Dear brothers and sisters,
We must congratulate Joseph and McKenna on the arrival of Ezra William Melhuish into the world on the celebration of the Church New Year. Many, blessed years to Ezra, mum and dad!
Our ecclesiastical new year saw a meeting of our parish councillors and building committee. In the course of that meeting, the members of the council unanimously voted to amend the parish constitution to allow it to appoint the starosta and, consequently, unanimously invited Joanna to accept this obedience, which she has informally fulfilled since our move to St Philip’s. We are extremely happy to be able to confirm this appointment and pray that God may bless Joanna in this position.
We chanted Many Years to Joanna and her parents Andrzej and Barbara at the end of Liturgy, thankful for their continuing kindness and benefaction, having used their gifts of altar and analoy cloths, and the large icon banners for the first time. What a wonderful addition to our Orthodox worship.
To return to the meeting of the building committee, several of it’s members are looking at options regarding the redundant chapel visited in Taff’s Well, and a group of our young people are working on a more general fundraising page to try and make our needed dedicated Orthodox parish centre into a reality.
Whether the Taff’s Well chapel is a possibility, or not, the last few weeks have galvanised our drive to move forward in finding our OWN home.
This week sees our usual compline service in Nazareth House on Thursday at 18:30, and our moleben at 15:00 in the Oratory on Friday. I will be happy to hear confessions before and after the services.
The clergy will celebrate the Hours and Divine Liturgy in Cheltenham on Saturday, commencing in Prestbury United Reformed Church at 10:00. Confessions will be heard before the service.
We will celebrate the Nativity of the Mother of God next weekend, and look forward to having a Great Feast on a Sunday.
The variables may be found in the usual place:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FyJMlx9FLc1-oEXPX7GZ0n2S8Yv-Su8J/view
The following day, Monday 22nd September, we will celebrate the afterfeast with compline by candlelight in the Chapel of St Lawrence in Warminster, preceded by supper and fellowship at 18:30.
This has become a wonderfully quiet and prayerful addition to parish life for those living on the English side of the Severn, and it is always wonderful to welcome fellow parishioners from the Welsh side.
This weekend saw our monthly Wessex Liturgy, celebrating the Deposition of the Cincture of the Mother of God, and St Aidan of Lindisfarne, with a quiet, prayerful and beautiful Liturgy and lovely shared lunch. Thanks to all!
Whilst thinking of the Wessex end of the parish, we thank God that Masha and Neil’s house move was successful, despite some threatening and serious obstacles, and in the same household, we congratulate Kolya on passing his driving test!
Thanks to everyone for today’s service, to which it was a pleasure to welcome visitors, as our Liturgy was beautified by our screens and textiles, and thanks to all who set up and put away.
We are happy that things seem to be getting back to normal, as parishioners return to holiday, though some of the faithful will be away in the weeks ahead. We pray for Joanna and husband Mark, and for matushka Alla on their travels.
We ask your prayers for the sick – Pavel, Brigid and Natalia; for the newly departed Irina, and the departed Yuriy and Inna; and for McKenna, Joseph, and new born Ezra.
Looking forward to Saturday 27th September, the Exultation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross, this will be a day of parish pilgrimage to the church of St Lazar, in Bournville, to celebrate with our lovely sister parish and dear friends. If you are able to attend and offer car spaces, that would be wonderful!
May God bless you all.
Asking your forgiveness for Christ’s sake.
Hieromonk Mark
