May 2007

Christ is Risen! Christos Anesti Hristos a Înviat El mesihu Qam

In this Issue

Fluent in Five Languages
Sunday school
Youth Festival at Ilam

Fluent in five languages
Mother Gavrilia

Once when I was there where I was, some foreign missionary came and said to me, “You may be a good woman, but you’re not a good Christian.” I said, “Why?”

“Because you have been here so long and you only go about speaking English. What local languages have you learned?”

I said to him, “I haven’t managed to learn any of the local languages, because I travel a great deal from place to place. As soon as I learn one dialect, they start speaking another. I’ve only learned ‘Good morning’ and ‘Good evening.’ Nothing else.”

“Bah, you’re no Christian. How can you evangelise? All the Catholics and Protestants learn all the local dialects in order to….”

Then I said, “Lord, give me an answer for him.” I asked it with all my heart, then I said, “Ah. I forgot to tell you . I know five languages.”

“Really? What are these five?”

“The first is the smile; the second is tears. The third is to touch. The fourth is prayer, and the fifth is love. With these five languages I go all around the world.”

Then he stopped and said, “Just a minute. Say that again so I can write it down.” With these five languages you can travel the whole earth, and all the world is yours. Love everyone as your own – without concern for religion or race, without concern for anything.

(from “Ascetic of Love”)

News

Most people will now be aware that we have started a Sunday School for children in the parish. What we have done so far?

Well… So far, we have followed the Sundays of Lent covering the themes for each Sunday. All the children who have taken part have worked very hard learning the stories and making things. We have even done some egg painting for Easter.

What next? Well, we will continue every week to cover the themes for each Sunday, based on the gospel reading or feast for the day. We are hoping to do other activites for the children too.

If you are wondering what age your children can take part, we are catering for children 20 months upwards. The younger children start with craft activities and story-telling. As they get older, they take part in more structured lessons.

The Sunday School lasts for about 30 minutes. We begin our activities at about 11.15 (approximately) in the kitchen and the children return into church after the sermon. We will make available details of the kind of things we cover. If you would like your children to take part, please bring them to the kitchen at the back between 11 and 11.15.

If you would like to know more, please speak to Simon and Vicky Harvey or Nina Chapman.

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.

Youth Festival at Ilam

Once again this year, there will be an Orthodox Youth Festival being held at Dovedale House in Ilam from 25th to 28th May. The theme of this year’s Festival is “Friendship and Orthodox Christianity”. Simon Harvey has attended the last 2 festivals and highly recommends it. If you are interested and want to know more please speak to him.

Newly reposed

Elizabeth Boothby had her 100th birthday shortly before Christmas, midst great congratulations and celebrations. On 23rd March Elizabeth died, after a short stay in hospital. We have all been touched by her stalwart spirit and tenacity. Many of you will not know her very well, because, over the last years, she has not been able to get to church, but she has been a regular home communicant and an example to us all.

Elizabeth made sure that she was present at the Consecration of St. Michael’s, as she was at the very first viewing of the building in it’s dilapidated state. It was a donation from Elizabeth which paid off our final amount of loan. We shall miss her ready wit and her great friendship. May her memory be eternal! Christ is risen!