The Shepherd, May 2007
BROOKWOOD NEWS, 2
GREEK VISIT
ON THOMAS SUNDAY, 2nd /15th April, Convent parishioners Constantine and Elene Lambrianides arranged to bring members of the Croydon Hellenic Fellowship and other friends and acquaintances to Saint Edward’s. Although they came in their own cars, over thirty people of all ages came. They were received at the church and given a talk by Fr Niphon; then they visited the New Monastic House before having coffee and cakes on the lawn. It was a pleasure to have such a lively and interested group visit. They used the time with the fathers here to ask many questions about the Faith. They also had a “whip-round” for the Building Fund before leaving and collected a generous £560. Our sincere thanks to Costas and Elene and to all who came with them.
TWO ICONS
THE ICON of the Mother of God of Tenderness which was painted by parishioner Annie Shaw, and donated to be sold in aid of the Building Fund, went by Dutch auction to Valentina Meade of Hedenham, a parishioner of the St John the Wonderworker Parish in Felixstowe.
Tatiana Kolibaba of Saint Petersburg, Russia, has kindly painted and donated another icon to our community. It is a small panel icon of St Hilda of Whitby, and is beautifully executed. Our thanks to the handmaidens of God, Anna, Tatiana and Valentina - may the Lord bless you all for your kindness and generosity.
OTHER GROUP VISITS
Dr JONATHAN CONLIN of the University of Southampton brought a group of students to visit the church on Wednesday 25th April, and on the next day the British Airways Walking Club, about twenty people altogether, also came to see Saint Edward’s.
INTERMENT AT BROOKWOOD
ON WEDNESDAY, 25th April, Archpriest Alexander Fostiropoulos (ER) visited us again, this time to lay to rest one of his spiritual children, Terence Perrin of Brentwood, in the Orthodox cemetery here.
BUILDING FUND
ON THIS, the last day of April (n.s.), the Building Fund stands at £598,445.22, and so we are just a little short of six hundred thousand, and need to raise just over £50,000 to meet our target (£650,000). May God bless all who are supporting us and have helped us achieve this remarkable result in less than three years. We hope that you will continue to support us, first by your prayers, then by contributing, and by making the appeal known to others and encouraging them to give.
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PRACTICAL TIP
WE RECENTLY VISITED somewhere, at the entrance they had a rather amusing notice: “Children in the care of a responsible adult, welcome. Warning, clamping in action!” The thought involuntarily passed through the mind that we should have something similar at the church! Of course, it is impossible to keep very young children completely under control and quiet throughout the whole service, but a start could be made if parents reminded their children when they set out and went they approached the church, that it was a very special place, that it was the house of God, that it was a place where they should be especially quiet and well-behaved. I remember my mother telling me that, but it seems a very simple and easy thing which is completely neglected nowadays. 
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