In addition to congregations on both sides of the green line in Cyprus, there are 14 congregations located in Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (including Dubai and Abu Dhabi) Yemen, and both sides of the green line in Cyprus.

The Rt. Rev. Sean Semple, Bishop of the Diocese
The Rt. Rev. James Magness, President of the Friends
The Rev. Canon Bill Schwartz, Secretary of the Friends

Stretching from Cyprus to the Arabian Gulf, the diverse ministries of the Diocese serve as an anchor for the immense presence of Christians living in the dominant Muslim societies which border the Arabian Gulf.

Throughout the area, Anglican churches and religious complexes serve as “large tents” for very diverse groups of Christians—ethnically, culturally, and denominationally.

The members are composed of expatriate/migrant workers who make up a large percentage of the labor force in these countries, from doctors and lawyers, professors and teachers, to construction workers, maids, nannies, street sweepers, and oil and gas field workers. They come from all over the world–the US, Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia, most leaving their families in search of better employment.

The Rt. Rev. Sean Semple, newly consecrated Bishop of the diocese, employs the Biblical image of the tent to describe this unique ministry. The shared vision for mission is one of presence, of providing an anchor where Christians of all traditions may come together to shine a bright light of peace in times of unrest and violent conflict. The Diocese sees in the features on our landscape God-given opportunities for ministry and blessings.

On any Friday (the day of prayer in the Middle East) one may worship at a very traditional Anglican Eucharist, in a church sanctuary or in a purpose-built worship room join a fundamentalist congregation singing to guitar or drum music, remove one’s shoes to join an Indian congregation, or worship in Igbo with folks from Nigeria—all occurring simultaneously in different rooms. Some Anglican Complexes host as many as 35,000 people on a worship day.