Today is the Sunday of the Blind Man. Though the Gospel account of the healing of the blind man touches many subjects, there is but one theme: Christ is the divine Light which illuminates the hearts of those who behold Him in faith. Despite the intimidation of the authorities, despite the confusion of the people who know him, despite the fear of his parents, the blind man given sight refuses to deny what he knows is the truth: Jesus has given him sight, has healed the affliction he has born from birth, and one who does such good is from God. To deny his healer is to deny the truth, and he prefers persecution and rejection to that denial. More than his eyes have been opened; his heart has been opened to true and eternal Light. As were the Israelites cast into the dark despair of his fear, as are we all blinded by the frustration of sin and of our weakness, so this man was trapped by his closed eyes; and, as may all be, he was freed by the coming of the Messiah. In faith we open our eyes to the radiant glory of our Lord and King.

 

Acts 16:16-34: In our reading from Acts we see Paul and Silas imprisoned unjustly; but the Lord uses the circumstances to bring the jailer to Himself by means of a dramatic rescue.

 

John 9:1-38: After Jesus heals a man born blind, we see the hypocrisy and unbelief of the Pharisees as they seek to learn how the man came to see. After being put out of the temple, the formerly blind man again encounters Jesus, whom he worships as his savior.

 

Troparion of the Resurrection: Let us believers praise and worship the Word, co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit, born of the Virgin for our salvation; for he took pleasure in ascending the Cross in the flesh, to suffer death, and to raise the dead by his glorious Resurrection.

 

Troparion of the Chains of St. Peter: O Holy Apostle, Peter, thou dost preside over the Apostles by the precious chains which thou didst bear. We venerate them with faith and beseech thee that by thine intercessions we be granted the great mercy.

 

Kontakion of Pascha: When Thou didst descend into the grave, O Immortal, Thou didst destroy the power of hades. In victory didst Thou arise, O Christ God, proclaiming “Rejoice” to the myrrh-bearing women, granting peace to Thine apostles and bestowing resurrection on the fallen.

 

 

8:50 a.m.– Orthros

9:00 a.m.– Christian Education

10:00 a.m.– Divine Liturgy

5:30 p.m.– Youth Group

 

Office Closed– Father John’s Day Off

 

6:00 a.m.– Daily Orthros of Paschal Season

 

6:00 p.m.– Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy

 

Thursday, May 13 (Feast of Ascension)

The fortieth day after Easter is the day of the Ascension, the liturgical end to the celebration of the Resurrection and the opening of the season observing the glory of the Messiah. This is a day too often associated with the sadness of departure; yet this day brought great joy to the Disciples. They saw not the departure of one dear to them, but the glorious entry of their King to His heavenly throne. They saw not the loss of their Intercessor, but the Father accepting the eternal sacrifice and blessing the completion of man’s salvation. They saw not their separation from Christ but their assumption with Him into glory through the Incarnation. They saw not the removal of the blessed One but the promise from Him of further blessings. This day is another step in our procession into eternity, a remembrance of heavenly things, a reminder that the essence of our lives is the heavenly, a refreshing of the image of our God in all His glory.

                                       NO Daily Orthros

 

6:00 a.m.– Daily Orthros

 

5:00 p.m.– Catechism Class

5:45 p.m.– Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers

 

8:50 a.m.– Orthros

9:00 a.m.– Christian Education

10:00 a.m.– Divine Liturgy

5:30 p.m.– Young Adults

 

 

Eucharist Bread: …was offered by Joanna Meadows for the Divine Liturgy today.

 

Please be very careful with the Blessed Bread when you take after communion or at the end of the liturgy. Because this bread has been blessed, we should take care not to let crumbs fall on the floor. Parents, especially, please help your children to choose a small piece and treat it carefully.

 

Please be reminded that Orthros begins at 8:50 a.m. and the Divine Liturgy around 10:00 on Sundays. Habitual late arrivals are a distraction from our worship of the Holy Trinity. One should not partake of communion when arriving after the reading of the Epistle.

 

May 9                               Joanna Meadows                 Jones/Stewarts

May 12 (Wed. p.m.)        D. Roots                                Charlotte Wood    (Feast of the Ascension)

May 16                             Dansereaus                          Strains

May 22 (Sat. a.m.)          Freundts                                Meadows   (Saturday of the Souls)

May 23 (Pentecost)        Fahmys                                  Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver

May 30                             Bakers                                   R. Roots

 

Schedule for Epistle Readers – Page numbers refer to the Apostolos (book of the Epistles) located on the front pew. Please be sure to use this book when you read.

May 9                                      Sh. Charlotte Algood              Acts 16:16-34                               58

May 12 (Wed. p.m.)              Brenda Baker                          Acts 1:1-12                                    63

May 16                                   Tom Willingham                       Acts 20:16-18, 28-36                   66

May 22 (Sat. a.m.)                 Kh. Sharon Meadows             Acts 28:1-31                                 72

May 23                                    Tom Skirtech                           Acts 2:1-11                                    77

May 30                                    Walt Wood                               Heb. 11:33 – 12:2                         84

 

Please continue to pray for the health of His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN.

 

Please remember the following in your prayers: The Longa and Dn. Sidney Elliott families from St. John’s in Memphis; Fr. Donald Lloyd; Sh. Charlotte Algood, Deacon Terry and their family; Fr. James and Kh. Linda Ellison; Bobby and Sue Webb (Deborah Finley’s parents); Tom Skirtech, Amy and Brantley Oliver; Reader Basil’s family; Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Jared and Stacy Autrey and their daughter Olivia Kate (St. Ignatius in Franklin).

 

Please pray especially for Lydia Williams, her parents Mindy and Michael, and her grandparents Dn. Terry and Sh. Charlotte. Lydia is back at home in Memphis recovering from her latest surgery.

 

The Esther Elliott Longa Memorial Fund has been established to help pay the medical expenses, which were very significant. If you are interested in participating, make your check out to St. Peter’s and specify that it is for her memorial fund on the memo line. We will be sending a check early in May.

 

Our monthly Sunday Pot Luck Meal will not be held the first week in June, due to the festal meals in the weeks at the end of May.

 

Calling everyone (especially Men): We need more help in cleaning up following Coffee Hour and meals at the Church (especially the monthly Pot Luck meals). Since the cooking and set up are usually done by the women, this is a terrific time for the men in our parish to also serve. Please remember that those hosting coffee would always appreciate a little help in setting things back right afterwards. The more hands, the quicker the work.

 

*   Special Services to be held during the month of May:

               Wednesday, May 12 – Orthros/Divine Liturgy (Feast of Ascension)

               Saturday, May 22 – Orthros/Divine Liturgy (Saturday of the Souls)

 

*   We will celebrate the Feast of Pentecost with a picnic (complete with games supervised by Kh. Be’Be’) here at the church on Sunday, May 23^rd. More information will be available at a later date.

 

*   As is our custom, we will holding the Kneeling Vespers of Pentecost on Sunday evening, May 23^rd, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

 

*   There is no fasting during the week following Pentecost. The Fast of the Apostles will begin Monday, May 31^st.

 

*   This year’s Parish Life Conference is being hosted by St. George’s church in Jacksonville, FL June 16-20. Registration materials are available online.

 

*   Our next time to serve a meal at the Stewpot will be on October 30^th .

　

Traditional fasting (no meat, poultry, fish eggs, dairy, wine and oil) is observed on Wednesdays and Fridays of May, apart from the week following the Feast of Pentecost on Sunday, May 23^rd, during which there is no fasting. The Apostle’s Fast this year extends from May 31^st until the Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul on Tuesday, June 29^th.

 

May 10              Apostle Simon the Zealot

May 21             Sts. Constantine and Helen

May 25             The Forerunner (3^rd discovery)

 

If you are the last to leave the building, please make sure that the heating and cooling unit in the Fellowship Hall is set to the optimum temperature for the building when unoccupied.

 

Quotable:“O the compassion of God! I am an abomination to God and men, yet the Lord so loveth me, giveth me understanding and healeth me, and Himself doth teach my soul humility and love, patience and obedience, and hath poured out the fullness of His mercy upon me….O wonder!”

     – St. Silouan of Mount Athos

 

Weekly Quote:  “You will be able to check envy if you rejoice with the man whom you envy whenever he rejoices, and grieve whenever he grieves.”

    – St. Maximos the Confessor　

 

 

WORSHIP: Sunday, May 16, 2010 (Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the First Council of Nicea )

Scriptures:                      Acts 20:16-18, 28-36; John 17:1-13

Celebrant:                      Father John

Epistle Reader:             Tom Willingham

Prosphora:                     Dansereaus

Coffee Hour:                  Strains