About me – including a photo
Me © Sybille Yates
I’ve been an Anglican clergyman for more than twenty years since my ordination in July 1989. In September 2008, after over 15 years of being Rector of ten Churches in North Oxfordshire, I moved to Prague to become Chaplain to the English-speaking Anglican Episcopal congregation here in the Czech Republic. This blog is my attempt to reflect on ministering to English-speakers from a variety of backgrounds and countries, and living as an ex-pat myself in this fascinating city and country.
Michael says:
Hi Father Yates,
Just curious as to your situation in Czech. Did your bishop move you out there or did you volunteer…is this an official church posting? I spent 21 years with the US Army Chaplain’s Corps (thus my interest in how you ended up in Czech)…I spent seven years in Germany…married to a wonderful Czech woman.
December 17, 2011, 7:13 amRicky says:
Hi Michael – My congregation is part of the 44th diocese of the Church of England, the Diocese of Gibraltar in Europe. In the Church of England, no one gets moved by the bishop. Nearly all vacancies are advertised in the Church press and priests apply for them in a similar manner to a secular job vacancy. Obviously the bishop is involved in the appointment process and in the case of my current post, the bishop actively encouraged me to apply for it after I was short-listed but not appointed to another post elsewhere in his diocese.
Btw – I am ‘in the Czech Republic’ and not ‘in Czech’, just as I presume you are now in ‘the United States’ and not ‘in States’. Czech people who can speak English frequently say ‘in Czech’ in part because there is no definite article in the Czech language. Did you get the habit from your Czech wife?
December 17, 2011, 10:11 amChris from Gibraltar Recruitment Agency says:
Hi Ricky,
I live in Gibraltar, I had no idea the diocese stretched to include the Czech Republic. Is the 44th diocese an “offshore” diocese of the Anglican church? Is that why Gibraltar is its “head quarters” ? I only ask as this is fascinating to me.
Regards,
Chris
January 18, 2012, 2:53 pmRicky says:
Chris – The Diocese of Gibraltar in Europe, usually shortened to ‘Diocese in Europe’, is the 44th diocese of the Church of England. It covers the whole of continental Europe, together with Morocco, Turkey, all the former Soviet Union in Asia & Mongolia. Within that area, (one sixth of the world’s land surface!), there are over 300 English-speaking congregations. For historic reasons, the Cathedral is in Gibraltar with pro-Cathedrals in Malta & Brussels. However, the Diocesan Office is in London & the Diocesan Bishop lives in Worth, near Crawley in order to be only 10 minutes drive from Gatwick Airport. See http://europe.anglican.org/homepage/
January 18, 2012, 6:45 pmRicky Yates » Blog Archive » Happy third birthday to my blog! says:
[...] aim will still be that as outlined in ‘About me – including a photo’. That is, to reflect on ministering here in Prague, to English-speakers from a variety of [...]
February 4, 2012, 11:26 pm