The Greek Orthodox Church of the Archangel Michael - Margate

The Nativity Fast

The Nativity Fast begins on November 15th

It gives us the opportunity to prepare ourselves to celebrate the birth of our Saviour. We are encouraged to give up meat and dairy products, but for the first 4 weeks we may still enjoy fish, wine and oil (except on Wednesdays and Fridays). The fast becomes stricter in the 2 weeks before Christmas itself.

Here is some wonderful advice given by St John Chrysostom in the 4th century (from his Homily 3 on the Statues). In the parable in Luke ch.18 the Pharisee fasted, but he went away empty and did not enjoy the fruit of fasting. The tax collector did not fast, and yet he was accepted by God, so that we may learn the other duties that fasting involves. Fasting is a medicine. But like all medicines, it can become useless (and even harmful) to those who do not use it properly. Real fasting means not just abstaining from food, but in withdrawing from sinful practices.

Do you fast? Give me proof of it by your works. If you see a poor man, take pity on him. If you see an enemy, be reconciled with him. If you see a friend gaining honour, do not be jealous of him. And remember that we need also to fast with the mouth, the eye, the ear, the feet, the hands and every part of our bodies.

Let the hands fast by not grabbing things and being greedy. Let the feet fast by not going to unsuitable places. Let the eyes fast by not looking at unsuitable things. For looking is the food of the eyes, and it would be absurd to abstain from lawful food because of the fast, but with the eyes to touch what is forbidden! And fasting with the ear means refusing to listen to gossip and lies. The mouth should fast from disgraceful speech. For what will we gain if we abstain from meat and yet bite and devour our brothers and sisters?

The Nativity Fast begins on November 15th

There are three things we should particularly remember:

speak ill of no one
have no one as an enemy
and don’t swear

Fasting is a kind of spiritual summer! So let us be like harvesters sharpening our sickles, and like travellers setting out on the journey towards heaven. The New Testament encourages us to produce a harvest of righteousness (2 Corinthians 9:10, Philippians 1:11, James 3:18).

So let us work to reap the harvest of a favourable hope in this life, and in the life to come we shall stand before Christ with great confidence and enjoy those unspeakable blessings of which we may all be found worthy through the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom be glory to the Father, and to the Holy Spirit to the ages of ages. Amen!

The Ordination of Father David Gilchrist - 19/02/22

Having been brought up in a Protestant Christian home, and then having served as an Anglican priest for 32 years, I am amazed and humbled that the Lord has now brought me to this day, and that he still has work for me to do!

I want to thank Fr Vissarion for his welcome here, and for his encouragement. And I want to thank the congregation here for embracing me

Fr Vissarion has been caring and patient, and I am so grateful for the months I have served here as Deacon under his guidance

I look forward to serving the Lord and his people in Margate - and further afield if necessary!

Please pray for me

Father David

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

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