On Sunday 29 March we had services for the Fifth Sunday of Great Len and in honour of Saint Mary of Egypt.  The Hours and Divine Liturgy were served on Sunday morning at the Port Macquarie Sea Scout Hall with approximately 40 people present.   Prayers were offered for the unity of the Orthodox Church, peace in Ukraine and peace in the Holy Land.  Between the Hours and Divine Liturgy, prayers of blessing were read over icon-cards of Saint Symeon of Verkhoturye and some new icon banners that will form an iconostasis whenever Divine Liturgy is served.  After the services many stayed for a Lenten lunch.

"For every Christian, the feast of the Nativity of Christ is beloved and joyful. Throughout the world on this day, people remember the Star of Bethlehem and the manger, the shepherds and angels, the Mother of God and Righteous Joseph the Betrothed, while the Orthodox celebrate, confessing the cornerstone of faith—the Incarnation of Christ, the manifestation of God in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16). Out of His greatest love, the Lord descended to be born of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, uniting fallen humanity with God through Himself. "The Word became flesh so that we might be renewed and divinized in Him," says St. Athanasius the Great."  Metropolitan Nicholas’s Epistle is available in full in English here and in Russian here.

"Once again we hear the message of the angelic host, God’s messengers to mankind, as they announce the glad tidings of the Birth of Christ our Saviour, Emmanuel, Who has become incarnate in order to free mankind from the bondage of sin... Let us hearken to their angelic message, and let us make every effort to worship and glorify God every day of our lives. In this way we will bear witness to the presence of Christ in our hearts, Who was incarnate for our salvation."   Archbishop George’s Epistle is available in full in English here and in Russian here.

In 2026 we plan to continue our schedule of monthly public reader services in Coffs Harbour.  God willing, Divine Liturgy will be served in Wauchope in March and August and in Coffs Harbour in June and November.  Our Mission Committee will begin to meet regularly and to plan for sustained growth in both centres of Mission life, Port Macquarie-Hastings and the Coffs Coast.  Our choir is expected to increase the use of English when Divine Liturgy is served, so making it more self-sufficient and our community better able to receive other priests who might be willing to visit.