific with Peru, like Lord Cochrane, O’Higgins and Pratt. This is a corner of history that most of us Brits know nothing about but are central to the soul of all Chileans. Lord Cochrane, was one of Nelson’s commanders, but here in Chile and in Brazil he is celebrated as the founder of their naval forces. O’Higgins accompanied San Martin in the struggle to liberate Chile during the War of Independence and became the first President of Chile. Pratt,

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commanding a wooden vessel engaged an Ironclad Peruvian vessel and died in a heroic attempt to board and capture the enemy during the War of the Pacific. All Chilean heroes!

On this occasion each of the immigrant communities were to choose one of their own heroes, someone who had contributed significantly to the community. This year the AngloChilean community elected one of our church members: Oenone Gray, in recognition of the wonderful work her Restoration Group has done to bring back St. Paul’s to its former glory.

The Gala brought together the French, German, Italian, Greek, Arab, Jewish and British descendants, all now third, fourth and fifth generation Chileans, proud to be different as well as proud to be Chileans. Let us pray too that our own immigrant communities can say too: ‘I am proud to be an immigrant and proud to be British’.

Revd Simon Brignall Chaplain to St. Paul’s, Valparaiso and St.Peter’s, Viña del Mar, Chile

Revd Simon Brignall

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WENGEN ZERMATT

ZERMATT

Our ministry in Wengen and Zermatt has been going for many years.

Here we try to give you a glimpse of what it is like to minister there with some questions to two of our seasonal chaplains.

We hope you sense something of the atmosphere and opportunity these churches provide.

JOHN AND MARY GULLAND LOOKED AFTER THE ZERMATT CHAPLAINCY

Before departure Having visited St. Peter’s, Zermatt out of season we often wondered whether we might one day have the opportunity to be part of the seasonal team in Switzerland. We were overjoyed to be asked to look after the opening of the winter season and Christmas celebrations.

What are you hoping for?

Zermatt attracts many regular visitors, some of whom also support St. Peter’s, together with winter sports enthusiasts seeking the all the year round ski slopes of Zermatt, and those celebrating Christmas in the Valais. We are excited to share the celebration of the incarnation of our Lord with believers and all who might venture into a church.

How are you preparing?

Sermon writing and planning two Carol services for Christmas Eve started well before we set out, in the knowledge that there wouldn’t be time for this in Zermatt. In addition I corresponded with a couple who had requested a Marriage Thanksgiving for thirty years of married life. It was a delight to plan a service for them and their gathered family.

Where can you see the mission opportunities?

Because there is no resident congregation we anticipate that mission opportunities need to be fostered through visiting the many local hotels and tourist organisations with invitations for their English-speaking guests to worship with us over the Christmas period and throughout the winter season. We also plan regular contact with British and English-speaking skiers through the reps of the Ski Club of Great Britain.

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What is your fear?

Practical issues together with how we are going to decorate the church for Christmas.

After Were your hopes realised, did the mission opportunities arise and did your fears come through?

In the event we had the church attractively decorated with a tree and a myriad of candles and we soon had sound, heat and light mastered. God is good at providing inspiration where there is a need.

As for mission opportunities God certainly provided opportunities for seed sowing which we pray will be fruitful. The Christmas Eve Carol services were particularly well attended.

There was standing room only at the first and every seat was filled at the second. Meeting with the British skiers at the Pollux Hotel on several evenings proved fruitful with many coming to worship during their stay. We also had the opportunity to pray with hard-pressed hotel and tourism workers some of whom were worried about their security. There has been no appreciable snow this winter and bookings in the hotels were down.

How did you find looking after the Christmas Seasonal Mission in Zermatt?

One of the consequences of lack of snow was that Mary, skiing on ice rather powder snow, came a cropper and had to be treated by one of the local doctors. When he learned that we were looking after the English church he said enthusiastically, ‘That church has a great history and a good Spirit’. That is our conclusion too!

It was a great joy to share in God’s Mission in Zermatt over Christmas.

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majority at least. ‘Flexibility’, calmness and a sense of humour definitely required.

After Juggling 101 things was fun! Huge thanks to Nigel Ley for playing the organ at three of the services – saved the jumping from lectern to computer for the music! Edi, was also indispensable welcoming people at the door and so too, were the many other volunteers.

WENGEN

The wedding was a unique start. Many of the guests were from the Downhill Only Ski Club or locals, so contact was established with a great many people right at the beginning. Much positive feedback to my talk.

ELIZABETH AND EDUARD BUSSMANN WENT TO WENGEN

Before departure This is my first chaplaincy in Wengen and my biggest concern is juggling everything. Delegation being mainly ‘last minute’ and so a big part of the challenge. Not knowing who will come can be a mixed blessing! The most important preparation is prayer and knowing that God is going ahead.

Second is resource preparation. Although for me every contact is a mission opportunity, I am hoping that the wedding on the 19th will be a major opportunity to share God’s love with others and make ‘church’ a positive and memorable experience, not simply the venue for the wedding.

Christmas is always a great opportunity as so many attend services ONLY at Christmas. It is often said that one can’t please everyone all the time but Christmas is a time when one needs to please the

Christmas is always challenging and in a seasonal chaplaincy the issues are magnified even more.

Nationalities, languages, churchmanship, churchgoers or not, formal, informal etc. … At least most people at this The distance from the flat to the church I quickly saw from a different angle; I don’t think I ever walked through the village without meeting people I knew! Many good ‘chance’ conversations, showing, once again, that various needs appreciated a listening ear.

The local Tourist Board’s, ‘Christmas in the Forest’, was great fun. Attended by young and old, tourists and locals. I talked about ‘Christingles’ whilst assembling one and handed out nineteen DIY sets for the children to take home – I couldn’t resist giving a quick résumé in Swiss German for the local children as well.

Apparently much appreciated, not only by the children but also the Tourist Board!

CHRISTMAS IN WENGEN STRETCHING, REWARDING,DRAINING, MAGICAL UNIQUE!

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BRANCHING OUT IN

KANDERSTEG Last summer, we were asked to go to the International Scout Centre in Kandersteg, Switzerland (KISC) as a somewhat last minute thing. We are both seasoned youth workers and Jim Perryman is Liz’s godfather, so he asked us on the off-chance that we might be available during the summer holidays. Having never done a chaplaincy placement before, we were excited at the prospect of working with so many young people and ‘pinkies’ (KISC staff).

Our two weeks in Switzerland went so quickly, it felt like before we’d even said hello we were saying goodbye.We arrived on Swiss National Day, which is the peak of the season for the Scout Centre with 1800 young people and leaders staying. The following morning we were properly introduced to some very tired staff members and told about the centre. Felipe (Centre Director) was very welcoming and we soon slotted into the routine of the chaplaincy.

We spoke to scouts from all over the world about their experiences – how they travelled to KISC, what their troop or pack was called and what they were missing from home. Scout and guide leaders are naturally hospitable people, even if you don’t look hungry, you’ll be fed – but this only gave us more chances to speak to people and share why we were at KISC and how we came to be on site. International Evening is a chance to share food from around the world – plenty of cheese, meat and paella to be had! We shared sweets as a way of getting scouts to answer the question: ‘Who do you think God is?’ A lot of them had some very interesting answers, which opened discussions about belief systems, creation and dinosaurs.

As the fortnight went on we were able to build on these conversations and build friendships that were all too brief.

During a conversation one afternoon, Pete (Assistant Programme Co-ordinator) asked if there was any chance we could come back for the February Half Term ski season, for ICS to run a chaplaincy. Pete explain that most of the people staying on site are from the UK and it would be an ideal opportunity to keep the ball rolling. We found out that one of the groups we’d already met were back in February so we very cautiously asked ICS if it was viable. In early November it was confirmed that we would be seeing everyone at KISC again.

We are really excited for the chance to stay on site and build on the friendships with the permanent staff team. The first thing we need to do is buy some weather appropriate clothes and begin preparing for International Evening (pancakes and hot cross buns?!), Light Trail and Scouts Own. We’re also hoping to have a badge for Chaplaincy to make us more visible over the longer summer season – Scouts love a badge or a necker (scarf) and badges are the cheaper option! It raises our profile and helps the young people experience the spiritual side of KISC. We recognised that God was sowing seeds in every conversation we had during the summer.

We hope that we’ll continue to have good conversations with staff and scouts and that lots of people will encounter God whilst at KISC.

Liz Skudder (nee Fisher) 14

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looking forward with hazel door

‘Are you looking forward to retiring? ‘ That’s one of the most frequent questions I’ve been asked in the last few weeks. If ever there was an ambiguous question? How can you look forward to such a life changing event? It truly deserves the ultimate ambiguous answer ‘yes and no’. I’m actually excited at the prospect of the new and unimagined life beckoning. Yes, there is a sense of not knowing what is to be, yet a determination to meet the challenges that are to come, in trust of God’s purposes for us.

Each time we have reached a crossroad in our lives, we have made choices. It has often been only when we have looked back that, we realise that we were directed in our decisions. Even our move to France, so many pieces of the plan coming together. Simply read the history of the Chaplaincy of Christ the Good Shepherd, Poitou-Charentes, and you’ll see how, with the support of ICS, God’s plan for ministry in this region came about.

Now we look forward to ‘retirement’, colleagues in our ministry team, already retired (allegedly) promise that we will wonder how we had time to ‘work’. My argument is that having, on the whole, thoroughly enjoyed full time ministry, it never felt like ‘work’. So we look forward to being able to help in ministering throughout the Diocese and also within and through ICS in the months and years to come.

We have been blessed by our membership of ICS, through it we have made many friends, and hope very much to be able to continue as associate members. Although we have said many personal goodbyes already, we would rather say Adieu, believing that God’s Will will prevail for us all and that we will continue to preach the gospel on our own journeys, I’m looking forward to seeing you all again remembering that God’s timing is always perfect.

In the words of Dag Hammarskjöld: ‘For what has been, thanks: to what is to be: Yes’. Thank you all for your love and support and sense of family which sustains us, long may that continue.

INTERCONTINENTAL CHURCH SOCIETY MAGAZINE | March 2016

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Cambridge Wednesday 16 March, 15 June at 8 pm Impington Church Hall, Histon CB24 9JE Contact Dennis Sadler 01223 232 194 Cheltenham Monday 27 June at 10.30am Contact Audrey Martin-Doyle 01242 510 352 Exeter 2 Portland Court, 1 Portland Avenue, Exmouth EX8 2DJ Contact John Philpott 01395 225 044 Edinburgh Wednesday 2 March and 1 June at 10.45am 10 Kirkhill Terrace, Edinburgh EH16 5DQ Contact Chris and Susie Martin 0131 668 407 revchris.martin45@gmail.com susanmalloch.martin@gmail.com Keighley Contact Michael Savage 01535 606 790 Norfolk The Vicarage, 37 Church Road, Tilney St Lawrence, Kings Lynn PE34 4QQ Contact Martin Dale 01945 880 259 North Birmingham Thursday 28 April at 7.30pm 27 Romilly Close, Walmley, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B76 2TN Contact Janice Ratcliffe 0121 378 2432 Janice_ratcliffe@sil.org Northern Ireland Tuesday 12 April at 10.30am 74 Demesne Road, Seaforde, Ballynahinch, BT24 8NS Contact John Dinnen 028 44 811 148 Shenstone Thursday 23rd June 2015 at 7.30 pm 52 Millbrook Dr, Shenstone, Staffs WS14 0JL Contact Jacqueline Relph jmrelph@btinternet.com Stockport The Rectory, Gorsey Mount Street, Stockport SK1 4DU Contact Roger Scoones 0161 429 6564

Would you like to start up an ICS prayer meeting in your region? Contact Jeannette ajskuse@ics-uk.org and we will help organise this for you. In this new year, the prayer groups would love to welcome new people.

Warwick Thursday 12 November at 7.30 pm 11 Verden Avenue, Chase Meadow, Warwick CV34 6RX Contact Anna Hopkins 07745 223 580 The Wirral 11 Stanford Ave, Wallesey CH45 5AP Contact Peter Jordan 0151 639 7860 Worthing Tuesday 11 May at 2.30 pm Ramsay Hall BN11 3HN Contact ICS office 024 7646 3940

ICS Seeks a New Treasurer

The Treasurer is seen as a key role within ICS, being appointed by our membership for a three year term, the length of continuous service of the treasurer restricted to two consecutive terms. Our present treasurer is now into his second three year term therefore we are looking to identify his successor at an early stage in order to ensure a smooth and seamless handover.

We are seeking a person who is committed to the values and mission of ICS, who has sound financial acumen and has a strategic approach to financial planning coupled with the ability to maintain an overview of the financial accounting within ICS and communicate effectively to Council members.

ICS Council meets four times a year and there is a Standing Committee in-between each meeting.

Therefore the commitment is eight meetings (which alternate between London and Coventry) a year plus meetings with auditors and investment managers. Additionally there is the need for regular communication with the full time Financial Accountant based in the Coventry office.

ICS NEWS ICS NEWS

PRAYER MEETINGS

The key working relationships are with the Council, the Mission Director and the Financial Accountant.

ICS has undergone a significant amount of change over the last three years and has a firm base to meet the challenges that lie ahead. We are seeking someone who has the drive, vision and energy to be able to ensure ICS continues to fulfil the mission God is calling ICS to.

If this may be you, or you know of anyone who may be interested then please be in touch in the first instance with Revd Richard Bromley, Mission Director. rbromley@ics-uk.org 07772496029

MISSION AND MINISTRY IN ENGLISH FOR EVERYONE

www.ics-uk.org