After the unexpected death of our Bishop, David, the Cusworth community were missing a church leader to pick up the day-to-day duties that fell on the shoulders of Abba David for so many years. Due to providence and the foresight of Abba David a successor was in training and was in the process of advancing from Sub-Deacon to Deacon with the expectation to become Priest later after more tutorage from Abba David.

As with many things in life things sometimes don’t go exactly as planned and with Abba David’s passing the need for a priest at Cusworth was essential to keep the needs of the dedicated community that Abba David had shepherded for so long to continue.

Mark, took up the responsibility of this task willingly and while was unable to receive his ordination to Deacon from Abba David as planned this summer, The British Orthodox Church synod decided to go ahead with a double ordination. As the tradition of the church dictates, only one major order can be performed to a candidate.

On the 5th August, Mark was ordained in the Holy Church as Deacon and on the morning of the 6th, he was Ordained to Priest in St. Thomas’ Church, Charlton by the hands of Abba James.

“This will be a blessing to the Cusworth congregation with a strong community focused leader at the helm. I wish Father Mark many years of great service.” – Abba James

Abba David – Bishop of Priddy and responsable for the congregation in Cusworth died at the age of 86 at his home at the beginning of July 2025.

Abba David Seeds was born at Codnor, Derbyshire, on 7 October 1939 and was educated at Swanwick Grammar School. He graduated from Manchester University with a B.Sc. in 1960 and from the University of Birmingham with a post-graduate Certificate of Education. He studied at Linacre College, Oxford University and Ripon Hall Theological College, where he graduated with a B.A. in Theology (1967) and was later awarded an M.A. (1987). He taught for a number of years in boys’ secondary schools and also served as Assistant Curate at St. Cyprian’s, Frecheville, Sheffield 1967- 1970, having been ordained deacon (1967) and priest (1968) in the Church of England. From 1972-1976 he was Religious Education Advisor to the Bishop of Derby; served as Warden of a hall of residence at Bishop Lonsdale College, Derby and Priest in charge of Christ Church, Belper and Holy Trinity, Milford. His last appointments were as Vicar of St. John’s, Mickleover, Derby 1982-1987 and as Vicar of Alfreton 1987-1995. He left the Church of England over the ordination of women priests and was received into the British Orthodox Church, being ordained to all the orders of the ministry, concluding with ordination to the Sacred Priesthood at Cusworth on 22 December 1996. Father David has been the much-loved parish priest at Cusworth for over two decades. He was ordained as Hegoumenos on 5 July 2009. He was consecrated as the Bishop of Priddy in October 2017.

He was much loved by all and was known for his kind heart, hearty laughter and community focused dedication to his congregation. He will be sorely missed by many as their spiritual father.

His funeral will be held in the Cusworth church followed by burial in Alfreton on the 7th August.

Memory Eternal!

The Orthodox Feast of Holy Pascha in 2023 is Sunday, 16th April, a week after the Roman Catholic & Anglican Easter. Palm Sunday is on 9th April, which is the Seventh Sunday in Lent and the Orthodox Good Friday is on 14th April. Pentecost will be on Sunday, 4th June. Abba Seraphim and Abba James will attend the Holy Pascha service at our Bournemouth Church.

On Sunday, 9 October Abba Seraphim performed the ordination of David Bolatiwa of Gillingham, Kent, as a Reader at St. Alban & Sr. Athanasius Orthodox Church in Chatham. Although he was born at Brent in Greater London he was of Nigerian descent, who had been baptised & chrismated by Abba Seraphim on 13th March 2022, when he replaced his original name of Ayomide with the Christian name of David and has since been a regular worshipper at the Chatham Orthodox Church on the second Sunday in each month and at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Charlton on the fourth Sunday in each month.

Whilst officiating on Sunday, 18th September at our Bournemouth Church, Abba Seraphim was assisted by his Coadjutor, Abba James, and Father John Ives, the Bournemouth Parish priest, and Abba Seraphim started officiating by ordaining as a Reader, Cristian Craciun, a Romanian who was born in the historical region of Western Moldavia in north-eastern Romania, but now lives in Surrey and often attends our Bournemouth Church.

The service included a panikhida celebrating the life of HM Queen Elizabeth II, With the national anthem as our final Hymn.