Archbishop Edmund’s Visit – Picture Review
June saw the long anticipated visit of the Rt. Revd. Edmund Akanya, Archbishop of Kaduna Province in Nigeria, and his wife Priscilla. Bishop Edmund was invited to the important Alpha Conference and afterwards spent a week in Runnymede, staying with our Lay Chairman Keith Malcouronne and following a varied and interesting programme within the Deanery as well as visiting Diocesan events and Westminster.The Westminster visit was very helpful including a Nigeria Link discussion at the Round Table with people attending nationwide and also from various agencies such as Christian Aid. The Foreign Office team listened intently and appreciated finding different perspectives from what they get on the “official level”, and promised to keep in contact. A meeting will take place with them and the diocesan party going to Nigeria in July. Edmund also had a 30-minute session with Archbishop Rowan, mainly talking about the new Nigerian primate, followed by prayer. Despite this being an informal visit, he was able to make some good contributions. Priscilla had the opportunity to meet up with the local MU at Hythe, and with the Diocesan Spice Link with follow-ups planned for the Diocesan visit to Nigeria, while Edmund saw various key players in Guildford, most notably Derek Holbird of the Education Department on the topic of the Christian Teachers’ Conference with the result that Kebbi was invited to send two teachers to next year’s conference. This is of particular interest as there is no training for teachers with regards to the needs of church schools in Nigeria, so hopefully the delegates will bring back and share useful information. In Runnymede, Edmund and Priscilla engaged with six parishes, preaching and presiding in services at Egham, Virginia Water and Chertsey, visiting MU meetings, CAMEO and schools in Egham Hythe and Ottershaw, and attending Open Synod at Addlestone which was a great opportunity for people from all parishes to meet them and be able to ask questions. The Celebration Service on the Sunday evening in Chertsey was a highlight for all involved with a combined music group and choir made up from various churches. The visit as a whole was described by those involved as “highly successful”. Below are a few photos to give a taster of Edmund and Priscilla’s activities in Runnymede and beyond (top to bottom and left to right): 1-3) Visit at Magna Carta Secondary School in Egham Hythe where they took part in a question and answer session about Nigeria, and Kaduna Province in particular, with year 10 (15 year old) students (photo 1). They then had a tour of the school followed by some time in the school theatre where they watched dance, music and drama, especially enjoying an excerpt from “Bugsy Malone” (photo 2). They also met with senior staff for refreshments (photo 3 with Mrs Ellis, year 10 teacher; Mr Smith, Head Teacher at Magna Carta; and Mrs Carol Peters, our Deanery contact who organised the school visits). 4-5) They then went on to Hythe Primary School where they again had a tour of the school and had lunch with staff and governors, before taking an assembly where some of the students asked questions. Photo 4: welcome board at Hythe School; photo 5: with the head teacher, Mr Duncan Craig, and the clergy of St Paul’s Egham-Hythe, Fr Michael Roper and Revd Sue Loveday. Mrs Peters is now working on a follow up visit to both schools to collect some things to take over to Kebbi and both schools are looking to maintain links with them. 6) Edmund and Priscilla at CAMEO, the “Come And Meet Each Other” coffee morning in Ottershaw (for details of this weekly social event please see the regular events section at the end of this newsletter), where they met the vicar Revd Sandra Faccini and many of the regulars; followed by a Godly Play session and lunch with the children’s leaders at Christ Church. 7) On the steps of Guildford Cathedral during a day of interesting meetings with many representatives of the Diocese. 8) Priscilla with the ladies of the Mother’s Union in St Paul’s Church, Egham-Hythe. 
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