Dear Friends
Our world has turned religions into sets of beliefs—it is as if each person could be given a multiple-choice quiz and then assigned a religion. “Do you believe Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God? Then you’re a Christian. No? Then we’ll assign you something else.”
Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in Heaven.
Matthew 7:21
The Lord is emphatic, it is not through our words, our beliefs, that we are Christians, it is in what we do: “he who does the will of my Father.” We see some of the harshest words spoken by the Lord against Pharisees and Scribes—those who could “pass” the “Belief in the God of Israel Test”—not because their beliefs were wrong but because they did not actualise their beliefs.
After the Great Apostle Peter preached to the crowd on the day of Pentecost some in the crowd understood this. They did not go away thinking, “I am now a Christian, I believe in Christ,” but asked “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” The Apostle replied,
Repent, and let every one of you be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:37–38
You and I, dear brothers and sisters, if we are to be worthy of the name Christians, must continue to repent and live the renewed life we have been given in baptism through the Holy Spirit.
But there is more. They did not receive baptism as a one-time event and then work the rest out by themselves.
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Acts 2:42
For to live as a Christian, to be a Christian, according to the witness of the Bible, is to live in the apostles’ doctrine and follow the correct beliefs, live in fellowship—that is in community—with other Christians especially in the breaking of bread, which we call the Divine Liturgy, and the prayers.
My dear brothers and sisters, friends, the Church is calling you to live as Christians: not only with the name but in reality. The Christian life is not a quiz it is a way of life. Live it, participate in it, be part of it.
You are welcome, Come and See!
We will be having our Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Sunday 17th April after the Liturgy. This is an important event for our community and will affect our life in the coming year and beyond.
All are welcome to stay for the meeting but only members may vote. Details on how to join the Parish Assembly are available in Church or do make contact.
Do you wish to deepen your Faith and come closer to Christ’s Church? Can you offer your talents to the Lord? Do join us.
We will now be serving a meal following the Liturgy on Sundays, starting this week (3rd April). All are welcome.
Do you, or someone you know, want to join our mailing list and receive our weekly email? Then let me know.
Sermon
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, Amen.
It is a great honour, dear brothers and sisters, to compete in the Olympics. There is, first, the honour of being selected by a nation to be its representative at the highest level of athletic contest. It has been preceded by months and years of early morning training, honing of skill, careful control of diet. The lives of Olympians have been dominated for years, even decades, of dedication to their sport to be the best they can be, the best in the world.
And I look at what is expected and I think to myself, “it’s too much for me: I could never do it.” And I turn and see the training expected of doctors, nurses and other health-care workers and I think, “it’s too much for me: I could never do it.” And I look at the training of barristers, of fire fighters, of soldiers, of astronauts, of pilots and I think to myself, “it’s too much for me: I could never do it.” And I start to realise something which I have known deep down from the beginning, “the training isn’t the problem, I am the problem;” since to obtain anything of value, anything of meaning, requires training, requires effort, requires dedication.
“If anyone wishes to come after me,” says the Lord, “let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” The prize on offer is no mere job or medal, it is life, the Kingdom of God, union with the Almighty—and it takes effort on my part. I must deny myself—which is to say place others as more important than I am, God first and then my neighbour—and carry my own cross, my own burden. But this race, this competition, is different from jobs and different from athletic contests: we are not competing against each other, we compete alongside each other. You and I are each here, together with the great multitude of saints and Christ himself, to help and support each other, to bear each other’s burdens.
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Read last Sunday’s Sermon, It’s too much for me.
Archive of Past Sermons.
Services this week
Friday 1st April
Prayers of the Salutations followed by a discussion on the book of Exodus, 8 pm
Online only
Saturday 2nd April
Vespers, 6.30 pm
At St Francis’ Hall, Eastleigh
Sunday 3rd April
Divine Liturgy, 9.30 am
At St Francis’ Hall, Eastleigh
Online session is via Google Meet: please get in contact for the details.
Please join us: all are welcome, come and see.
Attending Church
We will be meeting at St Francis’ Hall, Nightingale Avenue, Eastleigh, SO50 9JA. Come and See.
Can I help you?
I am here for you, you need only ask. Is there a way I can support your life of faith? Get in touch.
Can you help the mission?
Yes, absolutely. Offer yourselves to the Lord: pray! Make available to him all your talents and ask him how he would like you to use them — listen for his reply.
Your prayers!
With love in Christ
Fr Alexander
[email protected]