UK: 34 Evangelicals Received into Orthodox Church

HALIFAX — On September 6, 2025, 34 members of a former Evangelical congregation in Halifax, England, were received into the Antiochian Orthodox Church at Dean Field Primary School, marking a significant spiritual transition. The following day, their former pastor, Doug Clark, now named Caedmon, was ordained as a deacon during a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at St. Malachy’s Roman Catholic Church, attended by nearly 100 people.

The journey began in 2018 when Clark founded Hope Church in a deprived Halifax area. His study of Orthodox teachings, intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, led to incorporating beliefs like the Real Presence in the Eucharist and veneration of Mary as Theotokos. A 2024 visit to St. Aidan’s Antiochian Orthodox Church in Manchester solidified his decision to guide his congregation toward Orthodoxy. By February 2025, most members became catechumens under Fr. Gregory Hallam’s guidance.

Met. Silouan of the British Isles and Ireland presided over the Baptisms and Chrismations, with clergy from St. Aidan’s and St. Constantine’s assisting. The new St. Hilda’s parish celebrated its first Divine Liturgy on August 17, supported by Orthodox faithful. Met. Silouan urged Dcn. Caedmon to serve both God and the unified Orthodox family.

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