The Greek Orthodox Church of the Archangel Michael - Margate

* UPDATE - Program for the Epiphany 2022 *

Happy Healthy New Year to everyone

On behalf of The Church Committee of the Greek Orthodox Church Margate, I regret to announce that we have decided to downsize markedly the Event of the Epiphany 2022 as the number of Covid-19 cases increases and the risk of spreading of the infection is very high

Following the risk assessment of the Covid (Delta-Omicron) there are 2 high risk areas:

1. Guests from different high risk areas from the country gathering with local people.

2. The high risk zones for the spreading of the Covid-19 are the Church, The Parade, The Blessing of the Seas on the seafront, and the Dinner at St Augustine's

Unfortunately we cannot ensure the safety of all Dignitaries, Clergies and Guests as we don’t have a system in place to check for “negative PCR tests” and “Vaccination certificates” for everyone in attendance

We apologise to everyone who looked forward to participate in the event and particularly to Mrs Ingrid Spencer and Mr Marios Towgli who have worked so hard to organise the Event

We are going to have the Holy Liturgy at St Michael the Archangel as planned. and we are going to do the Blessing of the Seas at Margate seafront with a small groups of 6 people. We do not recommend gatherings more that 6 people. We advise to keep to the social distracting rules of 2 m if you are visiting the seafront for the “short ceremony” of the Blessing of the Seas

We aren’t able to serve the Dinner at St Augustine’s because of the high number of guests

A reminder of the (revised) timings of the event:

Church service at 9.15am-12.00pm (no Parade)

The Clergies will take coffee at 12.00pm-12.30pm

Move to the seafront at Margate at 12.30pm-1.00pm

The Blessing ceremony itself will be at 1.00pm-2.00pm (although this may be shortened slightly)

There will be no dinner event at St. Augustine's now

Please accept our apologies for the “cancellation" of the event. "We are very concerned for the safety of every participant"

Best Wishes for the New Year

Dr Kostas Papadimos

Chairman of the Greek Orthodox Church Margate

Coronavirus Church Procedures

Members of the Church Committee and the Community have been working hard to get the Church ready for Worship again in light of new Government guidelines.

Below is an outline of the preparations completed and the procedures that must currently be followed in the Church:

We have cleaned and disinfected the Church
Placed the Chairs with 1 m distance. Total Limit people can enter in the Church at the same time is 24. We CANNOT HAVE ANY PEOPLE IN T HE SCHOOL AREA
The TOILETS ARE LOCKED CANNOT BE USED
The Icons with glass, the Pagari, The Chairs the Chanter area and Amvonas are disinfected. The wooden Floor is cleaned with Water and Chlorine tablet.
The carpet has been cleaned with the steamer.
Signs and walking arrows are in place the hand disinfection station is in place
WE CANNOT HAVE CHURCH SERVICES ON SATURDAYS because when we have services, BY THE COVID-19 RISK ASSESSMENT, GUIDELINES/ POLICIES, we have to wait 72 hours after the disinfection of the Church before it can be used again.
Father Vissarion can Do the Esperinos service on Saturday with only 3 people (Priest, Chanter, and Sexton).

We ALL need to follow the protocols STRICTLY for all the procedures that have been put in place. Please follow the signs and read the instructions as to what YOU must do when ebtering the Church.

Thank you for your compliance and understanding during this difficult period of humanity. Let us pray for God's protection and that this event passes soon.

Guidelines

Current & Future Events

Επικαιροποιημένες οδηγίες για τον Κορονοϊό - Updated directives about COVID-19

Αγαπητοί πατέρες,

Η Ιερά μας Αρχιεπισκοπή μεριμνώντας για την ψυχική υγεία του ποιμνίου της προσφέρει διαδικτυακά δωρεάν ψυχολογική υποστήριξη σε όσους το έχουν ανάγκη.

Πληροφορίες: Δρ. Νικόλαος Σουβλάκης (Ορθόδοξος Ψυχοθεραπευτής) Τηλέφωνο: 07971876711 , Email: nikolaos.souvlakis@lst.ac.uk

Για οποιαδήποτε διευκρίνιση ή δυσκολία που ενδεχομένως μπορεί να αντιμετωπίσετε παρακαλούμε επικοινωνήστε με την Ιερά Αρχιεπισκοπή.

Τηλέφωνο: 02077234787 , Email: mail@thyateira.org.uk

Τηλέφωνο έκτακτης ανάγκης: 07581426269

Εκ της Πρωτοσυγκελλίας της Ιεράς Αρχιεπισκοπής

Beloved clergy,

Our Holy Archdiocese will be providing free online psychological support to anyone in need.

Enquiries: Dr. Nikolaos Souvlakis (Orthodox Psychotherapist)

Tel.: 07971876711 , Email: nikolaos.souvlakis@lst.ac.uk

For any clarification or other issues, please contact the Archdiocese.

Phone: 02077234787 , Email: mail@thyateira.org.uk

Emergency contact number: 07581426269

From the Office of the Chancellor of the Holy Archdiocese

LIGHT A CANDLE – PRAYER LIST

We invite you to light a candle at The Greek Orthodox Church of the Archangel Michael

Dear Worshippers, we have now provided this place for you so that you may request a Memorial Service for your love ones or a special friend, using this Light A Candle donation feature . Please email Fr Vissarion your special words to be read out at the Church Service. The donation fee is £10 - please use the Light a Candle donation button below to make your donation.

“I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD; HE WHO FOLLOWS ME WILL NOT WALK IN DARKNESS, BUT WILL HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE" – JOHN 8:12

Upon entering an Orthodox church it is customary to light candles and offer prayers for one’s personal needs or that of a family member or friend. Candles are lit as a sign of one’s faith and hope in God’s help that is always sent to all who turn to Him and His Saints with faith and prayers. In practice, when lighting a candle in Church, the faithful usually makes a small offering to the Church. By lighting a candle and offering a prayer, one enters into closer contact with the Church and her ministry to the faithful, invisibly warming the soul by the visible light of the candle

Father Vissarion will light a candle in our church for you with the names from your prayer list

God Bless

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR PRAYER LIST
Write the name(s) of those on your prayer list for whom you want Father Vissarion to light a candle and to name in prayers. Email your prayer and request to: father.vissarion@gocmargate.org

HOW TO MAKE A CANDLE DONATION

DONATE BY CHEQUE
Send cheque to:
The Greek Orthodox Church of the Archangel Michael

8 Westbrook Cottages,

Margate,

Kent

CT9 5BE

– Noting “Light a Candle” on the back of the cheque

DONATE BY PAYPAL
Click the DONATE button at the end of this page, in whichever currency you prefer (GBP £, US $ or Euros) to begin your transaction. Be sure to follow the instructions provided, and use the Message Box to type the name(s) of those on your prayer list before you complete your transaction. PayPal will send a receipt to your email address once the transaction has been completed. You will receive an acknowledgement from us with our sincerest thanks

DONATE BY GIVE AS YOU LIVE

(credit and debit cards as well as a direct debit option)

Click the DONATE button below on the LEFT for a single donation. You choose an amount, or type in your own. You can choose Gift Aid options so help us that little bit more as a registered charity. You can leave your name and message as part of the donation process, but be aware that these details are displayed. Alternatively, if you prefer, you can simply send a quick email with the names to Father Vissarion directly - father.vissarion@gocmargate.org

Click the DIRECT DEBIT button on the RIGHT if you wish to make a regular donation to the Church and Community using a direct debit from your bank accoint. Again, you can email Father Vissarion directly with the names for whom you would like him to light a candle for, using the same email address above

Thank you to Marios Towgli for suggesting this feature be added to our site

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira & Great Britain

Youth Ministry

Our Archdiocese’s Youth Office, with the blessing and support of His Eminence, our Archbishop Nikitas, is in the process of re-establishing our Youth Ministry, and in these particularly difficult days, concentrating particularly on our online ministry. We are introducing new initiatives; these new weekly catechitical videos filmed from various parishes and with different clergymen and speakers each week. Providing you with a short catechitical lesson dedicated to you, our young people, in these rather difficult days being isolated at home. As we start this new network and online ministry, creating a specialised section on our website and Facebook page to this, we kindly ask you to support this initiative by sharing our weekly meditations (posted every Monday) our new videos and online resources particularly with our young families. Everyone must be aware that though we are unable to attend Church, the Church is here, present in your lives, albeit through the internet. Today our video concentrates on St Mary of Egypt, who was celebrated on the 5th Sunday of Lent. An example of repentance and renewal in Christ. Let us be a beacon of hope and renewal in our houses these coming days, for as we are reminded by yesterdays morning service : ‘Only those who place their treasures into the hands of the needy’ will enter the Kingdom of God’ for as yesterdays Gospel reading reminds us ‘we are to serve’ rather than be served.

Το καινούργιο Γραφείο Νεότητας της Αρχιεπισκοπής μας, με την ευλογία του Σεβασμιωτάτου Αρχιεπισκόπου κ. Νικήτα, βρίσκεται σε μια διαδικασία ανανέωσης της ποιμαντικής διακονίας της Νεότητας . Ειδικώς σε αυτές τις ιδιαίτερα δύσκολες ημέρες που ζούμε, εστιάζοντας στην διαδικτυακή μας παρουσία, ανακοινώνουμε νέες πρωτοβουλίες - νέα εβδομαδιαία βίντεο κατήχησης, κάθε εβδομάδα από διαφορετική κοινότητα της Αρχιεπισκοπής, με διάφορους κληρικούς και ομιλητές. Ένα σύντομο κατηχητικό μάθημα αφιερωμένο σε εσάς, στους νέους μας. Καθώς ξεκινάμε αυτή την καινούργια προσπάθεια και το νέο δίκτυο της ποιμαντικής διακονίας των νέων, δημιουργώντας ένα εξειδικευμένο τμήμα στην ιστοσελίδα μας και στη σελίδα στο Facebook, σας παρακαλούμε να υποστηρίξετε αυτή την πρωτοβουλία, στέλνοντας τα άρθρα και τα βίντεό μας σε νεες οικογένειες και στα παιδιά σας διότι όλοι πρέπει να γνωρίζουν ότι αν και δεν μπορούμε να εκκλησιαστούμε, η Εκκλησία είναι εδώ, παρούσα στη ζωή μας, έστω και διαδυκτιακά.

Website of the Archdiocese

Link to Video (Facebook)

Donations

A new way to donate

paypal.me/gocmargate

If you wish to donate to the Church and Community, just click the link above, enter a payment amount (a variety of different currencies are available), and login with your PayPal account

Like with other PayPal transactions, PayPal.Me payments are secure. You are protected by PayPal Protection Guarantees for eligible do

paypal.me/gocmargate

If you wish to donate to the Church and Community, just click the link above, enter a payment amount (a variety of different currencies are available), and login with your PayPal account

Like with other PayPal transactions, PayPal.Me payments are secure. You are protected by PayPal Protection Guarantees for eligible donation transactions

If you are not already a PayPal customer, you can sign up in just minutes at www.paypal.com or if you prefer, you can use one of the donation sections below:

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The Greek Orthodox Church of the Archangel Michael - Margate

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* UPDATE - Program for the Epiphany 2022 *