THREE OCCASIONS FOR THANKSGIVING
I) Mrs Sarah Goad, J.P., the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey, has kindly agreed to lay the foundation stone for our new monastic house on Friday 2nd / 15th September at 5.30 p.m. It was exactly 22 years ago on this day that the Shrine Church was blessed by Bishop Gregory and the sacred relics of St Edward were at last given a fitting resting place therein. Now that our monastic community and our parish have grown, we are endeavouring to meet the needs of the increasing numbers who visit us from all over the world by undertaking the building of the new house and the refurbishment of the old mortuary chapel as a community hall and accommodation for guests. After the brief ceremony of the laying of the foundation stone, light refreshments will be offered our guests, and they will be given an opportunity to see and discuss our plans. Then at 7 p.m. those who wish may join us for the Festal Vigil Service in church, with which we begin our celebration of Saint Edward's Day. On the next day, the Saturday, Saint Edward’s day itself, we will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at 10 a.m., with the Lesser Blessing of Waters, and then all are invited to join us at our Parish Breakfast.
II) Anticipating that the building work would begin on Monday 31st July, Fr Stephen Fretwell led the congregation at St Edward’s on Sunday 30th July in chanting a short moleben at the site of the new house, before the Cross blessed there by Metropolitan Lavr.
III) In checking our bank statements at the end of the month, we found that an anonymous donation of £50,000 had been paid into our CAF Bank account for the Building Fund on 12th July. We give thanks to the Saviour for moving whoever made this generous gift to do so, and we pray that they will ever find His mercy, both in this life and in the next. As we have no other way of thanking them, that they will accept the thanks expressed here.
