Persistent Myths

Despite articles in the Bahrain Anglican News and numerous explanations in church, two myths are finding it very hard to lie down and die.

These myths are:

1. That St. Christopher’s Cathedral receives financial support from the UK.

This is not true! We are totally financially self supporting and rely on three sources of income – weekly giving, rents from congregations using our compound facilities, and fund raising.

From this income we must finance everything we do including paying for and housing our priests, the upkeep of our buildings, our giving to charity etc.
Our budgeted income includes a weekly figure of BD750 from freewill giving taken at our services. On average this only reaches BD450 per week. There is therefore a shortfall which must be made up in other ways or use up accumulated capital. This is not a healthy option.

2. That Fr Victor is paid by the Bahrain International Seafarers Society - BISS

That arrangement ceased on January 1st 2006 when Fr Victor became financially supported by a grant from the Mission to Seafarers in London supplemented by support from St. Christopher’s Cathedral. He is now the Seafarers Chaplain at Mina Sulman and Assistant Chaplain at the Cathedral. Again this is a drain on our resources, but a justifiable drain when we consider the important work which he does among the seafarers on our behalf and on behalf of everyone in Bahrain.

Please spread the word about both these important aspects of church funding to ensure an adequate income to keep our church life buoyant and alive.
Alan Hayday