The Shepherd, November 2006
BROOKWOOD NEWS, 1
BENEFACTOR DIES
FROM A REPORT of a radio programme relayed to us, we hear that Mr John Young, the head of Young’s Brewery in Wandsworth, London, has recently died. Mr Young was a Roman Catholic and had many years ago lived in nearby Pirbright, but we met him when we were asked to bless a restaurant in Chertsey. He kindly made two donations to our Building Fund Appeal. May the Lord seeing his generosity towards us, now grant him His mercies.
VISITOR FROM MOSCOW
ON SUNDAY 8th October, Archpriest Michael Gertsev from Moscow, who was in this country as a guest of the family of Maxim Baev from Weybridge, attended the Divine Liturgy at St Edward’s church and stayed with us for the parish meal afterwards, talking to many of the Russian language parishioners.
VISIT TO FELIXSTOWE
AS DEAN of the ROCA English-language parishes, Fr Alexis visited the parish of St John the Wonder-worker in Felixstowe, Suffolk, over the weekend of 7th and 8th October, where he enjoyed the hospitality of Fr Andrew Phillips, his matushka Sabine and their family. Thus it happened that he was there for the celebration of the feast of St Sergius of Radonezh.
GIFTS TO THE BROTHERHOOD
AMONG RECENT and much appreciated gifts to Saint Edward’s we count a fine Russian icon of the the Holy Mandilion, the Image of the Saviour Not-Made-by-Hands. The icon is covered with a worked gilt riza and set in a beautifully carved wooden frame. It was given to our community by Mrs Eyke Sowels of Gerrards Cross in memory of her husband and his parents, and was brought to us by her sister-in-law Mrs Tatiana Yellachich.
On the thirtieth anniversary of the repose of Archbishop Nikodem, we also received through the post a copy of the twelve-volume Menaion, published by the Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Boston. This work, a translation into English from Greek and Slavonic sources, contains the services for the saints and festivals for each day of the year, and we are extremely grateful to the Boston community for their kind gift. We have also been given a hand-painted icon of the Blessed Pelagia Ivanovna the Fool-for-Christ’s-Sake, executed and given by the iconographer, Tatiana Kalibaba of St Petersburg, Russia. Parishioner Mariam Bruce, on her return from a trip to her native Georgia, brought us an icon of the Holy Martyr Queen Ketevan of Georgia with scenes of her life and martyrdom around the border.
BUILDING FUND APPEAL
THE PRESENT EXACT TALLY for the monies received or pledged for the Building Fund is £520,553.06 - more than 80% of our target figure. The increase in the past month was made up of interest on the fund money which we had invested and of numerous donations from our helpers and supporters. Among the latter we would particularly like to mention donations from the Kazan Icon Convent in Kentlyn, Australia, given in memory of their recently reposed Abbess Evpraksia; from the Orthodox Community of the Holy Apostles in Preston, Lancashire (OEP); from the Orthodox Parish of Ss Peter and Paul, Swindon (MP), from the Austin 7 Group, and the Farnborough Rotarians, both of which groups at separate times visited the church when having a walk through the cemetery conducted by John Clarke. Also Reader Sreto Duracic carved a wooden icon of the head of the Theotokos to be sold in aid of the Building Fund and thus helped us on our way. Michael Astley of Droylsden did a sponsored slim in aid of our appeal and lost enough weight to raise a further £130. Our thanks to these and all our donors. God ever bless and keep you.
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