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

Notes on the 374th Council Meeting held on 3rd July, 2021

Continuing our intention to be an Open Church, please follow the link to the Minutes of the Council Meeting held on 3rd July 2021.

The delay is due to the fact that they have to be signed off by Fr Leonard at the following meeting before they can be published.  The minutes for the September meeting will be published shortly.

Please click here for fuller details of the council meeting on 3rd July 2021

Service for St Paul’s Harvest Festival at the Kokotos Winery – 24th October 2021

Opening hymn:

We plough the fields, and scatter
the good seed on the land,
but it is fed and watered
by God’s almighty hand:
he sends the snow in winter,
the warmth to swell the grain,
the breezes, and the sunshine,
and soft, refreshing rain.

Refrain:
All good gifts around us
are sent from heaven above;
then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord,
for all his love.

2 He only is the maker
of all things near and far;
he paints the wayside flower,
he lights the evening star;
the winds and waves obey him,
by him the birds are fed;
much more to us, his children,
he gives our daily bread. [Refrain]

3 We thank thee then, O Father,
for all things bright and good,
the seed-time and the harvest,
our life, our health, our food.
Accept the gifts we offer
for all thy love imparts,
and, what thou most desirest,
our humble, thankful hearts. [Refrain]

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

All:  and also with you.

The priest welcomes everyone to the liturgy. The deacon then leads the Confession

Deacon: God’s whole creation groans.  We confess our sin in penitence and faith.

Deacon: Consider the birds of the air; they do not sow or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Lord have mercy.

All: Lord have mercy

Deacon: Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they do not toil or spin, yet even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Christ have mercy.

All: Christ have mercy

Deacon: How little faith we have. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Lord have mercy.

All: Christ have mercy.

The priest then pronounces the words of Absolution.

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Pet Service and Blessing

Following the morning liturgy on Sunday 3^rd October, the day before the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, a service of thanks for pets and all our fellow creatures was held at St. Paul’s, with Father Leonard (Senior Anglican Priest in Greece) and Father Bjorn (Pastor to the Swedish community, accompanied by his guitar) presiding. Hymns were ‘Morning has Broken’, ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful’ and ‘All Creatures of our God and King’. A Swedish song, ‘Only one who is walking Close the Ground can see the Wonders of God’, was sung by Father Bjorn and a member of his congregation. Prayers, Homily and Readings focused on our relationship with nature and all living creatures and the affection and psychological support given by pets, especially during times of stress and even more during Covid lockdowns. Father Leonard spoke of our hope that the November United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow would lead to more international action to fight this rapidly-increasing phenomenon affecting not only us but all life on earth – a catastrophic legacy for our children and future generations.

First to arrive were Hector, who brought along Lynn, and Piglet, accompanied by Sandra. Others soon followed, amongst them a small French bulldog recovering from surgery and a little charmer equipped with a set of wheels, who scurried around meeting and greeting. The joy of all at this unexpected get-together was a delight to see.

A note: We remember, of course, Greek singer Cat Steven’s rendering of  ‘Morning has Broken’, which became an international hit. It began life as a Christian hymn published in 1931, written by Eleanor Farjeon, who was inspired by the village of Alfriston in Sussex and set to a traditional Gaelic tune, ‘Bunessan’. Since then it has been a firm favourite for children’s services and takes many of us back to our school days.

Jean Mertzanakis

Friends’ Annual Service 2021

 ” … and it was very good.”

 These words from Genesis (1:31) are the inspiration for the 2021 Annual Service of the Friends of the Diocese in Europe, which will take place on Monday 25 October at 1100 hours (BST) or 1200 hours (CET). At a time when we are yearning for the worst effects of the global Pandemic to pass, this service celebrates God’s Creation, and why our Faith is a constant source of hope for us. The service will be streamed live from the Pro-Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Brussels.  The celebrant will be the Rt Revd Dr Robert Innes, Bishop in Europe and among others taking part will be the Archdeacon of Gibraltar, and of Italy and Malta; the Diocesan Environment Officer; and members of the Friends’ Committee. Please join us using the following link:

Join Zoom Meeting