Welcome to the website of the Church of the 318 Godbearing Fathers of the First Œcumenical of Nicaea, Shrewsbury. We are a church of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain (Œcumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople) serving the Orthodox Christian community of Shropshire, UK.
We are a thriving and diverse Orthodox Church with a regular congregation of over 90 people. We have a busy schedule of services with Matins and Divine Liturgy each Sunday and on feast days. We have children’s activities twice a month, regular catechism for adults wanting to join the Church, twice-weekly study of the scriptures (on Wednesday evenings and Thursday mornings during term time) and weekly training of chanters.
Our Philanthropic committee (the Philoptochos) organise regular events for fundraising for the poor and the needy. Each year we have a summer fete with a barbecue when we invite the local community, we also have an annual festival for Saint Nicholas on the first Sunday in December.
Many of us come from traditionally Orthodox countries – Greece, Cyprus, Romania, Ukraine, Russia etc.; many are British people who have found a home in Orthodox Christianity. Our services are conducted in English because it is our common language but you will also hear some Greek, Romanian and Church Slavonic.
Orthodoxy is quite simply “Christianity”! It is the Church founded by Jesus Christ after his Resurrection. Orthodox Christianity is a wonderful religion, full of joy, hope and excitement. Every year we remember the events of Christ’s life, reflect on the meaning and renew ourselves through experiencing these feasts.
Beauty is essential for us, beauty in the icons, beauty in the church buildings, beauty in the chanting, beauty in the services. We enjoy our Orthodox Christianity and hope that anyone who visits our church will have their minds opened to the ineffable glory and majesty of God, the Holy Trinity.
Orthodox Christianity is something that we LIVE and DO. It affects the whole of our lives and is for every day and hour of the week. Because it is something we do, it is only by joining in with that “doing” that people can understand what it is all about. So, if you are interested, “Come and See!”
The 318 Godbearing Fathers of the 1st Council
9:30 am Matins (Morning Prayer)
10:30 am Divine Liturgy (Eucharist)
12:00 pm Lunch
7:00 pm Chant training
11:00 am Church open
11:00 am Church open
7:00 pm Scripture Study via Zoom
10:30 am Morning Prayer & Scripture Study
11:00 am Church open
11:00 am Church open
The Saturday of Souls
9:00 am Divine Liturgy in Oswestry
11:00 am Church open
5:30 pm Great Vespers (Evening Prayer)
6:30 pm Baptism
Our Father Metrophanes, Archbishop of Constantinople
Holy Pentecost
9:30 am Matins (Morning Prayer)
10:30 am NO LITURGY IN TELFORD
10:30 am Divine Liturgy (Eucharist)
12:00 pm Vespers of Pentecost
7:00 pm Chant training
11:00 am Church open
11:00 am Church open
7:00 pm Scripture Study via Zoom
10:30 am Morning Prayer & Scripture Study
11:00 am Church open
11:00 am Church open
11:00 am Church open
6:00 pm Great Vespers (Evening Prayer)
Bartholomew & Barnabas the Holy Apostles
9:30 am Matins (Morning Prayer)
10:30 am Divine Liturgy (Eucharist)
7:00 pm Chant training
11:00 am Church open
11:00 am Church open
7:00 pm Scripture Study via Zoom
10:30 am Morning Prayer & Scripture Study
11:00 am Church open
11:00 am Church open
11:00 am Church open
5:30 pm Great Vespers (Evening Prayer)
6:30 pm Baptism
9:30 am Matins (Morning Prayer)
10:30 am Divine Liturgy (Eucharist)
12:00 pm Board elections
12:00 pm Children’s Catechesis | Varangian Guard Youth Club
7:00 pm Chant training
11:00 am Church open
11:00 am Church open
7:00 pm Scripture Study via Zoom
Alban Protomartyr of Britain
10:30 am Morning Prayer & Scripture Study
11:00 am Church open
11:00 am Church open
Nativity of the Forerunner John the Baptist
11:00 am Church open
6:00 pm Great Vespers (Evening Prayer)
Milburga of Wenlock (Translation of the relics)
9:30 am Matins (Morning Prayer)
10:30 am Divine Liturgy (Eucharist)
7:00 pm Chant training
11:00 am Church open
Gospel Reading
Matins Gospel Reading
Epistle Reading