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THE STORY OF ST. FURSEY'S ORTHODOX COMMUNITY St. Fursey's Orthodox Community began life on Friday - Saturday 2 / 3 October, the Feast of St. Dionysius the Areopagite. Father Alexander Haig and I had first met several years ago as members of The Anglo-Orthodox Society. He is now a priest of the British Antiochian Orthodox Deanery in Colchester. He had been asked by the Dean, Father Michael Harper to care for me and the new Orthodox community that was being formed in Norfolk. I had been an Anglican all my life and had been taught that the Church of England was the One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of this land because she upheld this Faith through the centuries and had not lost it at the Reformation. I was ordained in 1977 and intended to keep to this teaching. However, the growth of liberal trends in the 1980’s made me question what I had been taught. I had encountered the Orthodox Church at theological college in Oxford. Having experienced Orthodox worship and having read a good deal about it, became clear to me that the Orthodox Church was the original One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of the Nicene Creed and had been the means by which God had given us the Holy Scriptures. The question in 1992 was: - how could I be loyal to Our Lord Jesus Christ now that I had lost my spiritual home? The answer was clear, I had to become a member of' the Orthodox Church, but how? God showed me the way and St. Fursey played his part. Back in 1985 1 went on a pilgrimage to Burgh Castle led by the flew Bishop of Norwich, the Rt. Revd. Peter Nott. He spoke about St. Felix as the first Bishop of' East Anglia who represented the Roman tradition and St. Fursey from Ireland who represented the Celtic tradition and they had founded a monastery on the very spot where we were standing. The meaning of this did not sink into my mind and as the years went by I forgot about St. Fursey. In the dark days of' 1992 he came to my aid as I read about him again in Margaret Gallyon's book: "The Early Church in Eastern England." It became clear to me that I would have to sell my house in Derby and purchase one nearby to act as a working base. After several attempts at purchasing a suitable house with very modest means, 111 Neville Road, Sutton came to light. It needed much attention and my low offer was accepted. The completion day when I received the keys was 16 January, St. Fursey’s Day, 1996. There was much to be done. A 6 foot high fence was needed all round the garden, the wooden window frames needed replacing, the kitchen needed refitting, a dining room extension had to be built, a study/library was to be erected in the garden, the house needed completely redecorating and, above all, the Chapel of St. Fursey was to be erected ill the garden. At this time it was not clear that there would be an Orthodox Community of St. Fursey, but a study centre and retreat house was at the back of my mind. Also my lay – Reader, Mrs. Ruth Brandon had already become Orthodox attending the Liturgy in Norwich. During this time I told my Churchwardens that it was my intention to retire early at 50 in July 1998 and also become Orthodox. I spent my days off and any other spare hours I could find working on the House. I was greatly encouraged by Fr. Alexander who blessed the foundations of the Chapel and the developing structure on each of his visits. Two members of my former congregations expressed a wish to join me, Mrs. Elly Robinson and Mrs Jean Burland, so under the eye of our future priest we began our catechesis. I moved into St. Fursey s House in August 1998. We continued our preparations and we attended the Liturgy at Colchester and Norwich. Our priority was to build St. Fursey's Chapel and get it ready for the day of our Chrismation. I had much help from a dear friend Tom Andrews but the task was more complex than we anticipated. It became clear that the Chapel would not be ready by 3 October, but Father Alexander said, you must make it useable, so we did. Plastic was put up in the window openings and doorways and in the archway of the apse, a temporary icon screen was erected and floor boards were put down loosely on the joists. As the Service of Blessing look place during Vespers a very strong wind rustled the plastic but it was a very memorable occasion. On the Saturday morning we gathered again with some friends in the little Chapel. I was overcome with emotion and could not get my words out. Elly and Jean did much better. After receiving the Holy Mysteries for the first time in the Orthodox Church in a small Chapel in my own garden I could not believe what had happened. The words of Father Alexander about St. Dionysius will always he with me. His text was, "some men believed among them Dionysius the Areopagite and a women named Damaris and others with them." Acts 17 v 34. We were supported by Kouria Hilary who led the singing with Margaret and Ruth and by Alex who served. The Orthodox Community of St Fursey was now well and truly founded. Although the Chapel still needs some finishing touches, it is in use for our daily Reader services. I was licensed to act as a Reader by Father Alexander on behalf of Bishop Gabriel on Saturday 4 December. We have a Liturgy on the first Saturday of the month, an ecumenical Bible Study on a Thursday afternoon , we visit local markets selling icons and Orthodox literature, informal evening talks are held and we also have regular Quiet Days. We are also ready to receive overnight visitors who would appreciate a short stay in an Orthodox home in the Norfolk Broads. Although I have spoken about St. Fursey as if we had found him, Jean rightly says that St. Fursey found us. We are very conscious of believing the same Orthodox Faith which he taught the people of Norfolk in the 7th. century. It is a great privilege to belong to the same Orthodox Church to which he belonged. It is, for us, the pearl of great price, spoken of by Our Lord and God in the Gospel. We wish to share this Faith with others and St. Fursey, the Mother of God and all the Saints aid us in this task. |
