Lanzarote Relocation

Recently I had the pleasure of spending some time with Father Idris Vaughan, the chaplain of The Anglican Parish of St Laurence in Lanzarote. We are very grateful for the time he afforded us to bring you this interview.
Idris is a very friendly man, jovial, and full of warmth. His genuine love for Lanzarote and its residents is very apparent, and he speaks very enthusiastically about his experiences here. Idris was a hospital chaplain in the UK for 21 years, which formed a very large chunk of his 34 years as a priest. Back in the early 1990s, Idris came to Lanzarote as a visitor – and fell head over heels in love with the place. The island became his destination of choice after that. In 2005, Idris was planning his retirement, and decided to buy a barge to spend his summers on, in Wales. He planned to provide cover during the winter months. However, then came news of a placement opportunity in Lanzarote – so his application was in very very quickly. Luckily for us, Idris was successful and he moved to the island shortly afterwards.

So Idris Vaughan is now the chaplain for the Anglican Church, appointed to cover Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. This parish is part of the archdeaconry in Gibraltar, which in turn is part of the Diocese of Europe.  The Anglican Church has services all over the Island, with Sunday services, regular additional services, and special events such as Remembrance Day and Harvest Festival.

The parish doesn’t actually have its own churches on the island – and depends on the good relations with the Catholic church in Lanzarote, so that it can share their places of worship. It also benefits from the use of some local halls too. If Idris himself is not available for services, then there is always an assistant ready to take his place.  Baptisms, Wedding blessings, and funerals are all available… as well as many support services.

The church here visits people in hospital – not only residents, but visitors to the Island too. There are often times when family members from the UK may call to ask Idris or one of the assistants to go and provide some spiritual support, or simply a friendly ear to a loved one who is poorly.  The church enjoys excellent links with the British Consul here, and are first on the list to call if a person dies and the spouse or children need spiritual help.

Click HERE for current newsletters, services, and information regarding church services in Lanzarote

To contact the Revd Idris Vaughan, you can either telephone 0034 928 514 241, or visit the chaplaincy house at  Calle Los Sabandenos 37,  Puerto del Carmen.

You may also enjoy reading the following:

1. Church Services in Lanzarote – Dec 2008 Normal church services in Lanzarote. December 2008 Costa Teguise “Avecost” Meeting Hall. 9.30am C/La Fragata 1st & 3rd Sundays: – Morning Prayer All other Sundays:...
2. Church Newsletter – Dec 08 The Anglican Parish of St Laurence in Lanzarote Newsletter – December 2008 A Message from our Chaplain, the Revd Idris Vaughan “And the Word became...
3. Church services in Lanzarote – February 2009 Normal church services in Lanzarote. February 2009 Costa Teguise “Avecost” Meeting Hall. 9.30am C/La Fragata 1st & 3rd Sundays: – Morning Prayer All other Sundays:...
4. Church Meetings in Lanzarote – Nov 2009 Each month we publish a list of church meetings in Lanzarote, information, and contact details – to add yours to this list, please contact us...
5. Anglican Church Newsletter – May / June 2010 Father Idris’s Retirement.  As you may know, Fr Idris is retiring in June and we shall have the opportunity to say au revoir to him...