The Orthodox Parish of St Aidan & St Chad, Nottingham
ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE
EPISCOPAL VICARIATE OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND
Exarchate of Parishes
of Russian Tradition in Western Europe
Extracts from Parish Newsletter, September 2007
FATHER DAVID’S LETTER:
Beginning of the Church’s New Year.
‘We played the flute for you and you did not dance;
We mourned for you and you did not lament.’ (Matt.11.17)
With these words Jesus refers to an ancient game played amongst Jewish children where one group pretended to play musical instruments or sing and the other group responded appropriately by dancing or mourning. With this reference Jesus berates those around him, especially the Jewish leaders. He is really saying, ‘We, God, can’t get it right whatever we do. You don’t respond to John the Baptist, accusing him of being too ascetic, possessed by a demon, and you don’t respond to me, Jesus, accusing me of being too liberal, “a glutton, a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners”.’
In Matthew 17:14-23, we read of a man who knelt down before Jesus begging Him to heal his son, an epileptic. He added that he brought the boy to the disciples but they could not cure him. On hearing this it is the turn for Jesus to berate His disciples: ‘O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? When will you be able to continue my saving work?’ Then he heals the boy by exorcism.
‘We played the flute for you and you did not dance;
We mourned for you and you did not lament.’ (Matt.11.17)
With these words Jesus refers to an ancient game played amongst Jewish children where one group pretended to play musical instruments or sing and the other group responded appropriately by dancing or mourning. With this reference Jesus berates those around him, especially the Jewish leaders. He is really saying, ‘We, God, can’t get it right whatever we do. You don’t respond to John the Baptist, accusing him of being too ascetic, possessed by a demon, and you don’t respond to me, Jesus, accusing me of being too liberal, “a glutton, a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners”.’
In Matthew 17:14-
In these two figures we have a picture of men and women desperate for God’s saving, healing help, but disciples who are unable to give it. We also have a picture of God trying every means to reach into the human condition and men and women who are refusing to heed. In both we have a record of God’s frustration with His people and His Church.
When His disciples asked why they could not heal the epileptic boy, Jesus replied: ‘This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.’ Prayer which means attentive relationship with God, in tune with him, dancing with him; fasting which sobers the body and the senses to allow and encourage vigilance, alertness to God.
On 14th September, on the Old Calendar, we begin the Church’s New Year. Our prayer and fasting will determine the degree to which we are in tune with God and the measure to which we can bring His saving grace to others in the year ahead.
The fruit of that prayer and fasting will be a Discipleship of Love and when we express ourselves by Love, for LOVE is the name of God to which men and women most readily respond, then our mission to our brothers and sisters and to the world around will be resumed.
A Word from the Desert
Abba Moses said, ‘If a man’s deeds are not in harmony with his prayer, he labours in vain.’ The brother said, ‘What is this harmony between practice and prayer?’ The old man said, ‘We should no longer do those things against which we pray. For when a man gives up his own will, then God is reconciled with him and accepts his prayers.’ The brother asked, ‘In all the affliction which the monk gives himself, what helps him?’ The old man said, ‘It is written, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)’
Benedicta Ward, trans.,
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers
(London-Oxford, Mowbray, 1981),
pp. 141-2.
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers
(London-
Pan-Orthodox Pilgrimage
to Ilam
11 August 2007
Report by Candy Charters
11 August 2007
Report by Candy Charters
On 11th August, a small group from our parish went to the pan-Orthodox pilgrimage at the shrine of St Bertram, at Ilam, in Staffordshire. This is an annual event which is organised by Father Samuel Carter (Patriarchate of Antioch). It is held on the nearest Saturday to St Bertram’s feast day, in early August.
St Bertram was a Saxon saint and hermit who lived, during the eighth century, in the cave near the church where we celebrated the Divine Liturgy. Participation in the pilgrimage has been growing, and it has become a very successful and enjoyable way of bringing people together.
Our day started with the Divine Liturgy, which was celebrated by Archimandrite Deiniol (Ukrainian Orthodox Autocephalous Church under the Patriarchate of Constantinople), assisted by others, including Father Gregory Hallam, Father Samuel Carter and Father
Daniel Joseph. I’m afraid I didn’t know who everybody was, but there were people from a Greek parish in Reading, others from Stoke on Trent, and we later also got talking with a priest from the Lebanon. Father Deiniol gave an absolutely wonderful sermon about pilgrimage, holiness and translucency, which included an amusing reference to the efficacy of Windolene!
Afterwards, we all had a picnic in the beautiful grounds surrounding the church. The view of the hills was really lovely and we were lucky that this was one of the very few really sunny days this summer. Afterwards, I wished that perhaps we had spoken to more people whom we didn’t know.
We were unable to stay for the afternoon’s events, which included a walk to St Bertram’s Cave, prayers at the spring nearby and Great Vespers.
I really felt glad that we had been on the pilgrimage on such a lovely day, and it made me realise how important it is that we should encourage such events which bring different jurisdictions together. This seems particularly relevant at this time when we are experiencing so many difficulties relating to unity.
A Visit to the Monastery of the Holy Myrrhbearers, Otego, New York
This summer I had the opportunity to visit the women’s convent of the Holy Myrrhbearers in Upstate New York. This Orthodox monastery, which is a Stavropegic foundation under the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church of America, is located in a very rural section of New York, only about twenty miles away from the place where my family has a summer home. It is also not far from the famous ROCOR Monastery of the Holy Trinity at Jordanville, NY.
The Holy Myrrhbearers Monastery consists of seven nuns, with Mother Rafaela as their superior. They have a beautiful church, complete with a full set of bells (which are rung for all of the daily offices), a refectory, and house of residence for the nuns. In addition, there is a comfortable guesthouse, located about 1/4 mile from the main monastery buildings, where guests may stay when they are visiting. The wildlife on the lands of the monastery is notable and can be especially well observed from the porch of the guesthouse, which overlooks a lake with herons, beavers, and many species of wild birds.
In addition to carrying out a full cycle of daily worship, the nuns of the Holy Myrrhbearers run a working farm which specialises in raising goats and sheep. The nuns spin, knit, and weave the wool from the sheep, selling their produce at local farmers’ markets and at the county fair.
After we had shared their evening meal in the refectory, one of the nuns brought in a newborn kid for us to see.
Mother Rafaela is clearly a remarkable and wise hegoumene, who directs her nuns with great spiritual authority. The monastery publishes a newsletter in which her insightful articles may be found; it is possible to subscribe if you visit the website:
http://www.holymyrrhbearers.com/
All in all, it was a most enjoyable and inspiring visit. I was particularly struck by the commitment of all of the nuns, each of whom was assigned a particular task in the running of the farm or the monastery. The two who look after the sheep and the goats gave us a guided tour around their pens and pastures, calling each of the animals by name to say ‘hello’. They said that they often sleep in the barn with them when they are ill or giving birth—the illnesses to which sheep, in particular, are prone are numerous and alarming in nature, as any farmer will know!
Like all monasteries, the Holy Myrrhbearers provides a witness and source of strength to many through its life of prayer and service to the Lord. There is an annual pilgrimage when many Orthodox visit the monastery and participate, even if only briefly, in its worship and daily life.
Mary Cunningham
More News from the North
In the March issue of the Newsletter, Father Michael Mountney wrote of developments in Northumberland. On Friday 16th August, Father David served the Divine Liturgy in the village church at Boulmer, on the coast, due east of Alnwick, three miles off the A1. The church wardens generously gave permission for us to use this church and said that we would be welcome to use it more often.
This might make a very satisfactory place of worship for a developing Orthodox community in the North since with moveable pews, it lends itself well to adaptation for Orthodox worship.
There was a goodly gathering of over a dozen people, with one family traveling from as far away as the north of Carlisle.
As the Orthodox presence develops, there will be a possibility of more frequent services led by a local reader and eventually, a resident priest. This is a most encouraging development.
(Father David)
Other Items of Interest
Orthodox Outlook, a popular pastoral magazine from England, comes back to life in October 2007. The price for four issues, including p. & p. is £22. Please write to:
St John Cassian Press
1 Butterfly Cottages
Harkstead, Ipswich IP9 1DB
St John Cassian Press
1 Butterfly Cottages
Harkstead, Ipswich IP9 1DB
St Gregory’s Foundation continues its essential aid work in Russia, the Ukraine, and Georgia. To contribute to its work, please visit the website at:
www.stgregorysfoundation.org.uk
Telephone: 07951-637688 or write to:
www.stgregorysfoundation.org.uk
Telephone: 07951-
19 Colebrooke Avenue, London W13 8JZ.