A separate email group for Saint Theodore's
I have now started a separate email group for those who have expressed an interest in supporting/attending Saint Theodore's mission parish in Cleethorpes.
Up until now, I have been sending out emails to the general Louth list of folks, but from (Tuesday 16/09/25) I will only be contacting those people who have expressed an interest in either supporting or attending Saint Theodore's. My reason for doing this is not to deprive others of information, but rather to avoid sending out emails to folks who, for various reasons, may not want to attend our services in Cleethorpes.
I have sent out an email to the larger Louth list explaining this, and requesting that anyone interested in being added to the Saint Theodore's list should contact me, and I will gladly add their email to the list.
Christ Church: Blessing to use the Anglican Altar
For those who attended our Divine Liturgy at Christ Church on Saturday 13th of September, you will have noticed that I set out our portable Orthodox altar, etc. However, in view of my ongoing health issues, this is not something that I will be able to sustain, due to the amount of lifting and carrying involved in transporting all our church items to Christ Church prior to the service, and then packing them away and transporting them home with me after the service.
After our service on Saturday last week, the idea was suggested about our using the Anglican altar which is already in situ at Christ Church. I have now spoken with Father Philip at Lincoln, and, as the Metropolitan's representative, he has given us a blessing to use the Anglican altar in situ at Christ Church for our services.
So, from Saturday 27th September, we will arrange Christ Church slightly differently for our worship.
Pilgrimage to Saint Hybald's, Scunthorpe: Saturday 20th of September 2025
Please note: that on Saturday 20th of September, there will be no Divine Liturgy at Christ Church in Cleethorpes. This is because we have been invited to join the annual pilgrimage to Saint Hybald's parish church, Brigg (where the saint is believed to be buried).
Pilgrimage to honour our local saints is an important part of recovering our Orthodox Christian heritage in Britain and Ireland, and it is an opportunity to beseech their intercession for our own parishes and for the archdiocese as a whole.
Saint Hybald’s church
We are all invited to attend the Divine Liturgy which will take place at Saint Hybald's parish church, Hibaldstow, Brigg DN20 9RA, and commence at 10 am. There is a bring-and-share meal afterwards. If at all possible, please try to attend this event, even if you can only stay for the Divine Liturgy.
Lifts available from Cleethorpes and Louth
Khouria Mary and I will be attending, and if anyone would like a lift there and back (we have two spare places in our car), you would be most welcome to travel there and back with us. Photini (travelling from Louth) has also room in her car to take one other person. Please contact me if you would like to take Photini up on her offer.
Saint Theodore’s Orthodox Christian Community
Thank you I wanted to say a huge ‘thank you’ to all those who make the services at Saint Theodore's Possible. Our mission parish is blessed with a small but faithful group of Orthodox Christians and catechumens who not only help out with the services, but are actively involved in helping us to build a supportive and faithful Orthodox Christian community in Grimsby/Cleethorpes.
It takes a community
You have probably heard the saying, ‘It takes a village to raise a child’; well, it takes an entire community of believing Orthodox Christians, and not just a priest on his own, to establish and maintain a parish. We have the beginnings of such a community at our mission in Grimsby/Cleethorpes, and I am deeply grateful for each one for the support they provide.
The various forms of service and ministries at Saint Theodore’s Mission
Let me briefly introduce you to the forms of service and ministries required to maintain the worship of our parish, and the people who exercise them.
Trustees
We have four trustees who look after the CIO (charity of Saint Theodore’s), which was set up to support and further the work of our mission parish. Without the input of the Trustees, month in and month out, there would be no mission parish in Grimsby/Cleethorpes.
These Trustees are: Subdeacon Ahmed (from Lincoln); Amelia; Photini, and me (as an ex officio trustee). Subdeacon Ahmed is a parishioner at Saint Matthias and All Saints of Lincolnshire parish in Lincoln. He and Amelia were founding trustees for the new mission in Grimsby/Cleethorpes, and have both been faithful supporters since then. Amelia, who is also the Treasurer for the charity, is now a parishioner of our mission. Photini is the newest addition to the Trustees. She brings with her a deep faith in Christ, a desire to serve His Church, and a gift for organisation that is of immense value in the day-to-day running of the CIO. Photini is now the hardworking chair of the Trustees.
Reader and Subdeacon
We are blessed indeed to have Reader Nikolai and Subdeacon Christopher. Both are ordained to serve in their respective ministries within the Church’s liturgical worship.
However, both Reader Nikolai and Subdeacon Christopher do much more than help the priest serve the Divine Liturgy. Both are active in various other roles. Reader Nikolai also bakes the prosphora that we use for each Divine Liturgy; and Subdeacon Christopher steps in as reader when Reader Nikolai is not available.
Choir
Now we are even further blessed to have Anastasia as the choir director and music leader for our mission parish. Anastasia is a life-long Orthodox Christian from Ukraine, and has gained extensive experience of Orthodox Christian liturgical music through singing in various church choirs. She has very generously agreed to be our choir director, and will now begin the task of establishing the choir of Saint Theodore's. The choir is an indispensable part of Orthodox Christian worship, singing much of the theology that is our worship; and, indeed, our services cannot take place without a choir.
Anastasia's mission will be to support and guide our community (choir, laity and priest) towards increasing our ability to use a wider range of chants, settings and hymns in our worship. I make no secret of the fact that I have very little in the way of skills when it comes to singing/chanting/reading music, and only a rudimentary grasp of the various tones that we use in our worship. So, to have a choir director who has a deep familiarity with Orthodox Christian liturgical music, this will benefit me, and our whole community, immensely.
Altar Servers
Another very important role within the worship of the Church is that of altar server. The newly illumined, Benjamin, has made himself available to help serve at the Divine Liturgies in Grimsby/Cleethorpes, when he and his wife, Katrina, and his young daughter, Vika, are able to attend.
Hospitality
Photini, Khouria Mary and Maria all help with the ministry of hospitality at our mission parish. Hospitality is an essential part of building community, and involves greeting new-comers and the faithful and making them feel welcome as they enter the church, and helping to prepare tea/coffee, etc, for everyone after the service.
Safeguarding Officer
Amelia (who is a Trustee and the treasurer) is also the Safeguarding Officer for our mission parish. Her role here is to maintain the wellbeing and safety of the children and vulnerable adults who attend our services. Again, we cannot hold our services without having an identified Safeguarding Officer, so we are very grateful to Amelia for taking on this role.
Faithful Orthodox Christians and Catechumens
Last, but certainly not least, are all the faithful Orthodox Christians and the Catechumens, Barry and Cuthbert, who attend our Saturday services. It is no small thing that everyone who attends our services on Saturday mornings is giving up a huge chunk of possibly one of only two free days that they may have in the week. Such actions demonstrate a firm commitment to living out the Orthodox Christian faith, even when it means making sacrifices in order to be able to attend services.
Next Newsletter
I am hoping to send out a newsletter at the beginning of each month, which will also be posted on the website. So the first Newsletter will, God willing, go out on October the 1st.
In Christ Father Alban