Service for Advent Sunday – 28th November 2021

St Paul’s Athens

Welcome to all as we begin to worship in this holy season of Advent. Note the distancing rules (1.5m), and the wearing of masks is mandatory in church and around the garden, unless you are drinking your coffee. The presiding priest and preacher is The Revd. Canon Leonard Doolan, Senior Chaplain in Greece, and Deacon Christine is assisting.

Entrance Hymn: 11   O come, O come Emmanuel

Priest:  In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen

The Lord be with you.

 All:      and also with you

[Lighting of the Advent Candle

Priest: People of God, awake! The day is coming soon when you shall see God face to face. Remember the ways and works of God. God calls you out of darkness to walk in the light of his coming. You are God’s children.

All:      Lord, make us one as we walk with Christ today and forever. Amen]

The priest then welcomes the people of God and the deacon then leads us into Confession.

Priest: When the Lord comes, he will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Therefore in the light of Christ let us confess our sins.

A period of silent stillness follows

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Service for the feast of Christ the King – Sunday 21st November 2021

St Paul’s Athens

Welcome to St. Paul’s Athens especially if you are here for the first time or visiting Athens. Please observe the 1.5m distancing regulation at all times and masks must be worn. Coffee is served after the Liturgy in the garden.  

The presiding priest and preacher is Fr. Leonard. The deacon is The Revd. Deacon Christine Saccali.

Entrance Hymn   352 Crown him with many crowns

Priest:  Blessed be the kingdom of God

All:       Now and for ever.

Priest:  The Lord be with you.

 All:      and also with you

 The priest welcomes the people of God and the deacon then leads us into Confession.

Deacon: Lord, you are gracious and compassionate:

Kyrie eleison

All:          Kyrie eleison

Deacon: You are loving to all and your mercy is over all your creation:

Christe eleison

All:          Christe eleison

Deacon: Your faithful servants bless your name and speak of the glory of your kingdom:

Kyrie eleison

All:          Kyrie eleison

Absolution we hear the words of God’s forgiveness to those who are truly penitent

Gloria: Glory in the highest to the God of heaven;

Peace to all your people through the earth be given.

Mighty God and Father, thanks and praise we bring,

Singing Alleluia to our heavenly King.

Jesus Christ is risen, God the Father’s Son;

With the Holy Spirit, you are the Lord alone.

Lamb once killed for sinners, all our guilt to bear,

Show us now your mercy, now receive our prayer

Christ the world’s true Saviour, high and holy one,

Seated now and reigning from your Father’s throne

Lord and God, we praise you! Highest heaven adores

In the Father’s glory, all the praise be yours!

Collect:  Let us pray    (remain standing as the priest prays the Collect of the Day)   

Eternal Father, whose Son Jesus Christ ascended to the throne of heaven that he might rule over all things as Lord and King; keep the church in the unity of the Spirit and in the bond of peace, and bring the whole created order to worship at his feet; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

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A service for Remembrance Sunday – 14th November 2021 – St Paul’s Athens and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery, Alimos

Welcome to our worship on this Remembrance Sunday. A particular welcome to His Excellency Matthew Lodge, British Ambassador, and Captain Alex Bush, Defence Attache. This Worship is led by The Revd. Canon Leonard Doolan, Senior Chaplain, who is also the preacher. There is a Noon ceremony at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery at Alimos.

Priest:      Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you

All:            and also with you.

Priest:      O Lord, open our lips

All:            and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Priest:      Give us the joy of your saving help

All:            and sustain us with your life-giving Spirit.

Hymn:    

1 God is our strength and refuge,
our present help in trouble,

and we therefore will not fear,
though the earth should change!
Though mountains shake and tremble,
though swirling floods are raging,

God the Lord of hosts is with us evermore!

2 There is a flowing river
within God’s holy city;
God is in the midst of her-
she shall not be moved!
God’s help is swiftly given,
thrones vanish at his presence-
God the Lord of hosts is with us evermore!

3 Come, see the works of our maker,
learn of his deeds all-powerful:
wars will cease across the world
when he shatters the spear!
Be still and know your creator,
uplift him in the nations-
God the Lord of hosts is with us evermore!                       After Psalm 46, Richard Bewes (born 1934)

© Richard Bewes/Jubilate Hymns
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The Great St Paul’s Christmas Bazaar is back!

After a Hiatus of two years St Paul’s famous Christmas Bazaar is back at a new venue.  On 5th December 2021 in the Amphitheatre foyer of the Athens War Museum from 11.00 hrs – 16.30 hrs with many of our usual stalls available to purchase your Christmas Gifts:  Christmas cakes,  Mince pies,  Christmas crackers, Handmade gifts, Books, Jewellery, Clothing, Preserves, DVD`s and lots lots more!

Maybe relax for awhile and enjoy a lovely Irish coffee, a glass of wine, a cup of tea or coffee and something to eat from our cake/sandwich stall.

Hoping to see you there for a wonderful day out after so long.

PLEASE NOTE COVID UPDATE:   Proof of Vaccination (Certificate) must be shown to gain entry to the museum.

Service for the Third Sunday before Advent – 7th November 2021

St Paul’s Athens

Fr. Leonard will preside and preach. The deacon is Deacon Christine.

Please ensure that you are 1.5metres distant unless you are from the same household. Masks and hand cleansing are mandatory in church and as you move around in the garden.

Opening Hymn: 463  (2^nd tune)  Thine for ever!

Priest:                In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

All:                     Amen.

Priest:                The Lord be with you

All:                      and also with you

The presiding priest welcomes the congregation and invites the deacon to lead us into a short time of silence and stillness

Deacon:          Your raise the dead to life in the spirit.

Kyrie eleison             

     All:                 Kyrie eleison

     Deacon:          You bring pardon and peace to the broken in spirit.

                              Christe eleison         

     All:                 Christe eleison

Deacon:          You make one by your Spirit the torn and divided.

                              Kyrie eleison             

     All:                 Kyrie eleison

Priest:   Almighty God, who forgives all those who truly repent, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,  and keep you in life eternal, through Jesus Christ our Lord .   Amen.

Gloria: (Sung) Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God, the glory of God the Father. Amen, Amen.

Collect:  Let us pray     (Collect of the Day) 

God, our refuge and strength, bring near the day when wars shall cease and poverty and pain shall end, that earth may know the peace of heaven through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All:  Amen.

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HELP US FILL THE CHRISTMAS SKY WITH STARS!

The star of Bethlehem guided the Magi to a humble stable and now you can have your very own star to shine on the manger where baby Jesus lies. Every donation will add a star to our Nativity Scene, to symbolize the eternal light of Christmas and celebrate the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Watch the sky fill with stars on our Facebook Page  and on our website.

Your star will help support the church and those in need in these difficult times. Join us in love and thanksgiving as we prepare to welcome the Christ Child into the world.

ST. PAUL’S HARVEST FESTIVAL AT THE KOKOTOS VINEYARD IN STAMATA

On a sunny Sunday, the 24^th of October, the congregation and friends of St. Paul’s met at the beautiful vineyard of the Kokotos family located outside the village of Stamata north of Athens. Father Leonard, Father Bjorn and Deacon Christine led our worship in the marquee with views over the garden and the distant hills and Father Leonard’s sermon focused on the distortion of God’s creation by mankind and the gap between the everyday life of so many of us and His creation – we have become consumers who have lost touch with farmers, agricultural workers, shepherds and all those who work the land that provides us with our food. The task of ‘greening’ is a huge one but it is the aim of our Diocese, the Diocese in Europe, to become carbon neutral by 2030 and, if each one of us does just a couple of ‘small things’, this can be achieved.  For our intercession prayers, Lynn Doolan gave us each a paper fish on which to write a short prayer. These were then ‘caught’ in a net and displayed for everyone to read – a lovely idea. The service was followed by a wine-tasting outside the tiny chapel of Αγ. Γιωργη τον Μεθυστη or St. George the Intoxicated, a Saint unknown to most of us but well-known in Greece as the Saint of the wine harvest.

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Bishop’s Advent Appeal for European Climate Disaster Relief 2021

Climate change is probably the biggest single issue facing humanity at present and into the future. When I speak to Anglican colleagues from around the world, I hear of its impacts in everything from threatened islands in Polynesia to desertification in sub-Saharan Africa. But this last summer, we have been forcibly reminded that climate change is a global phenomenon that visits our own doorstep in Europe: fires have taken hold in Greece, Spain and Turkey; there has been severe and fatal flooding in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. Our chaplain in Liège, Revd Guy Diakiese, was among those pushing water and mud out of the living-rooms of neighbours.

The root causes of climate change are now generally acknowledged to be the increase in greenhouse gases generated mainly by the human burning of carbon. There is pressure worldwide to reduce use of fossil views and stabilise temperature rises, and this is what COP26 in Glasgow is about. But as well as addressing the causes we also need to address the effects of rising temperature, as seen in more and more extreme weather events. Very high rates of rainfall and very high temperatures have a devastating impact on the wellbeing of people and property, as we have seen in our corner of the world. The image is of the town of Bad Neuenahr in the Rhineland.

So my Advent Appeal this year will be focused on assisting agencies that are working in these parts of Europe, as they bring support to those who are affected by man-made climate change.

Many of us will know the work of Caritas International, the Roman Catholic agency that sustains many varieties of Christian relief and support across the world; their national agencies in Spain and Italy will assist with disaster relief.

Click here to read the full text of Bishop Robert’s Appeal

Service for All Saints Sunday – 31st October 2021

St Paul’s Athens

Welcome to St. Paul’s. If you are visiting, or here for the first time.

Presiding Priest: The Revd. Canon Leonard Doolan  

Deacon & preacher: The Revd. Deacon Christine Saccali

Entrance Hymn    148  The God of Abraham praise
Priest:  In the name of the Father, and of the Son,

and of the Holy Spirit.

All:        Amen.                                                                                                            

 Priest:  The Lord be with you

All:         And also with you

Words by Jonny Baker, taken from the book: ‘The Hospitality of God’ by Michael Perham

Deacon:           All are invited, all are included

All are made welcome, none are excluded

This is the table of Christ

Come if you’re young, come if you’re old

Come if you’re broken, come if you’re whole

Come if you’re weary of the trials of life

This is the table of Christ.

Introduction The priest welcomes everyone and introduces the service

Confession

There will be a short moment of silence as we bring to mind our wrongdoings

Deacon:           Lord, you are gracious and compassionate:

Lord, have mercy.

All:                  Lord, have mercy.

Deacon:           You are loving to all and your mercy is over all your creation:

Christ, have mercy.

All:                  Christ, have mercy.

Deacon:           Your faithful servants bless your name and speak of your glory:

Lord, have mercy.

All:                   Lord, have mercy.

Absolution: Almighty God, who forgives all those who are truly repent, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness and keep you in life eternal; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Meeting of the 375th Meeting of St Paul’s Parish Council -11th September 2021

Click here for the minutes of the 375th Meeting of St Paul’s Parish Council