The Shepherd, December 2009
A BLESSING FROM SAINT EDWARD
A CORRESPONDENT in the United States, Reader Nicholas Trahan, who publishes a traditionalist newsletter, The Sentinel, recently sent us this e-mail message: “I am still here, recovering from a case of pneumonia which has totally sapped all my energy. The purpose of this note, which you have my permission to share, is to tell you of how St.. Edward has blessed me within the past week. On Sunday I was working on The Sentinel when I fell asleep. I had a dream that I was in Brookwood standing next to you. After having asked your Blessing I asked if you could bless me with a relic of our dear saint. Father, no sooner than you had placed the relic on my forehead than I was enveloped with the most sense of calm and warmth. Please pray that the pneumonia ends soon so that my energy can return.” Besides the attack of pneumonia he mentions, Nicholas is seriously and terminally ill with cancer, and we ask your prayers to the Saint, who has obviously already shown him his favour, for him and for his family.
VISITORS
PROTOSYNGELLOS DAMASCENE and the Novices Ioann and Andrei from a monastery in Putna, a dependency of Sihastria in Moldavia, Romania, under the spiritual guidance of Archimandrite Nectarius, visited us on Saturday, 15th / 28th November, and served a liti at the grave of Irina Bontea. Afterwards our guests were offered hospitality at the Brotherhood and in turn gave us icon prints of the miraculous icon in their monastery in Romania.
Quite independently, the next day, Hieromonk Luca of the Rafaila Monastery, also of the Romanian Patriarchal Church, attended the Sunday Divine Liturgy at Saint Edward’s, and afterwards served a liti at the grave of Bogdan Chelariu. Unfortunately he then had to rush off and was unable to stay and join us at the parish meal.
Local historian, John Clarke, led a group of about fifty students from the University of Winchester to see the church, but as it was then closed, they were shown the Exhibition Room, and several expressed an interest in returning to attend a service, perhaps at Orthodox Christmas.
On 31st October, Mr Clarke and Mr Guney together led an evening walk around the cemetery, & they also came to see the Exhibition.
ROOF PROJECT
WE WERE UNABLE to hold a last meeting with our contractors in the week after the work was completed because they needed time to produce final figures. However, on Monday, 23rd November, we were able to hold the meeting, which dealt with the outstanding matters amicably and satisfactorily. Our special thanks to our project manager and architect, Irina Hoble-Aldersley, for guiding us through these meetings.
BROOKWOOD CEMETERY CELEBRATION
ERKIN GUNEY (Egg), the owner of Brookwood Cemetery, and his wife, Melanie, hosted a special reception on Sunday 15th November, n.s., for the re-opening of the Glades of Remembrance. The Glades, which contain a large lake, had been neglected and the lake dry for about twenty years. In memory of his father, Ramadam, Mr Guney had restored the area and the lake has been re-filled. In a short ceremony, the Mayor of Woking, Cllr Tina Liddington, cut a ribbon across a memorial plaque erected in memory of Ramadam Guney, and made a short speech outlining the history of the Cemetery. Then Fr Alexis was asked to bless the restored lake. Mr Guney thanked all those who had helped in the work and supported his continuing efforts to restore the whole cemetery. Lastly the children there released some goldfish into the waters, these had been donated by Iain Welters of the Welters Organisation, which undertook the repairs necessary for the lake to be refilled. After these short ceremonies, in a marquee refreshments were offered to the guests, who included several local councillors and dignitaries, to the beautiful accompaniment of a harpist, who had come from Romania.
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