BISHOP’S ADVENT APPEAL 2008

One of the most valuable times at this year’s Lambeth Conferences, when Anglican bishops gather from around the world, as at the one I attended in 1998, was the Bible study. Each day I met in a group of eight bishops to study St John’s Gospel. Our work was to be rooted in Scripture. Over two and a half weeks we got to know each other very well, and I was particularly grateful to have, besides myself and an American bishop, six bishops from India in my group.

Having heard much during that time about the needs my Indian friends have to meet in their dioceses I said I hoped that this year my annual Advent Appeal would be able to support projects in their Dioceses in India. They were enormously grateful and I am delighted to have found two projects as the objects of this year’s Advent Appeal.

The first is in the Diocese of Rajasthan, in the Church of North India, where Bishop Collin Theodore (a member of the religious community known as The Delhi Brotherhood) tells me that the Diocese is running four hostels for girls and boys, many of whom need financial support. As little as £40 per year supports one child for school admission, tuition fees and hospital expenses, and he asks for our help in providing for these children.

The other project is in the Diocese of Karimnagar in the Church of South India, one of the poorest dioceses in that church. Bishop Surya Prakesh, who has a link with our Diocese as he served in our chaplaincy in Stuttgart when he was studying there, asks for help with a project to support widows without anyone to care for them. Some of these are young, and they are provided with 10 kgs of Rice each month. Twice a year they are given Sarees, and are encouraged to plant vegetable gardens and mango, guava and other fruit trees in order to become self-sufficient.

These are good projects which will make a real difference to lives and you can download pictures from both of them. It will be a real outworking of the commitment of the Lambeth bishops to each other, and a sign of our belonging to each other in Christ. At a time when many speak of the difficulties in the Anglican Communion it is good that we can build a real link with our fellow Christians in India. As Christmas comes again and we give thanks for God’s generous love in the gift of his Son who came to us as a new-born child at Bethlehem, I ask you to respond generously to this Appeal.

+ Geoffrey Gibraltar

Pictures of Mission Girls Hostel Rjasthan

Dinner Time

Playing Cricket

Playing Badminton

Skipping

Pictures of Widows Help Karimnagar

First Picture

Second Picture