Dean’s Blog – February 2018
Dances for Flute and Piano: Thursday 22nd February 2018
Two seasoned performers at the Cathedral – Ahmed Al Ghanem on flute accompanied by Nadia Lopchynska on our new piano played a lively programme of mostly dance music from a variety of different composers from across the centuries and across the nations of the world. The programme included a final piece composed by Ahmed and played in a world premiere performance at the Cathedral in 2013. It was a lovely way to begin a special weekend for our guests who’d arrived in time for the Installation of Canons service tomorrow.
Honorary Canons Installed in Bahrain: Friday 23rd February 2018
The St Christopher’s Cathedral family were delighted to participate in welcoming and honouring those who have contributed so much to the life of the Diocese and the mission of the Church in their respective chaplaincies: Angela Murray, the Rev’d Stephen Thanapaul and the Rev’d Jebaraj Devasagayam as they were installed as Canons of St Christopher’s Cathedral in a special service at the Cathedral on Friday 23rd February.
The Church was full with members of the various Cathedral congregations coming together. Bishop Michael, in his sermon, highlighted that Canons were people of breadth and wisdom: Stephen for his combining role of ministry through Mission to Seafarers and his commitment to both Tamil and English-speaking congregations in St Christopher’s Cathedral; Jeberaj with his rich background in theological education as editor of a theological journal in India and his wide involvement with Tamil and Marathi speaking congregations at Epiphany Church, Doha; and Angela with her long service within the Diocese and Bahrain: her charitable work Through the cathedral and in the community and her writing of a history of the Diocese.
Following the service a celebration buffet lunch was held for over one hundred people at the BAPCO Club in Awali. The British Ambassador HE Simon Martin and his wife Sophie joined the celebrations there.
Anne speaks at Urdu language congregation of NEC: Friday 23rd February 2013
Grasping every opportunity to immerse herself in the richly varied pattern of ministry in Bahrain, at 4.30pm Anne was at the National Evangelical Church’s Urdu language congregation following the Celebration lunch at BAPCO. She was warmly welcomed by Pastor Isaac Inayat who is very supportive of women’s ministry having a sister who preaches regularly in the Church of Pakistan. Some words of greeting in Urdu at the start of her sermon were warmly applauded.
Three Clergy at Awali: Saturday 24th February 2018
An unusual number of clergy surprised the small congregation at Awali Church as numbers of clergy taking the service tripled from its normal number with both Anne and Archdeacon Bill, who kindly preached, joining me for our regular Saturday morning service.
Garden Show and Epic of Gilgamesh: Sunday 25th February 2018
Between the morning and evening services we squeezed a visit to the International Garden Show in the Exhibition centre. It’s an event that we have always enjoyed and wanted Anne to see it. There were some very impressive exhibits and we returned with a large jar of mountain floral honey from Kirgyzstan.
In the evening, following the 6,15pm service we headed for the National Theatre to experience the hugely impressive Epic of Gilgamesh, composed and narrated in Arabic by the Abed Azrie, a French Syrian born (Aleppo) artist who now lives in France. There was a blend of a western orchestra and the Mohammed Bin Faris Band on traditional Arabic instruments and the Notre Dame University Choir from Lebanon who were outstanding. It was a hugely impressive performance and even though we did not understand the Arabic, the beauty of the poetic language and the drama of the story was conveyed in the rich variety of scenes conveyed through the music. A wonderful evening!