On Friday 25 January 2019 our parish will have the great honour of receiving the wonder-working "Kursk-Root" Icon of the Mother of God, one of the great treasures of the Russian Orthodox Church and the "Directress" of the Russian Diaspora.  A moleben with an akathist to the Mother of God will be served in the presence of the icon at 6.00pm on Friday evening.  For those interested, there will be a similar service at Saint Panteleimon Russian Orthodox Church in Gosford at 10.00am on Saturday 26 January.

Our next services will be Matins at 6.00pm on Saturday 26 January and Divine Liturgy at 9.00am on Sunday 27 January, the Thirty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, the Leavetaking of the Great Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, and the day of commemoration of Saint Nina, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of Georgia (+335 AD).  At the end of Divine Liturgy on Sunday prayers will be offered for the living and departed founders, benefactors and parishioners of the former Theophany parish of the Russian Orthodox Church (1994-2009).

On Friday 18 January and Saturday 19 January we had services for the Great Feast of the Baptism of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ - Theophany. All-night vigil - Great Compline and Matins - withe the blessing of wheat, wine, oil and five loaves was served on Friday evening and Divine Liturgy with the Great Blessing of Water was served on Saturday morning.  The services were led by Father Dionysios Halim, with our parish rector concelebrating at Divine Liturgy and the Great Blessing of Water.

On Saturday 12 January and Sunday 13 January we had services for the Sunday after the Nativity of Christ and in honour of Saints Joseph the Betrothed, David the King and James the Brother of the Lord, kinsmen of the Lord customarily remembered on this Sunday. Our parish rector served at Divine Liturgy for the first time since November 2018, concelebrating with Father Dionysios Halim.

On Sunday 6 January and Monday 7 January we had services for the Great Feast of the Nativity of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ. The services were led by Father Dionysios Halim, with our parish rector joining him during the evening service for the customary blessing of wheat, wine, oil and five loaves and the singing of the festal magnification. Our small church was beautifully adorned with a Christmas tree and green branches. On Monday the faithful from across the Hunter Valley and from Sydney, the Central Coast and the Mid North Coast gathered for Divine Liturgy. In place of a sermon, our parish rector read aloud the Nativity Epistle of Metropolitan Hilarion in Russian and English. Many remained afterwards for a festive meal in the church hall and a visit from Father Christmas.

On Saturday 22 December and Sunday 23 December we had services for the Thirtieth Sunday after Pentecost and in honour of the Martyrs Menas, Hermogenes and Eugraphus of Alexandria (+c.313 AD) and Saint Ioasaph, bishop of Belgorod (+1754 AD). Priest Dionysios Halim presided at these services, the last in our parish for 2018. Our small church was full on Sunday morning. In his sermon at Divine Liturgy Father Dionysios spoke about the appointed reading from the Holy Gospel, Luke 17:12-19, the account of the ten lepers that were healed by our Lord Jesus Christ and of whom only one, a Samaritan, returned to give thanks to God.

On Sunday 9 December we learned with great sorrow of the sudden repose late on the previous day of our parishioner, 46 year-old Alexander Evteev.  Alexander’s funeral was served on Friday 21 December by the Dean of New South Wales, Mitred Archpriest Nikita Chemodakov.  At the funeral our small church was filled to overflowing as over 100 family members, friends and colleagues from the University of Newcastle gathered to pray for his repose and bid him farewell.  We offer Alexander’s wife Elena and their children, 9 year-old Sophia and 5 year-old David, our heartfelt condolences.  May God grant his newly-departed servant Alexander rest with the saints and life everlasting, and may He console his bereaved young family!  For those wishing to assist the family, information is available here.

On Saturday 8 December and Sunday 9 December we had services for the Twenty-Eighth Sunday after Pentecost and in honour of Saint Innocent of Irkutsk (+1731 AD). Set forth for veneration by the faithful during these services was a beautiful old icon of Saint Innocent of Irkutsk brought to Australia from China over fifty years ago and later given to the Gosford parish. As our parish rector was recovering following surgery Priest Dionysios Halim presided at these services.

The January 2019 issue of “Word of the Church” (“Церковное Слово”), the official journal of the Australian-New Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, is now available in our parishes. As usual, it contains a range of interesting articles in both Russian and English. In Russian: “Послание Архиерейского Синода Клиру и Пастве Русской Зарубежной Церкви”; "Патриаршество на Руси"; "Торжество Православия – торжество здравого смысла”; and more. In English: “The Epistle of the Synod of Bishops to the Clergy and Flock of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia”; “Prototypes of the Nativity: What did prophets say about the coming of the Saviour?”; “Where do liturgical colours come from?”; “A list of last minute rules and suggestions in preparation for Great Lent”; and more. Also included is a useful list of Diocesan parishes, monastic establishments and clergy. Copies are $5.00.

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.