Our Rector/Minister, 
Rev. Canon Paul-Gordon Chandler   

Our Rector/Minister is Rev. Paul-Gordon Chandler, who joined us in the summer of 2003, and is serving in Egypt with The Episcopal Church/USA. He is also a Canon of All Saints’ Cathedral, in Cairo, Egypt.

Paul-Gordon, an American, spent the first eighteen years of his life in French-speaking West Africa, in Dakar, Senegal, a Muslim-majority country. He studied at Wheaton College where he majored in Biblical/Theological Studies and at Chichester Theological College (a Church of England seminary) in the U.K.

Before moving to Egypt he served as the President/CEO of Partners International (PI), an international and ecumenical non-profit that exists to assist and empower indigenous faith-based non-governmental organizations in over 70 countries in the Two Thirds World.  Immediately prior to serving with PI, he was the U.S. Chief Executive Officer of International Bible Society (IBS), a faith-based non-profit involved in publishing, distributing and translating the Scriptures in over 500 languages, and the sponsor of the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible, the best-selling English translation worldwide.  

Prior to that he worked with the Anglican Church. From 1993-1995 he served in Tunisia, North Africa, as the Rector of St. George's Anglican Church in Tunis/Carthage. Then from 1995-1997, he served as the Director of SPCK Worldwide in London, England, a Church of England organization involved in publishing and communications in the U.K. and throughout the Two-Thirds World. Before taking up roles with the Anglican Church, he worked with the International Bible Society as Director of International Programs and served for several years directing translation, publishing and distribution projects throughout the world, in over 100 countries.

Associate Minister of Youth, Young Adults & Education
Rev. Ben Robinson

Rev. Ben Robinson leads the youth ministry, oversees the Christian Education programs, works with college students and young adults, and assist in leading and preaching at St. John’s worship services. In addition to his duties at St. John’s, Ben coaches Cross Country at Cairo American College.

While attending High School in Spokane, Washington, USA, Ben became actively involved in youth ministry. He continued to work with the Jr. and Sr. High Youth Groups at Whitworth Community Presbyterian Church while attending Whitworth University where he received a B.A. in Religion. Ben was heavily influenced by his experiences traveling and studying in the Two Thirds World, which lead him to move to Cairo where he served as the Youth Director at St. John’s Church from 2004-2006. While leading the youth ministry at St. John’s Church, Ben also attended the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo where he received a Masters of Arts in Theology studying Middle Eastern Christianity. After two and half wonderful years in Cairo, Ben and his wife Emily moved to Princeton, New Jersey so Emily could work as a nurse and Ben could pursue a Masters of Divinity at Princeton Theological Seminary.

In addition to his experience in congregational ministry, Ben’s concern for socially and economically disadvantaged people lead him to work with at risk youth and serve as a chaplain at Trenton Psychiatric Hospital.

Ben’s interests include photography, running, coaching, reading, writing, and studying Arabic. To read updates on Ben and Emily’s life and ministry in Egypt, visit their blog: robinsonsinegypt.blogspot.com/ .

Music Director
Lynne E. Chandler

Lynne E. Chandler, an American, was born in Senegal, West Africa and spent her childhood years in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the United States. She studied cultural anthropology at university and plays the concert harp for fun.

After spending some years living in Tunisia, England and Washington State, following 9/11, she moved with her family to Cairo, Egypt, to serve as the Music Director at St. John’s Church. Leaving behind her concert harp and quiet fields of nature, she gradually learned the art of embracing a concrete desert. Her recently published first book, titled Embracing a Concrete Desert: A Spiritual Journey Toward Wholeness, is a glimpse of her trail of tears through the desert and the celebration of living springs discovered within. Visit her author website at: www.lifeonthenile.com.

“Music allows us to enter into communion with God by engaging our hearts and minds through this mysterious language of the spirit, sometimes through melodies, other times through harmonies. It calls us to move beyond our external concerns toward the depths of our inner selves. Music can free us, comfort us, heal us, encourage us, and give us strength. Using simple meditative music during Communion each week, from the Taize or Iona communities, for example, a contemplative setting is nurtured and enables us to enter into stillness, quiet prayer and thankfulness, open to the moving of God’s Spirit within.” (Lynne)

The Vestry 

The vestry, or church council, meets monthly. It is comprised of key members in the congregation. The present Church Warden is Herb Williamson, working on a USAID funded development contract. The present church treasurer is John Miller.

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