Turtles and cable-cars

Now it is Passiontide. Lent has passed quickly – but in many ways it has been more positive this year, with fewer distractions, and more reason to be focussed.

Yesterday after the Eucharist I took part in my first Annual Church Meeting for five years. It was basically the same as others have been (though perhaps some details were observed in a slightly more casual way than in the past!) Numbers at church have not been high; but at least two of the best singers in the congregation have returned from time abroad, so the hymns were sung with more panache. Visually too the worship was enhanced: one of the church members has loaned a beautiful representation of the Last Supper painted on cloth by a Syrian Orthodox woman from eastern Turkey; we’ve hung it as a kind of altar frontal. Its impact affected even our youngest member: 3 year-old Ryan came up to the sanctuary step and gazed at it for some time. (I’ll try to post a photo on Facebook.) And once more, our numbers were increased by seven or eight people who came into the church in the course of the service - and stayed until the end. We hope and pray that this has some lasting effect. (This week, too, there were well over 300 visitors to the church on Saturday.)

As well as leading the Bible Study and Evening Prayer, I’ve also been seeing one of the Iranian asylum-seekers, a lovely man who is wanting to deepen his (relatively new) faith. He is eager to learn, but already knows more of the Bible, and his reason for believing than many long-term Anglicans I have come across! It’s frustrating that most English-speaking countries have closed their borders to refugees; he and his wife would be assets to any country.

Political campaigning is warming up somewhat as the referendum approaches. We had some ‘Vote Yes’ leaflets delivered to the flat; and there are more ‘Vote No’ posters and stickers around in Izmir. From time to time we hear loud music and announcements from a passing car – but I have no idea which side they are on! But so far, all is calm. The result may well be influenced by the fact that Syrian refugees have been given votes – but not the more sceptical Iranians.

For the past couple of weeks, we have visited the Botanical Gardens at Ege University before the Bornova Evening Prayer, and it’s been good to see the visible progress of spring. There are some interesting plants – and a colony of turtles in one pond. But we can’t help noticing the rather neglected state of the gardens, with a lack of notices, some overgrown ponds, barren flower beds and an air of untidiness. Given that these are – according to one web-site ‘the best’ botanical gardens in Turkey – it suggests that there has been some over-relaxed management in the past, though there are signs of improvement over last year. They are worth visiting (if you can find them!)

We managed to get to Ephesus again. Though this was our third visit, we found plenty of new things to see, as well as enjoying the whole experience again. It was good to see more tourists than last year; and it was easier to explore in a temperature less than 35C! There are good information boards around, but they gave no indication of Ephesus’ significance for Christians – apart from the notice at the Church of St Mary, site of the 431 Council of Ephesus. We took a taxi to the House of the Virgin Mary in the hills above – a lovely peaceful place (with explicitly Christian notice-boards), whatever its historical status. There was much more security than last year, with a check point on the way, and armed soldiers at the entrance.

We also managed to visit a modern art gallery on the 18^th floor of a tower block overlooking the bay. The exhibition – of Turkish paintings from the past 120 years – was very interesting; and the views from the windows were outstanding. (I don’t think we’ve ever been in a gallery so high above the ground.) We also met the two young women Jo had taught when they were at school in Exeter many years ago, and went with them and a couple of friends (six of us in the car!) to the Balcova district, where we took the cable-car up to the top of one of the very high hills overlooking Izmir. It was good  to be surrounded by pine forests and peace.

Please pray for:

Holy Week preparations.

Refugees and asylum-seekers, that their cases will be processed soon.

The presidential referendum; security during the last fortnight of campaigning.

Safety for travellers.

Continued health and safety for Jo and me.