The Feast of the Protection of the Mother of God
Parish Notices
No Divine Liturgy at Old Clee on Saturday 4th October
Please note that there will be no service at Old Clee on the first Saturday in October.
This is because the Anglican community at Old Clee have a wedding booked in for that day.
They have very kindly agreed not to book in any further weddings on the first Saturday of each month, so that the church will be free for our services.
So, remember please, that our first service in October will be on Saturday 11th of October, 09.30am, at Christ Church, Grimsby Road (off Reynold’s Street), Cleethorpes.
See services for the full calendar.
New Parish Website
Please note that we now have a new parish website, built and operated by Benjamin Brandall.
This will be a massive help in enabling us to advertise our presence in Grimsby and Cleethorpes.
https://www.grimsbyorthodox.org/about/
Divine Liturgy at Louth
I will be serving a Divine Liturgy for Saint Aethelheard’s community in Louth on the third Monday of each month at 10am.
The first service is scheduled for Monday 20th of October at 10am.
I will send out an email to the Louth community to let folks know of the service.
I am aware that having the service on a Monday morning will mean that some people will be unable attend who would otherwise like to attend. However, due to work commitments and health issues, this is, realistically, the only day that I can offer a service in Louth.
Catechetics Group for Cleethorpes
I have now been approached by five parishioners who have expressed an interest in attending a group to learn more about the Orthodox Christian faith.
I will contact these folks individually to get an idea of what days/times they are free to attend a catechetics group. Once I have an idea of when we are all free to meet up, I will approach the folks at Christ Church to enquire if we could use their building for our meeting.
If anyone else is interested in attending the group, please let me know.
Some Photos of Old Clee and Christ Church
For those who may not have seen either of these venues that we use for our worship, below are a few photos.
Old Clee
Christ Church
Scripture Speaks (from the Epistle for Saturday 04/10/25)
“Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; be infants in regard to evil, but in thinking be mature.” (1 Cor. 14:20)
Saint Paul here calls the Corinthian Christians to be mature in their thinking. Earlier in this letter, he explains that there are ways of thinking that are appropriate for children, and there are ways of thinking that are appropriate for adults (1 Cor. 13:11).
But what does it mean for a Christian to be mature in their thinking? Simply put, it means becoming wise, but not with the wisdom of the world, but rather with the Divine Wisdom of God (1 Cor. 2:7).
But what does Divine Wisdom look like, what does it sound like? Christ is the perfect revelation of the Divine Wisdom. Saint Paul tells the Corinthians, “But to those called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the Power of God and the Wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:24).
If we are to be mature in our thinking, this means that we must reflect Divine Wisdom in our lives, by becoming more Christ-like in our thoughts, our words, and in our actions towards others.
How is it possible that we should be able to think with the mind of Christ, to speak His words, to pray as He prayed, and act with the selfless love that He commanded us to show towards others?
Because (as I never get tired of quoting), we have been baptized into Christ, and put on Christ (Gal. 3:27); and in truth we can say with Saint Paul, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. The life that I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).
Through Holy Chrismation we have been given the Spirit of Christ (1 John 4:13), and indeed are sealed with the Holy Spirit, marking us as believers set aside and belonging to God (Eph. 1:13).
Purified by the Holy Spirit, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, sanctified by the Holy Spirit, our thoughts and desires, our minds and hearts, are consumed with the longing to know God the Father through, with, and in Christ; to love God the Father through, with and in Christ; and to serve God the Father through, with and in Christ.
The Fathers Speak
“A soul that nourishes hatred against anyone cannot be at peace with God… If you do not forgive others their trespasses, Christ says, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses (Mt. 6:14). If the other will not make peace with you, you at least for your part must guard yourself from hating him, and pray for him sincerely without speaking ill of him to anyone.”
— Maximus the Confessor
Next Newsletter
The next Newsletter will, God willing, go out on November the 1st, and will have details of Christmas services for December 2025, in order to give folks plenty of time to make arrangements if they want to attend.
Please Remember in Your Prayers
The Sick
- Father George & Khouria Annis
- Angela & Costas
- Reader Magdy & Judith
- Patricia
- Robert
- Katie
- Subdeacon Chad
- Emelia
- Eli
- Romanus & Maria
- Eleni
- Hilary & Jean Pierre
- Hieromonk Stephen
- Phillip
- June
- Khouria Mary
- Tatiana
- Tatiana
- Father Aethelwine & Khouria Susan
- Edward
The Suffering
- For the victims of war and armed conflict, especially the peoples of Palestine, Israel, Russia, Ukraine, Syria, Lebanon
- For those suffering persecution for the Orthodox Christian faith in Syria, Lebanon, Ukraine, and Nigeria
- For those in poverty and want
- For those who experience depression or anxiety
- For those who struggle with addiction
- For those who are in despair
- For those who have no one to pray for them
Lord, have mercy
The Captive
- For our bishops, the Metropolitan Paul and the Metropolitan John, who remain in captivity
- For all those in prison
- For all those who are being held in captivity against their will — especially the thousands of children being trafficked into slavery and sexual abuse
The Newly Reposed
- The New Martyrs of Damascus
- All those who have died as a result of armed conflict in Ukraine, Russia, Gaza, Israel, Syria, Yemen, and other countries throughout the world
Through the prayers of Mother of God, O Saviour, save them.
In Christ,
Father Alban