Dear Friends
For us to receive more fully Christ born in our hearts we make a preparation, and for forty days we make a preparation to receive the Lord. And in this preparation the Church gives to us the example of one who has gone before us and prepared herself to receive Christ within her, the blessed Theotokos and Ever-virgin Mary, whose Entrance into the Temple is celebrated each year on 21st November.
Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.
— Luke 1:38
She it was who could say these beautiful words to the Archangel, sent by the Lord to entreat His Mother, but this did not happen in a vacuum, she had prepared: at the age of three she had gone to live in the Temple. And the High Priest greeted her and brought the living Ark of the Covenant into the Holy of Holies.
Let us, the assembly of believers, celebrate today spiritually in our gathering, and laud with true worship the virgin Maiden of God, the Theotokos, presented in the Temple of the Lord, forechosen from all generations for the abode of Christ, King of all. Wherefore, ye virgins, come forth, holding your lamps and honouring the solemn procession of the ever-Virgin. And ye mothers, cast off all sorrow, and follow them, praising her who hath become the Theotokos, and a cause of joy to the world. Let us all, therefore, raise our voices with the angel, hailing the one who is full of grace, who ever intercedeth for our souls.
— Doxasticon, Aposticha, Vespers for the Entrance of the Theotokos
Last week I had the blessing and joy to greet the Theotokos when her wonderworking-icon, the Hawaiian Myrrh-streaming Icon, visited the Church in Lincoln. Led by our Father in Christ, Metropolitan Silouan, several clergy of our God-protected Archdiocese, along with the guardians of the icon as well as well over a hundred pilgrims met the Panagia with great joy.
But why is this granted to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?
— Luke 1:43
For indeed, the Mother of our Lord visited her people and blessed us. And the miracle is not given as a “proof of Christianity” nor a “proof of Orthodoxy” but that we experience in a tangible way what is offered at all times intangibly—the Theotokos watches over us and guides us, she cares for us and intercedes before the Lord on our behalf. We see this clearly in the Sign, the Miracle, at the Wedding in Cana of Galilee.
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the Mother of Jesus was there.
Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.
And when they ran out of wine, the Mother of Jesus said to Him, ‘They have no wine.’
Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.’
— John 2:1–4
And that would seem to be the end of it, Christ would not do anything because His hour, the time for His action in the world, had not yet come. But for the Panagia this was not the end.
His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”
— verse 5
And the Lord consents to work the Sign, the Miracle, and changes water into wine. Because of her boldness before God, He consents to perform the first Sign recorded in John’s Gospel and honours the celebration of this Marriage Feast and all Marriages. The Sign belongs to God and could only be performed by His power, but He acts according to the intercession of His Mother.
Gathered together in the Church of All Saints of Lincolnshire, as she had entered once before the Temple in Jerusalem, so she entered again the House of God. And the pilgrims were joyful and glad to have the Mother of our God bring her compassionate love to us. The myrrh itself is an oil-like substance and has a strong sweet scent of roses. All had the opportunity to venerate the icon and be anointed. I was able to come away with some myrrh and anoint in our Church last weekend all who wanted — if you would like to be anointed with it please speak to me.
And before the Hawaiian Icon we offered worship to the living God, we served the Divine Liturgy. This was 14th November, by a fortunate coincidence the Feast of the Holy Apostle Philip—one of our patrons—and the name day of the pastor of the Church, Archimandrite Philip, for whom we ask the Lord to grant many years.
There is still much to do in our own community, but we work towards and long for the day where we too may set up a permanent House of God with our own building, where we can welcome the Theotokos and where we can glorify God. And for this we ask, we entreat, we pray that she use her boldness towards her Son and God by interceding on our behalf that His House be revealed to us.
Come and See!
Catechism & Catechumens
There are several members of our community who have expressed an interest in fully joining the Church, either through Baptism or Chrismation depending on circumstances.
I want you to, I think everyone should be a full member of the Church, but I am also keen not to put pressure on anyone. If you want to join you need to ask.
For me there are two key requirements.
- You are a member of our community. You participate in services as well as the rest of the life of the community.
- You understand The Symbol of Faith (also called the Creed) in the way the Church understands it. Alongside this, you will understand about the Orthodox Church, her history and traditions.
To help with 2., on Saturdays, after Vespers I will start to go through the Symbol of Faith. This will only last up until 7.40 pm (Vespers usually ends around 7.10–7.15 pm).
If you are interested in joining the Church (though there’s no commitment) or are already a member but would like to know more about our Faith, you’d be most welcome to join us.
If you’d like to join the Church, but can’t make it on Saturday evenings, then please speak to me and we can make alternative arrangements for you.
[For those who would like to come to Confession on Saturdays while this programme is happening, Confessions can happen from 7.40 pm: apologies for any inconvenience.]
We 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.
Sermon
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, Amen.
“Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
Now in the seven plentiful years the ground brought forth abundantly.
So he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities; he laid up in every city the food of the fields which surrounded them.
Joseph gathered very much grain, as the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting, for it was immeasurable.”
— Genesis 41:46–49
Why, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, is the Patriarch Joseph held in high honour for his actions in storing up grain, whereas the man in today’s parable considered a fool? They were both storing up grain, storing up blessings, but the actions of one are thought of as good while of the other bad.
Joseph was storing grain but for a purpose, to feed others in the coming famine but the Rich Fool was gathering merely to have a larger store: his focus was on himself, not on others. Joseph’s were actions of love, mercy and charity, the Rich Fool’s of selfishness, greed and avarice.
And I am forced to reflect on my own life. Am I as Joseph or the Rich Fool? Do I gather together the blessings I receive to distribute to others or for my own gain? The blessings of money: for what purpose do I grow my wealth? The blessings of health: how does my strength benefit others? The blessings of Church: how do I facilitate others to receive what I receive?
…
Read this Sermon, Storing up grain, storing up blessings.
Archive of Past Sermons.
Services this week
Friday 22nd November
Discussion on the Gospel of Matthew, 8 pm
Online only
Saturday 23rd November
Great Vespers, 6.30 pm
At 3rd URC Scout Hall, Chandlers Ford
Sunday 24th November
Matins and Divine Liturgy, 9 am
At 3rd URC Scout Hall, Chandlers Ford
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 meet at 3rd URC Scout HQ, Kings Rd, Chandlers Ford SO53 2EY. The Scout hall is behind and to the left of the URC Church. 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 parish?
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]