Issue 60 August 2026

Notices

Feed My Sheep: Servants Meeting 2026

The next steps towards heaven. Fr David will speak on avarice, poverty, and insensitivity or lack of awareness, at our servants meeting.

From the pulpit

Becoming Christ's Family

Fr Michael · "Who is My mother, or My brothers?", Mark 3

In today's Gospel, the Jewish leaders accused our Lord Jesus Christ of possessing a demon and claimed that this was how He was able to cast out demons. The Lord responded simply, teaching that if Satan casts out Satan, his kingdom cannot stand. As Scripture tells us, "a house divided against itself cannot stand" (Mark 3:25).

This gives us an important lesson for our own homes and families. A home is meant to be united. When there is division amongst us, how can our house stand? How can we expect Christ to dwell in a home where there is constant division?

Our Lord desires unity. Where there is division, there is no peace and no joy. Therefore, we must work hard to be tolerant with one another, patient with one another and loving towards one another. When Christ is present, we become a strong and united family.

The same is true within each of us. What happens when a person is divided within themselves? When the mind is focused on one thing, the body on another and the spirit somewhere else, that person becomes confused and incomplete.

We are called to be whole. In prayer, our whole being participates. Our bodies bow down, our hands are raised, our minds concentrate and our spirits are lifted towards God. Everything works together, allowing us to become whole rather than divided.

The Gospel also speaks about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Mark 3:28–29). Why is this sin described as unforgivable when we know that God desires to forgive us?

The Holy Spirit is the One who grants us forgiveness and leads us to repentance. If a person continually rejects the work of the Holy Spirit and refuses His forgiveness until the very end, how can they receive what they have chosen to reject?

Yet, anyone who turns back to the Lord in genuine repentance can receive His mercy. Even at the last moment, God is ready to forgive the person who sincerely turns to Him. But we should never wait until the last moment to repent, because none of us knows what tomorrow will bring. We do not even know what the next moment holds.

Therefore, let us be prepared. Let us turn to God today.

Later in the Gospel, while Christ was preaching, He was told that His mother and brothers were outside seeking Him (Mark 3:31–35). The Lord then asks, "Who is My mother, or My brothers?" He explains that whoever does the will of God is His brother, His sister and His mother.

This does not diminish the honour of the Virgin Mary. On the contrary, it reveals why she was worthy of such great honour. She submitted herself completely to the will of God. When the angel announced that she would bear the Son of the Most High, she responded with complete obedience: "Let it be to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38).

The Virgin Mary became the Mother of our Lord because she did the will of God completely.

So, if we desire to become the brothers and sisters of Christ, we too must do His will. Whatever He commands us, we should strive to obey.

Sometimes we may think that God's commandments are too difficult. But when we trust in the Lord and live according to His commandments, we begin to see their fruit in our lives. When we forgive others, peace enters our hearts. When we live according to God's will, we experience the joy that comes through obedience.

Today, we are reminded of the incredible honour that Christ gives us. Who can become the brother of God? Who can have the honour of being called the sister of our Lord Jesus Christ? Who can even be described as His mother?

Through obedience to Him, we become His brothers and sisters. Through our complete submission to His will, we follow the example of the Virgin Mary.

This is a great honour, and it is a gift that has been given to all of us. Through baptism, we received the Holy Spirit. We died to the world and were raised to become sons and daughters of God.

Let us therefore live in a way that honours this gift. Let us not choose only the commandments that are easy or convenient while ignoring those we find difficult. Instead, let us strive to accept all that Christ teaches us.

By doing His will and walking in obedience to Him, we grow ever closer to becoming true sons and daughters of God, and brothers and sisters of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Glory be to God forever and ever. Amen.

Feast

Coptic New Year Nayrouz Procession and Festival

Two weeks to go! Join us for the Coptic New Year Nayrouz Procession and Festival.

As His Eminence Archbishop Angaelos shares, gathering for the Feast of the Martyrs is a profound time of joy, remembering great sacrifices, and boldly bringing the light of Christ into our streets.

Come be a part of this incredible tradition as we walk together in faith and celebrate the beginning of the Coptic New Year!

Parish life

Help write our history

We often hear beautiful stories about how St John's has touched people's lives. For many of us, it has become far more than a church building: it is a second home, a loving community, and a place where we have drawn closer to God. Because our parish is still relatively young, we have a special opportunity to capture these experiences while they are still fresh in our hearts, along with our hopes and prayers for the future.

By sharing your story, you will help us give thanks for God's work at St John's, preserve precious memories for future generations, and document the impact of our parish for future grant and council applications. These testimonies will also help share the story of St John's with the wider Church, including His Holiness Pope Tawadros, and may even inspire the establishment of other parishes around the world.

All responses will be compiled into a beautifully presented keepsake book that will be shared with our parish families, His Grace Bishop Daniel, and His Holiness Pope Tawadros. It will be a treasured record that we can one day show our children and grandchildren.

We invite every family to contribute: a testimony, a special memory, a moment where you saw God's hand at work, your hopes for the future, or even a drawing or short reflection from your children. Responses may be anonymous or include your name.

Please complete the form by 22 August (Feast of St Mary) at the online form.