Orthodox Mission begins in Windsor

 

The first service of Orthodox prayer at the Orthodox Mission of St Andrew, Windsor, went very well indeed, far exceeding what had been hoped for. Father Peter had prepared to pray with one person he had been visiting for some months, but as the prayers from the Agpeya, or Coptic Daily Office, began there were eight people from a variety of backgrounds who had come together to begin this new service. And a further eight people had wanted to be present but were unable to do so for various reasons.

The Church of St Andrew is a beautiful and ancient place of prayer and the mission gathered in the smaller of three chapels. During the prayers Father Peter preached on the Gospel of the Miraculous Catch of Fish, and spoke of the need for perseverance in the Christian life and in the service of God.

After this encouraging start the next service of prayer will take place on Monday, November 12th, 6:30 pm at St Andrew’s, Mill Lane, Clewer, Windsor.

This will be a regular monthly event which will develop according to the will of God.

For further information, or for any enquiries, please contact Father Peter at [email protected]


New Barnabas Fund Library inaugurated

Abba Seraphim was among the guests who attended the opening of the new Barnabas Fund library at Pewsey, Wiltshire, on 12 September. The library is housed in a purpose-built, state of the art building designed by the distinguished classical architect, Quinlan Terry, who was among those present. The library is a specialist collection on Islam and Christian-Islamic  relations and contains some 50,000 volumes as well as periodicals and electronic resources. Housed on three floors, it includes open shelf reference books, a delightful Reading Room as well as reserve stacks, with a capacity for 10,000 volumes. The Barnabas Fund is also planning to extend its residential capacity to facilitate research conferences and extended research by scholars and specialists.

Following an introductory speech, detailing the scope of the library,  by Father Patrick Sookhdeo, the Fund’s International Director, and prayers & scriptural readings marking the library’s inauguration, the guests were entertained to a delightful lunch. After this Father Patrick briefed them on current priorities of the Fund, whilst Caroline Kershaw and Mark Green spoke specifically about the projects undertaken by the Fund to support Christian communities around the world.

Abba Seraphim, a noted bibliophile, spoke enthusiastically of the great service the Fund would now be able to offer to scholars of Islamic-Christian relations. “For years the Barnabas Fund has offered support and practical comfort to beleaguered Christian communities by reminding Christians in the West of the fact that being a Christian is often a dangerous conviction, requiring profound commitment and bravery.  This practical support for the neglected and  persecuted, done out of deep fraternal love and a desire to follow the Lord’s command to support our weaker brethren, has now expanded to meet the intellectual and philosophical challenges of the dialogue between faiths. The Barnabas Fund has always been rooted in a profound understanding of Islam and to engage Muslims with a sound appreciation of the tenets of their faith, leading to improved relations with Christians and mutual respect.”


Abba Seraphim visits Eritrean Church in Birmingham

On 8 September Abba Seraphim celebrated the Divine Liturgy at St. George’s Church, Bridge Street, Newtown, Birmingham, at the invitation of Father Mulebrhan, the newly ordained priest for the local Eritrean Orthodox community within the Diocese of Europe, under His Grace Bishop Makarios. Assisting him were Father Mulebrhan and Father Yonas Tesheme from Sheffield as well as a  number of deacons.  Abba Seraphim preached on the Gospel of the day (Matthew XI: 1-20) to a large and devout congregation. Following the service and traditional religious songs and dances, Abba Seraphim spoke about his long association with the Eritrean Orthodox Church in the UK and answered questions from the congregation about the situation of the Eritrean diaspora following the uncanonical removal of His Holiness Abune Antonios, the Eritrean Patriarch, in 2006. This congregation remains loyal to the Patriarch, whom it continues to pray for in the diptychs. Thanks were also expressed to Abba Seraphim for his unwavering support for the loyalist Eritrean clergy and faithful.


Council of Oriental Orthodox Churches meets

The quarterly meeting of the Council of Oriental Orthodox Churches in the UK & Ireland, held on 4 September at St. Thomas Syrian Orthodox Cathedral in Acton, London, was the first under the presidency of His Grace Bishop Vahan Hovhannesian. The new President had invited His Grace Bishop Gevork Saroyan, Dean of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, who was visiting the UK, to attend the meeting, which was particularly appropriate as the subject of planning future Orthodox Education Days was one of the items on the agenda.  


New Indian Orthodox Church consecrated

31 August and 1 September were significant dates in the history of the Oriental Orthodox churches in the United Kingdom, as His Grace Dr. Mathews Mar Timotheos, Bishop of the Indian Orthodox Diocese of Europe & Africa, consecrated the second Indian Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom. The new church, dedicated to Saint Thomas, which is to serve the growing Indian  Orthodox community in North London – now estimated at some 130 families, is situated just north of the M25 at St. Agnells Lane, Hemel Hemstead, HP2 7AY.  The building is a redundant Church which had fallen into disrepair but had undergone extensive renovation, including the construction of a new Western entrance in the style of Malankara churches.

On the Eve of the consecration, Mar Timotheos laid the foundation stone for the altar, which was then solemnly consecrated the next morning.  A large congregation attended as well as a number of ecumenical visitors. From the British Orthodox Church, Abba Seraphim, Father Peter Farrington and subdeacon Daniel Malyon assisted in the sanctuary, whilst Father Mina from St. Mary & Archangel Michael Church at Golders Green, represented H.G. Bishop Angaelos and Father Haile Meskel Samuels represented the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

Father George Joy, the parish priest, and his congregation provided a warm welcome and added to the general celebratory nature of the occasion.