« Diocesan Conference to Take Place in May of this Year »

The Conference Committee is pleased to announce that, with the blessing of His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, the Diocesan Conference will take place on May 26th - 28th, 2023 at the  High Leigh Conference Centre in Hertfordshire. 

Diocesan Conference at Effingham ca. 1985

The Sourozh Diocesan Conference is an annual gathering of clergy and laity from Britain and Ireland, together with guests from abroad. The tradition of holding this type of gathering was established in the 1970’s by the ever-memorable Metropolitan Anthony (Bloom). Distinguished speakers from Russia, Britain and other countries are invited to the conference. 

The theme of this year's Conference is '"Thy Kingdom come": the Church in the world but not of the world'. Our Lord taught us to pray for the coming of the Kingdom of God, for the will of God to be accomplished on earth as it is in heaven. In the Beatitudes, He gives us indications of how this may be accomplished : 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, the peacemakers, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, those who are persecuted for righteousness ' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven '. He describes the Kingdom as the 'salt of the earth' or the 'leaven' that changes everything around it.
   

In the history of Christianity we see two contrasting approaches  to fulfilling the Lord's command. On the one hand, the attempt to sanctify human society and culture, to bring it into a certain harmony with the Gospel: on the other hand, flight from the world to the 'desert', and the attempt to live strictly according to the Gospel precepts, usually in the context of monastic life in its various forms. The question of how to hold in balance a comprehensive and transforming engagement with the world, and a martyric and prophetic witness from the 'desert' remains, it seems, permanently open. The various theological, historical and cultural aspects of this vital theme will be explored in the presentations of our distinguished speakers as well in a series of workshops. 
We hope to organise a children's programme and, as always, our common prayer and fellowship will be at the heart of the conference. 

 Information about costs and how to register will be posted shortly.