Our annual Bazaar will take place this year on Saturday 8th November in the Wesley Memorial Hall, central Oxford, from 10am to 2:30pm.
A cafe will be open throughout the day serving Russian specialiaties, including delicious HOT BORSCH, PIROZHKI and BLINY, and many other home-cooked ethnic food - to "eat in" or "take away". We'll also have for sale icons, books and gifts - cards, handcrafted decorations and other small gifts from various Orthodox countries.
An illustrated account for our last year's Bazaar can be found here.
Our next meeting will be on Sunday 16th of November 2008 after the Liturgy in St Gregory's House. We will meet to talk about what we mean when we as God to GIVE US OUR DAILY BREAD.
The two parishes worshiping in the church on Canterbury Road invite all newcomers to our communities to a lunch after the Liturgy on 26th of October 2008 in St Gregory's House.
It will be a bring and share meal, so all contributions in cold or hot food, sweets and pudding and drinks are most welcome!
Our next meeting will be on Sunday 27th of July after the Liturgy in St Gregory's House. We will meet to talk on the topic of
ROYAL PRIESTHOOD.
Here is an account from one of the participants of our last meeting on SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE:
The discussion began with personal and biographical reflection by Bishop Basil on the nature and variety of spiritual influences encountered from childhood onwards within the family and the church.
Together members of the group went on to consider guidance received both during confession and as spiritual counsel in times of need from clergy, family, friends or a suitably gifted adviser; then reflected together on divine guidance, perhaps encountered on pilgrimage, during the liturgy, or reading scripture or church fathers.
Spiritual discernment was essential to profit from such guidance, as well as a willingness to hear a view that might differ from our own. (Obedience of a monastic kind could only happen in the context of a mutually consenting spiritual relationship.)
The importance of trust in God even in times of loss or apparent abandonment was deemed crucial, as well as openness to the natural world and receptivity to all men and women of good will.
The group decided to meet again on the 27th of July to discuss the role of responsibility for the spiritual life that we all share as members of the royal priesthood. Willingness to undertake such responsibility may be seen as a sign that we have benefited from the selfless service of our personal spiritual guides, whose ultimate aim has always been to bring us to the point of exercising our freedom in Christ for the salvation of the world.
The Discussion group will meet again this coming Sunday, 13th of July 2008, after the Liturgy in St Gregory's House under the blessing and chair of Bp Basil of Amphipolis. Our topic this time is
SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE - where do we find it?"
Discussing about freedom of choice at our last meeting, we came to talk about how constrained we are by the multitude of our passions, how restrained we are because of our blindness, how incapable we are to discern right from wrong. We naturally then asked ourselves how do we find courage, light, and ultimately, trust in God, when we are so bitterly aware of our limits?... Where do we find the spiritual guidance we so much need?
We invite you to take part in this discussion, and to be a vessel for God’slight shining for one another.
The Discussion group will meet again this coming Sunday, 8th of June 2008, after the Liturgy in St Gregory's House under the blessing and chair of Bp Basil of Amphipolis. Our topic this time is
FREEDOM OF CHOICE - Freedom to… and freedom from…"
Daily we face alternatives and we take responsibility for our decisions. Is ourchoice really free? It may be influenced by various factors, but at the end ofthe day, we have a chance to say a “yes” or a “no” every step of the way, notonly in our actions, but also in the way we innerly accept/reject what seems tobe out of our control or out of our understanding. Failing to do so, throughpassivity and hesitation, is a refusal of the freedom we’ve been given: we don’twant to be free. We are afraid to be free.
What is it that restricts our freedom? We are heavily constrained by themultitude of our passions, we are incapable to see what is right because of ourblindness, we are reluctant to make a step because we fear to stumble. We are indarkness. How do we find courage, light, and ultimately, trust in God, when weare so bitterly aware of our limits?
Is this freedom that we are given from the start – the Y/N option - the onlyfreedom which defines us as human beings, or is there perhaps another freedom,at a much deeper level, the one that we are really longing to discover in orderto find our true selves?
How do we use then the freedom to choose in order to find freedom for our souls?Does this imply the conscious, enlightened option between good and evil? We areaware of the need to grow in discernment; how do we learn to recognize the willof God in our life? Are we really free since we are compelled - by our faith -to conform to a will which sometimes so blatantly contradicts our own? However,we may need to consider if this will is as alien to us as we may be tempted tofear. Is that an external option we always have to follow (imposed, hence nofreedom...) or is it, at a deeper level, our only chance to find our truevocation? Is there freedom in obedience?We have of course the freedom to obey, but this does not by itself guarantee ourinner freedom: quite the opposite. Choosing to follow a set of rules andprescriptions may be just a convenient shortcut to relieve us fromresponsibility and avoid the dramatic task of listening to the voice of God;once again we lose the chance to hear what He is saying to each of us,personally. “Religion” can enslave us; only God sets us free. Perhaps there issomething that the fools in Christ can teach us, in this respect…What we are called to discover (through our own life) is that – paradoxically –only by obedience to God alone we find true freedom.
“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know thetruth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32) is the promise of Christ.
All too often the answer is, again and again: “We are Abraham’s descendants andhave never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”(John 8:33)
Do we really need to be set free? Do we really want to be free?
We invite you to take part in this discussion, and to be a vessel for God’slight shining for one another.
We come from different countries, different backgrounds, we speak different mother-tongues; are we strangers to each other? Perhaps we are much closer than we think. It is precisely this richness and varieties of experiences that we aim at sharing during our discussion groups. If you feel you have an issue to raise, or just want to listen about what the inner struggle of other people is, please don't hesitate to join us. You may be surprised to find how much it may match your own and how much we share in spite of the differences. This will not only give us new insights into important questions, but it will also bring us closer to each other. In a deep way.
Last time we talked about "atonement", becoming "one" in spirit, getting closer to Christ - and to each other - through repentance; next time we'll be discussing a topic which we are all, believers or not, concerned with: Joy and Sorrow. What is joy? What is sorrow? In a world that can conceive joy only by suppressing sorrow (an illusion), there is a paradoxical alternative, which goes straight through the Cross... and brings that joy of which Christ says: "no one will take away from you" (Jn. 16:22).
Our next meeting is scheduled on the 11th of May after the Liturgy in St. Gregory's House.We will meet under the chair and blessing of Bishop Basil of Amphipolis.
Our last discussion group meeting brought us together around the table...We shared nice food, thoughts of our minds and souls and a wonderful atmosphere.
Our next meeting is scheduled for the 13th of April 2008 after the Liturgy, again in St Gregory's House whenwe will talk about "What is atonement?", under the chair (and blessing) of Bishop Basil of Amphipolis.
We plan to repeat the success of the last meeting by sharing a light ad-hoc meal before thediscussion. We can do so if each of us contributes £1 or so on the day and some of us gathertogether in the kitchen for a few minutes before the discussion to help preparing the meal.
For more details, or to offer help with the meal please contact the organisers onannunciation.oxfordgooglemail.com.
The discussion group organised by our parish will meet again in St Gregory's House on the 23rd of March 2008 after the Liturgy. The topic, as emerged from the our last meeting, will be "Community as the Body of Christ: can the others help me come closer to God?". Bishop Basil of Amphipolis will chair the discussion.
Everybody welcome! We again plan to share a light meal before the discussion, so contributions of food and drink are most welcome.
For more details, or to offer help with the meal please contact the organisers onannunciation.oxfordgooglemail.com.
The discussion group organised by the Parish of the Annunciation will meet again in St Gregory's House on the 17th of February 2008 (Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee) after the Liturgy. The topic, as emerged from the debate following the viewing of the Russian film "Ostrov" on our last meeting, will be "Repentance and atonement".
Everybody welcome! We again plan to share a light meal before the discussion, so contributions of food and drink are most welcome.
For more details, or to offer help with the meal please contact the organisers onannunciation.oxfordgooglemail.com.
Sponsored walk in aid of eating disorders charity
Fiona, Ian Bromelow's wife, is taking part a sponsored walk along the 'Pilgrims' Way', which runs from Southwark Cathedral to Canterbury Cathedral, via Rochester. The walk, which is 75 miles long, is in aid of BEAT, a charity dedicated to eating disorders. It is starts on 25 February, to coincide with eating disorders action week. To sponsor Fiona, or make a donation to BEAT - or even join in the walk (people are being invited even to walk just the first mile from Southwark Cathedral to raise awareness) - visit the walk4beat website:www.walk4beat.co.uk.
The discussion group will meet again in St Gregory's House on the 20th of January 2008 after the Liturgyto watch the recent Russian movie Ostrov (The Island). The viewing will be followed by a debate chaired by Fr Ian Graham (from the Greek Orthodox Community of the Holy Trinity) on issues related to the movie.
We plan to share a light meal before the movie, so contributions of food and drink are most welcome.
For more details, or to offer help with the meal please contact the organisers onannunciation.oxford googlemail.com.
You can take your child / children out of school for the celebration of Chritsmas. After the Liturgy there will be a festive meal for everybody with children looked after in the library room of St Gregory's House.
A meal for the community worshiping in the church at 1Canterbury Road will take place in St.Gregory’s House on the 9th ofDecember after the Liturgy. Contributions of fasting food (fish allowedon that day) and drink are most welcome.
After the meal there is going to be a meeting of the discussion group -everybody in the community is most welcome. The topic of the discussionwill be fasting and what it means for our spiritual life.
Wallspace, in All Hallows Church, London Wall, is an exhibition space designed to explore the relationships between art and spirituality.Between 21 November and 12 December Wallspace gathers together 15 contemporary, traditional iconographers who live and work in the UK for what may be the first exhibition of its kind.More details here.
The wonderworking Kursk Root icon of the Mother of God of the Sign will visit St Nicholas Parish in Oxford on Sunday, 25th November 2007as part of its visit to Britain. There will be a molieben and service of the Akathist, to begin at 6.00 pm on Sunday, November 25 atSt Giles' Church Hall.
Чудотворная Курская Коренная икона Знамения Божией Матери прибудет в Оксфорд во второй половине дня в воскресенье 25 ноября 2007 г. В 6 часов вечера перед иконой будет отслужен молебен с акафистом. Верующие смогут поклониться иконе Знамения в трапезной англиканской церквиСв. Жиля.
Regular General Meeting (RGM) of the Parish of the Annunciation will take place in the Meeting room of St Gregory's House at 7pm on Tuesday, November 13, 2007. All are welcome.
A short illustrated report from our annual Bazaar is now available here. A selection of pictures taken on the day can be found here - click on the thumbnails for larger images.
Our annual Bazaar will take place this year on Saturday 3rd November in the Wesley Memorial Hall, central Oxford, from 10am to 2:30pm.
A cafe will be open throughout the day serving Russian specialiaties, including delicious HOT BORSCH, PIROZHKI and BLINY, and many other home-cooked ethnic food - to "eat in" or "take away". We'll also have for sale icons, books and gifts - cards, handcrafted decorations and other small gifts from various Orthodox countries.
A Russian Orthodox nun iconographer currently living and working in Oxford will be demonstrating icon painting throughout the day.
A joint meal for the two parishes to mark the start of the academic year will take place in St. Gregory’s House on the 7th of October after the Liturgy. Everybody worshipping in our church is most welcome. A Russian musical cartoon will be shown for children
Food and drink contributions welcome.
Also, our parish is currently hosting a series ofdiscussion group meetings. Such a meeting will take place after the meal - details below.
The next discussion group meeting will take place after the joint parish meal on the 7th of October, in St. Gregory's House (see above for details). Everybody is most welcome to participate. We plan to have an informaldiscussion about how we open ourselves to the Other--when , why, and thepractical realities involved therein....! Do bring your ideas andcontributions.
The first in a series of weekly discussion group meetingsorganised by the parish of the Annunciation will take place on Thursday,20th of September in St Gregory’s House from 7:30pm.
This series of meetings aims to bring people together in an informalenvironment to engage in open and friendly discussions about subjects ofcommon interest.
For the first meeting, the subject discussed will be“The living Church of the Holy Spirit – the Body of Christ”.Time and subject of subsequent discussion meetings will be decided atthis meeting.
We plan to share a light meal, so contributions of finger food are mostwelcome
St. Gregory’s House is situated on Canterbury Rd, on the corner withWoodstock Rd – please ring “Meeting Room” at the Canterbury Rd entrywhen you arrive.
BBQ - Fundraising event 2 September 2007 The Romanians in Oxford organise a BBQ in the garden of St Gregory House, 1 Canterbury Road Oxford, OX2 6LU on Sunday 2nd September 2007, at 12:30 pm, after the Divine Liturgy. This is a fundraising event mainly on behalf of the Romanian Foyer Trust, an organisation funding a house in Oradea where 18+ years old orphans are hosted after having to leave the orphanages and helped towards their social integration - with tutorials, apprenticeships, job placements etc. Your generous contribution to this event will be appreciated. For more information, please contact: Dana Danaila, tel: 07872 607 469 e-mail: dfdanaila'at'yahoo.co.uk or Razvan & Madalina Novacovschi, tel (evenings): 01865 310 341 e-mail: razvan.novacovschi'at'stx.ox.ac.uk
Panikhida There will be a panikhida for Elisabeth Obolensky at 6.00 p.m. on Thursday, 30 August 2007, at the church of the Holy Trinity and Annunciation.
The Episcopal Vicariate of Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition in Great Britain and Ireland adopts its statutes and appoints first trustees. With the authorisation and blessing of Archbishop Gabriel of Comana, Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarch in Western Europe, a meeting was summoned by Bishop Basil of Amphipolis by a Notice dated 22 May 2007, addressed to all persons who wished to establish Statutes for the Episcopal Vicariate of Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition in Great Britain and Ireland. The meeting was held on Saturday 23 June 2007 at 10.00 a.m. at St. Stephen’s Church Hall, 48 Emperor’s Gate, London SW7 4HJ. Further details are availablehere.
Baptism Thebaptism of Rachel Ava, daughter of Mary and Richard Hemmings, and granddaughter of Bishop Basil of Amphipolis, took place at the church of the Holy Trinity and the Annunciation on Sunday 24 June 2007.
OGA of the Archdiocese - report and impressions The Ordinary General Assembly (OGA) of the Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox Churches in Western Europe took place this year at the Saint Sergius Theological Institute in Paris between 30 April and 1st May 2007. A report, personal impressions and pictures from the Assembly can be found on the Vicariate website. A personal account of one of the delegates from our parish can be found here
Visit of His Eminence Archbishop Gregorios Of Thyateira and Great Britain His Eminence Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateria and Great Britain visited the church of the Holy Trinity and Annunciation on Sunday 29 April 2007 and celebrated the Divine Liturgy. Bishop Basil of Amphipolis, rector of the Annunciation Parish and Father Ian Graham, rector of the Greek Orthodox Community, concelebrated with Archbishop Gregorios.
After the Liturgy His Eminence expressed his pleasure in being able to visit Oxford once more, and particularly at seeing so many children in the congregation. He congratulated lay members of the community and paid especial tribute to Tony Papamichael, the cantor, whom he described as "a living stone".
Bishop Basil welcomed Archbishop Gregorios and expressed particular thanks on his own behalf but also on behalf of the Annunciation parish and the parishes of the Episcopal Vicariate of Great Britain and Ireland, for Archbishop Gregorios’s support in the preceding year, and for facilitating the move into the Episcopal Vicariate.
After the Liturgy, there was a feast organised by the parishes. Archbishop Gregorios was introduced to members of the parish council of the Greek Orthodox Community and to the Warden of the Annunciation Parish, Seraphim Alton Honeywell.
Announcement by Bishop Basil of Amphipolis On Wednesday, 27 March 2007, the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Moscow decided to accede to the request of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and to forward my personal dossier to His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew.
This means that they have accepted the situation as it is, i.e. that I am a bishop in good standing within the Ecumenical Patriarchate and that from their point of view there is no longer any problem about their clergy celebrating with me or with the clergy under me.
This is a welcome move - though one that could have been made many months ago. It restores normal relations between the Patriarchates and will make life easier for us all.
Children Easter Party The joint parishes of the Holy Trinity and the Annunciation will have an Easter party for the children on St. Thomas's Sunday after the Liturgy.
There is a list in the Narthex for people to put names of children coming and also what food they are able to bring along to share. For details and offers for help please contact Pauline Parry on Ox 514684.
General Assembly of the Archdiocese A General Assembly of the Archiocese will take place at the St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Paris on 30th April/1st May this year. Both Bishop Basil and Father Seraphim Vanttinnen-Newton are automatically members of the Assembly, and the Annunciation Parish is therefore entitled to send two lay representatives (and must designate two lay alternates to replace them if they are unable to attend).
The names of the two representatives and the two alternates must be forwarded to the Archdiocese by the 20th March, and so we are holding an election after the Liturgy on Sunday, 11 March 2007. We are asking for candidates to be nominated and their names sent to Bishop Basil as soon as possible, so that the election can take place.
The candidates should indicate their willingness to stand before names are forwarded to Bishop Basil, and it would also be helpful if candidates were able to underwrite their own expenses as the Vicariate is not in a position yet to sustain such an expense.
Voting must be done in person at the Church of the Annunciation on Sunday, 11 March 2007.
Saturday 24 March 2007 (NOT Lazarus Saturday) 9.00 a.m. onwards
There are many different jobs, some more vigorous than others. We will find something to suit you.
Join us for as much or as little time as you can manage.
For further details or advance offers of help please contact Patricia Scott (phscottukyahoo.co.uk), of the Greek Orthodox Community of the Holy Trinity. Or turn up on the day!
googlemail.com.