The Shepherd, March 2005
BROOKWOOD NEWS
AWARD GRANTED
In mid-February Archbishop Mark paid a brief visit to London. On the feast of the Three Hierarchs (Saturday 30th January / 12th February), he celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Convent of the Annunciation and on the next day at the Church of the Dormition in Gunnersbury. At the Little Entrance during the Liturgy at the Convent, he awarded Father Peter Baulk the kamilavka (a tall cylindrical purple velvet hat worn by those of the white clergy granted this honour). The award was made in recognition of his labours in the Church. Our congratulations and Many Years to Fr Peter.
FATHER NIPHON, RADIOSTAR!
On Monday 7th February at 8.30p.m, BBC Radio 4 broadcast a programme about the old Necropolis Railway and Brookwood Cemetery, entitled “One Way to the Necropolis.” John Clarke, a founder member of the Brookwood Cemetery Society and author of the book, “London’s Necropolis” played a prominent part in the production, and the programme included portions from the chanting in a Brotherhood Vespers service and an interview with Father Niphon about death, as well as some reported teaching on the Orthodox understanding of the monastic habit and its part in bringing death to our remembrance.
BROTHERHOOD BOOKBINDING
Having been inspired with an enthusiasm for bookbinding by the sisters of the Convent, our Fr Thomas has just completed a course at the University of the Arts in London, and was granted a distinction in his Graduate Certificate in Bookbinding and Book Restoration.
NEW CATECHUMEN
On Sunday 17th / 30th January, which was also the feast of St Antony the Great, Steven Cable was made a catechumen at St Edward’s Church and named after the holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen, through whose prayers may he also be granted to come to Holy Baptism and in due time receive a crown of contest.
AMERICAN VISIT
On Wednesday 2nd February, Fr Panteleimon, the founder and former abbot of the Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Boston, Massachusetts, visited the Brotherhood, accompanied by Fr David and a layman. Fr Alexis was tonsured at the Boston monastery in 1974, being appointed to return to England in 1977, but after the Boston community seceded from the Church Abroad in the mid-eighties, except for ordering church requisites and publications, there had been no contact between our community and theirs. The visit therefore came as something of a surprise. Nonetheless, the Boston fathers kindly brought us portions of the sacred relics of six saints and an immense supply of incense, and some provisions and tea (reparation for 1776, perhaps???).
FREEWILL OFFERINGS
The weekly averages of the freewill offerings left in the almsbox at the entrance of the church at Brookwood for the last six months of last year were as follows:- July - £320.56; August - £199.23; September £349.29; October £223.95; November - £217.13; December - £222.15. God’s blessing be yours for helping to support us in this way. As we have no collections at Brookwood, these figures represent what parishioners have given freely.
ORTHODOX AID FUND TOTALS
In 2004, through the generosity of our readers and parishioners, we were able to make donations to other charities from our “Orthodox Aid Fund” totalling £2,764.58 and $1,740.29. As far as we can calculate, given fluctuating exchange rates, this was almost exactly the same amount as we donated in the previous year. The sum was somewhat boosted by a response to the Boxing Day tsunami disaster in the last week of the year, but nonetheless is excellent, given that those donating to this fund had, through the last months of the year, also been giving to our own Building Fund Appeal. May God bless all of you who have contributed, and grant His blessings also to your loved ones and families.
MONASTERYBUILDINGFUND TOPS £200,000
At the time of going to press, we have £184,472.69 in hand and £18,649.80 pledged to the Monastery Building Fund, a total of £203,122.49. This is approximately 31.25% of our target figure of £650,000. Under the direction of Miss Elizabeth Meade, the Sunday School children have contributed to our effort by making a “Vine” to show how the fund is growing, and this will be displayed at the Brotherhood. Our thanks are also due to Grace Meeking, Irina Aldersley and Christopher Shaw for putting their professional expertise to good use in producing an attractive brochure and folder illustrating our plans for the new house, the restoration of the the existing church, old mortuary chapel, and railway platform.
LENTEN COOKBOOKS
Parishioner Svetlana Morgan has very kindly compiled and produced some Lenten Cookbooks, which will be sold on the church bookstall in aid of the Monastery Building Fund. These are particularly useful as a number of cookbooks are available from the States, but measurements and products there are different and they are virtually unusable back here in the Empire, making Svetlana’s work indispensable.
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PRACTICAL TIP
THIS YEAR, the Roman Catholic Easter falls five weeks before the Orthodox celebration. Then in good time, make plans for the proper celebration of our feast, arranging time off from work, college or school, so that you and your children may attend the most important services of Holy Week and the festival itself, and so that you may keep those days as holy days.
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