Charity Bazaar

16/12/2009

The cathedral parish of the Dormition of the Mother of God is to host a traditional Russian church Bazaar to raise funds for the maintenance of the cathedral and church house.  There will be icons, religious books in Russian and English, children books, toys, gifts, CDs, second hand clothes, and other items for sale. You will also be able to enjoy tea and coffee from a genuine Russian samovar, accompanied by sweet and savoury bites.

The bazaar will run over two days from 1 to 5 o' clock in the afternoon on both Saturday and Sunday.

For further details, please contact Mrs Elena King (tel. 07920 227 923) or Ms Oxana Proshina (tel. 07894 320 435).

Archpastoral Visitation: Photographs

11/11/2009

Photographs of the Archpastoral Visitation of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion have begun to appear in the diocesan photo gallery.  Please check for regular updates over the next few days as Vladyka Hilarion visits the different parts of our diocese.

ROCOR and Ecumenism: A Study

04/11/2009

Deacon Andrei Psarev is looking for an editor for his 400-page thesis, The Attitude of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad toward Non-Orthodox Christians and the Ecumenical Movement (1920-1964): an Historical Evaluation.

This task will take a non-negligible amount of time, and the editor will be acknowledged as co-author when the book is published. Right now this thesis is a catalogue of various data data arranged chronologically and divided into categories . The editor’s task will be to analyse this data rigorously and to pose new questions to the author. If the editor comes to an impasse, it may be necessary to suggest additional issues that need to be researched. The author will also have to add some information that was not available at the time of the original research. Knowledge of Russian is not necessary.

Interested applicant should send their CVs to rocorstudeis@gmail.com

Mettingham Patronal Festival: Update

03/11/2009

Regrettably, the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Joy of All Who Sorrow, previously announced, will now not take place.  However, the feast will still be celebrated with the Hours and Typika at the church, on Friday, the 6th of October, followed by a buffet lunch at the house.  All are welcome to attend and share in the patronal festival celebration.  It is good for us to support each other at times such as this, and those who have never seen the church may find it particularly beneficial to go.

Please pray for Fr Peter Baulk, who had intended to serve the Liturgy at the church, but is not in the best of health.

It is hoped that the next Liturgy at the church will be served by Fr Philip Steer on Sunday, the 22nd of November.  Please arrive early for confession.

Archpastoral Visitation: Itinerary

21/10/2009

As published last month, His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion of New York, the First Hierarch of our Church Abroad, plans to visit our diocese next month.  It is a great blessing to have Vladyka Hilarion among us and it would be good if as many of our people as possible were able to attend services while he is here and meet the Metropolitan.  Here is an itinerary of the public events in which he will take part.  Details are also available on the "calendar" page of the diocesan website, where maps and driving directions may be found.

Tuesday, 10th November

Metropolitan Hilarion will visit the parish of St Elisabeth the New Martyr, Wallasey.  He will serve a moleben at 4pm.

Wednesday, 11th November

This is Remembrance Day.  Metropolitan Hilarion will serve a pannykhida for the departed in war, at St Alban's Abbey in St Albans, at 11am.  This will be followed by a moleben and the veneration of the relic of St Alban.

At 6pm, he will serve Vespers at the parish of St Nicholas the Wonderworker.  While all are welcome to attend, this is an opportunity for the Orthodox students at Oxford to meet the Metropolitan.

Thursday, 12th November

The parish of the Mother of God, the Joy of all Who Sorrow, will host Metropolitan Hilarion for a moleben at 11.30am, followed by a buffet lunch.

Vladyka will then travel to Colchester, where he will serve an akathist at the church of St John the Wonderworker, at 4pm.

Friday, 13th November

An All-Night Vigil will be served at the cathedral of the Nativity of the Mother of God at 6pm.

Saturday, 14th November

A diocesan celebration will be held at the cathedral, with the Hierarchical Liturgy concelebrated by Metropolitan Hilarion and our own Archbishop Mark, at 10am. The new iconostas will also be blessed.  It would be good for as many diocesan clergy and faithful as possible to be there.  While trapeza had initially been planned, please note that this has now been replaced by a private luncheon.  However, trapeza will follow the Liturgy on the following day, to which all are welcome.

Please watch this space for any further anouncements or amendments to the itinerary.

We are very grateful to Metropolitan Hilarion for making time in his busy schedule to visit us.  May God grant him many, many years!

Mettingham Patronal Festival

21/10/2009

The Parish of the Mother of God; the Joy of All Who Sorrow is to celebrate its patronal festival on Friday the 6th of November, being the 24th of October in the Church calendar and the feast of the Icon of the Joy of All Who Sorrow.  This will be the first patronal festival since the church was built earlier this year, and is an important time in the life of the parish.

The Divine Liturgy will be served at 10 o' clock, allowing for enough time for many people to travel to the church.  All are welcome to the services and to the buffet lunch that will be served afterwards.  Fr Peter Baulk from the cathedral in Chiswick will join the parish for their celebrations.

As this is a new parish, any gifts of icons, incense, or other church furnishings would be very welcome indeed.  Please support them in whatever way you can.

Archpastoral Visitation

23/09/2009

His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of New York is to make an archpastoral visitation to the diocese later this year.  The First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad plans to visit the Diocese of Great Britain and Ireland from the 8th to the 17th of November, during which time he hopes to serve at some of the parishes of the diocese.
 
His Grace, Archbishop Mark of Great Britain will also be in the diocese at the time, so it will be a double blessing.  It is also hoped that the new iconostas at the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God and the Holy Royal Martyrs will be blessed during this time.
 
We look forward to the Metropolitan's visit, which will be his first since having been elevated.  May God grant him many years.

Dormition Photographs

14/09/2009
 

Photographs from the diocesan celebration of the Dormition of the Mother of God are now online, in the cathedral photo gallery.
 

This is likely to be the last year on which the cathedral's patronal feast is to be celebrated on the feast of the Dormition as our cathedral is to be renamed for the Nativity of the Mother of God when the upper church is consecrated, which is hoped to be during the earlier part of next year.
 

When the London parish of the Dormition became divided after the difficulties following the revolution, both communities retained the dedication of the Dormition and went on to establish the cathedrals of their respective dioceses.  Now that the Russian church has been reunited and relations between the parishes have been normalised, there is the unusual situation where there are two cathedrals in the same city, under the same church, with the same dedication.  Not only was this the cause of some confusion but it means that on the major feast of these churches serves to highlight the divisions of the past, as clergy and people have loyalties to their own church and are unable to celebrate the feast with their brothers and sisters at the sister parish.  These difficulties should be resolved with the new dedication.

Wallasey Open Day a Great Success

14/09/2009

In conjunction with the Friends of Rake Lane Cemetery, the parish of St Elisabeth the New Martyr, Wallasey, held two open days on the 12th and 13th of September.  Representatives of the Friends were present as well as some of the parishioners.
 

These days proved to be a great success, with many local people visiting the church, asking questions about its history and about the Orthodox Faith.  Some people had stories to share of past funerals at the church, while others were delighted to see the inside of the church for the first time.  Many sat in quiet contemplation, listening to the chants that were being played, while others lit candles and prayer.  Yet others stopped to ask about the icons and music, and some Orthodox beliefs, and the greatest blessing was perhaps that there were some requests for Baptism.

Father Paul and his parishioners are very grateful to the people of Liscard for all of their supportin helping them to acquire the building and are glad for the opportunity to give something back.  It is hoped that regular open days will give many more people the opportunity to experience their first taste of Orthodoxy.
 

O Thou Who didst proclaim that even if thy disciples were silent, the very stones would cry out, so also grant that this holy house may proclaim Thee and draw all who dwell in this town and county to worship Thee in spirit and in truth. Inflame our hearts with love for Thee that we may offer to Thee ourselves and all Thou hast given us to the glory of thy holy Name. We fervently entreat Thee, O merciful One, hearken and have mercy!

Mettingham Christmas Card

04/09/2009

The Joy of All Who Sorrow parish in Mettingham has published a beautiful Christmas card, featuring a watercolour painting of the new church by John Constable Reeve.

The cards are in full colour and the text inside is the troparion for Christmas Day.  They cost 25 pence each and all proceeds will go towards the church's funds.
 

To order your cards, contact Fr Deacon Andrew Bond.  Be sure to order soon.