St. Aidan's Orthodox Church

Priest’s Annual Report

Parish Priest’s Report 1st April 2020 to 31st March 2021

The Domestic Church during the COVID-19 Pandemic

1. 1. The church building has closed because it is too small to accommodate more than 15/20 people with social distancing in the congregation at any one time.  We are also convinced that in our small space we cannot ensure a safe environment for worship, and it certainly puts too many restrictions on how we worship as Orthodox Christians.  However, in Christ and the Holy Spirit we are never distant from each other.  Today we have wonderful technologies to make that real while we wait for the pandemic to end.
   2. Broadcasting the Services: Each Sunday and on feast days, Fr Gregory is serving the Liturgy from home at 10.15 am.  Brother Daniel offers Reader’s Vespers from 5.00 pm to 6.00 pm on Saturday evenings weekly. This is being broadcast on Facebook, live and recorded.  Other services will be broadcast as announced in the Calendar of Services (below). All broadcast times are set to London.
   3. Holy Communion – Read St Basil the Great here on how you can commune at home: St Basil the Great, Letter 93 (to Caesaria). All of this is explained in much more detail in our brochure which you can download from this link: The-Domestic Church (Provisions and Instructions for the Sacraments), 3rd Edition (3rd June 2020).
   4. Here are the instructions to watch the Sunday Liturgy, live or recorded: Divine Liturgy Broadcasting Guide and Instructions.
      Liturgy Facebook Timeline (which you need to follow): Facebook (Father Gregory)
      Vespers/Matins Facebook Timeline (which you need to follow): Facebook (Brother Daniel)
   5. There are four Sector ministries of the “Domestic Church” going forward:- The Spiritual Directory (Broadcast services and prayer); The Pastoral Directory (Confession, Spiritual Direction and friendly chats over the phone); The Education Directory (Published Bible Studies, All Age Christian Education including E-Quip and Followers) and The Mission and Service Directory (evangelism and service in the community – within public health regulations).
   6. For those who give to the work of our church by envelopes … this method is cancelled for the duration of the pandemic.  Please consider setting up a bank standing order to continue your contributions.  This preferred method will be much appreciated. St Theodore Ecclesiastical Trust (Registered Charity No. 1029085) which funds this parish continues to be the beneficiary of your donations.  If you shop at Amazon you can also have this company donate 0.5% of the purchase price to the Church Trust.  See the banner link below for details.
      If you prefer to make occasional gifts, you can do that through online banking if you have that service.  Contact Father Gregory  for the Church’s bank account details.
      If you do not use online banking you may also give using the mobile app GIVT (with a Gift Aid option) by scanning the Q code opposite into the app.
   7. Please do read this excellent, informative and personally challenging article by Fr Emmanuel: Facing Reality
   8. It is vitally important that all of us can be better informed about the SCIENCE of this pandemic in an easy to understand format.  Please follow my guide and resources for this, including how scientific research and faith complement each other.  Corona Virus – the Science
   9. We invite you to follow Fr Gregory’s Vlog Broadcasts (7.30 pm London GMT on Tuesdays) on his Facebook Timeline.  Instructions for this may be found on the Study Archive Page link below.
      The Schedule of Forthcoming Talks may be found here:  and here: Vlog Schedule 2021 The Study Materials also include Scripture Readings Guides for the New Testament according to the Lectionary and an Old Testament 52 week Reading Guide for the whole of the Old Testament (Septuagint Version). You will find all these resources here: Study Archive Page.
   10. If you want to see what books we have for sale (bank pay and collect) see here: – Bookstore Stock for Sale
       Also please see this range of Childrens’ Lives of the Saints:Kids Paterikon Booklets
   11. Here, on THIS site you will find our Quizzes (published weekly by 6 pm [London] on Thursday evenings) based on our Archdiocesan E-Quip Talks.  Go here: – E-Quip Quizzes
       You do not need to read the relevant E-Quip talks to complete the Quiz.  Why not have a go?!  We have tried to make them fun to do.
   12. Here’s a great inspirational Guide from Fr Emmanuel on: – Living with the Lord and the Pandemic
   13. More from Fr Emmanuel – in my opinion, the best science and the best theology! (Fr Gregory)  Covid-19 Facing a Pandemic with Love, Resilience and Vaccines
   14. Government Guidance for Churches wishing to open for services from 4th July 2020.
   15. An article by Fr Emmanuel: The Pandemic and You and Me – Integrating Faith and Reason
   16. A short advisory on what we can do to weather the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: – Us and the Virus — Our Behaviour Matters
   17. Of special relevance for the pandemic: Does God protect us in times of danger? How?
   18. Audio of Fr Gregory’s Homily at the broadcasted Liturgy for the Sunday before the Nativity and the Feast of Hieromartyr Ignatios the God-Bearer of Antioch, Sunday 20th December 2020.  In the first part of this sermon Fr Gregory explains true martyrdom from that of St Ignatios and contrasts this with false ideas associated with the pandemic.  He then goes on to explore other themes from the saint’s writings.