20th May, 2009

Prayer Meeting in support of the persecuted Eritrean Christians

Sunday 24th May, 3pm - 4pm

St Alban's Orthodox Church, Chatham, is hosting a prayer meeting on Sunday 24th May, at 3pm until 4pm in support of the suffering Church in Eritrea.

All of the Christians in Eritrea are facing persecution by the atheistic state, and several thousand Christians have been imprisoned for their faith, while Orthodox priests are being forced to leave their congregations and serve in the Army. Patriarch Antonios of Eritrea has been kept under close house arrest for several years.

Do join us for this hour of prayer to learn a little of the situation in Eritrea and to intercede on behalf of our Christian brethren.

The campaign on behalf of the Christians of Eritrea is being sponsored by Release International - More Info

For more details contact Father Peter - fatherpeter@britishorthodox.org

22nd February, 2009

Ordination to the Priesthood

On Sunday 22nd February at the beautiful little church of St Felix at Babingley on the Sandringham estate Deacon Peter Farrington was ordained to the sacred order of the priesthood at the hands of His Eminence Abba Seraphim.  Many church members were present with every community represented, some of whom had travelled long distances to be there.  Abba Seraphim in his homily emphasised the importance of thanksgiving and reminded us that in spite of the unremitting bad news in the media every day we still have much to be thankful for. Not only were we giving thanks on this occasion for the ordination of Father Peter but at in the same service Father Simon was being raised to the order of hegumenous, Abba Seraphim’s mother Joyce had celebrated her ninety-fifth birthday the previous day and Abba Seraphim himself would mark thirty years in the episcopate the following Saturday. In spite of the chilly weather it was possible to take a group photograph outside the church before everybody left for a buffet reception at Kings Lynn golf club just a couple of miles away.

Fr Peter is to serve at the parish of St Alban and St Athanasios, Chatham, Kent.  He will assist the parish priest Fr Michael Robson who has been ill for some time and who was sadly unable to be present at the ordination service.

Please remember Fr Michael in your prayers and Fr Peter as he begins his ministry with the traditional period of forty days preparation.

1st February, 2009

Ordination to the Diaconate

On the 1st February, 2009, Abba Seraphim ordained subdeacon Peter Theodore Farrington to the full Diaconate within the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate. Peter Theodore has served as a Reader and Subdeacon for many years within the community of St Alban and St Athanasius in Maidstone and now Chatham.

He will now serve as a Full Deacon for the period before his ordination as priest on the 22nd February.

Axios, Axios, Axios

28th September - 1st October, 2008

World Council of Churches Global Platform

Peter Farrington has been invited to participate at a World Council of Churches Global Platform for Theology & Analysis meeting in Geneva 28 September-1 October, to consider the theme “The Bible, Chaos & Catastrophe” following his submission of a paper, Natural disasters in the Sixth Century Chronicle of Pseudo Joshua.”

8th August, 2008

Study Evenings in September and October

Throughout September and October we will be very blessed to be viisted by our bishop, Metropolitan Seraphim, who will be leading a series of four study evenings on the subject of The First Millenium of British Christianity. The planned programme is as follows:

7.30-8.30 p.m.

Wednesday, 3 September
Christianity in Roman Britain

Wednesday, 17 September
Evangelising the Picts and Irish

Wednesday, 1 October
Converting the Saxons & saints in conflict

Wednesday, 15 October
The later pre-Conquest Church

11th September, 2007

Clergy Meeting

Father Michael met with subdeacons Michael Kennedy and Peter Farrington to discuss various matters relating to the practical life of St Alban's Orthodox Church. The items discussed included organising a monthly cleaning evening, introducing a monthly week-night children's class, and appointing a new Treasurer to help us establish the finances of our community on a sound basis. All of these matters will be properly described in the next parish newsletter.

1st September, 2007

Work Day at St Felix Orthodox Church, Babingley

One of our subdeacons travelled up to King's Lynn, and to the Church of St Felix, to take part in a work day. One of the other British Orthodox participants wrote..

Often we are reminded of something that is good for us to remember, that the 'the Church' is not a building; but just sometimes, He can remind us of how it can be.

This reflection is brought on by what happened as St. Felix Church, Babingley, yesterday.

As some of you will know, the building is a rather wonderful tin tabernacle - with a thatch! It had, however, become a trifle run down over the years, and badly needed repainting, repairing and a good deal of work done on the grounds. Back in June Abba Seraphim, who now comes up from London every two weeks to lead the Liturgy, suggested, along with Deacon Mark that we had a 'work day' on 1 September to do this necessary work. With a congregation in single figures and myself, at 51, the youngest member by some way, this was, indeed an act of Faith; as Glendower said, you can call spirits from the vasty deep, but will they come when you call?

As I have a drive of an hour and a half to Church, I turned up a little later than the 9 am starting time. When I arrived at 9.30 there were already fifteen people there; by 10 am there were twenty. Some were Orthodox Christians who had driven three hours to be with us; most were Christians belonging to other Churches who had heard what we were doing and 'just wanted to help'. With the bishop himself clearing the brushwood, I set to digging to clear the area around the walls - with an Anglican on one side of me and another non-Orthodox Christian on the other; across the way two other non-Orthodox were sanding down our windows, and three others were painting them, helped by two Orthodox.

Where was the Church - well, on a (thank the Lord) coolish September morning as I shovelled yet another mound of earth into a wheelbarrow for my Anglican friend to take away - I looked around me and I saw it visible.

7th July, 2007

30th Anniversary Celebration

Some of us travelled up to London to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the consecration of Abba Seraphim as a bishop. Members and friends of the British Orthodox Church came together from all over the country and even from overseas. A wonderful liturgy was celebrated with many clergy, and ecumenical visitors, and then a buffet lunch was enjoyed by all.

Abba Seraphim spoke on the challenge of Islam facing the Church and the West, and remembered some of the people who have passed over into eternity and who were great supports to him over his thirty years as a bishop.

Many years, Abba Seraphim!

7th January, 2007

Our first liturgy of the year is the celebration of Epiphany. The services start at the usual times. We are expecting our two young Psaltors, to be serving in the altar with Subdeacon Michael and Subdeacon Peter, so do try to be there to support them.

24th December, 2006

Our bishop, Metropolitan Seraphim, celebrated the Liturgy for us on Christmas Eve. It was a great pleasure to have him with us, and especially because on this occasion he blessed two of our young church members, Don and Callum, as Psaltors, so that they could serve in the altar during the Liturgy. Metropolitan Seraphim also distributed gifts to the children present.

3rd November, 2006

British Orthodox Fellowship - Praying the Jesus Prayer.

On Friday we organised our first study evening as part of the activities of the British Orthodox Fellowship, an ecumenical organisation with the aim of helping members of all Christian traditions experience and understand something of our Orthodox life and spirituality. This first evening began with coffee, and then Father Michael, Subdeacon Michael and Subdeacon Peter gave short presentations on a variety of themes to do with the Jesus Prayer. There was time for questions, and some practical exercise of the Prayer. It was a very pleasant and worthwhile evening and another study evening is being arranged for January with the title - Praying with Icons.