From time to time, we will advise friends of the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf of events pertinent to life in the diocese, and informative in our relationship of supporting the ministry of the congregations within the diocese.

Episcopalians form Friends group to support the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf

American Friends of the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf

Posted Dec 4, 2024

For almost 50 years, the Anglican Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf has provided a unique and highly important “ministry of presence” to a diverse group of Christians living in the countries which border the Arabian Gulf. To celebrate their 50th anniversary, a small group of Episcopalians has founded The American Friends of the Diocese of Cyprus and Gulf (AFDCG) to foster this important ministry through education in the American church and through fund raising efforts to support the Diocese and its programs.

Newly installed Bishop Sean Semple employed the biblical image of a tent to describe ministry in this unique diocese. In the same way the children of Israel sheltered in tents on their journey and gathered in the Tent of Meeting to worship God, so Bishop Sean believes that the 14 Anglican congregations in the Arabian Gulf are providing “tents” for worship and community that anchor the ethnically, culturally, and denominationally diverse groups of Christians who are living and working in these majority Muslim countries. (Bishop’s Sean’s charge to the Diocese may be read here: www.afdcg.org/the-bishop)

The administrative base of the Diocese is on the island of Cyprus, but its far-flung ministry extends to congregations in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Oman, and both sides of the green line in Cyprus. In most of these countries, Anglican church buildings or purpose build worship centers host worship and community space for, in some cases, up to 35,000 worshippers from diverse Christian congregations. On any Friday (the day of prayer in the Middle East) one could worship in this building at a very traditional Anglican Eucharist, join a fundamentalist congregation singing to guitar music, remove one’s shoes to join an Indian congregation, or worship in Igbo with folks from Nigeria—all at the same time!

The congregations are composed of expatriate workers who provide a large percentage of the labor force in these countries, from doctors and lawyers, professors and teachers, to construction workers, maids, nannies, street sweepers, and oil and gas field workers. They come from all over the world–the US, Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia, most leaving their families in search of better employment.

Several governments in the Gulf have been very generous with land on which to build these centers, but the expense of erecting and maintaining these facilities rests solely with the congregations and the Diocese. At the present time, the Diocese has more permits to build than they have funds for congregational development. In addition, the Diocese operates community-based programs, such as the elementary school at St. George’s Church in Baghdad, and the Ras Morbat Eye Clinic in Aden, Yemen, which, because of the recent civil unrest, has also been providing first aid services to the community.

As part of the launch of the Friends group, Bishop Sean will be visiting New York in December. He will be joined by The Friends Chairman, The Rt. Rev. James B. Magness and by The Rev. Canon Bill Schwartz, formerly Archdeacon of the Diocese in the Gulf.

For more information about AFDCG or Bishop Sean’s visit, please visit the website at www. Afdcg.org. There is also an excellent history of the Diocese which is available from American booksellers—“The Anglican Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf:  The Unfolding Story” by Angela Murray.

AFDCG has been granted a 501-c-3 designation, so all contributions are deductible to the extent provided by law. Donations may be made on on-line on our website, www.afdcg.org/giving or by sending a check to:

American Friends of the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf
c/o St. Martin’s Church
400 King of Prussia Road
Radnor, PA 19087

For more information, contact:

Rev Canon Bill Schwartz, DMin, OBE, desertfather@me.com