A Message from our Parish Treasurer

A Message from our Parish Treasurer

by | Sep 30, 2021 | News

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Greetings to you all. This is a short email to introduce myself and to invite you to contact me, Michael Edwards, at this new email address (lampetertreasurer@gmail.com) should you have any questions concerning the financial support of our community at Lampeter. At present there might be few who are aware of the option of paying directly to the church account and who will usually make offerings in cash in the basket at the back. I hope to encourage a transition, if possible, toward making a regular offering directly to the Lampeter Orthodox Church bank account. This will help us in keeping account of our income and make things simpler both for you, and for us, from an administrative standpoint.

So, please do consider setting up a regular gift by standing order using your postcode as a reference when making payment. (This is so we will be able to reclaim the gift-aid, should you be eligible, when we come to the point of applying for charity status at some point in the future.) The details of the church account are as follows:

HSBC Lampeter Orthodox Church

Acc: 31280589

Sort: 40-27-01

Lastly, I would be grateful if you could reply and update us by sending your full contact details for our records.

Thank you all, and I look forward to seeing you over coffee in the near future.

Yours in Christ.
Michael Edwards.
Lampeter Orthodox Parish Treasurer.

Pilgrimage to St Govans Chapel Pembrokeshire

Pilgrimage to St Govans Chapel Pembrokeshire

by | Sep 28, 2021 | News, Saints

On saturday 25th Sept some of us embarked upon a pilgrimage to the chapel of St Govan on the south coast of Pembrokeshire. We shared a feast of a picnic and took part in a vespers service in the chapel.

Bearer of Light in the West of Wales
You hid in your cave for the sake of prayer
that the Gospel may spread in Dewisland,
O holy St Govan cease not to pray
that once more Christ may reign in this beautiful land

The Icon of St Govan venerated at the Chapel of St Govan.

The Icon of St Govan venerated at the Chapel of St Govan.

by | Aug 28, 2021 | Saints

The Icon of St Govan entrusted to the Lampeter Community, venerated at the Chapel of St Govan.

St Govan an Irish monk who travelled to Wales but was attacked by pirates, miraculously finding refuge in the fissure of a cliff. This cave became a home for the hermit monk and is the site of an existing stone chapel built in the 13th century.

Bearer of Light in the West of Wales
You hid in your cave for the sake of prayer
that the Gospel may spread in Dewisland,
O holy St Govan cease not to pray
that once more Christ may reign in this beautiful land

St. Natalia, Martyr, of Nicomedia Commemorated on August 26

St. Natalia, Martyr, of Nicomedia Commemorated on August 26

by | Aug 25, 2021 | Saints

Ss. Adrian and Natalia were pagans who were married for one year prior to their martyrdom, and lived in Nicomedia during the time of Emperor Maximian in the early fourth century. The emperor promised a reward to whomever would inform on Christians to bring them to trial. The denunciations then began, and twenty-three Christians were captured in a cave near Nicomedia.

They were tortured, urged to worship idols, and then brought before the Praetor, in order to record their names and responses. Adrian, the head of the praetorium, watched as these people suffered with such courage for their faith. Seeing how firmly and fearlessly they confessed Christ, he asked: “What rewards do you expect from your God for your suffering?” The martyrs replied: “Such rewards as we are not able to describe, nor can your mind comprehend.” St Adrian told the scribes, “Write my name down also, for I am a Christian and I die gladly for Christ God.”

The scribes reported this to the emperor, who summoned St. Adrian and asked him, “Really, have you gone mad, that you want to die? Come, cross out your name from the lists and offer sacrifice to the gods, asking their forgiveness.”

St. Adrian answered, “I have not lost my mind, but rather have I found it.” Maximian then ordered Adrian to be thrown into prison. His wife, Natalia, knowing that her husband was to suffer for Christ, rejoiced, since she herself had secretly turned from paganism to Christianity.

She hastened to the prison and encouraged her husband saying, “You are blessed, my lord, because you have believed in Christ. You have obtained a great treasure. Do not regret anything earthly, neither beauty, nor youth (Adrian was then 28 years of age), nor riches. Everything worldly is dust and ashes. Only faith and good deeds are pleasing to God.”

Read More http://ww1.antiochian.org/node/19333

Troparion (Tone 4) –
Your holy martyrs Adrian and Natalia, O Lord,
through their sufferings have received incorruptible crowns from You, our God.
For having Your strength, they laid low their adversaries,
and shattered the powerless boldness of demons.
Through their intercessions, save our souls!

A Gift Of Two Icons

by | Aug 8, 2021 | News, Saints

Two icons now in the care of the Church in Lampeter, 6th century Welsh saints, St Ishmael and St Govan. Both associated with Pembrokeshire, continuing to be venerated in their native land.

Isfael or Ismael (Old Welsh: Ysmail), often anglicized as Ishmael, was a 6th-century medieval Welsh bishop of Rhos. He was allegedly also a Breton prince of Armorica

 

 St Govan an Irish monk who travelled to Wales but was attacked by pirates, miraculously finding refuge in the fissure of a cliff. This cave became a home for the hermit monk and is the site of an existing stone chapel built in the 13th century.

 

Bearer of Light in the West of Wales
You hid in your cave for the sake of prayer
that the Gospel may spread in Dewisland,
O holy St Govan cease not to pray
that once more Christ may reign in this beautiful land

 

Light of the world

Light of the world

by | Jul 3, 2021 | photos

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.” Matthew 5:14-15

Services for Holy Week 2021

Services for Holy Week 2021

by | Apr 21, 2021 | News

WEDNESDAY 21 APRIL

18.15 Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

SUNDAY 25 APRIL Entrance into Jerusalem / Palm Sunday

10.00 Hours
10.30 Divine Liturgy
12.30 Matins (Bridegroom Service)

GREAT and HOLY WEDNESDAY 28 APRIL

18.00 Sacrament of Holy Unction

GREAT and HOLY THURSDAY 29 APRIL

18.00 Matins (Service of the Twelve Gospels)

GREAT and HOLY FRIDAY 30 APRIL

14.30 Vespers (Descent from the Cross)
17.30 Matins, Lamentations and Epitaphios

GREAT and HOLY SATURDAY 1 MAY

10.00 Vespers and Divine Liturgy of St Basil
23.30 Resurrection Service

SUNDAY 2 MAY HOLY PASCHA

00.00 Christ is risen! Divine Liturgy of Pascha.