Tuesday 2 October 2012



Services in October 2012 at Audley and Dresden


Wed 3rd 11am Divine Liturgy
Sat 6th Holywell Pilgrimage (see inside) – No Parish Service
Sun 7th 10am Matins; 11am Divine Liturgy
Wed 10th 11am Divine Liturgy
Sat 13th 6pm Great Vespers
Sun 14th 10am Matins; 11am Divine Liturgy
Wed 17th 11am Divine Liturgy
Sat 20th 6pm Great Vespers
Sun 21st 10am Matins; 11am Divine Liturgy
Wed 24th 11am Divine Liturgy
Sat 27th 6pm Great Vespers
Sun 28th 10am Matins; 11am Divine Liturgy
Wed 31st 11am Divine Liturgy

Name days
2nd David Ciprian Badin
9th James Sanders
12th Wilfred; Edwin
18th Dr. Luke Joy
23rd Jacovos Harvey
26th Claudiu
28th Terence
Reposed
19th Metropolitan Gabriel 2007

Practical Tips for Practicing Orthodoxy in Our Daily Lives

  •  Prayers are said morning and evening, either together as a family or individually.
  •  A blessing (grace) is said by the head of the family before a meal, and a prayer of
  • thanksgiving afterwards.
  •  On entering a room where there is an icon, cross yourself before it and say a brief
  • prayer.
  •  When leaving your home, make the sign of the cross over the door and pray for its
  • protection.
  •  On seeing a priest or even when phoning them or writing to them, always ask for a
  • blessing.
  •  Before going to bed, make the sign of the cross over it and pray for protection during
  • sleep.
  •  When you hear of anyone’s death, immediately say a prayer for their eternal
  • memory.
  •  If discussing or planning the future say: “As God wills.”
  •  If you offend or hurt anyone, say as soon as possible, “Forgive me,” always trying to
  • take the blame yourself.
  •  If something turns out well, say “Praise be to God.”
  •  If something turns out badly; if there is pain, sickness or any kind of trouble, say
  • “Praise be to God for all things,” since God is all good and, though we might not
  • understand the purpose of these things, undoubtedly they have been permitted by
  • God.
  •  If you begin some task, say, “God help me,” or if someone else is working: “May God
  • help you,” (How sad that this expression is so perverted in the modern exclamation
  • “God help you!”).
  •  Cross yourself and say a brief prayer before even the shortest journey by car.
  •  For a longer and more difficult journey, ask a priest to sing a Moleben, failing that, at
  • home say the troparion and kontakion for a journey.
  •  If there is a possibility of future trouble of any kind, either for yourself or for
  • someone you care for, say an Akathist to the Mother of God.
  •  When you receive a blessing after prayer, always remember to thank God; if it a small
  • thing, you may add a prayer of thanksgiving to your daily prayers or make an offering.
  • For matters of greater importance, ask the priest to serve the Thanksgiving Moleben.
  • But NEVER neglect to give thanks.
  • Mother Pelagia of Lesna Convent
  • Published by the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
  • December 2004


Extracts from the Report of the Anglican Archdeacon of Stoke on Trent to the Diocesan
Registrar of the Diocese of Lichfield at the end of the Faculty year
(A legal requirement to show our compliance with Faculty jurisdiction and the terms of the Lease)

The church is indeed being used for public worship. The members of the Orthodox
congregation are in good heart and have recently taken on seven additional families with
resulting baptisms and weddings!
In general terms the building is being very well looked after. Indeed I would say that the
building is considerably improved on what it was 12 months ago. Some basic repairs have
been undertaken, a considerable amount of damp has been dealt with.
More than this, an expert in Minton tiles (Carr Restoration) has become involved. They
have offered free labour to undertake this very specialised work on these very special
Minton tiles.
Now that carpeting has been removed and the problems of damp dealt with they are in the
process of carrying out significant improvements on these tiles not only in the chancel but
also in the nave (like for like repair).
The result of removing some of the pews in the choir has been that they are lowering the
floor to tile level rather than raising it by the addition of a wooden platform. The effect is
very pleasing.
The iconostasis was duly constructed and put in place for Christmas. Since then it has been
both stained an appropriate colour and decorated with Orthodox Icons. The communion
rail works well as a cresting to the screen.
The south altar has been re-sited.
The pulpit and the lectern are placed in the north aisle appropriately.
Before they moved out, the PCC sold the three westerly pews and some of the choir
furniture from the chancel has been placed there in its stead. The floor appears to be in
good condition and does not at the moment constitute a priority for any work.
The Bishop’s chair has been placed in the nave on a small raised platform. One of the
clergy desks is now used as the Bishop’s seat in the chancel.
The proposed glazed screen is a long term project and will not be undertaken at the
moment.
It is likely that a revised design will in due course be proposed involving a more solid
structure with glazed doors. (The more interesting and more important issue is that the
Orthodox would like to create around the walls of this room at the west of the church a
history of the Church of the Resurrection displaying diagrams, photographs and other
memorabilia to indicate its Anglican heritage. I am very impressed about this element in

the care being offered by the Orthodox congregation, building on but not denying its
Anglican past. Jane Corfield at the City of Stoke conservation department is equally
impressed and grateful).
A major financial expenditure to date has been to introduce polycarbonate protection for
the west window thus allowing the anti-vandalism boarding (which has covered up the
window for the last quarter of a century) to be removed. This instantly allows daylight to
pour into the church and also takes away the impression given to local people that the
church was in fact derelict.
This has coincided with the City Council taking over the care of the churchyard. This latter
is now beautifully maintained.
The overall effect therefore (combined with a daily search for any litter in the churchyard
carried out over the last 2 years by a member of the orthodox congregation) means that
the place looks in excellent condition.
They have pointed the chimney by the door into the back vestry and kitchen. This has
prevented water accumulating on the floor. With the removal of carpets and other
materials, the building is now drying out. This in turn has removed some unpleasant odours
from that part of the building.
In due course they hope to replace some of the Victorian rolled glass in the west window.
This no longer made in England but in Poland where exact replication can be obtained.
However the cost will be considerable and the church does not have the funds at the
moment to do this work (The NSHCT funded the existing work mentioned above).
There is a certain amount of woodworm in the building and this is requiring continual
checking.
The organ vestry: there are a number of artificial organ pipes which they propose to attach
to the north wall of the church as a possible decorative feature. As an alternative to
replacing them in their previous position this is worthy of consideration.
I note with interest that much of the work they have done has been offered free of labour
charges… including the iconostasis.
Conclusion
I am in contact with the church architect through whom I am given guidance about the
work before it is undertaken. My meeting with Father Samuel was thoroughly positive and
in summary I think the church is in very good hands. Their preferred next piece of work
would be to clean the interior of the church building, but again this is a matter currently
beyond their financially ability.


SAINT EDWIN, MARTYR-KING OF NORTHUMBRIA – 12th October
St. Edwin was the second Christian king in England, and the first in the northern
English kingdom of Northumbria. He was born in 584 into the royal family of Deira,
and spent much of his early life in Wales and East Anglia, fleeing from King Ethelfrith
of Northumbria. He married Cwenburga of Mercia, by whom he had two sons. In 616,
with the help of King Redwald of East Anglia, his host in exile, Edwin defeated and
killed Ethelfrith at the battle of the
River Idle, and became king of
Northumbria. After the death of
Cwenburga, he sought the hand of
Ethelburga, a Christian princess
from Kent. His suit was initially
rejected, but then accepted on
condition that Ethelburga was
allowed to practice her own religion
and that Edwin would seriously
consider becoming a Christian. In
625 St. Paulinus was consecrated
bishop and sent to York as
Ethelburga’s chaplain. Edwin
thought long and carefully before
becoming a Christian. He received a
letter of encouragement from Pope

Boniface, and he was astounded when St. Paulinus displayed clairvoyance concerning
a mysterious vision that Edwin had had some years before. But he still insisted on
consulting with his chief men about the matter. At this meeting Coifi, the chief pagan
Priest, confessed his conversion to the new religion, and even took the initiative in
destroying his pagan idols. Inspired by this example, King Edwin, his nobles and a
large number of the poorer people agreed to be baptised by the holy bishop in York
at Pascha, 627. Under the leadership of Saints Edwin and Paulinus, the conversion of
the north of England to the Christian faith proceeded apace. Moreover, St. Edwin
acquired extensive territories in Scotland (the Scottish capital of Edinburgh is named
after him), in the West (Anglesey and Man) and even in the south, becoming the
overlord of the southern kingdoms except Kent. The Venerable Bede writes: “So
peaceful was it in those parts of Britain under King Edwin’s jurisdiction that the
proverb still runs that a woman could carry her new-born babe across the island from
sea to sea without any fear of harm. Such was the king’s concern for the welfare of
his people that in a number of places where he had noticed clear springs adjacent to
the highway he ordered posts to be erected with brass bowls hanging from them, so
that travellers could drink and refresh themselves. And so great was the people’s
affection for him, and so great the awe in which he was held, that no one wished or
ventured to use these bowls for any other purpose. So royally was the king’s dignity
maintained throughout the realm that whether in battle or on a peaceful progress on
horseback through city, town, and countryside in the company of his thegns, the
royal standard was always borne before him.“ However, the British Christian King
Cadwalla of Wales rebelled against him, and, combining with the pagan King Penda of
Mercia, defeated and killed King Edwin on October 12, 633 at the battle of Hatfield.
His sons Osfrid and Eadfrid were also killed. The site of the battle is said to have been
near Doncaster. However, according to another tradition, it took place in Sherwood
forest, Nottinghamshire. There, in a clearing in the forest, he was secretly buried. By
the time his friends had returned to collect the body for a proper royal burial in York,
people were calling him St. Edwin. A small wooden chapel was erected on the spot
where he was first buried, which is now in the town of Edwinstowe.“The head of King
Edwin,” writes Bede, “was carried to York and subsequently placed in the church of
the blessed Apostle Peter, which he had begun to build, but which his successor
Oswald completed…”
St. Edwin is commemorated on October 12.
Holy Martyr-King Edwin, pray to God for us!



                 Saint Cainnech – 11th October
Saint Cainnech of Aghaboe, known as Saint Kenneth in Scotland (and
affectionately called Saint Kenny by locals) was an abbot
and a scholar. He is said to be one of the original twelve
apostles of Ireland sent out under the blessing of Saint
Finnian. The twelve were Ciaran of Saighir, Cairan of
Clonmacnoise, Brendan of Birr, Brendan of Clonfert,
Columba of Terryglass, Columba of Iona, Mobhi of
Glasnevin, Ruadan of Lorrha, Senan of Iniscathay, Ninnidh
of Loch Erne, Laserian of Leighlin and Cainnech (or Canice)
of Aghaboe. Saint Canice’s feast day is on 11th October and
he is the patron saint of the city of Kilkenny.
Unlike his friend and companion Saint Columba, Saint Canice did not guard an impressive copy of the scriptures, but he did write two important commentaries on the Gospels. One of these commentaries became nicknamed the Chain of Cainnech and was considered to be one of the most important commentaries inBritain, Scotland and Ireland right up into the
Middle Ages. Although he founded numerous
monasteries both in Scotland and Ireland, his
settlement at Aghaboe was to become the most
important. Some tales connected with him talk of
his love for nature and his gifted style of
preaching. He seems to have favoured a very
stark form of monasticism that can be seen
elsewhere in Ireland. He is said to have been
responsible for the building of monastic cells on
the islands of Eninnis and Ibdon and on the
shores of Loch Laggan (the remains can still be
seen at this spot). In his old age he retired to a
hermits life that he seemed to favour and spent
his last remaining days in prayer in a cell on the
island of Loch Cree.


There are quite a number of strange tales connected to Saint Canice. One such tale tells of how he loved retiring to a solitary existence in the forests to pursue his work on the Gospel commentaries. Here he was so still and focused on his work that the deer became easy in his presence; so at ease that he was able to balance his manuscripts in their antlers!
                   

                           In honour thou dost rank with Ireland’s Enlightener,
                     O Lover of the Desert, great Teacher of the sacred scripture,
                     Father of Monks and Founder of Monasteries, O blessed Cainnech.
                     Labouring for Christ in both thy native land and farthest shores,
                    Thou art a tireless intercessor for the faithful.
             Pray for us who hymn thee, that despite our frailty we may be granted great mercy.