On Sunday 3 December and Monday 4 December we had services for the Great Feast of the Entry of the Mother of God into the Temple.  All-night Vigil with the blessing of wheat, wine, oil and five loaves was served on Sunday evening and the Hours and Divine Liturgy were served on Monday morning.  After a busy weekend in parish life, these festive services were quieter than usual.  Our small church was beautifully vested in blue.  A highlight of the services was the singing, for the first time this year, of “Христос Раждается” (“Christ is Born”), hymnody from the service for the Great Feast of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) that is sung from this day onwards in anticipation of that feast. At Divine Liturgy, the parish rector was assisted by Deacon Michal Matys and prayers were offered for peace in the Holy Land.  A number of those present took the opportunity at the service to pray quietly and receive Holy Communion, and afterwards to share a light morning tea in the church hall.