The newly enthroned Bishop of Cyprus and the Gulf, The Right Reverend Michael Lewis, recently held a series of meetings with representatives of political, religious and community organisations. A graduate of Merton College, Oxford, England where he studied Hebrew, Aramaic and Syriac, before completing his second degree in Theology. Michael Lewis is a theologian of the highest order.
Previously the Bishop of Middleton in Manchester-England where he was responsible for over 150 churches in an area no more than 35 miles in length, Bishop Michael now finds himself as the Leader of one of the largest Dioceses in the Anglican Church. His new area of geographical responsibility has a distance from end to end of around 2,000 miles. Having moved from England’s second city to cover an area of the world which is, ‘where the great questions of our day are focussed’ it would be easy to imagine that his job has changed in the same magnitude. His thoughts are mixed on this. ‘My job has not changed radically, but certainly in detail.’
Having an open agenda for this first visit to Kuwait Bishop Michael was, he said, eager merely to ‘get around, listen to people, and to preach the Gospel and assist others in living out the Christian mission’ as he would anywhere.
This is actually a good accomdation that honors both the diocese and its contributions and the parish and its contributions. The diocese gets to see if a viable congregation can be reformed and the new parish gets to have some time to put together money to purchase the building (hopefully at some form of discount) or another building in which to worship. This is much better than padlocking the building and letting no one worship there.
I think a similar accomodation was made in Seattle a couple of years ago. Why can’t TECUSA learn from this?
YBIC,
Phil Snyder
I suspect that Birmingham would rankle at the description of Manchester as England’s second city.
And I also suspect that deacon Phil has posted on the wrong thread.
#2 – a typo – the word ‘rate’ was missed out.
My fond memory of MR Lewis was when we were first introduced by the Chaplain of Merton, Rev Mark Everitt. He introduced Lewis as someone who was “reading Hebrew”.
“So what are you reading?” Lewis asked me.
“Philosophy and Theology,” I replied.
I treasure his response: “Shrivel!”