Drains and other matters

Before we left England, some people commented that we were ‘brave’ to be coming to such a dangerous country as Turkey. Ironically, the first ‘terrorist’ attack in recent months took place in London. It’s a reminder that nowhere is ‘safe’ these days. And it is so important to remember that the great majority of Muslims are as opposed to mindless violence as most of us are.

One of the disadvantages of returning to a previously visited place is that there are few ‘new’ things to see or do. In the Izmir region, public transport is somewhat limited, and so we are unable, in the free time available, to get to some other places we would love to visit. But there is some compensation in the fact that we can take time to reflect more  on the culture we experience. One of the most visible contrasts with all European countries is the absence of churches. Before 1922, when the ‘Greeks’ were expelled, many towns and villages will have had Orthodox churches as well as mosques; hardly any survive. That probably accounts for the frequency with which St John’s is visited; it is almost the only church in Izmir (and probably in Turkey!) that is not protected by walls and barriers.

The large Turkish flags we reported last week have mostly disappeared, so they were obviously flying for a particular event. There was a large public meeting on the Kordon yesterday, which we assume was something to do with the coming referendum on presidential power; the road was closed to traffic, and there were coastguard boats and others keeping watch. The government have banned most meetings planned by the opposition, and at least some statements have linked a vote for No with a vote for terrorism. So it is not exactly a ‘level playing-field’; but there does appear to be some doubt about the likely outcome. We shall see; referenda can achieve strange results!

We had an ‘interesting’ diversion at the end of the week. The woman living in the first floor flat came up and managed (eventually) to tell us that she was getting foul water coming up into her sink and toilet and asking us not to use our toilet or sinks! We enlisted the help of our Turkish-speaking churchwarden, and it appeared eventually that there was some kind of cess-pit underneath the shop unit on the ground-floor. This had got blocked and raw sewage was coming up into the shop as well – there are some advantages in being on the top floor! We exercised as much discretion as possible to avoid adding too much to the problem, and all was finally sorted by Saturday evening.

Otherwise, it has been a largely routine week. Bible Study continues to go well, and we are enjoying wrestling with Paul’s thought in Ephesians. We are missing a number of regular members from Sunday worship – we’re a bit of a remnant at the moment - but those who do come seem very committed. We visited the American minister who had done such a good job of helping to maintain preaching and sacramental worship. Sadly his health has now deteriorated. But it was good to see him and his Turkish wife, and enjoy the views of the Aegean from their delightful and interesting house.

Spring has officially arrived – and been marked by some warm sunny days, which is good. A beneficial effect of the arrival of Summer Time in UK is that we are now only two hours ahead, and so communications with home are easier – and we can catch a few radio and TV programmes as they are broadcast! (Certainly, having WiFi in the flat has made life much easier than it was last summer.).

We took advantage of the sunshine to pay a return visit to Foça, on the coast north of Izmir. It’s in a lovely setting, surrounded by clear blue water. The journey there is easy by public transport. Our Saturday walk beside the bay took us some way further to the west, where we discovered an unexpected park extending for a couple of kilometres alongside the sea.

Please keep praying:

For safety and health – for us and for all Christians in Turkey.

For the refugees in our churches.

For Turkey in the forthcoming referendum.

For preparations for Holy Week and Easter.

For the ongoing appointment process for a permanent chaplain here.

Happy Spring; Happy New Year

Today (March 20^th, the Spring equinox) is Nowruz (or Norooz): New Year in the Persian Calendar. It’s a time for family celebrations in much of the Western Asia. So it is a poignant as well as joyful day for ‘our’ Iranian refugees, who are banned from ever returning to their families. It is too easy for us in the West to see refugees as a ‘problem’, without reckoning on how much they have lost in becoming exiles from their homes. Very few would have chosen such a state of unrooted-ness without good reason. By coincidence this year it’s also the transferred Feast of St Joseph, the patron saint of families. In my sermon yesterday, we were thinking about Jesus’s words from the Cross to his Mother and St John, and reflecting on the ‘family’ nature of the New Israel to which they pointed.

Yesterday’s worship seemed to go quite well – though we are missing a few people, who have had to go abroad on trips for various reasons. We are blessed in having some good musicians to lead the singing and to play preludes and during the communion: yesterday one Turkish, one American and one Iranian.

It’s been a ‘normal’ week. On Tuesday we went again to St Mary Magdalene’s church in Bornova. The church is actually older than St John’s, in Greek Revival style; originally, it was a separate ‘parish’ catering for some of the wealthier European merchants. There are still some large mansions in the area; but it is now dominated by the extensive campuses of Ege University. There are students everywhere. The church is a bit neglected, but there may well be potential here. At Evening Prayer, the congregation of a dozen or so was mostly drawn from members of the Turkish Işik Church, who also share the use of St John’s. We use Common Worship, but the songs are a mixture of English and Turkish, and the Biblical readings are also mixed. Three or four children looked in before the service, and stayed for most of it – leaving during my short homily (but I don’t think they were making a protest about my theology!) Several students also took advantage of the opened gate and doors to look inside – all part of this fascinating openness to the Christian presence in Izmir. (On Saturday, we were told, some 380 people – a number visibly Muslim - visited St John’s!)

We managed a couple of days off. On Thursday, we visited the two major archaeological sites. Old Smyrna, in Bayrakli, was deserted as it had been last year. It’s not well signed, but has some interesting remains, dating back to the 8^th century BC, and including the oldest known Temple of Athena, and the oldest surviving Greek water fountain, from which water still flows. The Agora in town consists of classical Greek and Roman remains, including those of a vast Basilica, with underground galleries; there are also many Ottoman gravestones. That site at least appears on tourist publicity – but there are no leaflets to guide the visitor. Izmir seriously underplays its history! Saturday was sunny, so we repeated our long walk beside the Aegean of a couple of weeks previously, and finished with some exploration of the former Jewish area.

Izmir continues to be peaceful. There is an increase in the number of large Turkish flags hanging on public buildings, as the referendum on increasing presidential power approaches (voting on Easter Day.) The President has just told Turks living in Europe that they should have five children, to increase their presence. That won’t go down well with many people, especially those Islamophobes who suspect a Muslim plot to turn Europe into Eurabia/Europistan!

Otherwise, all goes well. The weather is, at last, a bit warmer. People are friendly; we had a warm greeting from one of the fishermen we used to see last summer. It’s interesting to be keeping Lent here, and having to forgo the joys of baklava and other pastries, as well as eschewing the nice restaurants on the Cordon. We look forward to Refreshment Sunday, and beyond that to Easter!

Please pray for:

Iranian refugees, as they miss their families, and feel frustrated by the closed attitudes of the West.

The ongoing process of selecting a permanent chaplain for Izmir.

Outreach to the many visitors who come into our churches.

Continuing health and safety for us both.

Keeping on keeping on.

Are we really into our third week in Izmir already? The Sunday morning service went well – music led by piano, violin and guitar; there were slightly reduced numbers (but including two who normally attend a Catholic church.) Perhaps Jo and I have ‘tuned into’ the congregation more fully.

It’s good that there are usually new people in church each week, including a small number of younger people, who have been drawn to St John’s out of – what? - interest, curiosity, a genuine searching for the truth? I don’t think it matters what their motives are; their presence at the Eucharist, and the welcome they receive, exposes them to the presence of the living God, which can’t be bad! And now that the church is being kept open more often, the numbers coming in off the street have increased enormously. On Saturday, nearly two hundred people came through the doors; many of them were young. There was a similar phenomenon last Tuesday when we went to Bornova, to lead a short Evening Prayer at St Mary Magdalene’s church. It’s very near to Ege University, and during the service a number of students came in, or looked in through the open door. Something is happening here!

I can’t comment on the political scene in Turkey. At present, everything seems very calm; most newspapers support the government, but some are able to offer constructive criticism of its policies. Individuals here are friendly and helpful; life seems stable. Refugees are given some support, including basic medical insurance – provided they ‘sign in’ weekly.

We still haven’t had time to go beyond Izmir, but we have had some culture. One afternoon we walked French Consulate on the Cordon, most of which is now an art gallery. There was a fascinating exhibition – “The Luminists” - of Belgian paintings from the late 19^th and early 20^th Century. There was obvious influence from French Impressionist and Post-impressionist artists, but with some distinctive emphasis on the effect of light and reflection. It was free, with good notices in French and English as well as Turkish. We also re-visited the City History and Art Museum, which contains a wealth of classical statues from this area, and also ceramics and jewellery. It’s the sort of collection which would attract crowds in London, but was virtually deserted. We were approached by two 16-year old girls, who wanted to practise their English, and asked us many questions! Another time, while visiting the only bookshop in the city which has any English books, we were asked by a young Iraqi teacher who was on holiday what English novels we recommended. An interesting challenge! All the more regrettable that the British Foreign Office shows little interest in promoting British culture in the city. The British Council withdrew over ten years ago, and there is no Consul, just consular staff to deal with enquiries.

We’ve had some treats. After the Bornova Evening Service, we were taken to a restaurant up in the hills behind Karşiyaka, which has wonderful views over the city and the Gulf of Izmir. It also served some very good lamb kebabs and salad! And going, with a couple of others, to see a church member who has not been well, we were treated not only to some stimulating conversation, but an excellent Iranian bean soup, and some delicious Korean rolls and Turkish cake.

The interviews for a permanent chaplain take place in London on Wednesday. It’s a challenging job description, involving the role of port chaplain for the Mission to Seafarers, as well as priest of St John’s - effectively the only English-language church in a city of over 3 million people. But we keep seeing great opportunities, and the core congregation here are so committed and supportive. The weather has been less favourable; we had masses of rain during the week, which led to flooding around the church and various leaks within. Fortunately, they have installed good central heating in the chaplain’s flat, so we’ve been warm, and able to dry washing. But we’ve still managed to walk on the Kordon most days before breakfast – watching out for pelicans, and different kinds of cormorant on the sea.

Please pray for:

The interviews in London on Wednesday.

The Lent Bible study on Ephesians, and the sermon course on the Seven Last Words.

The Tuesday Evening Prayer service at Bornova.

‘Our’ refugees.

Back in Izmir

We’re coming to the end of our first week back at St John’s, Izmir. The first reaction is one of encouragement. The church is still flourishing – they obviously have managed without a priest in charge! Mick McCain, who used to celebrate a Communion once a month, has been unwell, so they have depended upon members of the church leading Morning Prayer for the past three months or so. But we had a very warm welcome at the Bible Study on Ash Wednesday - with a rather un-Lenten celebratory tea! (There were eleven participants in all, for our first study on Ephesians.) We have also been recognised in some local shops, and by one of the police keeping watch at the Consulate.

What’s going on in Izmir itself? Despite a terrorist attack in the city last year, the atmosphere is still relaxed. Indeed, there was no visible sign of increased security at the airport in Istanbul where we changed planes. The political situation in Turkey is complex. The President is asking for greater executive power, and for direct presidential elections; a referendum in April is expected to agree to this. Political opposition is muted; but for the majority of people, life is peaceful and safe. Turkey continues to be active against IS in Syria, and to accept refugees from its neighbours.

There is no sign of any kind of enforced Islamisation of the country. In Izmir, most women are unveiled. The church remains open and much visited. Indeed, a promotional DVD about Izmir we were given at the Tourist Office included a brief tour round the Anglican church and a Synagogue, as well as footage of a couple of Mosques, to show the multi-cultural range of the city’s heritage and life.

The Iranian refugees at St John’s are resigned to spending longer in their limbo. The US government’s attitude to Muslim countries has had a wider effect, including reduction of funding for UN refugee programmes (the UN refugee office in Ankara is effectively closed.) This means that these committed and able Christians have less chance of having their applications for other English-speaking countries processed in the near future.

Another rather depressing fact is the insularity of the British Government. There is a lively French cultural presence in the city through Institut Français, which is a co-sponsor of the Jazz Festival now underway, together with the Goethe Institute, and consulates of Italy, Poland, Romania and others. Britain appears to do nothing to promote British culture.

On Ash Wednesday, we went to the Catholic Cathedral for the Mass; it was a rather chaotic start, but the service sheet was in Turkish and English; one reading was in English, and the sermon (in Italian and Turkish) was accompanied by an English hand-out. So, good to see some ecumenism at work; there had apparently been a well-supported service at St John’s for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

And now we have had our first Sunday service. It was in once sense very familiar after our time here last year; but it always takes a little while to attune to the spiritual atmosphere of a different church. It was good to meet some new members, and to see a number of young families present; we hadn’t had that last year. I’m preaching on the Seven Last Words from the Cross.

We’ve been blessed with some sunny days, which enabled us to walk to various parts of the city, and beside the Aegean. It will be a real Lenten discipline, to resist the temptations of Turkish delight and baklava! We had an enforced abstinence from using the lift to our apartment, as it was out of action for two days – but it’s working now.

Please pray:

For continued health, and protection for us.

That we’ll be fully in tune with the spiritual needs of the congregation.

For clear discernment of the future for the church.

For the refugees, as they cope with their disappointment and need for patience.

For the interviews for the new chaplain (in England on March 15th.)