Thursday, January 26, 2012

Priest with an A-level in woodwork builds his own jewel of a church... out of a garden SHED

Perhaps Father Stephen Weston took inspiration from the fact that Jesus was the son of a carpenter when he built Britain's smallest church in his back garden.

Father Weston, 63, constructed St Fursey's Orthodox Church in Norfolk with just an A-level in woodwork, earned 14 years ago, to his name.

The byzantine arches of the wooden shed, which is 18ft by 13ft wide, has become a local landmark in the middle of Father Weston's housing estate.

St Fursey's is so small the holy processions carried out during each service only take worshippers ten steps along and two steps across.

There is no room to sit and after services the congregation step through a door into the priest's living room for a cup of coffee.

But the Antiochian Orthodox church - very similar to the Greek Orthodox but English speaking - is an official place of worship after it was blessed by a bishop.
Read the rest here.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've visited here, only a few weeks ago. The chapel is inredible and Fr Stephen is a holy priest. Since he was ordained in May last year (after being a Reader for over 10 years), and has been able to serve the Liturgy himself rather than relying on the good will and free time of Orthodox priests, the congregation has more than doubled. They are actively looking for a plot of land on which to build a new church.

Anonymous said...

Fantastic story!

Anonymous said...

Small beginnings, greater ends!

Glory to God.