Category: News

The Charity Shop celebrated its first birthday on Friday, 1st March 2014, and we had our sponsored walk around Oroklini on Saturday 2nd March

We rewarded our efforts by having brunch at the Corfu Tavern afterwards.

Religious festivals are an important and very public way of describing who we are. That is true of all religions. When children in multi-faith contexts are taught about the world’s great religions, it is usual to start by describing to them the festivals that different communities hold. And of course if those festivals can be seen and experienced, so much the better. At times of festival there are symbols to play with and a story to tell.

To read the full letter, see Christmas pastoral letter 2013

On December 1st 2013, four candidates were confirmed by the Bishop as full members of St Helena’s Church.

Harvest is about food. And generally the way food is viewed in our culture is increasingly as a commodity. That is not how it is seen through the eyes of faith. We see food as God’s sustaining and life-giving gift; something to add savour to life, something to enjoy, something to create and extend fellowship, something that, by its use in a service like this, helps us to appreciate the divine, the sacred in life. In other words, it is something that helps us to see the burning bush, and invites us to take off our shoes.

To read the full letter, see harvest pastoral letter 2013

St David’s day, March 1st, was the auspicious opening date for the new Church Charity Shop in Larnaca. Adjacent to St Helena’s Church, the shop will stock a range of second hand goods and be open three mornings each week.

The opening ceremony was performed by Chaplain John Holdsworth who stressed that this was not just another fund raising activity. ‘We hope this shop will play its part in the urban regeneration here, that it will provide high quality low cost goods for those on strict budgets, and draw attention to the need for recycling unwanted goods,’ he said.

He also stressed the opportunity that the shop would give for presenting the church to the wider community, and the opportunities for service that it would open up for church members. 10% of all money raised will be given to charities outside the church. ‘We have an ideal site, right opposite the bus stands, and very close to the church,’ said John. ‘Many of our diocesan churches in the Gulf have shops like this. Now we’re joining them.’ 

The picture shows Chaplaincy associate priest Sean Semple examining goods with Project Coordinator Elizabeth Taylor.

Fr Sean Semple and his family joined the congregation of St. Helena’s in January 2013, and Sean was licensed by the Bishop as an Associate Priest. Sean is a practising counsellor and brings many skills with him. Cathy, his wife, is a keen horsewoman specialising in teaching dressage and they are accompanied by Kyle and Lex.

St Helena’s is the local community representing a worldwide Anglican Communion that includes the Church of England, the Church in Wales and the Episcopalian Church in America. Cyprus is part of the Anglican Church of Jerusalem and the Middle East. There are Anglican churches in all the main towns, throughout the whole island of Cyprus, and St Helena’s Larnaca is opposite the old hospital near the bus stops in the centre of town…(to read the full article, see ‘Food for Thought, Larnaka News)

The inaugural meeting of the St Helena’s Luncheon Club took place on October 5th 2011. 24 people tucked into a hearty meal of roast pork, followed by home made apple crumble and custard, and tea or coffee. 

This new initiative attempts to bring people together socially for a meal once each month. The Club will be meeting on the first Wednesday of each month. The membership fee is 5 euros per year, and each meal also costs 5 euros.

The general impression after the first meeting was that the meal represented fantastic value. Ladies from St Helena’s form the cooks, waiters and washers-up, but membership of the Club is open to anyone, as long as numbers allow. A waiting list will operate if needed.

Chaplain John Holdsworth said: “I’m very encouraged both by the way the church has responded so enthusiastically, and by the comments of the first members. I hope it goes from strength to strength.”

Over 20 members of St Helena’s visited the beautiful church of St George in the Troodos on July 3rd. Following a picnic lunch at a mountain site, members joined together for a service of Evensong, led by the Chaplain Ven Dr John Holdsworth. St George’s has been described as the most interesting Anglican church building in Cyprus. It is open for services at 4pm each Sunday in the Summer.

John and Sue recently hosted a barbecue at the vicarage. The food was excellent and the socializing even better with around 60 people attending. In addition, although the main aim of the event was for people to have a good time, over €400 was raised for church funds.