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THE CHURCH

The Orthodox Church simply calls itself "the Church", just as the Greeks in the past used the word "Christians" to refer to the Orthodox. This follows naturally from the fact that the Eastern Orthodox Church is organically the same congregation orekklesia which was born at the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem on Pentecost. In many places already mentioned in the New Testament this congregation has remained the same throughout history. The Orthodox Church does not need to give proof of its historical authenticity; it is simply the direct continuation of the Church of the Apostolic Age.

~  Archbishop Paul [Olimari] of Finland

 

The disciples were first called Christian at Antioch – Acts 11:26

ALL SAINTS, NORTH BENFLEET is privileged to be under the jurisdiction of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, and we are blessed to be under the holy omophorion of His Eminence, Metropolitan Silouan, Archbishop of the British Isles and Ireland.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and to the ages – Hebrews 13:8

The holy Orthodox Church is the Bride of Christ. She is the unique and true guardian of the New Testament paradigm: of the praxis and faith delivered by Christ 'once and for all' to His holy Apostles. This Christ-centred faith is both ancient and ever-new; it requires no alteration, has no confusion of the Holy Trinity, does not deny the veneration of the Mother of God or the saints or the holy ikons, has no need to devise new and secular structures of the Church. This faith is fully preserved in Holy Tradition – in Scripture and also in doctrine, prayer, our holy services, and even in the form of the Christian holy Temple, and is made most manifest in the glorious lives of the saints and martyrs. Christ is glorified in His saints – 2 Thessalonians 1:10.

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us – John 1:14

The holy Orthodox Church is the Body of Christ. The Christian faith is an incarnate one – we cherish the humanity of God and the potential divinity of man; and we understand the paradoxical necessity of the material in the spiritual life – of holy ikons, of water and oil, of chrism and incense, of the bread and wine which, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, truly become the Precious and Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ God. Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, if you shall not have eaten the flesh of the Son of Man and drunk His blood, you do not have life in yourselves' – John 6:53.

My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour – Luke 1:46-47

Christianity requires faith and action. Summarised in the Symbol of Faith (Nicene Creed), this Christian faith is best experienced in our Christian holy services – in particular in the Divine Liturgy. We invite all genuine seekers to 'come and see' what true, universal and apostolic Christianity is all about. 'Come to me, all those who are toiling and being burdened, and I will give you rest' – Matthew 11:28.