March 2009

ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE

Exarchate of Parishes of Russian Tradition
in Western Europe

Deanery of
Great Britain
and Ireland

The Orthodox Parish of
St Aidan
& St Chad,
Nottingham

FATHER DAVID’S LETTER:

GREAT LENT, 2009

In our preparation for Lent we always study the story of the Prodigal Son and his Loving Father. Lent is, above all, a return to God despite whatever has befallen us in the past twelve months.

The prodigal, when down and out, in hard times, thought of his father and resolved to return to him. ‘I will arise and go to my father and I will say to him: “Father, I have failed before heaven and before you and I am no longer worthy to be called your son!”’ He returns home and he is well received!

At the heart of this most lovely parable we should recognize something very important. There was a strong, active, and loving relationship which held the son and the caring father together. This was still true even when the son was quite prodigal. The son had been given a good start in life in the house of his father; he had been provided for and cherished.

When away from home, on his wayward path, the father still loved him and deep in is heart the son knew this. For this reason, when the time came, he could return. It required courage but he knew that he would not be rejected.

This really is the most important theme for Lent. To establish for the first time, or refresh again, our loving relationship with our Heavenly Father. All fasting, prayer and church observance is to this end. And what is also true, in being once more in loving relationship with God, we will also be in loving relationship with our brothers and sisters and our neighbours. To this end, prayer and alms-giving (and Lenten lunches) will help.

Sadly, in part of the Holy Orthodox Church in recent times, we have experienced brother turning against brother, and sisters failing in love. Ownership of bricks and mortar, petty grievances and misunderstandings, vendettas and personal agendas have destroyed community and family ties which were previously thought to be of such value and importance. Our Lord’s plea for unity and his desire for us to live by the principles of the Gospel have been ignored.

Now is the time to return to a full and loving relationship with God and with all our fellow men and women. If we do this and allow the Holy Spirit, the gift of Baptism, within us to assist us, our time of Great Lent will be well spent and we shall indeed know the great joy of Pascha.

We too shall arise and go to our Father and make the joyous announcement as we celebrate Holy Pascha.

Father David

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OUR LIFE

Memory Eternal!

On Sunday, 15th February we served a Panikhida for Father Peter Brameld, Ariadne Williamson, and Simeon Mitchell.

It is four years since Fr. Peter fell asleep in the Lord. It was a great joy that Monica could be with us; this was her second visit to the Church since her accident in the autumn. She is making good progress and is re-establishing her independence. Our good wishes go out to her and to her very supportive family.

The Episcopal Visit

It was a great joy to welcome our Bishop Basil for the celebration of Theophany on Saturday and Sunday, 17-18 January. He was able to meet those who attended the vigil, after which a sit-down meal was ably prepared and presented. Then there was a buffet after Liturgy on Sunday when he was able to meet a wider group. It was a very enjoyable and blessed occasion.

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Use of Bluecoat School Chapel

In the January Newsletter, I suggested that we would begin to use the Blue Coat School chapel on the fourth Sunday of each month, as part of our outreach to Christians throughout Nottingham.

In the event, this was not possible for various reasons. The Business Manager had welcomed us warmly. Indeed, it was his suggestion that we consider this venue, but unfortunately, when this was brought to the attention of the Vice-Principal, various real practical difficulties demonstrated that this was not a good option.

Use of St Leodegarius, Basford

I explained in the January Newsletter that the Parish Council is exploring new ways forward for our Parish. The Council considers it desirable to have a base in the west of the city where, as we hope, our outreach to the wider Nottingham community may be resumed.

We have now been offered a warm welcome at another church and we will have held our first service there by the time this newsletter has been published.

St Leodegarius’ Church is situated at the southern end of Church Street, in Basford. It is visible from Valley Road and is at the point where the bridge crosses over the railway, tramway and the river Leen. Buses 70, 71 and 72, from opposite the Victoria Centre, near to TK Max, pass the Church where there is a bus stop outside the north door. The tram to Basford is also a possibility, but involves a 7 to 9 minute walk.

We shall use St Leo’s on several occasions and will then decide whether to make use of the facilities there. One drawback is that we will not be able to begin the Liturgy until 12.15 p.m. because an Anglican service is celebrated in the church in the middle of the morning. An alternative would be to have a very early start, at 8.00 a.m.

(Fr David)

St Leodegar/ Leger

St Leger lived between ca. 616-79 A.D. and was bishop of Autun, in France. He was educated at the court of King Clotaire II and by a priest of Poitiers. St Leger became a deacon at the age of twenty and progressed to become Abbot of the Monastery of St-Maixent, where he introduced the Rule of St Benedict.

He was later chosen as bishop of Autun where he became a reformer, building churches, caring for the poor and also, like other bishops of his day, becoming involved in secular and court affairs. In 673, on the death of Clotaire III, Leger supported the claims of the new king, Childeric II, against the intrigues of a high official. Later, this official, named Ebroin, pursued him with an army and arrested him. Leger surrendered in order to avoid bloodshed and as a result, was blinded, mutilated, and finally beheaded.

Although his death was regarded as caused by political reasons, St Leger was soon regarded as a martyr and Christian saint. His relics were translated to St-Maixent, where they received much veneration. St Leger’s fame spread to England even before the Norman conquest, with his feast becoming established in monastic calendars and in the Sarum Rite. Five ancient English churches, of which that in Nottingham is one, are dedicated to St Leger. His feast is on 2 October.

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NEWS AND NOTES

First Sunday of the Month

After a very successful and enjoyable first meal and discussion following the Liturgy, we shall repeat the event on Sunday 1st March. We will serve a more substantial meal than our usual simple buffet lunch, and follow this with discussion about aspects of the Orthodox faith.

As the season of Lent begins on this day, we shall talk about the theme of Forgiveness.

Discussion Group

This has now resumed and will continue a study of Death in the Midst of Life, or the Orthodox understanding of death. On 23 March, 7.30 p.m., the meeting will be held at Barbara Bates’s house in Arnold.

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Other Events

Vicariate Annual Conference

‘Life in Christ’
22-25 May 2009

All Saints Pastoral Centre, London Colney, St Albans, Herts

The deadline for bookings has now passed, but if you wish to contact the organizers, please write to:

Lisa von Schilippe, Vicariate Conference, 20 Canada Road, London W3 ONP.

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Fellowship of St John the Baptist Conference

‘Creation and Evolution:
An Orthodox Approach’
Friday- Sunday, 10-12 July 2009
All Saints Pastoral Centre, London Colney, nr St Albans, Herts.

Speakers will include Dn Christopher Knight, Prof George Theokritoff, Archim. Kyril Jenner, Prof Richard Swinburne, Wendy Robinson.
For more information, please contact:
http://www.ofsjb.org/index.html

This conference will be preceded, 9-10 July, at the same venue, by a small conference on ‘The ground of our being: Exploring hidden consciousness’. This is being organised by Fr David. Please see him for details.

Visit to Istanbul (Constantinople), September, 2009.

Ruth Nares is again organising this trip for members of the Vicariate. The first such visit was in 2007 and was a great success. It is an opportunity to see the Phanar, ancient sights in former Constantinople and to be in audience with Patriarch Bartholemew.
(For details, please see Father David)

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Father David will visit Mount Athos from 25th March to 10th April. During his absence, services will continue as normal.

EDITORIAL

THE BEAUTY AND UNITY OF ORTHODOXY

By Father David

‘You approached the meadows of the Holy Scriptures like bees, searching them for the most beautiful flowers in order to offer the faithful as their nourishment the rich honey of your teachings. Rejoicing in its sweetness, they cry out in joy: “Even after your death, you watch over those who celebrate your memory, O blessed ones!”’

This lovely hymn is sung after the reading of the Psalter at matins for the three Great Hierarchs and Ecumenical Teachers, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom. It points to the treasure of Orthodoxy and hails our indebtedness to teachers, hymn-writers and all who have kept the Holy Tradition intact for us to join in and enjoy.

The joy at the heart of Orthodoxy is right worship. It can take place wherever we are. It is helped by, but not dependent on, beautiful buildings, finely furnished. Often men and women are distracted from core essentials of the Church of Christ and His Gospel and then there is not only sadness but disaster.

Another joy is unity. In October, the Primates and representatives of the local Orthodox Churches gathered in the Phanar (in Istanbul) at the invitation of Patriarch Bartholomew. The gathering, amongst other things, considered the alienation, divisions and conflict in the world today. The Church’s appropriate involvement was considered.

Of prime importance, however, it was agreed that the internal conflicts of the Orthodox Church, particularly when caused by nationalistic, ethnic and ideological extremes, must be overcome. These, it was said, nurture dangerous confusion. The Church must stand united.

In the final communiqué of this important meeting, there was firm resolution to safeguard the unity of the Orthodox Church. There was a desire to bring the swift healing of every canonical anomaly. There was a desire to overcome every influence which is foreign to Orthodox ecclesiology.

It was resolved to convene a pan-orthodox Consultation within 2009. With Bartholomew, the Patriarchs of Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem and Moscow were present with others, giving a wide representation.

But the joy at the heart of it all is being in a loving relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ so that all petty hurts and disagreements melt away. This we must all work for.

For a copy of the communiqué, please go to the following web-site:

http://www.ec-patr.org/

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The Enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, 1 February 2009

Bishop Basil of Amphipolis sent the following letter of greeting to the new Patriarch:

Your Holiness!

Please accept my congratulations on your elevation to the primatial throne of the Patriarchate of Moscow.

The grace of the Holy Spirit is always active whenever the Church meets in council and seeks to find the unity that is our primordial gift in Christ. I am confident that the same Spirit has acted already in your election—and will continue to act in you—for the good of the Holy Orthodox Church.

During the past few decades we have entered into a new phase in the history of the Church, and this is challenging us in many ways. Your gifts, coupled with the great human and spiritual resources of the Church of Moscow, will have an important role to play in bringing peace and stability to the Orthodox Church throughout the world.

In all of this, be assured of my prayers at the altar of our Lord.

With respect and brotherly love,

Basil, Bishop of Amphipolis