If you live in any part
of the UK you can be a member of our Church. We can add you to our
prayer list and keep in regular contact through e-mail, Skype or phone. A
newsletter is available every 3
months so please let us know if you would like a copy e-mailed or by
traditional methods, or if you would like to contribute an article for
the newsletter.
We are here and are
a fully inclusive without barriers Christian family so if you would be
interested in being part of a nationwide/worldwide family then please
contact Fr Brizz at revbmk@gmail.com
and he will contact you by whatever means suits you within 48 hours.
Love and prayers
Your Priests
Frs Paul & Brizz and
Fr Tom.
Civic World AIDS Day Service 2011
Ordination of Fr Thomas Armstrong
Saturday October 1st, 2011
October seems to be ordination time for the ECC UK. Last
year Fr Nick and, on the 1st this year, Fr Tom Armstrong.
A priestly ordination is a multi-faceted occasion, a mixture
of joy, celebration, solemnity, ceremonial, spirituality and fear.
“Fear?” I hear you ask – and I repeat it – fear.
As a bishop I have always been conscious of the awesome
responsibility that lies behind passing on the priesthood. I have no power but
to serve and I give no power but to serve. How terrible it would be for me to give
that power for the wrong reasons or to the wrong person.
Equally it is a moment of fear for the candidate – are they
doing the right thing? Is this truly God’s will and not theirs? How can they
live up to the responsibility?
Well, at Father Tom’s ordination these fears were totally
outweighed by a sense of “rightness” that allowed the solemn ceremony to be
filled with joy and celebration. Time had been given to Tom’s preparation and
now God’s will was to be fulfilled.
How can I be so sure of this? Well, I will share a moment of
intimacy – Tom’s own choice of readings and music were behind my homily. I
started by talking of the “blessedness” of the prophet Baruch and the fact that
all Jewish liturgy begins with praise of God in that blessedness. Then I went
on to tell that all my preparation was pointless as the words of one hymn had
said it all in the final line of the refrain.
The hymn was “I the Lord of sea and sky” and the line was “I
will hold your people in my hand.” Looking directly at Tom I said that this is
the essence of priestly service. His smile was the moment of rightness that
said we understood one another.
Such is priesthood, such is service, such is the love of the
Lord, to hold his people in our hearts.
Ad Multos Annos, Father Tom.
Back row, Lance Corporal Darryl Gilmore, Privates Craig Fitall & Rob (Buck) Buckland
Front, Lance Corporal Dan Elam, David Griffin and Fr Brizz
Prior to the four Military Provost soldiers attempting to beat the world squash endurance record.
Click on photo for the full article
Holocaust Memorial Day 2011
The City of Portsmouth recently added two special dates to its Civic calendar; December 1st – World AIDS Day, and January 27th – Holocaust Memorial Day. The former has been marked at Holy Angels for four years, and the service held by the parish is now a civic event. The latter was observed publicly by the parish for the first time this year with a service held at the John Pounds Memorial (Unitarian) Church. Civic guests were invited, and although unfortunately the Lord Mayor had to withdraw at the last minute from attending, we were graced by the presence of the Mayor and Mayoress of Fareham (who turned down an invitation to a similar event at Winchester Cathedral to be with us) and a congregation from various different backgrounds.
Led by Deacon Tom we listened to ‘Untold Stories’, and using words, images, music, prayers, and silence, we remembered the inhumanity of humankind towards its own. Prayers and readings from a rich variety of traditions combined, as did ministers from varying traditions, to lead us all into a celebration that was as beautiful as it was disturbing. We prayed the ‘Shema’, we heard words etched into the wall of a Cologne cellar by Jews hiding from the Gestapo, we listened to the haunting “Cellist of Sarajevo” (composed to commemorate the atrocities there), we watched as candles were lit on a Menorah, and then lit our own and placed stones as we remembered the many thousands of men, women, and children who suffered and died because of who and what they were. These are just a few of the ways in which the service led us to remember, to honour victims, and to pray.
The service was followed by simple refreshments and fellowship, during which new bonds of friendship were formed.
The whole event was the brainchild of Deacon Tom, who not only led the service, but had also put it together from scratch. Our thanks go to Tom for an event that not only blessed us, but challenged us too.
“At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them
World AIDS Day 2010
We would like to thank Val and the community of John Pounds Memorial Unitarian Church for allowing us to hold this much needed service, John from Martha's for providing us with the wine and Roisin & Dave from the Old Vic for supplying the food.
We were very pleased with the turn out once again for this now Civic service in Portsmouth even though on the evening of the 1st December there was a severe weather warning and the heavy snow hit us just after the service finished. The Lord Mayor and her Consort and a number of civic guests were made very welcome and all who attended commented on what a beautiful service it was. Andy Wheeler from Positive Action one of the two charities to receive the collection gave a superb and comprehensive talk about the good that Positive Action does around the community. A collection was taken and we raised £160.22 so that means Positive Action and The Lord Mayor's appeal will each receive £80.11. Well done to everyone who dug deep in these difficult financial times.
ORDINATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD OF THE REV NICK YOUNG.
Saturday
2nd October - Feast of the Guardian Angels - was a great day for ECC
UK; and for Father Nick was the culmination of 25 years of seeking to
follow the path of vocation laid down for him.
Gateacre chapel
in Liverpool was the historic venue for this historic occasion and the
atmosphere on the day was pervaded by what Bishop Terry called
"A sense of rightness".
In
his homily the bishop referred to the frightening, indeed awesome,
responsibility of the priesthood - a gift given for others and not for
the receiver. A power given only for service.
A church full of
Father Nick's relatives and friends attested to the spirit of family
that drives the ECC and its sister churches. Families start small and
steadily grow bigger and stronger as more come to share the bond of love
that unites the parents.
Our family grew on 2nd October and
God's wider family benefited from renewed flowing of grace as the Holy
Spirit reached out to touch hearts.
- A touching of hearts that refreshed the need for sacraments and broke long standing fasts.
- A touching of hearts that reconciled and healed.
-
A touching of hearts that brought many different and real responses -
some that will take people on new paths and deeper into the heart of
God.
We have many reasons to give thanks for 2nd of October
- For the spirit of love and unity that was manifestly present
- For the warm welcome of the Rev David and Gateacre Community
- For Father Nick's giving of himself to God's will
- For Lorna's and Joanne's loving support of that gift
- For the blessing of reassurance that what we do is God's work and will.
And now the work of St Gabriel's Community Parish really begins. "May God who has begun the good work bring it to fulfilment!"
The Ordination to the Priesthood of Fr Nick Young
Armed Forces Weekend 2010
We are members of the National Malaya and Borneo Veterans Association, The Royal British Legion and endorse the veterans and familes drop in centre Portsmouth.
