Author: margarethaig

4 Comments Posted on by margarethaig Conference, Fellowship News, Orthodox News, Website News

Summer conference – booking open!

Booking is now open for the OFSJB conference on Angelic Beings. 25-29 August 2022 in Walsingham, Norfolk UK. Please register as soon as you can, places are limited! This is our first in-person conference in 3 years.

As well as talks, services and time to socialise, there will also be time to explore Walsingham and the surrounding area. We will celebrate the Divine Liturgy twice, on Sunday and for the feast of the Beheading of St John the Baptist on Monday.

We are happy to announce our main speaker, Father Stephen De Young from the Parish of the Archangel Gabriel, in Lafayette, Louisiana in the United States. Father Stephen is well-known for his podcasts on Ancient Faith Radio, the Whole Counsel of God, and the Lord of Spirits podcast with Father Andrew Stephen Damick. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Westminster Theological Seminary, a Master of Arts from the University of Balamand, and a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from Amridge University.

We will also welcome Tamara Penwell from the Parish of St John of Kronstadt in Bath. Tamara is an experienced iconographer.

Fees: Full adult fee £315; OFSJB member £280; child 5-16 £120; child under 5 free. Attendees are asked to declare if they are willing to share rooms in the accommodation of the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. If you have any concerns about the fees, please email the Chair, Margaret Haig to discuss how the Fellowship can help you attend financially.

The timetable will be confirmed in due course, but we will assemble in the afternoon of Thursday 25 August and depart after the Divine Liturgy on Monday 29 August.

Sign up now!

Leave a comment Posted on by margarethaig Orthodox News, Website News, Youth Festival

2022 Youth Festival

The Youth Festival is back with an in-person event 3-5 June 2022, with the theme Life as Communion. Held at the beautiful Othona Community at Bradwell-on-Sea and worshipping in the chapel built by St Cedd, Apostle of Essex, the festival is a great opportunity for young people 18-35 to get together and share their faith.

Speakers include: His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain; Archpriest Stephen Platt from the Parish of St Nicholas, Oxford; Father Alexander Tefft from the Parish of St Botolph, London; and Marina Robb, Theologian and RE Teacher.

Visit the youth website to find out more and apply for a place.

Leave a comment Posted on by margarethaig Mosaic Choir, Website News

Great Lent and new beginnings

Great Lent: a time of repentance, of turning away from sin and towards God. You may like to say prayers for peace at home; this link is to our friends at the Orthodox Peace Fellowship. https://incommunion.org/2022/02/14/moleben-for-peace/

Mosaic Choir has received a blessing to chant the Salutations to the Mother of God in English on each Friday of this Great Lent, 19:30 at the Chapel of the Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain, 5 Craven Hill, W2 3EN. We believe this to be the only service of Salutations solely in English in our capital city. All are welcome.

Photo by Alexios Gennaris

Good strength for Lent!

2 Comments Posted on by margarethaig Uncategorized

Mosaic Choir – a wonderful return to singing

Mosaic Choir

On Monday 6 December, Mosaic Choir carolled in many different languages and traditions at the Orthodox Cathedral of St Andrew in Kentish Town, London, to celebrate St Nicholas and the Nativity of Christ.

Anna Conomos, accomplished storyteller, shared some of the stories of St Nicholas the Wonderworker, and the choir sang carols in English, Greek, Romanian, Russian, Ukrainian, Georgian, Bulgarian, French and Latin!

The Cathedral switched on the Livestream and we were joined by people all over the UK, and even from Canada and Australia! You can still watch the livestream version at https://youtu.be/GkBV9lTNU_g and we hope to have some close up videos on our YouTube channel soon.

The audience was very appreciative and incredibly generous and we have a total of £750 as the collection. The Monastery of St John the Baptist in Essex has thanked everyone for their generosity and love, but has requested that the sum be donated to another cause. By agreement of all, the collection will be divided between three other wonderful monastic communities:

  • Monastery of St Antony & St Cuthbert, Shropshire, England
  • Monastery of All Celtic Saints, Mull, Scotland
  • Monastery of the Lifegiving Spring, Shannonbridge, Ireland

If you would still like to support the Monastery of St John, please consider making a purchase from the online bookshop: https://essexmonastery.com/bookshop/

Thank you to everyone who supported the choir and we hope to have more concerts and engagements in 2022!