Community Living.

There is a real sense of a community in residence at Huddersfield Parish Church.

We are at the end of the first full week of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church’s eighteen day observance of the Feast of the Assumption. The worship is impressive, as it uses solemn music, incense and various ways of using the body in prayer. During the time between the services, that sometime last for six hours, there is always someone continuing the prayer, quietly and inconspicuous.

Meantime community living is ongoing. Individuals have ‘births’ in the upstairs box pews. The ‘Long Room’ at one end has a dormitory feel to it – while tables are set for the daily vegetarian fast breaking meals later in the day.

St. Peter’s is immaculate as the housekeeping is undertaken. Folk go to their homes in shifts for ablutions, and for sleep after particularly lengthy sessions. Those who have travelled for this feast take their rest in St. Peter’s itself, whenever time allows.

It is Wednesday today and there is the usual Eucharist a little after noon. Huddersfield Parish Church is strangely serene at the moment. The overall programme today is lighter up to 1 pm, when the worship reconvenes and at some length.

There is, though, a real sense of a community in residence. Families are here en masse – there is the murmur of voices, respectful of the space – there are children and babies, that bring their own hubbub – there are footsteps, as people move over the boards upstairs.

St. Peter’s actually feels ‘lived in’ and alive with prayer.

Different and Yet the Same.

I meet the Ethiopian priest for the first time. We are the same and yet so different.

We both are deacons and priests concurrently and both in holy orders for around twenty years each. He has been a monk for half that time at the Asebot Monastery in Ethiopia, whilst I have serve in several Barnsley villages for about the same time. Yet, I am married with children and was supported by my wider family and the opposite is true for him.

He showed me his monastery and the Ethiopian ‘New Jerusalem’ built out of the bedrock hundreds of years ago.

Abesot Monastery

Lalibela Churches

Two Christian Cultures are meeting within the sacred space that is Huddersfield Parish Church. I recognise so much and yet the language barrier is only a dimming veil.

I look forward to learning more about these brothers and sisters in Christ.

Read more about the Ethiopian Orthodox Church