christ church naples · 2020-02-19 · christ church naples established 1685 chaplaincy profile !...

CHRIST CHURCH Naples established 1685

CHAPLAINCY PROFILE

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NAPLES NaplestodayisthethirdlargestcityinItaly,butifyougoback200yearsitwasthethirdmostsignificantcityinthewholeofEuropeandthecentreoftheSpanishempireintheMediterranean.Thephrase“seeNaplesanddie”wascoinedtoexpressthatonceyouhaveexperiencedthedelighFulsightshere,youneeddonothingmore.TodayyoucansGllseethesplendourofthosedays,includingpalacesbuiltinthestyleofVersailles,althoughnowsomeofitiscoveredinaveneerofdecayandchaos.Ashasbeensaid,NaplesislikeabeauGfulwoman,withdirtyfeet.

SiJngontheGulfofNaples,whosebeautyhasdrawnpoets,arGstsandstatesmensinceVirgilandtheEmperorTiberius,thiswonderfulcitysGllboastsmanyaLracGonsforthetouristandresidentalike.Yes,itcanlookfadedanddirty,butitisalsoenergeGc,beauGfulandvibrant.Thereareworld-classGreekandRomansites(includingthefamousPompeiiandHerculaneumruins),theSanCarloTheatrefamousforbothoperaanddance,manystunningpalaces,buildingsandsculptures(includingthemagnificentVeiledChrist),theAmalficoast,theislandsofCapri,IschiaandProcida,fabulousbeachesandcafesliterallyeverywhere.

Thenext-doortown,Pozzuoli,washometoSophiaLorenandhasthe3rdlargest(andbestpreserved)amphitheatreinthewholeofItaly,withtheGladiatorSchoolmadefamousbySpartacusjustafewmilesnorthatCaserta.Within2.5hoursyoucanbeacrossinPuglia,upinRomeor,inthewinter,skiingattheresortofRoccaraso.PlusNapleshasthebestcoffee,pizzaandMozzarellainItaly(andsomewouldsayit’sthebestintheworld)!

AlmostallItaliansarepassionateaboutfootball,andNaplesisnoexcepGon,withseveraltrophieswonbytheteam,includingMaradona,inthe1980s.TheirstadiumiswithinshouGngdistanceofthechurchandyouwillknowwhentheyscoreagoal!

TheclimateisequallyaLracGve,withpleasantMediterraneanwintersandbeauGfulwarmspringandautumnseasons.Whenthehumidityofmidsummerarrives,mostlocalsheadtothebeachorthehillstoescape,leavingNaplesquiettobeexploredbythosewhohavetheenergy.

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CHRIST CHURCH – A DISTINGUISHED HISTORY AcermanyyearsofAnglicanworshipinprivatehomesandintheBriGshLegaGon,in1860Garibaldi,whohadjustdefeatedtheSpanishBourbonking,grantedapieceoflandtotheBriGshcommunityonwhichtobuildachurch.ThisNeo-gothicandverydisGnctlyBriGshchurchwithacapacityof350,wasconsecratedin1865.

ChristChurchservedthelocalEnglish-speakingcommunityunGlWorldWarIIwhenitwasclosedforaperiod.WhentheAlliedForcestookNaples,itwasre-openedasamilitarychapel,andthesidechapelcontainsplaquesandaRollofHonourinmemoryofthemanyyoungmenwhogavetheirlivesintheSalernolandings.SincereverGngtoacivilianchurchithasconGnuedthroughgoodGmesandbad.TheestablishmentoftheNATObasesawanupturninthechurch’sfortunesandithasenjoyedacloserelaGonshipwiththemilitarycommunity,parGcularlytheBriGshandAmerican,eversince.

OUR CHAPLAINCY AsoneofveryfewEnglish-speakingchurchesinthevicinityofNaplesweserveahugevarietyofEnglishspeakersdrawnfromatransientpopulaGonofex-pats,military,studentsandtravellerswhocouldhavebeenherefor40yearsorbespendingjustafewdaysinthecity.

ThebiggestEnglishspeakingcommunitycomesfromtheNATObaseandUSnavalheadquarters.Theformerhasaround120UKmilitarypersonnelplusfamilies(totallingalmost350),thelaLerover5,000peopleplusfamilies,halfofwhomliveonthebaseabout45minutes'drivetothenorthofNaples,withtherestlivingacrossthecity.

AlongsidethisthereisalargeAfricancommunityaswellasSriLankans,northernEuropeansandothers,includingsomestudentsstudyingundertheErasmusprogramme.WewouldparGcularlyliketoextendourministrytomoreoftheAfricanandstudentcommuniGes.

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OUR VISION WebelievethatchurchiswhereweexperienceGod’sloveandlearntolovehimandeachother.Wewanttoexpressthatlovewithgenerositytoeachotherandthecommunityaroundus.AsprobablytheonlychoiceforthosewhowanttoworshipinEnglishincentralNaples,wewanttobeaccessibletoaswidearangeofpeopleaspossible.Wehaveavarietyofservicestylessothateveryonecanenjoyawarmwelcome,somethingforwhichourchurchiswell-known.ChristChurchhasbecomeaspecialplacewherebothyoungandold,conservaGvesandliberals,andpeopleofdifferentnaGonaliGesjointoworshiptheLORD.Wetakethathonourveryseriously,andwanttoexpandittoevenmorepeopleintheNaplesarea.

Ourbeliefsandvaluesarethoseofanevangelicalchurchwithmuchofourworshipinacontemporary

style,balancedwithamoretradiGonalorgan-ledserviceonceamonth.WearegroundedinabeliefintheBibleasourprimaryauthority,adesiretobefilledwiththeHolySpirit,andamissiontobringtheKingdomofGodtothecommuniGestowhichGodcallsus.

THE CONGREGATION WithanaverageweeklyaLendanceofabout40adultsand10children(aged0-13)wevarygreatlyinage,naGonality,denominaGonandbackground.WehaveAnglicans,RomanCatholicsandmanyfromotherdenominaGonsornon-denominaGonalchurches.FormanyEnglishistheirsecondoreventhirdlanguage.Forspecialservices,suchasEaster,ChristmasCandlelitCarolsandRemembrance,werouGnelyhave70,100and250peoplerespecGvely. WithsomanyofourcongregaGoninNaplesforonlyafewyearsweworkhardatfindingpeopletoserveinallthedifferentrolesinthechurchandareocenonlyone“persondeep”!However,oneofthemostobviouswayswe’veseenGod’sprovidenceinacGonisingivingustherightpersonattherightGmetomeetourneeds.Wearemakingaconsiderableefforttobuildteams,andwouldliketoexpandourministrytoincludeaprayerministry,tostartanewchoirandtofurtherdevelopourworshipgroup.WehaverefreshmentsacereveryserviceandocenhalfofthecongregaGonwilleattogetheratalocal(delicious!)restaurantacertheservice.Periodically,wearrangepotlucklunchesinthechurchcourtyardorhall,orfundraisingmealsacerchurch,whichdrawsinmoreofthecommunity.Althoughwearesmall,weenjoyfellowshipwitheachother,andconsiderthisanimportantpartofourcharacter. Thechurchtodayhasanopenevangelicalcharacter,havingmovedoverthelastfewyearsfromamoretradiGonalliberal-catholicstance,althoughbothtradiGonsarevaluedwithinourcongregaGon.

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WORSHIP Withourdesiretobeaccessibletoall,wevaryourworshipincludingbothtradiGonalandcontemporary,liturgicalandinformal.OurSundaymorningservicepaLernisusually:

• 1stSunday-informal,contemporaryallagewithasimpleHolyCommunion;

• 2ndand4thSunday-HolyCommunionwithcontemporaryandtradiGonalmusic,aworshipbandandareducedliturgy;

• 3rdSunday-atradiGonalCommonWorshipCommunionservicewithhymns,ledbytheorgan.

Good,Bible-basedteachingisextremelyimportanttousandwearekeentoseeeverymemberofthebodygrowinginthefruitoftheSpiritandexercisingthegicsoftheSpirit.

ALPHA AND NEW WINE

WehaverunmanyAlphacoursesoverthelastfiveyearsandarekeentoconGnuewiththisoutreach.NowthattheAlphaFilmSeriesvideosareavailableinItalianwehaverunEnglishandItalianlanguagecoursestogether.WehavealsohostedaregionalAlphaItaliatrainingconference.

WehavehadagreatrelaGonshipwithNewWineInternaGonal(hLps://www.new-wine.org/networks/internaGonal),severalmembersofthechurchhavebeentoconferencesinUmbriaandwehaveruntwoweekendsatthechurch.WehavealsohadaweekendwithLocalHousesofPrayer(hLp://www.ffald-y-brenin.org/l-hops).Thesehavebeenwell-receivedandhavebeenapopularwaytoseektodeepenourChrisGanfaith.

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MINISTRIES AND GROUPS OurministriesvaryaspeoplecomeandgobutwehaveprioriGsedChildren’sChurchonSundays(andasummerholidayclub),worshipgroupandmid-weekhome-groups.InthelasttwoyearswehaverunLentgroupsusingRickWarren’s‘PurposeDrivenLife’and‘40DaysofPrayer’courses,whichhavestrengthenedourhome-groupsandwelooktofurtherbuildingonthissuccess.

WewouldlovetogrowandsustainregularBiblestudies,andcreateaPrayerMinistryinthechurch.Ourchoir,whichhasbeenlargeandacGveinthepast,wasrecentlydisbandedasitwasnolongersustainable.Wewouldliketostartanewchoirwithnewmembersandleadershipinthenearfuture.

Naples’posiGonasabusycityinSouthernItalymeanstherearemanypossibleministrieswithpeoplewhoarehomeless,whoareprosGtutesandwhohavearrivedinsouthernItalyasrefugees.CurrentlyweworkwiththeSalvaGonArmytoprovidefoodandclothestothepoorandhomelessofthecity,butwearekeenthat,asourcongregaGongrows,weseektodevelopthisworkwithpeopleinneed,throughsupporGngandco-operaGngwithotherorganisaGonsinthisarea.

THE BRITISH MILITARY TheBriGshmilitarycommunityisbasedattheNATOsiteinLagoPatria,approximately25minutesdriveNorthWestofthecity.TheChristChurchChaplainhashistoricallybeenemployedasthe“OfficiaGngChaplaintotheMilitary”(OCM),workingaboutoneandahalfdaysaweekwiththeBriGshmilitarycommunity.Thisministryincludeswelfareandpastoralcare,takingassemblyintheBriGshForcesprimaryschooleveryweek,runningAlphacourses,leadingaweeklyprayermeeGngaswellasbeingaschoolgovernor.PreviouslyithasalsobeenintheOCMrolethatthechaplainhasorganiseda‘GoFish’children’ssummerholidayclubwiththehelpofateamfromtheUKandChristChurchcommunity.Therearemilitary-focussedservicesheldtocommemorateRemembranceSundayandtheBaLleofBritain.TheOCMispaiddirectlybytheUKMinistryofDefenceinaddiGontothesalarythatChristChurchoffers.ThisrolehasensuredastrongandfruiFullinktothelargeenglishspeakingmilitarycommunityattheNATObaseandwewouldstronglyencouragethenewincumbenttoapplyforthepost.

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FINANCES In2013weformedan'Associazione'whichlegallyrecognisesChristChurchNaplesinItalianlawandthatyearourfinancesmovedfromprecarioustobreakingeven,howevermoreworkneedstobeundertakeninthisarea.In2014wehada€10kdeficit,in2018wealmostbrokeeven,despitethecostofanewsoundsystem,repairstothewindowsand€2konthelights.However,weareveryreliantonafewgenerousdonorswhoareonlyhereforafewyears,soincomewillalwaysvary.Overallourfinancialoutlookisbeginningtoimprove,butwouldsGllconsiderthisasresourcefulandreservedinallregards.

Thepostiscurrentlyofferedaspart-Gme(4daysaweek),withcontribuGonstoItalianNaGonalSecurity(whichcovershealthcareandpensioncontribuGonstotheItaliansystem).TheaspiraGonistoincreasethisto4.5daysaweekoncefinancesallow,whichwouldallowforthe1-1.5daysaweekastheMilitaryOCM(circa€8.5kperannum)andadayofrest,perweek.

BARI WealsovalueourlinkstoasmallbutenthusiasGcmainlyBriGshlong-termresidentcongregaGoninBari(3hours’bus-triptotheeastcoastofItaly)whichmeetsforCommunionandamealinsomeone'shomewhenthechaplainvisits.Thisisusuallyevery4-6weeks.

BUILDINGS Apartfromtheroof,thechurchbuildingisingenerallygoodcondiGon.Wehavejuststartedfund-raisingfor€100ktoreplacetheroofovertheApse,havingrelaGvelyrecentlysucceededinrenewingthesideaisles’roofs.

Otherbuildingsincludethehallandkitchen,thechaplain’sflatandanotherflatcurrentlyinlongtermusebyalongstandingparishioner.InthefuturetheremaybeopportuniGestousethisforinterns,whichcouldgreatlyenhancethechurch’sabilitytogrow.Thehallandkitchenareaveryusefulresource,butareinneedofsomerenovaGon.Thechurchandbuildingsareinregularuseduringtheweek,byanumberofgroups.Theyarealsohiredoutoccasionallyforconcertsandweddings.

BuildingworkisalsoneededtomakethechurchcompliantwithvariousregulaGons(egfireexits,disabledaccessandtoilet).Thechurchcouncilisintheprocessofregisteringtheflats,hallandkitchen,tomeetlocalauthorityregulaGons.

CHIESA EVANGELICA NEAPOLIS OurbuildingsarealsousedregularlybythisItalianlanguageevangelicalchurchwhichwasstartedbyRevMarkandJaneOden,usingourbuildings.MarkandJanehavebeensentbyCrosslinks(hLps://www.crosslinks.org/people-and-places/europe/mark-and-jane-oden/).TheirmainserviceisonSundayeveningsandtheyrunBiblestudiesandayouthgroupduringtheweek.Thisisawonderfulopportunityto‘partnerintheGospel’.

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CHAPLAIN’S

ACCOMMODATION TheChaplain’s accommodaGon is situated in the courtyard behind the church and consists of afirst-floorflatabovetheChurchHall(accessviaanexternalstairway).Therearetwobedrooms,aliving room, kitchen and bathroom, and a balcony. The flat has central heaGng and air-condiGoning;uGlitybillsaremetbychaplaincyfunds.

TheaccommodaGonisrelaGvelysmall, intypicalcentralNeapolitanstyle.Thereareanumberoflocal Italian state schools, includingonenext to the church. Thereare alsoprivate InternaGonalEnglish-speakingschoolsinbothBagnoliandneartheNATOBaseatLagoPatria,(ages4-18)andavarietyofMontessoriNurseries.

Theflat is centrally situated,but secludedand remarkablyquiet inbustlingurban surroundings,just 2-300 yards from a large public park and theMediterranean/Tyrrhenian sea. There are 2supermarkets justacoupleofstreetsawayand it isasafe,popularareaof thetownwithmanycafes, restaurants and small shops. A carwill be giced to the new Chaplain, but ongoing costsotherthantravelexpenseswouldnotbemetbythechaplaincy;parkingisinthechurchgrounds.

Thechaplainhasanoffice inthechurch,equippedwithacomputerandprinter.There isabasicportable heaGng and air condiGoning unit, but it would benefit from a more permanentarrangement,whichwearewillingtoexplorewiththesuccessfulcandidate.

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CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES Therearemanychallengesforboththechurchandthechaplain,someofwhichhavealreadybeenmenGonedabove.ForthechaplainthiscanfeellikeaveryisolatedposiGon,withthenearestAnglicanchurchesinRometotheNorthandPalermotothesouth.ThereishowevertheopportunitytogettoknowUSNavalandotherinternaGonalchaplainsandtoenjoysomefellowshipwiththem.AspartoftheDioceseofEuropeintheAnglicanChurch,thechaplainwillbesupportedbyanareadean,basedinFlorence,andtheArchdeaconofItalyandMalta,andaLendanceannuallyatboththechapterandtheSynod.

TheNeapolitancultureisuniqueandcanbefrustraGngatGmes,althoughitisvibrantandthepeopleareengaging.ItisimportanttogettogripswithItalian(andperhapsalsothesubtlydifferentdialectspokeninNaples).ThedrivinginNaplescanbedifficult–Neapolitansdonotbelieveinfollowingtherules,sothereareveryfewcarsthatdon’twearthescarsofa‘Neapolitankiss’or2!!

CorrupGonlocallyisendemicalthoughthishasnotparGcularlyaffectedthechurch.

Thesizeofthechurchandthetransient,widelyspreadcongregaGonmeanthatthereislessthannormalsupportforthechaplainintheadministraGonandrunningofthechurch.

TherearealsomanyopportuniGes.Thenumberoffamiliesworkingfororwiththemilitarycomingtothechurchhasbeengrowingslowlybut,withahugenumberlivinginNaples,thereisgreatpotenGalforgrowth.AsthechurchhaschangedtoamoreevangelicalcultureithasbeenbeLerplacedtoaLractmoreacGveChrisGansandasmorecometothechurch,theirskillsandspiritualmaturitywillconGnuetohelpenormously.

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TherearelargegroupsofEnglish-speakingpeoplethatweseektodevelopourministryto,includingUniversityandcollegestudentsaswellastherefugeecommunity.WelookforwardtoworkingwiththenewChaplainwhowillleadusintakingtheiniGaGveintheseexciGngnewpotenGalrelaGonshipsinthisbeauGfulNeapolitancommunityweseektoserve.

ForthefuturewehaveavisionunderGodtoseethechurchgrowtowherethecoreministries(worship/music,prayerministry,Children’sChurch,homegroups,Alpha,administraGon)haveenoughpeopletobemoresustainableandconsistent,andbuildingontheveryfriendlyatmospherethatisarealstrengthofChristChurchcurrently.

Wealreadytrytoactresponsiblywithrespecttotheenvironment,includingreducingouruseofplasGcs,recyclingourrubbishandreducingourenergyconsumpGon.Inthe

futuretheremightbemoreopportunitytodevelopfurtherecologicaliniGaGves.

WeofferthejoyandthechallengeofbeingapriestlivinginthisfascinaGngandbeauGfulpartofItalywhereStPaulhimselfwalkedandtheearlychurchgrew,toexperienceanewculture,learnanewlanguageandtotakepartwithusinafulfillingandexciGngministryasournewChaplain.

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Christ Church Anglican Church via San Pasquale Chiaia, 15B

80121 Napoli NA, Italy +39 081 411842

www.christchurchnaples.org

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FUTURE