The Shepherd, February 2008
BROOKWOOD NEWS
VISIT OF FR HIEROMONK GORAZD
FR GORAZD, the Synod in Resistance’s priest in Prague, came to England to help us over the Christmas period. A convert to Holy Orthodoxy and a graduate of Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, Fr Gorazd completed his post graduate studies in Prague, where he is now Assistant Professor a Charles University (founded 1348 A.D.). He has visited our community on many occasions, coming to Britain often because of his love of the Celtic saints. He served at the Convent of the Annunciation for the Vigil of the Nativity and on the day of the feast at the Divine Liturgy, which, despite it’s falling on Monday, was more than usually well-attended. On the second day of the festival, members of the Brotherhood and Fr Stephen Fretwell and his Presbytera, Joanna, went to the Convent, so that on the feast of the Mother of God all four clergymen could concelebrate in her Convent. On the third day of the feast, we kept Father Stephen’s nameday here at Brookwood, and Fr Gorazd again concelebrated with us, before returning to the Czech Republic the next day.
THEOPHANY
THIS YEAR, as has become our custom, after the Divine Liturgy on the day of Theophany, we were invited by Robin and Mary Haigh of Abbey Bridge Farmhouse at Chertsey to use the ‘quayside” by their home alongside the Abbey River there to bless the waters. This is on the site of the ancient monastery, founded by St Erkenwald in the seventh century. The Abbey River flows into the Thames. The Haighs had also invited the Rt Rev’d Christopher Hill, the Bishop of Guildford, to attend the ceremony. Unfortunately, a couple of weeks before the feast he informed us that he would not be able to be there, but he appointed the Archdeacon of Dorking, the Ven. Julian Henderson, to represent him. Besides those of our own congregation who were able to make it over to Chertsey, numbers from the local churches also attended, making some seventy people in all. Both the “Surrey Herald,” and the “Woking Herald” carried extensive photo-reports on the event. The Haighs then very kindly invited every one into the ancient barn on their property, which was part of the Abbey, where, from their tea-wagon, they and helpers served tea and coffee and offered all the participants refreshments. We are extremely grateful to them for this act of hospitality, and to the Archdeacon for joining us on this occasion.
PLANTING DAY II
ANNIE SHAW led a second Planting Day and prepared Breakfast for us all on Saturday, 26th January. The weather this time was much more pleasant and a great number of the trees and hedging shrubs had been delivered, and so, thanks be to God, much more was accomplished this time. Some of the volunteers worked through until darkness fell. May God bless all of our parishioners and friends who helped on this occasion. That He blessed the planting is evident because the weather following it has been wet and windy, and so we have been saved the labour of watering the new plants. A third Planting Day is, at the time of going to press, scheduled for Saturday 2nd February.
THE CONGLETON CHESTS
AQUILINA COUSSMAKER gave two chests, which also double as settles, to the St Werburg Mission in Congleton some years ago. Now that the ROCOR mission there has been disbanded and the chapel closed, because the chests had been given in memory of a loved one she asked whether we could give them a home at Brookwood. Mrs Barbara Worth, on whose property the former chapel stands, gave her permission, and when in January Fr Alexis visited Congleton to take the Holy Mysteries to one of the faithful there, he was able to collect them. They are now, to the delight of Fr Niphon who is always looking for more space to store church linens, in the narthex of St Edward’s Church. Our thanks to Aquilina and to Barbara.
BUILDING FUND & PROGRESS
ON THIS, the last day of January (n.s.), a total of £657,576.25 has been given or formally pledged to the Building Fund. May God’s blessings be upon all who have helped us achieve this figure in just over four years. Our especial thanks to those who give regularly by banker’s order, who may feel unappreciated, though they are not, because their regular gifts are not otherwise acknowledged. You are all in our prayers.
The building work itself seems to have hit something of a hiatus at the moment, but, as well as the work on the grounds mentioned above, plans are underway for the setting up of the exhibition in the Old Mortuary Chapel, which was a requirement of the planning consent and for which we have received help from the Heritage Lottery Fund. More details in the next issue.
We have just heard from the contractors that the work on relaying the flooring on the ground floor of the new house will begin on 18th February.
C C C C C C C
PRACTICAL TIP
DEATH is approaching for each and every one of us, and as we near Great Lent, this fact, which we so often try to forget, is brought very forcibly to our attention by the Church services. In this “Practical Tip” section I do not want to speak of the deeper significance of this, but there are practical aspects as well, and Orthodox Christians should make provision for them. Recently two rather sad incidents have come to our notice, where those responsible obviously did not respect the wishes of the departed or their Orthodox confession of faith. It is important to make a will and include your funeral arrangements in it, or at least to make some formal statement and make sure those responsible for your funeral arrangements have copies. Make it clear that you do not wish to be embalmed or cremated (which are both against Orthodox teaching), that you wish to have an Orthodox funeral service, where you wish to be laid to rest, in which church you would like the service to be held and, if necessary, which priest you would like to officiate. Make sure all these things are clearly set out. Of course you cannot guarantee that others will respect your wishes or will be able to follow them exactly, but you will have done all that you can to make sure that you are laid to rest according to the precepts of our Faith.
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