ALL SAINTS: NOTICES - - NINTH SUNDAY OF MATTHEW, 2026
THURSDAY, 6th AUGUST - HOLY TRANSFIGUATION
DIVINE LITURGY
Holy Temple opens at 09:30
'seek the things above' (Kolossians 3:1), 'ascend God’s mountain' (Exodos 19:3; Isaias 2:3; Psalm 23:3 LXX; Micah. 4:2), and 'reach for the new creation' (2 Korinthians 5:17).
CHRIST IS GOD
In today's Holy Gospel (Matthew 14:22-34) Jesus Christ is shown as having mastery over the elements, over creation itself, He also is able to travel instantaneously over large distances and to walk on water. He manages to defy the ordinary rules of science, or to be more precise he rewrites them - as the scientific laws are themselves God-given.
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I AM!
Christ announces his God-manhood: the disciples are fearful but our Lord says to them Θαρσεῖτε, ἐγώ εἰμι· μὴ φοβεῖσθε.
This is something here far more important than most English translations are able to convey– ‘I AM, I EXIST!'. Christ is essentially saying, ‘take courage, I - God - am here, do not be afraid!’
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PARTAKING OF THE DIVINE ENERGIES
Saint Peter becomes God-like in his actions as he shares in, and partakes of, our Lord’s Divine Energies; albeit only temporarily as – just like us - his faith wavers and weakens (his rational mind kicks in and breaks the connection with God), he panics and begins to sink. However, Christ is there and immediately catches him.
We see a prefiguring of Theosis, for - as he walks on the water - Saint Peter becomes imbued with the divine energies, he is Christ-like albeit only for a moment. In the most achingly beautiful passage of Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes the question is posed, 'What harbour shelters peace/Away from tidal waves, away from storms?' Ultimately, it is only the loving harbour of our Saviour's self-emptying love.
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WORSHIP IS RESERVED ONLY FOR GOD
Christ’s divinity is recognised ‘by those in the boat’ ‘they worshipped him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God".
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THE SHIP OF FAITH
Over and above the literal meaning we must also note the eschatological dimension of the ship of the Holy Church, always assailed from all angles by murderers and heresies, but always prevailing, coming into safe harbour. The version of this event in Saint John’s Gospel is concluded with a quotation from Psalm 106:30: ‘to the safe haven of His will’. We note that the sea – like the desert - is a home of chaos and evil spirits, it is a wilderness, a place of danger and even death – which Christ tramples upon.
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CHRIST IS WITH US
It may at first seem that Christ has deserted the disciples, abandoned them to the choppy waters of the Sea of Galilee, just as it may seem that we are sometimes abandoned; but this is not true: as long as we yearn for God and have faith in His Holy Resurrection, we are never really left alone.
Saint Peter is pulled out of the water by Christ just as Christ pulls the dead out of Hades.
Saint Peter’s cry must be our cry – ‘Lord, save me!’
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ALL GLORY TO GOD!
Those who are willing to serve in our parish; including those who pray for others, bring food & drink to share, help Presbytera Susanna.
Those who have given to the appeal for the family of the recently-reposed priest, Alexander. Please give something! (Read: Luke 10:30-32; Mark 12:42; 2 Korinthians 9:7; James 1:27).
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YOUR PRAYERS
That we will truly love God and truly love our neighbour.
***Orthodox couples in our parish heading towards holy matrimony.***
Sophia - may God give strength.
Gabriela & family - travelling, tomorrow.
Elizabeth (new katekhoumen) - severely unwell. Help her and Ted, if you are able.
For all who are new to our parish - that they engage with love and humility, and that we are able to help them.
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With love and prayers, in Christ God,
Father Jakob
sinner and unworthy presbyter
Please feel free to post online and share with friends and family
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LOOKING AHEAD -- TWELVE GREAT FEASTS
To help you plan ahead, for those of you who are able to take time off work, etc., here are the dates of GREAT FEASTS for the year ahead.
These are dates upon which we should try to be in Church (sadly, many of us do not always have this choice).
These are days upon which the Divine Liturgy should be served at All Saints. Servers, singers, helpers- please do what you're able.
14th SEPTEMBER -- EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS
21st NOVEMBER -- ENTRY OF THE THEOTOKOS INTO THE TEMPLE
25th DECEMBER -- NATIVITY OF CHRIST
6th JANUARY -- HOLY THEOPHANY
2nd FEBRUARY -- PRESENTATION OF OUR LORD IN THE TEMPLE
25th MARCH -- HOLY ANNUNCIATION
5th APRIL -- ENTRY OF OUR LORD INTO IERUSALEM*
12th APRIL -- HOLY PASCHA*
21st MAY -- HOLY ASCENSION*
31st MAY -- HOLY PENTEKOST*
6th AUGUST -- HOLY TRANSFIGURATION
15th AUGUST -- FALLING-ASLEEP OF THE MOTHER OF GOD
[ * The dates of these feasts vary from year to year. ]
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ORTHODOXY 101 : ATTENDING THE DIVINE LITURGY
Christianity is experiential; it is not just 'read about', it must be lived. The Holy Eucharist is at the centre of our worship, at the centre of our Life in Christ.
We come to the Church, we remain in the Church in order that our souls be saved. That is all. It is our soul's salvation - there is nothing else.
The Holy Services are a store-house of spiritual treasures. To be saved, we need to gain knowledge of ourselves. We do this by discovering our sins and weaknesses, and by fighting against their pull. Our faith is war on personal pride. When our pride is wounded in the course of Church life, we should thank God!
We fight best when we are supported. For support we have the Holy Gospels; the Holy Fathers, their Lives and Teachings; we have God and we have each other.
The Church Community (both living and departed) is our Family in Christ. Our God is LOVE. And we are giving of our best, when we give love to God and to each other.
The Holy Eucharist is the body and Blood of Christ. It is life itself, it is Salvation. It is our treasure: "Where your treasure is there will your heart be also"(Matthew 6:21). We spend time with - we are attentive to - the people, the things we love the most.
Canon LXXX (Sixth Oecumenical Council) reads, "A cleric or layman shall not go three consecutive Sundays without attending church, unless some necessary business requires him to leave his town. The usual penalties apply: deposition for a cleric; excommunication for a layman".
It is not always possible to come to every holy service, but our good practice, and simple good manners, is to notify the priest of our absence, or if we have moved away. Notification demonstrates love and humility, and allows the priest and community to pray for us, for example - when we are sick.
We pray for those who are absent from the divine services for legitimate reasons. The others, who come infrequently or have not attended for long periods, have become prodigal sons, wanderers. They have distanced themselves from Christ and from their Christian family. Their love has become luke-warm. A full and proper return to Church requires a full and proper repentance, taking responsibility for our failings.
Church life is about responsibility. It is about stepping up and being adult. This is done by singing, standing throughout the holy services, fasting, making regular confession, reading in Church, serving, cleaning and tidying, cooking, reading the morning and evening prayers every day, preparing properly for confession and communion. Above all it is about praying.
To be blunt, Church (parish) life is about giving time and money to the glory of God. Church life is about commitment. Without commitment, we will never become deeply Orthodox or even remain Orthodox.
Love of God and love of neighbour are entwined. We cannot love God if we do not love our neighbours, especially our fellow Christians; and we cannot love our neighbours if we do not love God (1 John 4:20).
We spend time with God, we spend time with each other. We do so not because we feel 'obliged' or even because we 'want to' but simply because our heart draws us, and we follow Christ's new commandment (Luke 10:27): "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself".
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AΓAΠH = CARITAS = CHARITY = LOVE
John 4:16: Ὁ Θεὸς ἀγάπη (koine Greek) = Deus caritas est (Latin) = God is Love (English)
GIVING TO OTHERS
All glory to God! Our small parish has been able in little ways to help the poor, offer love to the stranger, to help heal the wounded.
GIFTAID
This past year we received more than £4,000 from the UK government. Our parish trustees have authorised this, and future monies, raised through giftaid to be passed on to our poorer neighbours. If more of us donated by giftaid we could do even more to help the poor, the wounded, and the marginalised who are our neighbours.
'HOW CAN I HELP?'
Every penny helps! Donate to our parish via giftaid. If you pay tax in the UK you can use giftaid. It's free, it's easy, and as you can see above, it helps us to help others. The UK government pays us back for what you give to us via gftaid. This is the only official help that UK charities receive.
Our hope and ambition is that every penny given to us by you comes through giftaid.
LAZAROS, OUR NEIGHBOUR
The dying Lazaros is lying outside our door (Luke 16:20). We Christians have a duty of care (John 21:17), this is a constant in our life (Matthew 26:11), we must not ignore him (1 John 3:17). Let us do all that we are able to help to help our neighbour (John 15:12). May I ask you - please make a start, and donate to the parish by giftaid.
CHRIST IS RISEN!
In the Risen Lord,
Father Jakob
Presbyter, All Saints North Benfleet
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