PLEASE PRAY WITH ME. 

As we continue this period of lockdown I would like all of you to join with me each evening in your own homes, at 10pm, to say the short prayer rule of St. Seraphim of Sarov for our troubled world. 

If you are unable to say the rule at this time because of work or other commitments, then simply say it when you can. The saying is the most important thing. 

The Short Rule. 

"Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

(To be said three times in honour of the Trinity) 

"Hail Mary! Full of grace, the Lord is with Thee, O Virgin Mother of God: blessed art Thou among women and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, for Thou hast borne the Saviour of our souls."

(To be said three times) 

"I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible. 

"And in One Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, begotten of the Father before all worlds; Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, of one essence with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation , came down from heaven; and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate and suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again according to scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end. 

"And I believe in the Holy Spirit the Lord and Giver of life who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. 

"And I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church; I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins, and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen."

Much Love, 

Fr. George.

Welcome

Welcome to our website which we hope will be of interest or a source of information to you. Ours is a parish of the Antiochian Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, which is in communion with all the canonical Orthodox Churches and the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. In line with Orthodox practice, our services are in the language of the people; in our case, English, Orthodox visitors of other backgrounds saying the Lord's Prayer in their native tongue. 

The Orthodox Church lies in a tradition that goes back in an unbroken line to the Church of the Apostles and the earthly life of Christ Himself. We are often portayed as a very conservative church but this is a matter of faith and history; one cannot change the truth to fit into a very fleeting, passing, timescale when viewed with the eternity of God and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

In our church you will see many icons of Christ, the Mother of God and many saints and sacred events; a feature of Orthodoxy that proclaims the Incarnation of our Lord and God Jesus Christ and are often referred to as "windows into heaven". The priestly vestments are very beautiful; not for the glorification of the clergy but for the glory of sinful humanity transformed by the Grace of God. The Divine Liturgy is the principal service, when the faithful may receive the Body and Blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Incense is used in all our services and permeates the fabric of the church itself. Thus we have a church that is internally very beautiful visually, has the aroma of sanctity and our ears are filled with beautiful music (Just human voices: instruments are not allowed). In some way the church building reflects the glory of Heaven and a place fitting for God.

Anyone may come to our church to "have a look" and you are assured of a warm welcome. Do not worry about how to act or what to do; just let the experience take care of itself. If you need any information about any aspect of our church or the Orthodox Church in general, do not hesitate to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Fr. George (Evans), Parish Priest.

Fr George's Letter

The Sower

“The virtues build a new person radiating love to the world.”

(Metropolitan Paul (Yazigi) of Aleppo who consecrated our temple.)

“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”(Hebrews 4:15-16)

Martyrs and Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian. Feastday 17^th October

There are three examples of saintly unmercenary martyrs with these names. These are of Arabia and were healers who healed without payment and preached the Gospel wherever they went. They were martyred along with their brothers for their Christian faith. All of the unmercenary saints are examples of those who give their lives to God in a practical way, helping and encouraging others by their example of selfless service. Today the world is in need of such Christian people who, instead of being imprisoned in church buildings, reach out to all. Let us thank God for them.

SUNDAY 17^th OCTOBER. Commemoration of the Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council (787). Martyrs and Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian and their brothers, Leontios, Anthimos, and Eutropios of Arabia (303). Prophet Hosea. Martyrs Ethelred and Ethelbert, Princes  of Kent (c 640). Monk Martyr Andrew of Crete (767). Translation of the relics of St. Lazarus, “of the four days” (in the tomb), Bishop of Kiton on Cyprus (898).

“Keep sowing , Father Timon, sow the corn you have been given. Sow it everywhere and at all times. Sow it on good soil, sow it on the sand, sow it on rocky soil, sow it along the path and among thorns. There is always the hope that some seed may take root and grow and bring forth fruit, even if it takes a long time. Do not bury the talent you have been given but put in the bank to gain interest.”

(St. Seraphim of Sarov)

Today’s Gospel Reading, Luke 8:5-15. “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.................”

The parable of the sower is familiar to most of us and Christ explains its meaning. The seed is the very word of God and that that thrives in the good soil of “...a noble and good heart...(that)....bear fruit with patience.” Even when the word of God lands on the good soil of a noble heart the fruit only comes with patience. The sower must wait several months before the corn ripens and is ready to be harvested. The trials and tribulations of life are like crops at the  whim of the weather and we must patiently endure all that happens to us if we are to bear fruit that we owe to Him who created us. The ears of corn are all those things we have endured for Him, the stalks that they grow on can be likened to our earthly bodies that will one day be buried in the ground. Are we of noble hearts? Are we able to endure all for Him? Will we bear fruit or will we languish in a church devoid of love and patience with only the outward show of stalks, forgetting what we owe to our Heavenly Father, which is something far, far deeper and which few people see but which God delights in. Look at our beautiful churches and ritual that we are so proud of and become attached to. In our hearts let us look at the Holy Table stripping it of its sumptuous outer covering, then stripping it of the plain linen cloth that is never removed exposing the bare wood. Look deeper passed the wood and in the middle of the top of the Holy Table is a sealed recess. Look into the recess and see a silver box. In the silver box is a bed of beeswax, look more closely and you will see fragments of bone embedded in it. These are the relics of Monk Martyrs of St. Sabbas’ Monastery. In our temple we are privileged to have the relics of these saints that show us the true fruits of the spirit surrounded by the Cherubim and Seraphim who hover over the altar of God.

Much Love,

Fr. George.

Please remember especially  the Orthodox servants of God Catrina and Luca in your prayers.