Meal after the Liturgy
The Liturgy on Sundays is followed by a bring and share lunch: all are welcome—please stay and join us. Donations of food are not necessary.
Dear Friends
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
With great joy, the faithful of Twelve Apostles’ Church welcomed our beloved Father in Christ, Sayidna Silouan, for the weekend of Thomas Sunday: the glory of Pascha surrounded the event. Sayidna presided over Great Vespers from the throne on Saturday evening; at its conclusion, in great appreciation for his first pastoral visit to us, we were blessed to be able to present him with a Cross and Engolpion of the Theotokos (Panagia). Vespers was followed by a short talk by Sayidna along with the opportunity for the faithful to ask him questions.
The Sunday of Thomas is also called Anti-Pascha by the Church meaning “in the place of Pascha” because she offers Sundays to the celebration of the Resurrection throughout the year. Sayidna served the Divine Liturgy and, for the first time, was able to wear his new Cross and Panagia. In his homily, Sayidna stressed the importance of each believer coming close to Christ through reading the Gospels, through prayer and through the Mysteries of the Church. By God’s mercy, many came forward to receive Communion. The Liturgy was followed by an Agape meal provided by the faithful of the Church.
Sayidna’s visit is an important step in our establishment as one of the newest communities of our Archdiocese: we hope and pray it will be the first of many as we work for the Death and Resurrection of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ to be preached in Eastleigh and throughout all the surrounding areas.
May the Lord, through the prayers and blessings of our Father and Chief Shepherd Metropolitan Silouan and intercessions of our heavenly intercessors the Holy and All-praised Twelve Apostles, grant we remain faithful to him and his Gospel. Please remember our community in your prayers.
We now serve a meal following the Liturgy on Sundays. All are welcome.
Do you, or someone you know, want to join our mailing list and receive our weekly email? Then let me know.
Singers — we want you
We are now more free to increase the number of singers at Church: would you like to sing and join this important ministry. Then please speak to me or the singers at Church.
All are welcome!
Sermon
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God, Amen.
Christ is risen!
How do we know that Christ is risen? We Christians believe in the Resurrection as a certainty, as a fact, but how can we be sure? It is because of the faithfulness of Thomas—not Doubting Thomas as he is known by some of our brothers and sisters in other traditions, but Faithful Thomas.
At Pascha the women discovered first about the Resurrection but when they went to tell the Disciples they were dismissed as telling “idle tales” as recorded by Luke (24:11). But not Thomas. When he heard the news of the Resurrection he did not dismiss it, we heard today “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe.” This is not doubt, this is seeking clarity. In other words, my dear brothers and sisters, he said “When I see for myself then I will believe.”
…
Read a sermon on the Sunday of Thomas.
Archive of Past Sermons.
Services this week
Friday 6th May
Discussion on the book of Exodus, 8 pm
Online only
Saturday 7th May
Vespers, 6.30 pm
At St Francis’ Hall, Eastleigh
Sunday 8th May
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 the risen Christ
Fr Alexander
[email protected]