ALL SAINTS: NOTICES -- THE 367 HOLY FATHERS OF THE SEVENTH ŒCUMENICAL COUNCIL, 2025
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TWO IMPORTANT DATES:
NEXT SATURDAY, 17th OCTOBER - DIVINE LITURGY AT GREAT WAKERING
THIS IS THE FEAST DAY OF THE SAINTS WHOSE HOLY RELICS WERE VENERATED THERE.
SUNDAY, 25th OCTOBER - ALL SAINTS: SIXTEENTH ANNIVERSARY
Following the holy services, we will have a BRING & SHARE PICNIC.
This is to celebrate the sixteenth anniversary of the first Divine Liturgy served in our community (23rd October 2010).
Much has happened since that day - joys, tears, the ongoing ups and downs of the spiritual life - for all of which, we offer all glory to God. We reflect on the past, but continually LOOK TO THE FUTURE.
We invite committed Orthodox Christian men and women and children to share responsibility in our parish.
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HOLY FATHERS, HOLY THINGS...
To ensure that the Transfiguration of our soul is possible, and that we may attend the Heavenly Banquet, the Church has fought endless battles to protect and pass on the Truth. It was at Níkaia in AD 787, at the Seventh Oecumenical Council, whose Fathers we commemorate today, that the Church anathematised those who defame and reject eikons. In so doing, the Fathers protect the precious seed of Truth – the veracity of the Incarnation of our Lord, He who is both perfect man and perfect God, so that we – the soil - might be protected from pollution. And in so doing, we might be a holy remnant, a precious gift, a shelter to others and to the world.
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WE DO NOT WORSHIP IDOLS
The Hebrew word פֶּסֶל (pesel), horribly translated as 'graven' (graven is a word most English speakers would never use!), means something 'carved', 'sculpted', 'cut', 'rendered from a block'. It would refer to statues or idols (3-d, standing figures, for example). WE NEVER HAVE STATUES IN THE CHURCH.
WE VENERATE
The Greek word, for 'veneration', 'reverence', is δουλεία (douleia). We venerate holy things. We venerate the Lord's holy Mother, we venerate saints, we venerate the Holy Gospels, holy eikons, even the hand of the priest. WE CERTAINLY DO NOT WORSHIP THESE THINGS.
WE WORSHIP
The Greek word for this is λατρεία (latreia). This is not the same thing as veneration.
Let it be crystal clear. Orthodox Christians are the upholders of Truth. We do not worship idols. Never have. WE WORSHIP GOD ALONE.
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ALL GLORY TO GOD!
We give all glory to God for those who hold responsibility in our parish.
Servers,
Singers,
Clergy,
Trustees.
Every one of them is striving to follow the teachings of the Church, and is adhering to the liturgical norms and customs of the Church, and is thereby setting an example to us all.
May God give them the grace to continue to bear their Cross, as they do, with faith, dignity and joy.
Natalija & Daniel - mortgage loan approved.
Daniel - for cleaning vestments, and arranging transportation for liturgical items.
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YOUR HOLY PRAYERS
Orthodox Christians suffering in Kosovo, Ukraine, Russia, and in Israel-Palestine.
Orthodox Christian families - to maintain faith; parents to teach their children; and for the faithful to attend the holy services from the start, to arrive early, to Partake regularly, and to help in the holy temple.
Serafim - starting new job tomorrow.
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With love in Christ,
the sinner, Father Jakob
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Please feel free to share this online and with your family & friends
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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.
(2026-2027)
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
25th APRIL -- ENTRY OF OUR LORD INTO IERUSALEM*
2nd MAY-- HOLY PASCHA*
10th JUNE-- HOLY ASCENSION*
20th JUNE-- 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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