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

St Theodore of Tarsus

“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)

SAINT THEODORE OF TARSUS, ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY AND PATRON SAINT OF OUR ARCHDIOCESE. (Feastday 19^th September.)

Saint Theodore was born to a Greek family in Tarsus within the Byzantine Empire, in what is now Turkey in 602. During the Persian invasions he became a refugee, going first to Constantinople and then to Rome where he learned Latin. He was a very learned monk, not only familiar with Greek and Latin but also Syriac and had knowledge of Persian culture. From Rome he was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury when he was sixty five and was accompanied by St Hadrian, an abbot refugee from North Africa. He learned “English” of the time which we would have great difficulty in understanding let alone reading. He brought Greek and Latin to these shores which was taught at the school founded by him and St. Hadrian. Music was also introduced into the whole church, not just the area around Canterbury as it had been before.

He brought together  for the first time the whole of the English Church and established the church organisation that still exists today. He travelled all over the then tribal lands and held several councils that regularised church life. He was also a strong defender of Orthodoxy against heresies of the period. Let us remember that this wasn’t a young missionary full of youthful zeal  but a man of advanced years who was a giant in his tireless efforts for Christ  in this land . Perhaps a warning not write off the elderly among us, wisdom and love are far more  useful than trying to change the world in ten minutes!!!!!! Also let us remember that St. Theodore and St. Hadrian were foreigners in this place who had both left their homelands to bring Christ to these distant shores and had experienced to some extent the life of refugees. Their true homeland was, and is where Christ brings all of us who call ourselves Orthodox Christians. St. Theodore reposed in the Lord at Canterbury on 19^th September 690 aged 88 and was buried there.

“Our churches are called to offer alternative models of life based on an approach of the human being in his relationship with God, as a creature longing for eternal life, living in fraternity and love with the other.” (His All Holiness and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew1, Archbishop of Constantinople and New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch.)

SUNDAY 19^TH SEPTEMBER. Sunday after the Exaltation of the Cross. St. Theodore of Tarsus, Archbishop of Canterbury (690). Martyrs Trophimos, Sabbatios, and Dorymedon of Synada (276).

Today’s Gospel Reading: Mark 8:34-9:1. “When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow Me.................”   

In the Gospel for today, Christ tells us that to follow Him requires self-sacrifice. In today’s world we are surrounded by many troubles and anxieties and yet what we see is that we are not turning to God but turning desperately to holidays, nightclubs, festivals, parties, sporting activities and blinding ourselves by the “pleasures” of the world to make things “normal”. As Christians we must take up our crosses, whatever they may be, knowing that we do not see heaven in all the things that increasingly fill our short lives. We may be briefly happy but ultimately we will lose the vision of heaven and all of its beautiful  joy, walking as in the Garden of Eden. Often to take up our cross we must often share the burden of others. Let us not forget that Simon of Cyrene carried Christ’s cross on the way to Calvary. If he could carry the cross of the Incarnate God, how much more should we carry the cross of others.

Much Love,

Fr. George.

God willing we will be resuming serving refreshments on Sunday 26^th September. As ever we would ask all to be careful and considerate for the wellbeing of others. In the present circumstances when the doors and curtains of the icon screen are closed you may bring refreshments into the church to help keep safe distancing.