Dear Friends,

After some violent confrontations in downtown Cairo, all seems to be mostly quiet again although underlying tensions continue and strikes and acts of civil disobedience are planned for Saturday.

This Friday we have Janice Gray’s piano recital in aid of StARS, it should be a very enjoyable afternoon and hopefully again raise a large amount of money.  These difficult times in Cairo are even more challenging for refugees who, already poor in a strange country, have no resources to fall back on or ability to leave if things deteriorate.

Still, in general life continues remarkably normally: we will again have a joint Ash Wednesday service with All Saints Cathedral on 22nd February, and we are planning a short retreat in Anafora over the Easter weekend.  At this week’s skype prayer meeting we were joined by Nancy Schlieve from Wisconsin, Thomas Johnson from California, and Frank Otega and Sally Michael from Cairo, as well as regular skypers from Cairo and elsewhere.

Please keep praying for the situation here in Egypt: one day there is good news, the next bad.  We need to trust in God as we remain in this transitional situation and we still hope that in the end all the upheaval will result in a better, fairer country.

Have a good week,

God bless,

Iain

Piano Recital

Janice Grey will give a piano recital this Friday at 2 pm in aid of StARS.  Be there if you can!
Skype Prayer Meeting

We will have another skype prayer meeting on Tuesday at 7pm.  Add “iainbaxter” as a skype contact to join in.
Ash Wednesday Service

22nd February – Details to follow

Anafora Retreat

We are planning a Retreat to Anafora on Good Friday (6th April), returning on Saturday evening.  Cost will be LE50-100.  Please sign up if you are interested.

This Week’s Readings

• • First reading
    • 2 Kings 5:1-14
  • Psalm
    • Psalm 30
  • Second reading
    • 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
  • Gospel
    • Mark 1:40-45