From Orthodox Parish of St Nicholas

The following is an archive of past events and activities of the parish, as well as other events that were significant in the life of the parish. For current and forthcoming events, please see our Current Events Listing.

Archive for 2008

January 2008

• Visit of Fr Vladimir Voroboyv, the Rector of St Tikhon's Theological University in Moscow. Fr Vladimir gave a talk with opportunity to answer questions after the Sunday Liturgy - 13th January Click here for a brief report on his visit.

February 2008

• Meeting of the Orthodox Youth Group - 18th February

March 2008

• Meeting of the Orthodox Women's Group - 21st March
• Archpastoral visit of Bishop Elisey of Sourozh to the parish March. Our diocesan bishop visited the parish on the second Sunday of Great Lent and celebrated the Divine Liturgy assisted by Fr Stephen, Archpriest Vladimir Vorobiev from the St Tikhon's Theological University in Moscow, Deacon Dimitry Nedostupenko from the London Cathedral and the parish's own Deacon Matthew - Sunday 23rd
• Also on the same Sunday, the Parish said good-bye to Dimitry and Varvara Artamkin and their 4-month-old quintuplet daughters, Elizaveta, Alexandra, Nadezhda, Tatiana and Varvara as the family prepared to go back home to Moscow. Varvara Artamkina is the daughter of Fr Vladimir Vorobiev (see above) and came to Oxford in August 2007 for her antenatal care after being urged to undergo selective termination in Russia for her multiple pregnancy. She gave birth -14 weeks prematurely - to five girls on 10th November 2007 in the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. The babies continue to thrive and have all been discharged from hospital ready to return home.
• Meeting of the Orthodox Youth Group. The youth group watched selected episodes from the recent BBC dramatization of the events of Holy Week. This was followed by discussion led by Father Ian Graham and Fr Stephen - 28th March
• Visit of the parish priest and members of the Russian Orthodox Parish in Nottingham. Fr Gregory Butler and three of his parishioners visited St Nicholas' parish for the celebration of the Divine Liturgy at which Fr Gregory concelebrated with Fr Stephen - Sunday 30th March

April 2008

• 1st Holy week/Pascha Choir Practice. The practice concentrated on the Palm Sunday and Paschal material. Common supper followed the practice - Thursday 17th April
• 2nd Holy week/Pascha Choir Practice. The practice concentrated on the Holy Week material, particularly Thursday and Friday. Common supper followed the practice -Great Monday 21st April
• Parish Barbeque and Picnic. As last year, the Parish hosted a most successful and joyful Paschal barbecue and picnic at the South Oxford Adventure Playground, White House Road, Oxford, OX1 4PA from 1 pm following. Despite grim weather forecasts, the day was beautifully sunny and fair- Sunday 27th April

Archive for 2007

December 2007

• Orthodox Women's Group meeting - 10th December
• St Nicholas Christmas Fair - a major fundraiser event of our parish took place in Wesley Memorial Hall, Oxford and raised in excess of £2,500. Many thanks to all helpers, sellers and customers. Click here for a three-page gallery of photographs from the parish's recent St Nicholas Christmas Fair - 15th December
• Patronal Feast of St Nicholas - The parish celebrated its patronal feast with the Divine Liturgy at St Giles' Church Hall, followed by a sit-down festal meal for all the parishioners and guests who included the Very Revd. Fr Ian Graham, the Rector of the Greek Orthodox Community in Oxford - 19th December
• Choir practice in preparation for Christmas services - 20th December
• Youth Group Christmas outing - Our Christmas outing was a trip to the Oxford Ice Rink followed by ice-creams at "George and Danver's" - 21st December
• Children's Christmas Party for all orthodox children in Oxford held at St Alban's Church hall, Oxford - 29th December Click here for photographs

November 2007

• Visit of the miracle-working Kursk Root icon of the Mother of God of the Sign, with service of moleben and Akathist. Visiting clergy included Fr Ian Graham, Fr Thomas Hardy, and Fr Yaroslav of the ROCOR cathedral in London - 25th November 2007
• Parish Annual General Meeting - 18th November 2007
  • At the above meeting the parish elected its second Parish Council, made up of Officers: Alexey Kostyanovsky (warden), Michelle Holloway (secretary), Natalie Quinn (treasurer); Regular members: Natalia Baeva, Maeve Henry, Edda Kornhardt, Anna Platt, Panayiotis Tekosis, Sergei Tochlin; and ex officio the parish priest and parish deacon.
• Parish meal - 11th November 2007
• Visit and concelebration by Fr Vladimir Vorobyov from Moscow, Russia - 11th November 2007
• Birth of quintuplets, to a family in the care of our parish - 10th November 2007
• Pilgrimage in honour of St Frideswide. The day began with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, and was followed by services at the holy well in Binsey, and St Frideswide's relics at Christ Church - 1st November 2007

October 2007

• Youth group meeting - 19th October 2007
• Visit of His Grace Bishop Basil of Wichita and Mid-America, and celebration of Fr Stephen's 6th anniversary of priestly ordination. Our Parish welcomed His Grace Bishop Basil of Wichita and Mid-America (Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America) and his companion Father Josiah Trenham as part of their tour of England. Bishop Basil prayed at the festal vigil for the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God on Saturday and preached a sermon at the Sunday Liturgy. The feast also marked the sixth anniversary of Fr Stephen's ordination as priest, for which the parish sang 'Many Years' and prayed for the furtherance of his ministry - 13th-14th October 2007
• Parish meal and special welcome to students and new arrivals in Oxford - 14th October 2007

September 2007

• First Youth Group meeting in the new academic year - 28th September, 2007
• Bishop Elisey of Bogorodsk, assistant bishop in the Diocese of Sourozh , visited the parish on its first anniversary and celebrated the Divine Liturgy. The episcopal visitation was followed by a parish meal - 9th September, 2007

August 2007

• Matthew Steenberg was ordained deacon on the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God, at the Diocesan Cathedral Mother of God in London. A parishioner's account of the day is available, as are photographs - 28th August, 2007.
  • This date also marked the appointment of Grainne Henry - for some months serving as deputy choir director - as full choir director for the parish.
• Concelebration of the Divine Liturgy with Hieromonk Nicanor from eastern Russia, and Fr Dcn Christopher, from the Church Abroad in Australia - 19th August, 2007
• Visit to the parish by Metropolitan Kallistos of Diokleia, and a concelebration of the Divine Liturgy with Fr Ian Graham and Fr Evdokimos Harding - 12th August, 2007
• Fr David Smith celebrates Liturgy for the parish, while Fr Stephen is away - 5th August, 2007

July 2007

• Fr David Smith celebrates Liturgy for the parish, while Fr Stephen is away - 29th July, 2007
• St Seraphim's Summer Camp - Our parish ran the summer camp for the Diocese of Sourozh, dedicated to St Seraphim of Sarov. Click here for further details on the camp. - 27th July - 7th August, 2007
• Youth group summer barbecue - 20th July, 2007
• Feast of St Alban, protomartyr of Britain: the parish celebrated its first truly all-night vigil, with vespers beginning at 9.00 p.m., followed by matins, and the Divine Liturgy starting at 12.30 a.m. - 4th July, 2007
• Summer Parish Meeting - The parish held its first informal 'summer meeting', to discuss the life of the parish and talk about future plans. - 1st July, 2007

June 2007

• Orthodox women's group meeting - 18th June, 2007
• Youth group meeting - 15th June, 2007
• Baptism of Ita Mary Gallaher, during the Liturgy - 10th June, 2007

May 2007

• Reception of Malgosia into the Church - 27 May, 2007 - Pentecost
• The parish's first Eastern European Food Fair - 5 May, 2007

April 2007

• First celebration of the Obednitsa in the parish - 29 April, 2007
• Divine Liturgy for Radonitsa, with visit to the cemeteries - 17 April, 2007
• Parish registered with the Charities Commission as a formally recognised charity (no. 1118783) - April 2007
• Youth group Paschal meeting - 15th April, 2007
• Visit and concelebration by Father Deacon John Sewter - 15th April, 2007
• Paschal family barbecue - 8th April, 2007
• Holy Week and Pascha - 1st - 18th April, 2007
• Baptism of Anna Williams at Holy Saturday Liturgy - 7th April, 2007
  • This marked the first baptism in our parish.
• Visit and concelebration by Fr David Smith from Nottingham, together with members of his parish who joined us for Pascha - Pascha, 8th April, 2007
• Visit and concelebrations by Fr Philip Steer from Walsingham in Norfolk - Holy Week and Pascha, 2007

March 2007

• Choir practice - 29th March 2007
• Visit and concelebration by Fr Artemy Skripkin from the parish of St Peter and St Paul, St Petersburg - 25th March 2007

February 2007

• Student Open Night - 27th February 2007
• Pan-Orthodox Lenten Vespers held at our diocesan cathedral - 25th February 2007
• Youth group pancake party - 16th February 2007
• Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple, and the celebration of the parish's fortieth Liturgy - 15th February 2007
• Evening choir practice for Lent - 13th February 2007
• Women's Fellowship Group - 12th February 2007
• Diocesan Assembly Elections - 11th February 2007
• Parish Meal - 11th February 2007
• Visit and concelebration by Fr Philip Steer - 11th February 2007

January 2007

• Youth group meeting - 19th January 2007
• Began services at St Giles' Hall - 1st January 2007
  • January marked the conclusion of our previous arrangement with St Luke's Chapel in the Radcliffe Infirmary. From this point we moved to St Giles' Hall for our principal services.

Archive for 2006

December 2006

• Children's Christmas Party - 30th December 2006
• First celebration of the parish's Patronal Feast of St Nicholas the Wonderworker - 19th December 2006
  • On this feast, the newly-consecrated Bishop Elisey, only recently arrived in Britain, visited the parish, marking its first episcopal visitation.

November 2006

• Consecration of Bishop Elisey of Bogorodsk - 26th November 2006
• Visit and concelebration by Fr Andrew Louth - 19th November 2006
• Parish Meeting, with voting on constitution and bye-laws, and election of parish council - 12th November 2006
  • The parish's first Parish Council was elected at the above meeting, and was made up of Officers: Alexey Kostyanovsky (warden), Anastasia Heath (secretary), Natalie Quinn (treasurer); Regular members: Brandon Gallaher, Grainne Henry, Anna Platt, Matthew Steenberg (later made deacon); and ex officio the parish priest.
• Parish Meal - 5th November 2006

October 2006

• Visit by Fr Dcn John from Amsterdam - 29th October 2006
• Welcome supper for students - 27th October 2006
• Orthodox Youth Festival planning group visits Oxford - 21st-22nd October 2006
• Visit by Fr Dcn Peter Willis from Cornwall - 22nd October 2006
  • Fr Peter's visit marked the first clerical concelebration in the parish.
• The parish's first evening choir practice - 19th October 2006
  • This practice marked, in a way, the proper formation of the parish's choir. The singers had previously practiced a few minutes before the services.
• Outing to London for Pokrov - 14th October 2006
• First Parish Lunch - 8th October 2006
• 40-day memorial for Elisabeth Obolensky - 8th October 2006
• News: Archim. Elisey to be appointed assistant bishop - 6 October 2006
• News: Patriarch's statement on Cathedral anniversary - 3 October 2006

September 2006

• Parish Inauguration and First Liturgy - 10th September 2006
  • At this first weekend of services, a letter from the Archbishop to the parish on the occasion of its first celebration of the Divine Liturgy was read at the end of the services.

August 2006

• Archbishop Innokenty of Korsun, temporary administrator of the Diocese of Sourozh, gives his blessing for the founding in Oxford of a parish dedicated to St Nicholas the Wonderworker - 18th August 2006