This site is under construction as of 26 June 2025. For the time being, information about the Mission is also available here.
Saint Symeon of Verhoturye Orthodox Mission is an outreach of the Australian and New Zealand Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR). The ROCOR, a self-governing part of the Russian Orthodox Church, is completely independent in pastoral, educational, administrative, management, property, and civil matters. Our Mission serves the Mid North Coast and Coffs Coast regions of New South Wales. At present, we have Divine Liturgy only on the fifth Sunday of the month, something that occurs around four or five times a year. In summer and winter we gather for Divine Liturgy in Coffs Harbour or Bellingen, and in autumn and spring we gather in Wauchope. At various times during the year we also have simple services without a priest. Our community consists of some Russian people and an increasing number of converts to the Orthodox Christian faith and inquirers. In the services we use English, the language of this country, together with Church Slavonic, the traditional liturgical language of the Slavic peoples. We are doctrinally Orthodox, liturgically traditional, and welcoming to all.
Our mission is a small one that relies entirely on community support and the voluntary service of our clergy. Our aim is to make available Orthodox Christian prayers, sacraments, and teaching on the Mid North Coast; acquire the material resources and experience to effectively support this activity; and, in time, to establish a parish in the region under the heavenly protection of Saint Symeon of Verkhoturye, a seventeenth century ascetic of the Ural region of Russia. Please consider helping us!
Donations may be made directly to our bank account:
Saint Symeon of Verkhoturye Orthodox Mission
BSB: 032-586 Account number: 646816
May the Lord bless you!
On Sunday 21 December, the Twenty-Eighth Sunday after Pentecost and the day of commemoration of Saint Patapius of Thebes, a reader service will be held at the Coffs Harbour Scout Hall, 209 Harbour Drive, Coffs Harbour NSW 2450. The Hours and Typika will be served from 9.00am, after which there will be a common meal. For more information please contact Reader James Savage by email here.
00001
On Sunday 29 March 2026, the Fifth Sunday of Great Lent, the Hours and Divine Liturgy will be served from 9.00am at Wauchope Community Arts Hall, 2/10 Oxley Lane, Wauchope. All are welcome!
On Sunday 30 November our Mission held its inaugural Annual General Meeting. The 2025 Annual Report and an overview of mission life were presented by the Mission rector and a report on the Twenty-First Diocesan Assembly was presented by parish delegate Reader James Savage. Katerina Cotten, Tatiana Tobin, Evgeniya Biryukova, Reader James Savage, Nathan Reah, Rebecca Isgrove Reah and Chantelle McKenna were elected to serve on the 2025-26 Mission Committee together with the Mission rector.
00001
On Sunday 30 November we had services for the Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost and in honour of Saint Gregory of Neo-Caesarea (+266 AD). The Hours and Divine Liturgy were served on Sunday morning at the Coffs Harbour Scout Hall with 40 people present, a great many of whom confessed and received Holy Communion. Prayers were offered for the unity of the Orthodox Church, peace in Ukraine and peace in the Holy Land. At the end of Divine Liturgy, a Certificate of Appreciation awarded in December 2024 was formally presented to Liubov Sleaford and an announcement was made concerning the inaugural Mission Annual General Meeting to be held that afternoon. Prior to the meeting, a sumptuous Lenten lunch was served.
00002
Our 2025 Annual Report, including the 2024-25 Financial Statements, is now available. This is our first Annual Report. It includes some an overview of our governance arrangements and a summary of our activity and accomplishments from 2019 through until 30 June 2025. A copy of the report, which will be formally presented to our inaugural Annual General Meeting on Sunday 30 November 2025, is available here. We encourage Mission members and friends with questions or comments concerning our Annual Report to contact us.
00003
On Sunday 31 August we had services for the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost, the Afterfeast of the Dormition of the Mother of God, and the day of commemoration of the Martyrs Florus and Laurus of Ilyria (+Second Century AD). The services were held at the Wauchope Community Arts Hall, the Mission’s Port Macquarie-Hastings region ‘home’ since April 2023. The Hours and Divine Liturgy were served on Sunday morning with approximately thirty-five people present, many of whom were attending an Orthodox service for the first time. Prayers were offered for the unity of the Orthodox Church, peace in Ukraine and peace in the Holy Land. At the end of Divine Liturgy, it was announced that the inaugural Annual General Meeting of mission members would be held on Sunday 30 November 2025. As is customary, many of those present afterwards shared a common meal.
00004
On Sunday 29 June we had services for the Third Sunday after Pentecost and in honour of Saint Tikhon, bishop of Amathus on Cyprus (+425). The services were held at the Bellingen Neighbourhood Centre. The Hours and Divine Liturgy were served on Sunday morning with approximately thirty people present. At Divine Liturgy Protodeacon German Polorotoff of the Tweed Heads parish served together with the mission rector - this was the first time that a deacon had served in our mission. We were also joined by others from Tweed Heads, by friends from Newcastle, and by newcomers interested in the Orthodox faith. Afterwards, those present shared a common meal.
00005
On Sunday 30 March we had services for the Fourth Sunday of Great Lent, the day of commemoration of Saint John of the Ladder (+649AD). The services were held at the Wauchope Community Arts Hall, the Mission’s Port Macquarie-Hastings region ‘home’ since April 2023. The Hours and Divine Liturgy were served on Sunday morning with approximately thirty people present. Prayers were offered for the unity of the Orthodox Church, peace in Ukraine and peace in the Holy Land, and many of those present confessed and received Holy Communion. As Saturday 29 March was a day of commemoration of the departed, Divine Liturgy was followed by a litia for the departed and the blessing of kutiya. As is customary, those present afterwards shared a common meal.
