Our next services will be Matins at 6.00pm on Saturday 27 July and Divine Liturgy at 9.00am on Sunday 28 July, the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost and the day of commemoration of the Holy Fathers of the first six Ecumenical Councils and Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir, enlightener of the Russian people (+AD 1015).  On this day we will have a blessing of water at 8.00am and Divine Liturgy will be followed by a moleben to Saint Vladimir with a procession around the church.

On Saturday 13 July and Sunday 14 July we had services for the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost and in honour of the Holy Unmercenary Healers Cosmas and Damian of Rome (+284 AD).  In his sermon at Divine Liturgy the parish rector spoke about the way in which Saints Cosmas and Damian, gifted physicians, had radically applied the injunction of Christ: “Freely ye have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8).  Noting that the kindness and selfless generosity of these two brother-saints had drawn many to the Gospel, he emphasised the importance of the pursuit of holiness in the Christian life as a means of revealing the truth to those around us.

On Saturday 6 July the Saint Naum of Ohrid Serbian Orthodox parish in Broadmeadow celebrated its patronal feast-day (or “slava”).  Saint Naum, one of the disciples of Saints Cyril and Methodius, Apostles to the Slavs, is commemorated on 3 July.  His Grace Siluan, Ruling Bishop of the Serbian Orthodox Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand, presided at Divine Liturgy, concelebrating with the rector of that parish, Presbyter Dalibor Pavlovic; our rector Archpriest James Carles; Presbyter Branko Bosancic, rector of Saint John the Baptist Serbian Orthodox parish in Wollongong, NSW); and Deacon Milosh Raketich.  Praying in church was Protopresbyter-Stavrophore Miodrag Peric, the Serbian Orthodox Dean of New South Wales, and many visitors from Sydney and Wollongong.  At the end of Divine Liturgy there was a threefold procession around the church with readings from the Holy Gospel and the blessing of the slavksi kolach – a special rounded loaf of bread - and of koliva.  Many gathered in the parish hall afterwards for a festive meal and a programme of spiritual and cultural items.

On Saturday 29 June and Sunday 30 June we had services for the Second Sunday after Pentecost, the day of commemoration of All Saints who have shone forth in the land of Russia.  At Divine Liturgy prayers were offered for peace in Ukraine and the unity of the Orthodox Church and the Prayer for the Prosperity of the Russian Church was read.  In his sermon the parish rector spoke about the establishment in 1918 of the commemoration of All Saints of Russia, the icon of the feast painted by the ever-memorable Archimandrite Kyprian (Pyzhov) of Jordanville (+2001), and the importance of creating an environment in which holiness can flourish.

On Tuesday 18 June we learned with great sadness of the repose that morning of another of our oldest parishioners, church builder and long-serving chorister and Parish Council member Vitaly Korotkich (b.1925).  Our parish rector served the funeral in our church on Tuesday 25 June.  Vitaly was afterwards laid to rest at Wallsend Cemetery alongside his beloved wife Lydia (+1996).  Eternal memory!

On Saturday 22 June and Sunday 23 June we had services for the First Sunday after Pentecost, the Sunday of All Saints.  As it was the Day of Youth of the Russian Church Abroad, special prayers were offered for the children and young people of our parish and Diocese.  Following the dismissal, a memorial litia was served for the newly-reposed Vitaly Korotkich.

With the blessing of Bishop George, on Friday 21 June and Saturday 22 June our parish rector undertook a pastoral visit to the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, the area between Forster-Tuncurry and Woolgoolga.  A home was blessed in Port Macquarie on Friday afternoon and on Saturday morning, the day of the Leavetaking of Pentecost, Divine Liturgy was served in the home of Evan and Katerina Cotton in Barraganyatti, a village mid-way between Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour.  Approximately 20 people gathered for Divine Liturgy, after which an eight year-old child, Aarya, the daughter of Ashish Sinha and Evgenia Biryukova, was baptised.  In baptism Aarya was given the name Anastasia.  At a festive meal afterwards those present enthusiastically discussed the possibility of further services and the establishment of a mission under the heavenly protection of Saint Symeon of Verkhoturye.  God willing, Father James will visit the area again at the end of September 2019, once again blessing homes and serving Divine Liturgy.  Those interested in this initiative may contact the Mid North Coast Orthodox community by email.

On Friday 31 May we learned with great sadness of the repose on the previous day of one of our oldest parishioners, Peter Schulha of Metford (b.1926).  With Bishop George's blessing, our parish rector served the funeral at Saint Peter's Anglican Church, East Maitland on Tuesday 11 June.  Peter was afterwards laid to rest at East Maitland Cemetery alongside his beloved wife Nadia (+March 2006), his father George, and other family members.  Eternal memory!

On Saturday 8 June and Sunday 9 June we had services for the Seventh Sunday of Pascha and in honour of the 318 Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council, convened in Nicaea (modern-day Iznik, Turkey) in 325 AD.  In his sermon at Divine Liturgy the parish rector spoke about the history and significance of the Council and of the importance of faithfulness, like that of the Fathers, to Apostolic teaching, Holy Scripture, and the tradition of the Orthodox Church.  Following the dismissal a litia was served for the repose of the soul of our newly-reposed parishioner, Peter Schulha.

On Saturday 8 June the parish rector baptised Ella James, the four year-old daughter of Meeyeon (Salome) D’Arcy and Darren James.  Ella, who was baptised in honour of the New-Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth, had as her godparents Meejung Hughes, Parichat James, Mark Evans and Warren James.  We warmly congratulate Meeyeon, Darren, and Ella’s godparents, and pray that God will grant health and many years to His newly-baptised handmaiden Ella.

On 29 May 2019 His Grace Bishop George of Canberra advised parish rectors and monastic superiors that the Nineteenth Diocesan Assembly of the Australian-New Zealand Diocese would be convened at the Saints Peter and Paul Diocesan Cathedral in Strathfield, NSW, in November 2019.  Commencing on the evening of Thursday 14 November and concluding on the afternoon of Sunday 17 November, the Assembly will coincide with Diocesan celebrations of the thirty-fifth anniversary of Metropolitan Hilarion’s consecration to the episcopacy on 10 December 1984.  As all Diocesan clergy will be participating in the Assembly and associated commemorative activities, the only services in our Diocese on Saturday-Sunday 16-17 November will be at the Strathfield Cathedral.  Information about the Eighteenth Diocesan Assembly, held in Cabramatta in November 2016, is available here.

A group of young families working under the auspices of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin parish in Cabramatta, NSW, is again organising a camp for Russian and other Orthodox children and young people aged 8-17 to be held in Toukley, NSW - here on the Central Coast - from 15 December - 20 December 2019.  The cost will be $425.00 per person, or $399.00 if payment is made by 30 September 2019.  For those interested, more information is available here.