Saint Nicholas' is an Orthodox Christian parish of East Slavic tradition serving Newcastle and the Hunter Valley. It includes Orthodox Christians of Belarussian, Ukrainian, Russian, Macedonian, and other backgrounds. We are a parish of the Australian and New Zealand Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, a self-governing part of the Russian Orthodox Church, is completely independent in pastoral, educational, administrative, management, property, and civil matters. Our parish is doctrinally Orthodox, liturgically traditional, and welcoming to all. In our services we use English, the language of this country, together with Church Slavonic, the liturgical language of the Slavic peoples. Established in 1952, our parish is the oldest continuously functioning Orthodox parish in the Hunter Valley and one of the oldest in our Diocese. Visiting our parish
We usually have services on the second and fourth Sundays of each month and on the preceding Saturday evenings. Please note: During March, April and May 2024 different arrangements will be in place. Our Schedule of Services can be viewed here. Our church is generally only open when we have services. Visitors are always welcome! If you would like to contact us before visiting, it is best to send an email. We check this inbox regularly and will respond to messages within 24 hours. You can also contact us in the same way to arrange baptisms and memorial services. The availability of our parish priest
Our parish priest, Archpriest James Carles, serves here in a voluntary capacity. He does not live in the Hunter Region but travels here from the Central Coast for services. He has secular employment on two days per week and is presently undertaking full-time tertiary study. In addition to our parish, he has responsibility for Saint Panteleimon Russian Orthodox Church in Gosford and Saint Symeon of Verkhoturye Orthodox Mission on the New South Wales Mid North Coast. During study periods (in 2024, 19 February-15 June and 22 July-16 November, and in 2025, 17 February-14 June and 21 July-15 November) his pastoral availability is strictly limited to scheduled services in the three communities; individual “needs” that arise in connection with these scheduled services (e.g. confessions, molebens, and memorial services); essential parish administrative tasks; and end-of-life care and funerals. Father James is available to talk after Divine Liturgy on the Sundays when we have a service. He can also be contacted by email. Supporting our parish
Our parish is a small one that relies on community support and the voluntary service of our clergy to make ends meet. If you find this website to be of interest or of assistance, please consider helping us. Donations may be made directly to our bank account:
St Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church BSB: 032-509 Account number: 281104
May the Lord bless you! Forthcoming services and activities
Parish Life
Our Summer 2024-25 Schedule of Services - 24/11/2024
Our Summer 2024-25 Schedule of Services - covering December, January and February - is now available in PDF format. A copy of the English-language Summer 2024-25 Schedule of Services is available here, and a copy of the Russian-language Summer 2024-25 Schedule of Services is available here. Printed copies are available in church. Services of note will be for Saint Nicholas on 18-19 December and for the Great Feast of the Nativity of Christ (Christmas) on 6-7 January. 00001
Services on 23-24 November, the Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost - 24/11/2024
On Saturday 23 November and Sunday 24 November we had services for the Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost and in honour of Martyrs Minas (+304 AD), Victor and Stephanida (+2nd C. AD), and Vincent (+304 AD). Matins was served on Saturday evening and the Hours and Divine Liturgy were served on Sunday morning. At Divine Liturgy prayers were offered for the unity of the Orthodox Church, peace in Ukraine, and peace in the Holy Land. As Saturday 23 November was the anniversary of the repose of Archpriest John Lupish (+1977), a panikhida was served immediately before Matins and a memorial litia was served immediately after Divine Liturgy. At both services Father John was commemorated together with his matushka, Maria (+1979), and his eldest son, Subdeacon Vitaly (+2024). Following the services on Sunday an announcement was made concerning the 2024 Annual General Meeting of the parish. 00002
Services on 9-10 November, the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost - 10/11/2024
On Saturday 9 November and Sunday 10 November we had services for the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost and in honour of Venerable Job, Abbot and Wonderworker of Pochaev (+1651 AD). Matins was served on Saturday evening. On Sunday, His Eminence Archbishop George of Sydney, Australia and New Zealand arrived for what was his first visit to our parish since May 2019. Following the greeting and vesting of the archbishop, the Hours and Divine Liturgy were served. Concelebrating with Vladyka George were the parish rector and Deacon Michal Matys. At Divine Liturgy the choir sang beautifully under the direction of Ludmila Alexandrovsky, and prayers were offered for the repose of the newly-departed Archbishop Peter of Chicago and Mid-America (+8 November 2024). After the dismissal, a parish Certificate of Appreciation was presented to Leonid and Tatiana Bondarchuk, and many years was sung for them and the head of the parish Ladies’ Auxiliary, Irene Lupish, whose birthday it was. An announcement was then made concerning the 2024 Annual General Meeting of the parish. A festive meal was held in the church hall afterwards. Those present also took the opportunity to view a display of photographs, icons and others items prepared to commemorate the seventy-fifth anniversary of our community in the Hunter Region, beginning with the arrival of Archpriest John Lupish in Greta in August 1949. Church & Community Life
|
|
||||||
 |
 |
 |
||||
 Share This: |
||||||
|
||||||
 |
||||||
