On 8th May 2021 Deaconess Sarah Metcalf, wife of Mr. Tom Metcalf, one of the senior Deaconesses of the British Orthodox Church at Cusworth, Doncaster, died at the age of 87 years. She was a very faithful and loyal member of the British Orthodox Church and her passing to the Lord will be greatly missed by both the clergy and faithful who will uphold her in their prayers. Gladys Metcalf was born at Skellow near Doncaster, South Yorkshire, on 16 March 1934 and was baptised when a month old at the Wesleyan Chapel at Carcroft.

She was received into the Orthodox Church by chrismation on 19 July 1988 and was ordained as ‘Deaconess Sarah’ by Abba Seraphim on 4 June 1989. In March 1996 she and Deaconess Elizabeth Beresford accompanied Abba Seraphim to Egypt, where they visited many of the holy shrines and churches and were warmly welcomed by the late Pope Shenouda III. She provided three decades of service to the Church at Cusworth and earned much affection and respect for her faith and kindness. In October 2019 she and Deaconess Elizabeth gave their support to the ordination of Deaconess Helena Dale at Cusworth.