ONE of the region’s leading Christian ministers, known as ‘Father Bill’ in Bahrain and the Dean of St Christopher’s Cathedral, will be flying off into retirement in the US on Saturday after spending most of his life caring for congregations in the Middle East and spreading a message of goodwill to all.
He continued to be Archdeacon in the Gulf, a much-valued colleague and friend of The Right Rev’d Michael Lewis, Bishop of the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf, and when he arrived in the kingdom in April 2019, he could not have envisioned that his crisis management skills would be brought to the fore in such extraordinary circumstances.
“I could not have imagined Covid-19, of course,” he admitted. “The short time I had in Bahrain has been certainly greatly coloured by all the effects of the pandemic. In some ways I imagine that Covid-19 will be an overshadowing factor of the memory of my tenure here.”
It proved a monumental challenge, dealing with the heartache caused by the death of parishioners who perished as a result of catching the virus, an acute lack of space in an overcrowded cemetery, alongside coping with the restrictions on services resulting in a severe lack of income from hall hiring, alongside empty collection plates.
“In many ways, any pastor’s presence in a community is largely defined by how he or she relates to people in times of distress,” said Father Bill, 70.
“For most people, their only contact with the church is either a time of distress – grief in different forms, personal and family problems, and a major change in life – or great joy such as marriage, birth, confirmations and Christmas.
“For regular church members these same life events still form a large part of interaction with their pastor, but the sense of community and the community’s rhythms of life are also a big part of how any pastor interacts with people.
“The fact that everything about the rhythms of life changed during Covid-19 dictated a great need for all of us to be creative and resilient, caring and patient. For instance, I knew that in my position it was essential that I should be among the first to get vaccinated as an example and model for others in the community.
“Even now, managing the St Christopher’s compound for benefitting the great numbers of people who use our spaces for worship continues to be a challenge to maintain responsible policies and care for all.
“I’m quite proud that the cathedral remained open for prayer all through, although during the worst of the crisis with limitation of up to five people in the building at any given time.
“Many individuals, however, stopped to pray all during the day, every day, even when we were not open for group prayer.”
Father Bill tried to continue reaching out to his flock in the same manner as many others did for work and play during the pandemic … with the assistance of online meetings.
“We at St Christopher’s continued prayers online when we were not able to meet in person – which is a poor substitute for the reality of engaging each other in the work God has given us to do,” he added.
“Spreading the word of the Lord actually focuses only on the informational aspect of what the Gospel is about. Jesus taught by what he did much more than by what he said – and we, as his followers, must do the same. God’s good news is experienced in relationship which, of course, includes an informational component, but it can only exist properly within the experience of a community working out the ups and downs of life together in God’s grace and leadership.
“With that in mind, Zoom prayers were a way to maintain a relationship and community and facilitate both in between opportunities for personal encounter in very limited ways.
“Throughout the whole Covid ‘season’ our Zoom connection allowed us to continue to relate to each other as a family and community.”
The calls to cut your coat according to your cloth were echoing around the cathedral too but Father Bill would not be pressured into sacking, or cutting the salaries of his small team, as many businesses were forced to do during the crisis.
“I have long advocated a principle that ‘what we can afford’ is a disastrous way to plan – for a family and for a church,” he explained. “The real criteria is ‘what is more important?’
“Not everyone agrees, of course, but I find that all families find ways to prioritise for the things that are most important for them, no matter how limited their income.
On one level, I ask families how important the church is to them and, as a church family, I ask them how important it is to take care of our church family members?
“On a completely different focus, very few people have any idea of how much work goes on around the cathedral compound in cleaning, maintenance, assisting the different people who show up looking for help on any given day.
“Even though those dynamics changed when the compound was closed for group prayer, the point is that they changed rather than stopped.
“People still came to the compound every day for many different reasons and we still needed the staff to keep things going.”
The team comprises of an administrator, book-keeper, three custodians/cleaners/helpers and the caretaker of the cemetery.
On reflection, perhaps, his biggest achievements during his three-year spell were keeping the home fires burning and receiving official approval for a much-needed new cemetery space, accreditation he is happy to share.
“Both ‘keeping the place running’ and approval for the new cemetery are intrinsically follow-up of good work that pre-existed my time in Bahrain,” he modestly said. “I was fortunate to be in place at the time these things came to reality.”
He has already set the ball rolling on fundraising initiatives to cover the cost of essential ground work needed to make the cemetery operational.
Located in Salmabad, the land measuring 4,526sqm, donated by the government, will provide space for more than 600 burial plots and likely serve the community for around a decade.
“There are still some variables to work out, but we are looking at a minimum of BD160,000,” revealed Father Bill. “That could change significantly if deals can be worked out in respect to massive amounts of soil needed for backfill and raising the elevation of the land to the required road level.
“I’m encouraged with the responses of the different Christian church communities. I’m disappointed that other groupings of civil society have not indicated any awareness of how important the new cemetery will be for institutions who employ people of Christian background.
“People generally aren’t interested in the need for a cemetery until they personally need one – and they expect the cemetery to be available and well-kept when they need it.
“We will not be able to commence the necessary construction of the cemetery wall until more funds are raised. Anyone visiting the current cemetery will clearly see that there is a need to start using the new cemetery as soon as possible.”
The new incumbent will hopefully be able to reach out far easier now that Covid-19 restrictions have been eased when it comes to organising fund-raising events and igniting the corporate world to support the cause.
Father Bill’s regrets are few, understandable and pandemic-related too. “I have very much enjoyed living in Bahrain and my interactions with Bahrainis,” he said. “Clearly, Bahrainis embrace the foreigners among them much more openly and warmly than in the other GCC countries.
“Unfortunately, I did not get much opportunity to develop depth of relationship with individual Bahrainis due to the Covid-19 restrictions on social interactions during my time here; I sincerely wish that had been different.”
Father Bill will continue battling away trying to win over hearts and minds to the cemetery cause until the moment he steps on the tarmac at Bahrain International Airport.
He’s faced far tougher challenges in a region he feels blessed to have called home for decades. So how did a young man born in 1952 in Omaha, Nebraska, fall in love with the Middle East?
It all started when he went to Egypt in the autumn of 1972 for a ‘study abroad’ term and simply enjoyed it thoroughly.
“It was all so different, invigorating and challenging,” he said. “I had an immediate respect for Islam, while at the same time finding that the contrast of living as a Christian in an Islamic culture where religious identity is part of everything – as opposed to the secular culture of the United States – affirmed my desire to make my own Christian convictions real in my daily life, not just when I was ‘in’ church.
“It happened that the university offered me the position of running the study abroad programme for the ’73-’74 academic year. Experiencing the 1973 war between Egypt and Syria and Israel really challenged my inherited biases about ‘the Middle East’ crisis. After that one job followed another. It’s been a wonderful life.”
It’s also been a life with a mission to enlighten the many Christians who only know Islam from tragic headlines and inappropriate stereotypes.
His highly-acclaimed book Islam: A Christian Understanding (originally titled Islam: A religion, A Culture, A Society) is considered a ‘must read’ particularly for newly-arrived servicemen based with the US Navy in Juffair and expat businessmen settling into the region.
“After studying Islam while I was in Egypt, I have continually read and engaged with Muslims to try and understand Islam as Muslims understand being a Muslim,” he explained. “Of course, in that process I became more aware of the cultural filters we all engage in comprehending something new and strange.
“For years I have found myself explaining the difference between Christianity and Islam to people in my parishes and at conferences. I’m particularly motivated to encourage interfaith understanding because of all of this.”
Father Bill certainly does not lack experience, having held positions in Saudi Arabia with an oil giant during particularly challenging times and helping to establish the first Christian church in Qatar … political hotspots by any measure.
“Every country has its own particularities,” he said when he first arrived in the kingdom. Bahrain was his sixth country of residence.
“It happens that the years we lived in Saudi Arabia were difficult for everyone, including the Saudi citizens, because of the eruption of terrorism in the country at that time. Expats and Saudis alike suffered,” he recalled.
His role as a morale officer for oil giant Aramco meant that he was in touch with many who were affected; victims, survivors and relatives.
Father Bill was made an honorary Officer of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 2006 to recognise his work in the region.
“The OBE was awarded in recognition of ‘services to the community’. When I received the call I was very surprised indeed, especially as I am not British,” he said. “At the time and until today I am deeply honoured that Her Majesty extended this honour to me.”
The Bishop flew into Bahrain to lead the formal celebration of his installation at St Christopher’s Cathedral and returned to the kingdom to join in a special retirement party a few weeks back in honour of Father Bill at the Bapco Club in Awali.
The bishop was keen for his man to continue as Archdeacon in the Gulf ‘discharging his wider responsibilities and bringing to bear his wisdom and unrivalled experience in the region’ from Bahrain.
“The two main reasons that dinner was scheduled when the bishop was visiting were firstly, that the bishop was with us, and secondly, we didn’t want to distract from Holy Week and Easter services by trying to incorporate a farewell into these very important church commemorations just before my departure,” Father Bill said.
“I have indeed enjoyed ‘come for dinner before you go away’ opportunities, celebrating wonderful friendships from my time here in Bahrain.”
Soon he’ll be enjoying some home cooking. Father Bill is married to Edie and they have four children and three granddaughters and a grandson on the way.
“Edie and I were engaged in Egypt in early 1976 and we travelled to the States for our wedding that summer so our larger families could join us,” he said.
“We have four children – two boys and two girls – all born in Cyprus. The youngest is 37 and the oldest is 44.
“It’s been a gradual transition for the whole family to migrate to living in the USA; the last of our children moved there about eight years ago.
“Edie moved there two years ago. I’m counting on all of them to help me with the inevitable reverse-culture-shock process – and I think they are all looking forward to teaching the old man a few things. I’m looking forward to reading stories to my grandchildren and being with them as they grow up.
“Edie certainly has a long list of DIY and ‘honey do’ chores, but, thankfully, we’ve agreed that we will be patient about completion dates!
“All of the family very much agreed that the most important thing we want to do together is connect in all the ways we have missed over the past few years.
“I have lived outside the States since September of 1972. Of course, we’ve visited, but I’m conscious that I have a lot to learn about living there permanently.
“As everywhere else, the country and society has changed immensely over the past 50 years. I’m trying to avoid specific expectations, knowing full well that whatever specifics I expect will be different from reality.
“We will settle in San Diego where the climate is similar to the places we’ve lived over the years, and where most of our children are nearby.”
As well as the workload, he’ll be shedding his official title of The Very Reverend and Venerable too.
“Both titles are specific to positions,” he explained. “Very Revd is the title of any dean of a cathedral – and Venerable is the title of an archdeacon. I’ll not carry those titles anymore because I won’t be serving the church in those roles.
“My official title will be The Revd Canon Dr Bill Schwartz, OBE. To be clear, a priest doesn’t retire from being a priest so the Reverend title remains.
“I have been honoured to be appointed a canon of St Christopher’s Cathedral since 2006, but haven’t used that title while Dean. Of course, academic titles aren’t connected to positions in the church and so will not be affected by my retirement from church roles.
“And, I will always treasure Her Majesty’s appointment as an honorary Officer of the British Empire. So I ‘get’ to keep those titles. But in daily conversation within the church community I always have been and will continue to be ‘Father Bill’.
“Outside of the church context I have always been ‘Bill’. Titles are for business cards, correspondence and introductions to speeches!”
Father Bill first spent time looking after the St Christopher’s community when the dean at the time, The Very Reverend Chris Butt, was on sabbatical.
Now he’ll be welcoming the very same man back. “Revd Canon Chris Butt is indeed coming to take care of the cathedral congregation as the first ‘locum’ priest between my departure and the appointment of the new dean,” Father Bill said. “He’ll be with us for two months, and another priest is scheduled to be here for the following two months.
“I’m delighted with this arrangement for lots of reasons. I am certain that Chris’s presence and warm personality will help restore what has been missing because of Covid as the congregation slowly rebuilds and considers how the future will develop.
“There is an intention that a new dean will be on site in September, but it may take more time.”
As for a farewell speech, he’ll keep to script.
“I wouldn’t say anything different in departure than I’ve been saying for the three years I’ve been here,” he added. “I would encourage the faithful to live into the fullness of God’s purpose in their lives as individuals AND live into the fullness of God’s purpose as a community, bearing in mind that everything we do now must involve intentional thinking and living into the legacy we leave for those who come after us.”
And there’s plenty of life in this old dog-collar too. “Life is an adventure. The adventure continues,” he added.
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