Just discovered this. It gives you the services and pslams for the particular hour of the day.

Listen to the program in a pop-up window – click here.

“A Journey From Canterbury to Antioch

35:21minsApril 24, 2009
Listen to the journey of former Anglican priest and early pioneer of the Charismatic Renewal in the United Kingdom to Orthodox Christianity. Fr Michael Harper is the Dean of the Antiochian Deanery of United Kingdom and Ireland, the pastor of St Botolph Antiochian Orthodox Church in London, and author of 18 books, including “A Faith Fulfilled.”

The Illumined Heart Site

Dear Friends

Thank you so much for your participation, support and encouragement these past twelve weeks as we have journeyed together on ‘The Way’. As you are probably aware it was not plain sailing getting it off the ground and we owe Mario Naziri and his whole parish an enormous debt of thanks for hosting us and making it possible to go ahead. I think it is important for ‘The Way’ to be part of a parish community, and they made it very easy and a pleasure to work with them. Do not underestimate the amount of time and commitment these guys put in, especially on the ‘behind the scenes’ stuff.

‘The Way’ has been up and running for years now, but I was never able to participate before as it was always too far to travel. It was always my hope to bring it to North London, and I am absolutely delighted that it was possible for us to achieve. Meeting you all on the journey has been such a tremendous blessing to me personally and I have been overwhelmed with your kindness and support throughout, and especially on our last evening. I have learnt a great deal about our ‘Ancient Faith’ – my level of knowledge, understanding and commitment has grown as a result of my experience. It seems that this is reflected widely in your experience too.

I would like to take this opportunity to share some of the comments from the evaluation forms I have received:

Responses to: How did you find the talks?

Enlightening and warming for the soul.

Well presented, topics well explained,.

Awesome!

Refreshing!

Detailed, informative and enlightening.

Responses to: What is it that you are able to take ‘home’ from the WAY?

How true and authentic Orthodox Christianity remains, in this distorted mixed up world we live in!

Piety, humility and reassurance that God is there when we seek and He confirms this in shared discussion with believers and by enriching our understanding. Further I felt comforted that I do belong to a congregation with history and legacy.

The way has given me a new direction into my religion. For the first time I was able to understand matters which were previously unknown to me. I also very much enjoyed my visit to the church of Father Harper.

A sense of community and togetherness

A  sense of belonging and spiritual well-being provides daily bread for strength

Answers, Light, Knowledge and a greater faith!

More than words can say

Response to:  What was the most memorable moment at the WAY?

I was very much inspired by the people (especially some of the lectures) who discovered Orthodox Christianity much later in life.  They embrace each and every part of Orthodox Christianity feeding and sharing their spiritual knowledge and the love it fills them, to us all.

Meeting everyone and made to feel so welcome and so part of a FAMILY

Metropolitian Kallistos Talk (on the Person of Christ)

Talk on the Bible, Prayer and Fasting – offered very practical advice

Responses to: How would describe the atmosphere at the WAY?

It was great to see such cultural diversity and the atmosphere was warm and friendly.

Hospitable, warm and spiritually focussed

Kind, accepting and warm

Other comments:

I THANK everyone for making me feel so welcome and for SHARING THEIR LOVE! Also, a big thank you to the faculty and the commitment of the speakers and the content of their lectures and for the supplementary priests that enriched each meeting with their personal knowledge.

A very big thank you to you all for arranging The Way . I am sure you have given us all the opportunity to examine our religion and to be proud that we belong there.

Food for the soul is paramount.  We need to climb above the clouds and see life more spherically.  Our faith allows us to succeed in doing so.  Gathering together only helps re-enforce that and by allowing the Lord to look after us and guide us, we lead a much more complete and happy life.

I HAVE RECEIVED 20 EVALUATIONS SO FAR – I WOULD WELCOME MORE!!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR GENEROSITY OF SPIRIT, ENTHUSIAM AND SUPPORT. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING SOME OF YOU AGAIN AT THE MONASTERY.

WISHING YOU AND YOURS A GLORIOUS AND BLESSED PASCHA.

PHILIPPA

As Fr. Raphael said ‘some of the tried and tested ways of nourishing our Life in Christ are:

•    reading and studying the scriptures – the Bible
•    being in regular communication with God – Prayer
•    denying our self – Fasting.’

He also helped to answer Mrs Carlyle’s question and tried to show us how!

Now all that’s left is for us to try to put that how into practice.

To help we’ve added new pages about Prayer,  Bible, and Fasting so we can start taking the excellent advice of those talks and put it  into practice in our everyday lives.

I am very fortunate to be guided by a Spiritual Father that I fully trust and respect, and try to by guided by him in all things. This is a very important relationship in my life and I know that it has brought me closer to the person I should be. It is not so easy to find someone here in the UK, as only a few Priest’s have a blessing to hear confession. However, a telephone call or e mail to the Archdiocese will, I am sure,  produce a list of names and locations – then the ball is in your court!

I was very encouraged by the Archbishop’s visit last week and for us all to receive his blessing. I think it is very important that he is left in no doubt how important understanding is to the faithful. How we long to learn and increase our commitment, and how that is really only possible through the medium of English. When THE WAY draws to a close I will write to him – and try to have a meeting with him to convey our concerns and desires. It would be helpful to have your comments to quote from – so please feel free!

This week it is ‘The Bible and Fasting’ – looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible!

Love Philippa

It’s hoped that His Eminence can be persuaded to attend and partake of some of our lovely fasting food – as his schedule allows. Looking forward to seeing you all again!

Akathist Links

The Akathist Hymn and Small Compline GOArch

The Akathist Hymn – with introduction GOC Australia

Western Music Version - Sung Russian Style

Video

Akathist Hymn – Video Documentary (Real Audio)

Akathist Hymn – Video Documentary (In Browser)

Sound

Eikona – The Akathist Hymn in English

Learn to Chant – The Akathist Hymn in English

It seems that the issue of understanding is something that we keep revisiting, our longingto understand and fully participate in our first language. We must keep telling those who run our Churches, keep letting them know how we feel and why. We need to support and encourage the ordination of ‘home grown’ Priests for whom serving in English will not be a problem. We need to be seen to participate in whatever English services are offered so the ‘thirst’ is demonstrated. I know there is frustration when these things are offered on Saturdays etc – but it is better than nothing.

I thoroughly recommend attendance at St Botolphs, Father Michael and Alexander’s Church at Liverpool St and would say that the journey is well worth it. We were discussing participation a lot in our group yesterday, and this is most definitely encouraged – the congregation chants the service with the choir, the whole service is in English. My heart soars as my seven year old daughter sings the liturgy – it is becoming a part of her life, internalised from her childhood! Also there are regular English Liturgies at the Monastery in Essesx on a Saturday starting at 7.ooam – followed by breakfast! Both of theses require a bit of planning and travel – but you have to put something in to get something out – you will be richly blessed!

For those who couldn’t make it tonight you really did miss a lively and inspiring talk that was about the very centre of our Faith: The Divine Liturgy. Below I’m adding some resources for everybody so that we can much better understand something that is absolutely essential for our way of ‘being’  Orthodox Christians: The Divine Liturgy – The Eucharist.

First:

This is designed for school students in the UK, but is also good for us. Do you remember how Father Michael explained the significance of the prosphora bread and the preparation of the Eucharist?Well here is a video of what the priest does and an interactive prosphora which you can roll your mouse over and learn what each part represents! See also Introduction to Worship in the Orthodox Church for a more detailed look!

Or how about a narrated slide show with the priest explaining what happens in his parish?

Text of the Liturgy

A note about the different liturgies: The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is the one used throughout most of the year. The Liturgy of St. Basil is celebrated about 10 times a year, including the Sundays of Lent. During weekdays in Lent we have the Service of the Presanctified Gifts.

Various translations

• The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom 1
• The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom 2: Diocese of Sourozh translation into English
• The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom 3
• The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom: Text with Bible References and line-by-line Greek to English translations

• The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great 1
• The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great 2

• Service of the Presanctified Gifts

Articles

• Outline of the Divine Liturgy
• Orthodox Tradition and the Liturgy An introduction to Orthodox liturgical practice with lots of photos
• The Holy Eucharist
• Introduction to the Divine Liturgy
• Orthodox Worship
• Holy Eucharist
• Common Q&A about Communion etc
• The Divine Liturgy

Music for the Divine Liturgy

• Divine Liturgies Music Project

More fun Orthodox stuff from CLEO net

• Censing jigsaw
• Explaining basic elements of Orthodox Worship … like making the sign of the cross

Click below and make a comment if you’ve found this useful, or have anything more to add.

You can choose  Orthodox Music or Talk – I choose talk generally – then their is a list of podcasts you can download or link to – and the choice is incredible. I like ‘Close to home’ which focuses on family, home and community; An Illumined Heart – people with inspirational Orthodox experiences are interviewed at length (inc Father Zacharias from Essex, and Father Michael is soon to be added too!); Orthodixie – delivered by my other Father Joseph – a fellow convert who sometimes finds the whole ethnic thing a little trying ….. there is Bible Study, Saints of the Day…. it is endless and it is all in ENGLISH…… try it out, it will be such a blessing!

Love Philippa