Fr. Michael with fellow clergy in Swanwick

A few years ago Fr. Michael came to Louth to preach. His text was from Act 9. This is the passage about Tabitha (Dorcas) who had died and all the women were kicking up a huge wailing and showing St. Peter and each other all the garments and things she had made. St. Peter put them out and prayed and Tabitha was returned to her friends alive.

So far so very obvious! Fr. Michael went on though to notice one other immensely important and almost hidden thing in this passage.  When the Apostle completed his prayer he turned to the body. In other words St. Peter had turned away from his problem (dead Dorcas) and to the solution – the Lord of Life. As Fr. Michael preached I was left with the strong impression that Fr. Michael was describing his own daily practice.

Archpriest Michael was faced with many problems when he joined the Orthodox Church. He was ordained deacon then Priest only a few days after being Chrismated and immediately became Dean! From that moment there was to be no easy ride. He faced huge opposition – sometimes from areas that should have been filled with supporters and friends. He had definite ideas about what would help the Deanery progress and how the Deanery might serve the rest of the Orthodox Church in these Islands.  Often Fr. Michael’s ideas met with great resistance (not from within the Deanery) but with a steadfastness he would get on with the project anyway. To our great amusement we’d then see others dashing to do the same thing or join in with the idea rather than be left behind.
Always to his side (not in the background!) was Khouria Jeanne, his wife, leading the choir organising others, leading the hospitality, sussing out the situation – in other words sharing the Ministry the Lord placed upon them.

When the history of the Orthodox Church comes to be written by some future Bede much ink will need to be spent recounting and assessing Fr. Michael’s contribution and leadership in this Kingdom in Ireland and much further afield.

With the spirits of the righteous made perfect in death give rest, O Saviour, to the soul of your servant; keeping it for the life of blessedness with you, O Lover of mankind.

Eternal your memory, our brother, worthy of blessedness and ever-remembered.
Amen.