St. Andrew's United Church of Cairo

From Pastor Peter Dear Members and Friends of St. Andrew’s,

Please be advised that our normally scheduled worship service tomorrow (Friday, January 28th) at St. Andrew’s has been canceled. Also, the congregation’s Annual Meeting originally scheduled to follow the service has been postponed until Friday, February 4th at 11am.

Given St. Andrew’s location across the street from the Egyptian High Court, the neighborhood has experienced protesters and demonstrations each day since Tuesday. In some case, these demonstrations have been violent. All St. Andrew’s Refugee Service programming has been canceled during this period and through the weekend. With rumors of more and potentially larger demonstrations planned for tomorrow after noontime services, it is not advisable that members of our community venture into the downtown area. Please take necessary caution during these uncertain times.

Since we will not be holding worship at St. Andrew’s tomorrow, I invite you to pray for our local context. You can pray for an ending of violence and for opportunities for peaceful discourse between the people of Egypt. You can pray for political and religious leaders, who are in the position to exercise prudent and constructive leadership. You can pray for our fellow residents of Cairo, especially our Egyptian as well as refugee neighbors.

I will be in touch with you with updates on our ministry in the coming days.

Sincerely in Christ,

Pastor Peter Johnson

This past week in Cairo has brought cooler-than-normal temperatures, and we have several large families participating in St. Andrew’s programs who are in desperate need of warm clothing and jackets for the winter season.  If you have any gently used items that could be donated, please bring them to church for distribution.

St. Andrew’s Christmas Eve at 6:30pm; No Friday Morning Service on December 24th

All are welcome to join the celebration of Christ’s birth on Friday, December 24th at 6:30 pm.  We will begin our worship together with carols of the church and the formal worship service will begin at 7 pm.  Since Christmas Eve is on a Friday this year, we will not hold our customary Friday morning service.
Fellowship Following Christmas Eve Service

All are welcome to bring their favorite holiday goodies to share as we gather for this special fellowship following our Christmas Eve service.
Christmas Eve Offering for Victim of Human Trafficking

Each year, our Christmas Eve offering supports an important benevolence outside the congregation’s normal scope of ministry.  This year, we look to support a victim of human trafficking named Temitayo Khafayat, who has significant surgical needs because of abuse suffered at the hands of her sponsor.  The realities of human trafficking are worldwide, and we pray that our support of such a case will raise our awareness and commitment to the needy in our community.  If you have any further questions about this particular case, please see Eric Asomugha.

Poinsettias for Christmas Eve

As we decorate our sanctuary for Christmas Eve, you have the opportunity to purchase a poinsettia plant.  Each plant costs 30 LE.  You may indicate to whom the plant has been given in honor or memory.  Please sign up on the clipboard being circulated and speak with Pastor Peter, Intern Pastor Paul or Gloria Omanito if you have questions.

December 19th Sunday Evening Prayer at 6 pm; No Sunday Worship During Christmas Holiday

Join us this Sunday evening for St. Andrew’s Evening Prayer at 6 pm.  The Lessons and Carols Service will be combined with Cairo Christian Fellowship, a congregation that has been worshiping at St. Andrew’s on Sunday evenings for decades.  This will be the final Sunday service until January; our services are scheduled to resume on January 16th.

December 16, 2010

Dear Friends,

“In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered.  This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was Governor of Syria.” (Luke 2:1-2)

Registrations were important in Jesus’ day, as it was a way to keep track of people within ancient Palestine.  During this season, we celebrate the long journey made by Joseph and the expectant Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem to make good on this registration decree.

Our context also links us to another registration occurring in Egypt:  the Sudanese referendum.  Our friends and neighbors from Sudan also are making their way to places of registration, discussing with community leaders the upcoming realities in Sudan, and looking hopefully toward the possible creation of a new African nation.  Fiona Cameron, StARS Program Director for the Children’s Education Program, recently returned from south Sudan.  She shared the great enthusiasm people feel for the possibilities laid before them.  While tremendous hope exists, all Sudanese are cognizant of the conflicted and sometimes violent history of their diverse nation.

Related to the referendum, Intern Pastor Paul and I attended an evening prayer service last night to pray for Sudan.  We prayed for the south.  We prayed for the north.  We prayed for Egypt.  We prayed for political leaders present at the gathering.  We prayed for a peaceful referendum process; no war between peoples.  A common call heard at the prayer meeting was “Sudan for Jesus!”  As Prince of Peace, we prayed that God would bring peace, reconciliation and hope to all the people in Sudan.

Advent is a time of hope.  We hope for the promises of God in Christ to come again:  love, forgiveness, humble service and salvation.  As we join our Sudanese friends in prayer this Advent season, we are reminded squarely of the tangible need for hope in our world.  Come, Lord Jesus, come.  Bring hope and peace to our Sudanese neighbors and our world.

In Christ,

Pastor Peter Johnson

November 11, 2010

Dear Friends,

St. Andrew’s United Church of Cairo again is filled with activities this November.  In addition to our weekly Friday morning and new Sunday evening worship, we also look forward to the upcoming Weekend Wandering, the book sale, and of course, the great bazaar with ethnic good and food for sale.

Specifically, however, I draw your attention to a more dramatic issue.  It is the matter of human trafficking.  It has become part of our recent conversations at St. Andrew’s and it relates to the life of refugees we know well.

This challenging issue serves the purpose of broadening our understanding of the plight of people in Cairo we are called to serve.  What is the plight of people in our context and around the world?  What more do we have to learn about these issues?  What efforts are underway to combat human trafficking?  We will have the chance to learn more about this regional reality from Dr. Ray Jureidini on November 28th as we delve more deeply into this challenging reality.

I am hopeful that it will deepen our commitments to be caring and compassionate people of faith.

In Christ,
Pastor Peter

Dr. Ray Jureidini joins us on Friday, November 26th at 11:45 to discuss the reality of human trafficking.  He is Director of the Center for Migration and Refugee Studies (CMRS) at the American University in Cairo, Egypt.  Dr. Jureidini has previously held the position of associate professor and chair of the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the American University of Beirut and has taught at several Australian universities.

His research interests lie in the fields of industrial sociology (producer cooperatives and industrial restructuring in Australia), economic sociology (life insurance, pension funds, gift relationships and international aid), migration, human rights, racism, and xenophobia.  His current research looks at temporary labor migration and concepts of ‘unfree’ or ‘slavery-like’ migrant labor and human trafficking, with particular focus on female migrant domestic workers in Lebanon and the Middle East.  He currently is involved in a number of research projects including:  child domestic workers in Egypt, remittance investment of Egyptian migrants abroad, livelihoods of Sudanese refugees in Cairo, and trajectories of Somali refugees in the region.

Dear Friends,

It’s been wonderful to be a part of this special community over the last few months as an intern pastor.  After just two months, I already can look back and recall so many joy-filled moments that we’ve shared at St. Andrew’s.  And as I look forward, I anticipate even more opportunities for us to live out our faith in community.  As you will see below, things will be busy over the next few months.  St. Andrew’s will be a place full of activities, which is a real blessing.  In the midst of planning for this busyness, I came across a beautiful quote from St. Augustine which goes, “Our heart is restless until it rests in you.”

Cairo is a loud city, full of noise, lights, and activity.  It can be so easy for us to miss God’s voice in all the noise of life.  To be sure, God is present also in the noise and in the busyness in life.  But unless we stop and listen, it can be so easy to get lost and to forget that we need rest.  I think this is why St. Augustine’s quote struck me, because Christ isn’t just about belief, hope, and forgiveness…Jesus is about finding rest.  Rest for our minds.  Rest for our bodies.  Rest for our souls.

For over 100 years in our current location, St. Andrew’s worship has been a place where people have found rest in God and community.  Starting November 7th, we will be offering a new Sunday evening worship service, which we hope will be another place for those who are weary to find rest through song, prayer, and fellowship.  I pray that through the many activities of the months ahead, St. Andrew’s will continue in this long tradition of providing a place of rest for weary souls.

May each of you find rest in God.

God’s peace,
Intern Pastor Paul Schick

New Weekly Sunday Evening Worship Service at 7 pm
Beginning on November 7th, we will hold a second worship service every Sunday evening at 7 pm.  Begin your work week with a time of meditative singing, prayer, scripture, and reflection.  This service will not duplicate the sermon or liturgy of our Friday morning worship, and so feel free to participate in both services.  Come and be refreshed in the grace and peace of Christ.

If you are a musician, and would are interested in providing accompaniment for this service from time to time, or if you have any other gifts you’d like to share (e.g., songs, prayers, etc.), please contact Intern Pastor Paul or Ian Baxter.

Join Us for St. Andrew’s Cleanup Day, November 27th at 10 am at St. Andrew’s
Our beautiful old Sanctuary and Guild Hall here at St. Andrew’s are beginning to look a little dusty  Help us be good stewards of our buildings by joining us for a day of cleaning.  We will meet on Saturday, November 27th at 10 am.  We’ll provide the cleaning supplies and lunch, you provide the labor!  See you there!

Save the Date!  Christmas Craft and Cuisine Bazaar, Friday December 10th
Join us for a time of food, shopping, and fellowship at the St. Andrew’s Craft and Cuisine Bazaar!  The celebration will begin after worship on Friday, December 10th.  This event will feature the beautiful arts and crafts and delicious ethnic cuisine of the refugee communities in Cairo, so bring a few extra pounds and your appetite.  Come and celebrate, and tell your friends!

Weekend Wandering in Coptic Cairo, December 4th at 10 am
Join us December 4th for our next Weekend Wandering as we explore the ancient Christian history and architecture of Coptic Cairo.  Amir Maher, a student at Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo, will be our expert guide for this time of fellowship and learning.  Further details to come.

Book Sales on November 5th and 12th.  Donate a Book, Buy a Book!
Want to get rid of some books that you’ve already read?  Looking for a good novel to pass the time?  Well, St. Andrew’s Book Sale is the event for you!  We now are accepting donations for a book sale that will be held during fellowship hour on Friday November 5th and 12th.  A free will offering will be available for the benefit of St. Andrew’s ministries.

Dear Friends,

The start of a new class at St. Andrew’s is a good reminder that we are about the ministry of welcoming and assisting new people in their acclimation to Egypt.

Last week nine individuals started our first Arabic language class for foreigners.  Participants will gather several times each week now through December to learn Spoken Arabic of Cairo and Modern Standard Arabic.  Proceeds from this class will go toward our programs assisting refugees who call Egypt their home.  Here because of economic, political, and social upheaval, or war in their home countries, St. Andrew’s Refugee Services (StARS) has been providing refugees support for over thirty years.  Today, StARS offers basic education and legal counseling services to nearly 1,200 people each week.

Also, this weekend is the start of our occasional “Weekend Wanderings”.  This Saturday we will gather to take a tour of old Islamic Cairo and the Khan el Khalili.  It is sure to be a time of learning and fellowship, and I hope you can join us.  For additional details, please see the announcement below.

Thanks again for your support and encouragement of our programs and ministry.  Ma’assalama (go in peace).

In Christ,
Pastor Peter Johnson