Diocesan Service of Holy Unction

04/04/2011

The time of year is again approaching when Orthodox Christians come together during the season of Great Lent to participate in the Mystery of Holy Unction.  It will be celebrated in our diocese on Saturday, the 9th of April, being the 27th of March in the Church calendar and the Saturday of the Akathist Hymn to the Mother of God.  This will take place at 2 o' clock in the afternoon at the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God and the Holy Royal Martyrs, in Chiswick, West London.

 

The service consists of seven epistles and seven Gospels, each reminding us of the healing brought to us by Christ.  In his general Epistle, St James, the Brother of the Lord, exhorts the local churches, saying 'Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in the priests of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord' (James 5:14).  Acknowledging our physical and spiritual sickness, we come to God in prayer, asking for healing of our souls and bodies, for the sake of our salvation.

 

In a time when the world presents us with all manner of alternative therapies, self-help books, and new age healing techniqies, relying on man's own power to heal himself, it is important for us Christians to remind ourselves that it is Christ Who heals us; it is Christ Who redeems fallen creation, with its suffering and pain; it is Christ alone Who has conquered the power of sin and death by his glorious Resurrection.  Therefore, it is to Christ that we must turn for healing of our souls and bodies; it is in the incarnate Christ that we must trust to raise us beyond the mire of fallenness through his Resurrection and Ascension, and it is to Christ that we must pray with compunction and humility.

 

Because Holy Unction is intrinsically bound to the physical and spiritual healing that we receive in the life of the Church, we must approach this Mystery as we would Holy Communion, and seek to free ourselves of the sins that separate us from the fullness of life in Christ.  Therefore, it is proper that we should confess our sins and be absolved before we are anointed.

 

May this anointing strengthen us in our pilgrim journey into the fullness of life in Christ, at the will of the Father, and through the power of the Holy and life-creating Spirit.

Wallasey Parish Launches New Mission

09/03/2011

The parish of St Elisabeth the New-Martyr, Wallasey, has launched a new mission to reach out to people in Liverpool, with the intention of integrating them into church life in the Wallasey parish.  The mission will be under the dedication of St Nicholas the Wonderworker, for which purpose an icon of St Nicholas was generously donated by the cathedral parish in London.  The icon originally came from the St Nicholas parish in Bradford, which closed in the 1990s, so has returned to the north to be a channel of grace to those who call upon the Saint in prayer before it.

The mission will take the form of occasional Divine Liturgies and possibly other services, hosted at the Anglican parish church of Our Lady and St Nicholas in Liverpool city centre, through the kind hospitality of its parish priest and church council.  The first Liturgy will be served on Saturday, the 8th of May, being the 21st of May in the civil calendar.  More details will appear here nearer the time.

Mettingham Church Launches New Website

08/03/2011

The Church of the Mother of God: Joy of All Who Sorrow in Mettingham has, in the last few days, launched the full version of its website, which until recently has been a basic webpage.  This beautiful and informative website may be viewed here.  Please do take the time to explore some of the spiritual material particularly.

Consecration of the Manchester Parish

07/03/2011

The parish of the Intercession of the Mother of God in Longsight, Manchester, is to be consecrated by Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh on Saturday, the 28th of February, being the 13th of March in the civil calendar.  Services will begin at approximately 9.30 a.m.

While this parish is now stavropegial, it was once part of our diocese and it would be good for us to support them at this special time.  Please pray for the Pokrov parish and its people.

Pan-Orthodox Vespers

04/03/2011

On the first Sunday in Great Lent, being the Sunday of Orthodoxy, it has become customary in parts of the world where various Orthodox jurisdictions exist for pan-Orthodox Vespers to be served.  This year his Eminence Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh cordially invites us to take part in this service, which is to take place at the Cathedral of the Dormition and All Saints in Ennismore Gardens.  More details may be found nearer the time on the Sourozh diocesan website.

Please Support our Missions

Haitian missions

St Petroc missions

Ordination of Father Antony

16/02/2011

Over the past weekend, Reader Antony Bardsley of the Joy of All Who Sorrow church in Mettingham was ordained to the priesthood to serve the church and its people.  An account of the events may be read in the "articles" section of this website and photographs should appear in the near future.

May the Lord grant the newly-ordained Priest Antony many years!

Blessing of a Monastic Novice at St Eanswythe's Mission

09/02/2011

Hieromonk Michael of the Mission of St Eanswythe, Devon, will bless a novice nun on Sunday, the 27th of February, being the 14th of February in the Church calendar, and Sexagesima Sunday.

Services are to begin at 10.30 a.m. and will be as follows:

- Mattins

- The Litany of the Holy Trinity

- The Blessing of a Novice

- The Divine Liturgy

Services will take place at Christchurch chapel.  The full address may be found in the directory.  All are welcome to attend the services and to join the congregation for lunch at a local venue afterwards.

Please pray for the new novice at this special time.

St Eanswythe's is a stavropegial Western Rite mission of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, directly under the omophor of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of New York and Eastern America, and operates within Great Britain with the agreement of His Eminence Archbishop Mark.

Ordinations

03/02/2011

The details of the services at which Reader Antony is to be ordained are below.  All Services will take place at the church of the Ikon of the Mother of God: the Joy of All Who Sorrow, Mettingham.

Friday, 11th February:

• - Hours and Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at 10 a.m. with ordination to the subdiaconate and diaconate, immediately preceded by the Reception of the Bishop.
• - All-Night Vigil at 7 p.m.

Saturday, 12th February:

• - Hours and Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at 10.a.m. with ordination to the priesthood, immediately preceded by the Reception o the Bishop and followed by trapeza.

Archbishop Mark will serve the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God on Sunday, the 13th of February.

Ordination of Reader Antony

12/01/2011

On Friday, the 11th and Saturday, the 12th of February by the civil calendar, Reader Antony Bardsley will be ordained to the subdiaconate, diaconate, then the priesthood at the hands of His Eminence Archbishop Mark.  Antony will serve as priest to the Church of the Mother of God: the Joy of All Who Sorrow, in Mettingham.

This begins a new stage in the life of the congregation at our church in Suffolk.  Please pray for them, and for Reader Antony and his wife, Helen.

Details of services will appear here nearer the time.