July  2007
 

"St. Chad’s Shrine"

In this Issue

 Prayer
Priestless  services
St. Chad’s  Shrine
 

Prayer

There is an excellent little book about prayer called “The Path of Prayer”, being four sermons on Prayer from St. Theophan the Recluse, a nineteenth century Russian bishop, hermit and staretz canonised in 1988.

He makes various recommendations to set us on the true path of prayer and reminds us that when we use the ancient prayers of the saints they lift our hearts to heights we could not attain with our own weak words and expressions.

“In order to reach up high one must have a ladder. One does not throw away a ladder after climbing it once, because one will need it again”.

This book is short, clear, inexpensive, very helpful if you are really serious about learning to grow in prayer, and may be ordered through our church bookstall.
 
Priestless  services

In many areas of this country, where Orthodox Churches are not on every street corner, the Faithful have offered prayers and praises before the Holy Icons, with incense and candles, in garden sheds dedicated to God, people’s front rooms, attics, basements and even garages. Very often this has resulted in the beginning of a parish and the provision of a priest to serve the Divine Liturgy. This has been a big part of the history of the spread of Orthodoxy in this country and elsewhere.

Too often we tend to think that if there is no priest present the service needs to be cancelled. This is not the case, and services without a priest are offered in church, with some alterations, so that the round of worship may continue. The order of service is carefully laid out, is offered with dignity and reverence and is perfectly valid. When we pray together others will be attracted to pray with us.

The first Christians were faithful in prayer and meeting together and God added to the Church daily those who were being saved. The Sunday services begin with Great Vespers each Saturday evening. In this service there can be found the teaching and texts for the new day which follows …. “and the evening and the morning were the ( first ) day”. We need to be there to begin our preparation to receive Christ Himself in the Holy Gifts on Sunday.

To come to church only on Sunday, only for the Divine Liturgy, is to miss so much which is required of us and would help us to grow in our spiritual lives.
 

St. Chad’s  Shrine

Part of the Shrine holding the relics of St. Chad was unearthed during work inside the Cathedral at Lichfield a little over a year ago. The limestone carving of the Archangel Gabriel has been away from the Cathedral being “conserved” so that it would not deteriorate. It has now been returned and will be on display in the cathedral from Monday 25th June.

The half panel depicts the Archangel Gabriel facing towards another figure, now lost, which is almost certain to be the Mother of God, thus making it a representation of the Annunciation.

The panel dates from around 700AD.

 

If you have any items for the newsletter, please e-mail Simon Harvey at simon.harvey@stoke.gov.uk or else leave a copy of your submission with Father Samuel or with Simon at church. Ideally, submissions should be made by the 15th of the month to get into the following month’s edition. Exceptions may be made in emergencies.