Mission Partner - Michael Grace
Diocese of Colombo in Sri Lanka
October 2008
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Michael Grace (2009) |
Latest News from Michael:
Please note that Michael Grace returned to England on Good Friday to recuperate from growing health problems whilst in Sri Lanka. At the moment his return is uncertain and our prayers and best wishes are with both Michael and those at St. Thomas's College in Gurutalawa and the Diocese of Colombo in Sri Lanka at this difficult time. I will continue to post pictures that were taken in Sri Lanka and any update reports from Michael (PG)
| No. | Dates covered (click to download pdf) | |
| Last Report | ||
| 08 | 1st - 20th March, 2009 | |
| 07 | 1st-28th February, 2009 | |
| 06 | 1st-31st January, 2009 | |
| 04-05 | 1st - 31st December, 2008 (plus 1st January 2009) (This update combines reports 4-5) | |
| 01-03 | 17th - 30th November, 2008 (This update combines reports 1- 3 | |
| Pictures from Michael Grace | |||
| St. Thomas's College Views | click here | Road Race 2009 | click here |
| St. Francis Chapel | click here | College Rugby Team | click here |
| Sports Day | click here | College Volley Ball Team | click here |
| College Hike 1 | click here | College Cricket Team | click here |
| Classrooms | click here | College Basketball Team | click here |
| College Life | click here | ||
| The Dormitories for the Juniors | click here | Colombo Cathedral | click here |
| The College Band | click here | Cathedral Carol Service 15/12/08 | click here |
| Chapel High Mass | click here | Cathedral Retired Clergy | click here |
| Keble College | click here | ||
| Keble College (more) | click here | Christmas 2008 at Gurutalawa | click here |
| College Hike 2 | click here | ||
| Assembly | click here | ||
My contact with Michael started back in September 2006 when John Hawkins and I
followed up a website enquiry from Michael as the whereabouts of the grave of
Walter Farrar, vicar of St. John's Church, Bognor 1915-1916. Michael was writing
a book on the Diocese of West Indies and we were able to provide pictures of the
grave we discovered in the Hawthorn Rd. Cemetery, Bognor Regis. This triggered a
great deal of research into Walter Farrar (and all our other past vicars and
perpetual curates!) and the page http://www.wilfrid.com/people/walter_farrar.htm is
now one
of the most heavily visited on our church website. My contact
with Michael has continued and recently he advised me of his new project to go
to the
Diocese of Colombo in Sri Lanka on a two year assignment and kindly offered St.
Wilfrid's Church the opportunity to become a Mission partner which we have been
delighted to accept.
Michael's aims are to support the Anglican Church in the third world in
missionary and in lay ministry and volunteer teaching. He would like to help the
Church in the poorer and troubled parts where finance is poor for regular
support. He would also like to complete his catalogue on the history of the past
clergy of the Anglican church in the West Indies and to be able to support the
Church where help is needed but have difficulties of finding staff because of
finance problems.
Michael is now remembered
each week in our prayers at St. Wilfrid's and we look forward to his
periodic reports on his work and the life of the College life and Ministry which
started in November 2008 and which we publish on this web
page. PG 24th October, 2008
From Michael Grace I
was invited by the Bishop of Colombo and Headmaster of St. Thomas’
College, Gurutalawa, to serve and support the College of St. Thomas’.
The Bishop of Colombo had decided to appoint me as Lay Chaplain to the College
under the Headmaster (who is also senior Chaplain); my responsibilities included taking some of the services and helping out with other services at the
College Chapel dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi. I was also responsible of
the organising of liturgical services, helping with pastoral care to both tutors
and students in the College and the running of the Chapel organisations. I
also helped to take Bible classes and assisting at some other lessons.
My other duties included getting involved with other College organisations and
activities and some College Committees. I
arrived in Colombo in November 2008 and was the guest of the Bishop until
January; I also met the
Archdeacon who discussed with me and the Bishop other ministry work in the
diocese where I was asked to help out support some services.
During my time in Colombo the
Bishop and Archdeacon gave me permission to minister when needed at other
Churches.
THE COLLEGE
The College is proud to have produced many who have reached the highest levels
in their chosen fields. In the past 62 years after it was founded in 1946, the
College has produced Scholars, Civil Servants, Administrators, Business men of
high repute, Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers, Bishops and even Ministers of the Sri
Lankan and overseas Governments, including Prime Ministers and Presidents for
various countries. The College is also very well known for its sporting
activities, especially for its Cricket, where many trophies have been won and
where the College team have produced in the past and at present Cricketers who
play for the well known Sri Lanka Cricket team.
The education at the College is famous for its qualitative and comprehensive
educations that prepare students not just for Universities throughout the world,
which include students for Cambridge and Oxford or for a lucrative career, but
also for life, the College is the leading centre of education in Sri Lanka and
is well known world wide, it is a proud moment for any student to be accepted at
St. Thomas’.
Even so this is an Anglican College, one of the most striking features of the
students’ life at St. Thomas’ is the Multi ethnic, multi religious and multi
national environment, in which the students grow up, understanding each others,
culture and faiths. Strict discipline is also well kept at the College, and no
bad behaviour, bad manners, or bad dress or racism is tolerated. Each student is
taught to wash and iron their own uniforms and other clothing which is inspected
every day.
Sundays are observed for Chapel, Prayer, quietness or walking or sensible
activities, which are fit for Holy Day (The College is a Anglican Church
College). All students and staff take Sunday very seriously as Holy Day.
Because I am a volunteer assistant of the staff and based at the College, my
accommodation and meals are free, including some local travel, however for the
first two years I will be a volunteer, paid no wages, therefore have to support
myself for any extras and so will have to pay for any other basic costs myself,
so my own personal savings and sponsors from generous people and organisations
which have been given will keep me going for the first two years, on a minimum
finance, after the two years it will be discussed by the bishop and myself where
the my future will be. I
will, as requested and of my own interest, be writing a monthly report of my
work and the life of the College life and Ministry which I will be involved
with. So if anyone is interested, whether as a group, or individual in receiving
a copy of the monthly report, I will gladly send a copy by email, but I will
only be able to send attachments by ‘Microsoft Words’ so you will probably not
be able to pick the attachments up if you do not have this programme on your
computer, unless you know how to change incoming attachments from ‘Microsoft
Words’ to another programme. Please do get in contact with me with your email
address if you wish to have a monthly report or would just like to stay in
contact. I
will at least write one newsletter each month to my Church for the congregation,
but if you would like to as a individual keep in touch and write to me, please
do so.
My address where I will based for anyone who wishes to write will be (as from 10
November) any other letters before them asking for information to be sent to the
address in York as above.
The Chaplains Quarters
The website for the College is More details about Michael:
Forward by Peter Green, Webmaster
The
College of St. Thomas is a Boarding College, with some day scholars, consisting
of both girls and boys between the age of 8 - 19. Until recently it was only a
boys College.
Access by computer is not easy in Sri Lanka, the country are still behind in
many things and is in the third world category, so please bare with me if I am
slow at replying.
St. Thomas’ College
Gurutalawa
Sri Lanka
Email:
Please Remember me your prayers during this challenging project.
All your support for me in prayers would be much appreciated.
www.stcguru.com
EDUCATION
Barlby Bridge
Primary School, Selby, North Yorkshire.
1968-1972.
Archbishop of York’s Junior School, Bishopthorpe, York, North Yorkshire,
England. 1972-1974.
Tadcaster Grammar School, North Yorkshire, England.
1974-1979.
York Technical College, York, North Yorkshire, England.
1981.
Weymouth Technical College, Dorset, England.
1981-1983.
York Technical College, York, North Yorkshire, England.
1991 - 1993.
St. John’s University, York, North Yorkshire, England.
(was known as The University College of Ripon and York St. John - Leeds
University)
1995-1999.
QUALIFICATIONS:
GCSE Environmental Studies with History. 1979.
GCSE Mixed Science. 1979.
GCSE English Literature/Language. 1979.
GCSE Religious Education. 1979.
GCSE Physical Education. 1979.
GCSE Building/Structural Studies. 1979.
GCSE Art and Design. 1979.
CITB (Construction Industrial Training Board) 1981.
CGLE (City and Guilds London Institute) in Stonemasonry. 1982.
Architectural Stone Carving for SDTC. 1982.
Ad.CGLE (Advance City and Guilds Institute) in Stonemasonry. 1984.
BTEC Building Construction and Technology. 1993.
Cert.CS. (Christian Studies) 1997.
Dip.Th. (First part) in Theology and Ministry. 1999.
Cert for the Diocese of York Council of Ministry in Theology, Pastoral Care,
Worship and Eucharistic Ministries, by the Archbishop of York. 1999.
(Bereavement Care Training for St. Leonard’s Hospice) 2001
Health and Safety Certificate. 2003.
Basic First Aid Certificate. 2003.
Enhanced Disclosure Certificate for the Diocese of York. 2007.
ORGANISATIONS:
Noviced into the TSSF Franciscans, 1996.
Member of the CMS. 1998.
Committee for the Bishopthorpe Social Club. 1998 - 1999.
PCC. for Bishopthorpe Church. 1998 - 1999 and 2007.
Member of the Ainsty Deanery Synod. 1998 - 1999.
Professed into the TSSF Franciscans, 1999.
Convenor for TSSF Franciscans, York Area. 1999 - 2003.
Fellowship of St. Leonard’s Hospice, York. 1999.
Committee and Chairman for the St. Andrew’s Trust (trust
for the restoration of the old Church ruins in the village not
the Church), 2001 - 2005.
Licence by the Bishop of Selby to administer in the Parish of Bishopthorpe.
2006.
Committee for the Bishopthorpe Church Maintenance and Fabric. 2007.
Committee for Overseas Missionary Work. 2007.
ECC. for Bishopthorpe Church Ecumenical. 2007.
Fellowship of SSJE (Society for the Order of St. John the Evangelist) 2007.
Com. SSF Franciscans. 2007.
Lay Chaplain to St. Thomas' College, Gurutalawa, Sri Lanka. 2008-
Assistant Teacher to St. Thomas' College, Gurutalawa, Sri Lanka. 2008-
Licensed to Minister by the Bishop of Colombo in the diocese of Colombo, Sri
Lanka 2008 -
HOBBIES AND INTERESTS:
Theology and Ethics.
Reading.
English History.
Historic Buildings.
Architecture.
Cathedrals and their history.
The study of The Oxford Movement.
History of Bishopthorpe and its Church.
The History of the Caribbean Islands.
PUBLICATIONS
The History of Bishopthorpe Church. 1979.
(Published)
The History of the Three Churches of Bishopthorpe. 1990. (Printed Privately)
The History of The Church Bells of Bishopthorpe Church 1990. (Printed Privately)
Catalogue of the Anglican Archbishops and Bishops of the Northern Province of
the Church in England. 1990. (Printed for Reference Purposes)
At present Michael is trying to complete a catalogue and biography of the past Bishops, Deans and Archdeacons of the Anglican Church in the West Indies. (Which is printed part by part when complete for reference purposes)
