ALL SAINTS: NOTICES - - FEAST OF ALL SAINTS OF THE BRITISH ISLES AND IRELAND, 2024
THE SAINTS ARE OUR ROLE-MODELS
In their holy deaths-in-Christ the saints are more alive than we are; for - in glorifying Christ - they are themselves glorified, and they continually offer prayers and encouragement to us to run our own race with faith and determination. Let us turn to the saints, to the Most Holy Mother of God, and especially to Christ, so that we too may be made saints worthy of the Kingdom of the Heavens.
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GIFTAID NEWS
All of us should be "titheing" - making regular financial offerings to the Church.
If you have not already done so, please consider donating regularly by Giftaid. It is very easy, it helps us and enables us to help others.
Please contact Susannah, our parish treasurer.
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HOLY WORDS
"All roads that lead to God are beset with pitfalls because the enemy [satan] ever lies in wait to trip us up. He naturally attacks most assiduously when we are bent on finding our way to salvation, for that is what he most strives to hinder" - Mother Alexandra [formerly Princess Ileana of Romania]
"There is no way to be saved except through our neighbour" - Saint Makarios
"Obedience is the tomb of our own will, from which, however, sprouts the all-fragrant lily of humility" - Elder Anthimos of little Saint Anne's Sketi
"When anyone falls, he falls alone; but no-one is saved alone" - Alexei Khomiakov
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ALL SAINTS OF THE BRITISH ISLES AND IRELAND
We commemorated the holy feast by processing with the holy eikons whilst chanting the Agni Partheni, and then praying to all the saints of these islands by their names. As far as I am aware, we are the only parish who does so.
All glory to God - there are hundreds of saints, ten pages of small-typed names of the holy ones- reading them all takes some time, but it is an immense honour to obey Saint Arsenios of Kappadokia's call to venerate our 'local' saints who are our family in heaven.
We ask the holy prayers of those who have gone before us to the Lord, those whose sacrifices of blood and tears enable us Orthodox Christians of this generation to be here in this place, now.
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ALL GLORY TO GOD!
All who attended today, processed outside in the fine English rain, and asked the prayers of the Saints of these Islands.
All who bring food and drink to share.
Cristina and Cristian - for clothes donations.
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YOUR HOLY PRAYERS
Crina-Mihaila - brain tumour; seriously unwell; confused.
Luben, Nadezhda, Monica, Moritz - May God bring strength.
Bethany - teaching at summer school; visiting our parish.
Ecaterina - May God give her strength at school.
ALL SAINTS OF THE BRITISH ISLES AND IRELAND, PRAY TO GOD THAT OUR SOULS BE SAVED!
With love and prayers, in Christ.
Forgive me, the sinner and unworthy presbyter,
Father Jakob
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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 whatever 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
17th APRIL -- ENTRY OF OUR LORD INTO IERUSALM*
5th May -- HOLY PASCHA*
13th JUNE -- HOLY ASCENSION*
24th JUNE -- HOLY PENTEKOST*
6th AUGUST -- HOLY TRANSFIGURATION
15th AUGUST -- HOLY DORMITION
[ * 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 £2,000 back 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 gift aid. 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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