Services for September 2010

Sat.4th 6pm Great Vespers
Sun.5th 10am Matins; 11am Divine Liturgy.
Tues. 7th 6.30pm Great Vespers of the Birth of the Theotokos.
Wed. 8th 11am Divine Liturgy.

Sat.11th 6pm Great Vespers.
Sun. 12th 10am Matins; 11am Divine Liturgy.
Mon. 13th 6.30pm Great Vespers of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
Tues. 14th 11am Divine Liturgy and Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

Sat. 18th 6pm Great Vespers.
Sun.19th 10am Matins; 11am Divine Liturgy.

Sat.25th 6pm Great Vespers.
Sun.26th 10am Matins; 11am Divine Liturgy.

Name Days in September.

5th Emma Louise Elizabeth Bostan.
8th Francesca Joy.
9th Anna Oshkhereli.
17th Sofia Maria Bartholomew.
24th Thecla Read.
26th Metropolitan John; John Martin Chadwick; John Roger Makings.

Reposed.
10th George Fearns 2005.

Parish feasts.
14th Holy Cross, Lancaster.
19th St. Theodore, Macclesfield.

Services for August 2010

Sun 1st 10am Matins; 11am Divine Liturgy

Thurs 5th 6.30pm Great Vespers of the Transfiguration
Fri 6th 11am Divine Liturgy of the Holy Transfiguration
Sat 7th Pilgrimage to Saint Bertram at Ilam - No services at Audley
Sun 8th 10am Matins; 11am Divine Liturgy

Sat 14th 6pm Great Vespers
Sun 15th 10am Matins; 11am Divine Liturgy; 1pm Baptism of Pauline Joan Baiasu

Sat 21st 6pm Great Vespers
Sun 22nd 10am Matins; 11am Divine Liturgy

Sat 28th 6pm Great Vespers
Sun 29th 10am Matins; 11am Divine Liturgy

Namedays in August
1st Jonathan
16th Radu
20th Father Samuel

Reposed
1st Tsinara (2008)

Deanery Parish Feasts
9th St Matthias: Lincoln
31st St Aidan: Levenshulme

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Baptism

You will see from the list of services that we have another Baptism in August.
The word baptise derives from baptizo, the transliterated form of the Greek word βάπτειν or baptivzw. In a historical context, it means "to dip, plunge, or immerse" something entirely, e.g. into water. Although commonly associated with Christian baptism, the word is known to have been used in other contexts. For instance, a 2nd century author named Nicander wrote down a pickle recipe which illustrates the common use of the word. He first says that the pickle should be dipped (bapto) into boiling water, followed by a complete submersion (baptizo) in a vinegar solution. The word was also used to explain the process of submerging cloth into a coloured dye. The Christian ritual of water baptism traces back to Saint John the Forerunner, who the Bible says baptised many, including Jesus.

It is surely one a most joyous occasion when we can welcome a new member into the Church.
Set the timer on your oven a little later on August 15th and join in the celebrations at 1pm, after the Divine Liturgy for the Baptism – not the pickling – of Pauline Joan!

Pilgimage to Ilam 2010Please remember to arrange your transport for the 2010 Pilgrimage to Ilam – Saturday 7th August

Advance notice of Saint Michael’s Feast 2010

Preparations are underway for the celebrations of the Feast of St Michael which this year falls on Monday 8th November on which day there will be a Divine Liturgy.
The Parish Council decided on the date of 6th November for the feast as it is the closest Saturday to the event.
We have made a provisional booking at Alsager Golf and Country Club for the event.

Not only does the club have all the facilities we require – private function room, bar etc – it also has the benefit of all these facilities on the ground floor.
The council felt this to be main disadvantage of the pub in Audley where the meal was held two years ago.

Martin partnered Carolyn to the Barthomley Parish Church Choir Christmas meal at the club two years ago and recommends the standard of catering and service wholeheartedly.

Menus will be posted in the church kitchen a little nearer the date for you to choose your meal in advance.

The price will be £12.50 per head for three courses plus Tea/Coffee with after dinner mints.
Alsager Golf and Country Club is on the Audley side of the town just as the Welcome to Alsager sign is reached. It is therefore only a few minutes drive from the church.
The booking has been made for 7:30pm which is timed to allow everyone to come to Great Vespers first!

Words of Wisdom

You cannot be too gentle, too kind. Shun even to appear harsh in your treatment of each other. Joy, radiant joy, streams from the face of him who gives and kindles joy in the heart of him who receives. All condemnation is from the devil. Never condemn each other. We condemn others only because we shun knowing ourselves. When we gaze at our own failings, we see such a swamp that nothing in another can equal it. That is why we turn away, and make much of the faults of others. Instead of condemning others, strive to reach inner peace. Keep silent, refrain from judgement. This will raise you above the deadly arrows of slander, insult and outrage and will shield your glowing hearts against all evil.
(St Seraphim of Sarov)


...more Words of Wisdom

When we see sinners we must always weep for ourselves first over their failure.
Perhaps we have fallen in the same way; or we can fall, if we haven't yet.
And if the judgment of the teaching office must always eradicate vices by the power of discipline, we must nevertheless make careful distinctions: we should be uncompromising about vice, but compassionate to human nature.
If a sinner has to be punished, a neighbour has to be supported.
When he has nullified what he has done by his repentance,
our neighbour is no longer a sinner.
With the righteousness of God he turns against himself,
and what the divine righteousness reproves he punishes in himself.

(Saint Gregory the Great)

Magdalen Wants!...

The “Art Cafe” is a voluntary group initially set up by the Stroke Association.
We meet once a fortnight in a community centre on Fegg Hayes Road. It is run for people who have had a stroke and for whom the hospital can do no more. As the Day Centres have been closed there is little or no support for any activity to maintain circulation, hand and eye co-ordination and mobility.
This group affords members a place to meet to discuss problems; we have a qualified and a trainee clinical psychologist in the team and yours truly who is qualified in Art Creative Skill and Sewing.
But, money for resources is tight and we need sewing and knitting needles, material of every description including card (coloured and plain), fabrics, paper, water colour pallets, water colour pencils, brushes - in fact all art materials.
We have a particular need for sewing machines and hand/electric food processers.
I am hoping that we can put on an exhibition at Christmas to raise money so we can become self funding.
Any questions or to have donations collected, please ring Magdalen McAtominey on 01782 723873.
Volunteers welcome too of course!

IONA ORTHODOX RETREATS

PATRON: His Eminence, ARCHBISHOP GREGORIOS OF THYATEIRA AND GREAT BRITAIN;
CHAIRMAN: His Excellency, METROPOLITAN KALLISTOS OF DIOKLEIA.


If you would like to stay this Autumn at the IONA ORTHODOX CENTRE ON THE SACRED ISLE OF IONA ... where the veil between Heaven and Earth grows very thin ... to make a private retreat or an individual pilgrimage, or simply to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of Iona, and to become, for a week, part of a temporary Orthodox Community on Iona, from Saturday 25th September to Saturday 2nd October 2010 then please contact, a.s.a.p. (only 7 guest places available)
Reader Ignatios Bacon, Email: ionaorthodox@gmail.com
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The temporary IONA ORTHODOX CENTRE will be located as before at CLACHANACH - only 5 minutes from the Abbey and from St. Oran's Chapel, where Orthodox worship will be served daily, this week.


THE ISLE OF IONA - a beautiful, tranquil and sacred place.
Colum Cille - St. Columba - came to Iona from his native Ireland about 563AD.
From Iona Columba and his monks evangelised North Britain with Celtic Christianity.

Tatton Park Outing on Saturday 16th October

Christmas Gift Fair

With a wide range of exhibitors including traditional crafts plus gifts, retailers and food producers there are lots of ideas for early Christmas shopping.

Open 10.30am - 5pm. Admission to the fair is free of charge. Car entry charges apply.
Tatton Park, Cheshire’s Large Visitor attraction of the year in 2004 and 2005, is one of the North West’s most popular heritage attractions. Over 750,000 visits are made each year to the 1,000 acres of deer park, Mansion, Gardens, Old Hall, rare breeds Farm and events. It has a history dating back to Bronze Age farming and has been home to herds of deer since the 13th century. In the late Tudor period Tatton was acquired by the Egerton family who owned the estate until the last Lord Egerton died without heirs in 1958. Maurice Egerton bequeathed the estate to the National Trust.
Please contact Winifred as soon as possible if you would like to go.

Throwing this open to friends and relatives who do not belong to St. Michael’s might reach our full-coach target. So far we have only 25. We need 20 more for this to happen and we must book the coach before the end of August.

Pilgimage to Ilam 2010
Please remember to arrange your transport for the 2010 Pilgrimage to Ilam – Saturday 7th August

Visit of Metropolitan John to London; 10-23 June 2010

His Eminence Metropolitan John has made a pastoral visit to our people in London. This visit included (as usual) a varied programme and activities. His Eminence celebrated the Divine Liturgy on Sundays 13th and 20th June at St George’s Cathedral in London, which was an occasion to meet the people of the parish, young and old, as well as to meet with the Parish Council and discuss with them the latest developments and topics.

At the invitation of the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies in Cambridge, His Eminence gave a lecture entitled “Christianity in the Middle East”, at St Botolph’s Church in London, in which he spoke of the importance of the Middle East from the historical, geographical and spiritual point of view, and also of the rise of the Church and its spread. He then turned to the coming of Islam and the cohabitation of Christianity and Islam. He ended his lecture by talking about the position of Christians now present in the Middle East and their effective role, despite harsh difficulties.

His Eminence also attended the regular meeting of the Priests and Deacons of our Deanery in Great Britain and Ireland, discussing with them the present position and how to go forward in these parishes in accordance with the collective plan. At this meeting His Eminence elevated Father Gregory Hallam to Archpriest.

On Sunday 20 June the service was enhanced by the blessing of Dunstan Commander as Reader and Christopher Porritt as Sub-Deacon, and the ordination of Deacon Paul Totten as Priest to assist Father Irenaeus in the service of the parish in Belfast in Ireland, and also the elevation of Father Samir Gholam to Archpriest.

On Monday 21 June the Orthodox Metropolitans who have parishes in Great Britain met together: His Eminence Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira and Great Britain (Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople); the Most Revd Metropolitan Youhanna of Western and Central Europe (Patriarchate of Antioch); His Eminence Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh (Patriarchate of Moscow); The Rt Revd Bishop Dositej of Great Britain and Scandinavia (Patriarchate of Serbia); The Most Revd Archbishop Iossif of Western and Southern Europe (Patriarchate of Romania); The Rt Revd Bishop Zenon of Dmanisi and Great Britain (Patriarchate of Georgia); His Eminence Archbishop Mark (Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia); His Eminence Anatoly of Sourozh; and Their Eminences Kallistos, Chrysostemous and Athanasius (Ecumenical Patriarchate). This was the constitutive meeting of the Council of Orthodox Bishops in Great Britain.
The visit of His Eminence ended on Tuesday 22 June when the Council of Orthodox Bishops (referred to above) met with the Rt Revd Archbishop Dr Rowan Williams and the Bishop of London, Dr Richard Chartres. The meeting was extremely useful and amicable. The attendees considered the relationship between the Orthodox and Anglican Churches, and how to consolidate their relationship and the joint Christian witness of the Church in Great Britain.
Web site for more details: http://www.antiocheurope.org/News-En.html