Each year on the First Sunday in Great Lent, the Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, parishes of the Australian-New Zealand Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia take up a collection to benefit the Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary in Jordanville, New York.  The Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary is the main institution of higher education in the Russian Orthodox Church outside Russia.  This collection provides financial assistance to students, covering tuition, room and board.  As this year we will not have Divine Liturgy on the First Sunday in Great Lent our collection will be taken up on Sunday 24 March, the Second Sunday in Great Lent.  Please give generously!

Our next services will be Matins at 6.00pm on Saturday 23 March and Divine Liturgy at 9.00am on Sunday 24 March, the Second Sunday of Great Lent and the day of commemoration of Saint Gregory Palamas (+1359 AD).  As Saturday 23 March is a day of commemoration of the departed, Matins on this evening will be preceded by a general memorial service at 5.00pm.  Following Divine Liturgy on Sunday a collection will be taken up to benefit the Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary in Jordanville, New York.

On Saturday 9 March and Sunday 10 March we had services for the Sunday of Forgiveness and Cheesefare Sunday.  After the Prayer before the Amvon at Divine Liturgy on Sunday, the prayer of blessing was read over two beautiful new server's vestments, one red and one black.  At the end of Divine Liturgy the newly-blessed vestments - the work of the Convent of Saint Elisabeth in Minsk, Belarus - were presented to Subdeacon Luke Goura as a gift from the parish in antcipation of the fifteenth anniversary of his tonsure as a reader in May 2004.  Vespers was then served, during which the church vestments were changed from gold to black and the ordinary melodies gave way to the solemn melodies of Great Lent.  In accordance with Orthodox practice, at the end of Vespers all present asked forgiveness of one another.  At Bishop George’s request, a collection was taken up to benefit Saints Cyril and Methodius Orthodox Institute, the theological and higher education institute of the Australian-New Zealand Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.

Our Autumn 2019 Schedule of Services - covering March, April and May 2019 - is now available.  It includes all our services for Great Lent, Holy Week, Pascha, Radonitsa and our patronal feast of the Translation of the Relics of Saint Nicholas from Myra in Lycia to Bari.  A copy of the English-language Autumn 2019 Schedule of Services is available here, and a copy of the Russian-language Autumn 2019 Schedule of Services is available here.  Both can also be accessed on our Services page, and printed copies are available in church.

On Saturday 23 February the parish rector baptised Anastasia Crawford, the infant daughter of Stephen and Deborah Crawford and a younger sister to Florence. Anastasia had as her godparents Nathalie Crawford and Duncan Crawford.  We warmly congratulate Stephen, Deborah, Nathalie and Duncan and wish the the newly-baptised Anastasia many years!

On Saturday 9 February and Sunday 10 February we had services for the Thirty-Seventh Sunday after Pentecost and in honour of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia.  As this Sunday was the final Sunday before the beginning of the period of preparation for Great Lent, the first appointed reading from the Holy Gospel (Luke 19:1-10) at Divine Liturgy concerned Zaccheus, the tax collector from Jericho who changed his way of life after encountering Christ and receiving Him into his home.  In his sermon at Divine Liturgy on Sunday the parish rector spoke about Zaccheus as a model of repentance and the New Martyrs and Confessors as models of faithfulness to Christ in the face of persecution.  Following Divine Liturgy announcements were made concerning the forthcoming collection to assist Orthodox Action and the rescheduled parish Annual General Meeting to be held on Sunday 24 February 2019.

On Tuesday 26 March and Wednesday 27 March 2019 the clergymen of the Australian-New Zealand Diocese will gather in Sydney for their customary Great Lenten Pastoral Conference.  On Tuesday evening the clergy will meet at the church of All Saints of Russia in Croydon for the Rule of Preparation for Holy Communion at 5.00pm and Lenten Matins and confession at 6.00pm.  On Wednesday morning from 8.00am the Hours and the Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts will be served at Saints Peter and Paul Diocesan Cathedral in Strathfield with Bishop George presiding and the clergy concelebrating.  Those of the faithful who wish to do so are welcome to attend the service on Wednesday morning and – if properly prepared – to receive Holy Communion.  Following Divine Liturgy the clergy will meet to discuss a range of pastoral and liturgical matters.