From Alan and Pam

‘Been there. Seen that. Got the tee shirt.’

So goes the globe trotters’ mantra, treating the way some of us are privileged to travel the world in a rather casual way. It can also refer to the casual way we move from one great experience of life to the next, ticking them off as we go, begging the question ‘What’s next?’

That’s a bit how Pam and I were feeling as we prepared to leave Bahrain after 6½ years at St Christopher’s Cathedral. That time has gone like a flash, in the twinkling of an eye. We move on to only God knows what; the next chapter of our lives. I feel almost as though the last 40 years have been a preparation for what is to come. But what a preparation! Bahrain has been anything but a casual experience, and I have received infinitely more than a mere tee shirt!

We left Bahrain with some heaviness of heart and very mixed feelings leaving the people and the place which has been our home and family who have been so good and generous to us over the last 7 years. We are truly grateful to you all, and feel amply blessed to have been called to minister among you and in the wider diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf.

Over the last few weeks we have often been asked to identify the highlights of our time in Bahrain. The three that came up most frequently in conversation were first the Dhow disaster, then the perceived opportunity for dialogue with people of other faiths particularly the Islamic community and thirdly, our very memorable and effective fund raising events.

These, however, do not feature in my top three! Why?

On the days following the sinking of the dhow, Al Dhana, in 2006 and the reality and pain of what had happened permeated the whole community I/we did what I hope any church community would do in such circumstances and do it effectively, with love, patience and care.

Secondly, I have been involved in limited dialogue with local Muslims but there has been little enthusiasm for it and my experience is that Muslims I have met are very ready to talk endlessly and proudly about their faith but reluctant to listen to the other side. Many Muslims seem very comforted that Islam and Christianity have a common link through Jesus, but they are reluctant to engage with the notion that that may not be how Christians see it.

Thirdly, the main cathedral fund raising events, the Dinner Dances, Fetes, Carnival, Auction and Wheelathon are probably the most professionally organised and financially rewarding church social and fund raising events I have ever experienced. They witnessed to the wider community that the church can be extraordinarily effective in raising money to help the poor and needy and at the same time have some good clean fun. But they sap the energy of the few who expend vast amounts of and expectations of the expat community change and such events have a limited life.

For me the three most significant things I take with me from Bahrain are all to do with the worshipping life of the faith community at the Cathedral and the Awali Anglican congregation.

First, is the openness of all the four congregations to think and worship in new ways, innovatively. This applies particularly to music. 6½ years ago I decided not to go the way of having a traditional church choir. At which service would we have the choir? People come and go so quickly in Bahrain so how can we sustain it week by week? I love choirs and I have been known to play the organ, so music and singing are very dear to me. In the Book of Revelation, the last book in the Bible, in the great vision of heaven there seems to be much choral singing in praise and adoration of Almighty God but there are no choirs as we know them or choir masters. It seems to me that EVERYONE is in the heavenly choir, even those who claim they cannot sing. The Bahrain Anglican congregations have proved my hunch to be right and I am confident there is a lesson for many other church congregations to learn from that.

Secondly, the Friday and Saturday congregations have proved that it is possible for the whole church, children and young people included, to worship together. Recently the Children’s Church has been set up and sustained in such a way that children do not feel excluded from the life of the whole congregation. For the majority of modern children, church is an alien environment, partly perhaps because there is the perceived notion that children are not really welcome at worship. They are tolerated and very often patronized. Also, the presence of children in church these days is dependent on adults taking them there. No self respecting parent takes a child anywhere when they all feel uncomfortable, embarrassed and more often than not excluded. I am well aware that many adults came with their children to our services once but didn’t return for their own very good reasons. However, I feel that together we achieved something good for God that others can use, and our children and young people have grown in their faith and our families are stronger too.

Thirdly and most crucially for us as Christians has been the openness and willingness to explore our understanding of God as revealed in Jesus. The Christian faith is too often seen as archaic and outdated. My starting point has always been to explore where we all fit into God’s big picture of today’s world, and to try to see where the creator, sustainer and saviour of all is dynamically active in our lives. Scripture is our starting point. Our traditions drive us forward and our reason helps us grapple with our understanding of God in the here and now even when that makes us feel uncomfortable. Over the last 6½ years we have grappled with our faith in God together in exciting and sometimes very humorous ways and regularly glimpsed his glory in our midst.

I am deeply grateful to all who have been faithful in this process over our time in Bahrain and allowed me to grow in my own faith as I have tried to encourage you in yours.

Even though I have retired from full time stipendiary ministry I will continue to be available to you as a priest and I hope as a friend. Do not hesitate to contact me by email or phone when ever you have the need, or call in to see us in ‘darkest’ Lincolnshire if you happen to be passing.

We will remain in His service and at yours.

Alan & Pam Hayday