Monthly Archives: May 2011

5/29 announcements

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May 29, 2011
Sunday of the Blind Man
 
  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 ARejoice@ to the myrrh-bearing women, granting peace to Thine apostles and bestowing resurrection on the fallen.
 
CALENDAR
 
Sunday, May 29  (Sunday of the Blind Man)
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            9:00 a.m.         — Christian Education
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
            5:30 p.m.         — Youth Group
           
Monday, May 30   
            Office Closed  — Father John’s Day Off
           
Tuesday, May 31   
            6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
            6:30 p.m.         — Paschal Vespers for the Leave-taking
 
Wednesday, June 1   (Leave-taking of Pascha)
NO Catechism Class   
6:00 p.m.         — Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy
 
Thursday, June 2   (Feast of the 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
11:30 a.m.       — Men’s Luncheon at Pigskins in Ridgeland
 
Friday, June 3           
6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
 
Saturday, June 4   (Metrophanes of Constantinople)
5:00 p.m.         — Catechism Class
5:45 p.m.         — Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
 
Sunday, June 5   (Sunday of the Holy Fathers)
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
            1:00 p.m.         — Young Adults
 
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Joneses for the Divine Liturgy today.  
 
Please be reminded of the following:
Be very careful with the Blessed Bread when you take it after communion.  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.
         Also, at the end of the liturgy, maintain a prayerful disposition during the veneration of the cross as the prayers of thanksgiving after communion are still underway.  Please exchange your greetings with each other in the Fellowship Hall during Coffee Hour.
 
Please continue to pray for the health of His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN.
 
Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
                                                      Eucharist Bread                     Coffee Hour
         May 29                                 Joneses                                    Pigotts
         June 1                                   Meadows                                 Woods/T. Skirtech/
                  (Wed. p.m. – Feast of the Ascension)                          Mary Guy
         June 5                                   Joanna Meadows                     D. Roots   
         June 12                                 Freundts                                   POT LUCK
         June 19                                 Fahmys                                    Strains
         June 26                                 Bakers                                     Morrises
         June 28                                 Woods                                     Schelvers
                  (Tues. p.m. – Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul)
We will NOT hold the service for Saturday of the Souls on the day before Pentecost.  This was scheduled for Saturday morning June 11, but has been cancelled for this year only.        
 
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.
                                    Reader                               Reading                                  Page#
May 29                        Tom Skirtech                       Acts 16:16-34                          58
June 1 (Wed. p.m.)      Sh. Charlotte Algood           Acts 1:1-12                               63
June 5                         Walt Wood                          Acts 20:16-18, 28-36               66
June 12                        Mildred Morris                    Acts 2:1-11                              77
June 19                       Warren Strain                       Heb. 11:33-12:2                       84
June 26                        Phillip Lasseter                     Rom. 2:10-16                           90
June 28 (Tues. p.m.)    Brenda Baker                       II Cor. 11:21-33, 12:1-9          389
 
Please remember the following in your prayers:  Fr. Leo, Kh. Be’Be’, Stephen and Amy, Justyn and Jeffrey; Steve, Sheryl and Stephen Chamblee; Maria Costas; Amy and Brantley Oliver; Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Sam and Lamia Dabit; David Turner’s mother Mary Jean; Fr. Joseph Bittle, Kh. Joanna, their daughter Abigail and the rest of their family; Brees Johns.
 
Because our clergy will be attending the Parish Life Conference there will be no Daily Vespers on Wednesday June 15th.  There will also be no catechism class on Wednesday June 15th or Saturday June 18th.  Nor will there be Daily Orthros on Thursday or Friday of that week.  However, Father James will be returning on Saturday afternoon.  So our regular services will be celebrated on Saturday and Sunday June 18th and 19th.
 
We are looking for new faces in the choir….anyone 7th grade or older who is interested should contact Karen or Sh. Margaret.
 
Fr. John is in Pensacola and will return tomorrow evening.  He has been filling in for Fr. David Bleam at St. Andrew’s and taking time for a family vacation. 
 
If you are planning to attend the Parish Life Conference in Memphis, please register as soon as possible.  St. John needs our registrations as they continue their preparations to host this event.
 
New Parish Directory:   The Parish Council has decided to implement a new Directory with family pictures.  Pictures will taken on the following Sundays:  May 29th, June 5th, June 12th, June 26th and July 3rd.  A group picture will taken on Pentecost (June 12th) for the cover of the Directory.
 
Lost Items!  Are you missing any items?? …most notably 3 sets of keys or a thread-counted bookmark.?  These may be claimed in the church office.  Please see Kh. Sharon.
 
Calendar Items:
*    The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.
      The next meeting will be this Thursday at Pigskins in Ridgeland.
*    The Paschal Season will come to a close with Paschal Vespers for the Leave-taking of Pascha on Tuesday evening beginning at 6:30 p.m.
*    Thursday is the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord.  We will have Orthros followed by the Divine Liturgy the preceding night (June 1st), beginning at 6:00 p.m.  There will be no Daily Orthros on Thursday morning.
*    We will celebrate the Feast of Pentecost with a Pot Luck Meal on Sunday, June 12th.  As is our custom, we will also have the service of Kneeling Vespers that evening, beginning at 6:30 p.m. There will be no fasting during the following week.
*    The Fast of the Apostles will run from June 20-28 this year.  We will celebrate Orthros and Divine Liturgy for the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul on Tuesday evening, July 28th, beginning at 6:00 p.m. 
*    The 2011 Parish Life Conference is being hosted by St. John Orthodox Church in
*    Memphis on June 16-19.
*    We will be serving a meal at the Stewpot in Jackson on July 9th and November 19th.
*    Father John will be out of town July 21-31st for the Archdiocese Convention in Chicago.
*    His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN will be here the weekend of May 6, 2012 to help us celebrate our 25th anniversary as a parish.  The planning committee is working very hard to make our celebration a memorable one.  There will be an evening event at the MS Museum of Art on Saturday, May 6th.  Other events are being planned and more information will be available in the coming months.
 
Fasting Discipline for June
The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.  There will be no fasting during the week following Pentecost (June 12th).  The traditional fasting discipline is again observed on all days during the Fast of the Apostles (June 20-28).
 
Major Commemorations during June
June 1              Justyn Martyr
June 2              Feast of Ascension
June 4              Metrophanes of Constantinople
June 5              Holy Fathers of the First Council of Nicea
June 8              Theodore the General (transfer of relics)
June 11            Apostles Bartholomew and Barnabas
June 12            Feast of Pentecost
June 19            Sunday of All Saints
June 24            Nativity of the Forerunner
June 29            Chief Apostles Peter and Paul
June 30            Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles
 
If you are the last to leave the building, please make sure that the heating and cooling unit in the Fellowship Hall is turned off.
 
Happy Anniversaries remaining in May/June:
         May 30                  —    Tom and Jennifer Skirtech (#34!)
         June 14                  —    Ken and Anastasia Jones (#41!)
                                       —    Saliba and Lamia Dabit (#57!)
         June 22                  —    Fr. Leo and Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver (#37!)
 
Happy Birthdays in May/June:
         May 30                  —    Dn. Terry Algood
         May 31                  —    Stephen Chamblee
         June 1                    —    Fr. James Meadows
         June 5                    —    George Wood
         June 12                  —    Ellie Yeatts (1998)
         June 13                  —    Lou Turner
         June 17                  —    Sh. Margaret Root
         June 21                  —    Sandra Strain
         June 29                  —    Jennifer Skirtech
 
Quotable:  “But sin is the most wretched poverty of the heart—poverty blocking the treasure of grace.  Sin is a deadly sickness of the soul, a sickness which deprives us both of the joys of earth and the joys of heaven.  Sin is a terrible and most lamentable spiritual death which separates us eternally from the joy of the heavenly inhabitants in paradise and buries us in the darkness of hell.”
                                                                        Archimandrite Seraphim Aleksiev
 
        
Worship:         Sunday, June 5, 2011 (Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the First Council
of Nicea)
 
         Scripture:                                Acts 20:16-18, 28-36; John 17:1-13
         Celebrant:                               Father John
         Epistle Reader:                       Walt Wood
         Prosphora:                              Joanna Meadows
         Coffee Hour:                           D. Roots

5/22 announcements

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May 22, 2011
Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
 
    This Sunday concludes the week which includes mid-Pentecost.  The scriptures for that day make reference to the great and final feast and the Lord’s words concerning fountains of living water and the nourishment of the spirit.  The episode of the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well and Jesus’ further description of Himself as living water continue this theme.  There are innumerable nuances to the message of this episode, ranging from the allusion to the patriarch Joseph to the faith of those who believe without seeing, but let us concentrate on the woman who comes into the presence of her God.  Christ asks service of her, asks her to ignore their traditional enmity, confuses her with parables, confronts her with her sins, and claims to be her Messiah and Lord.  She enters the scene with skepticism, but she does not let circumstances blind her, for the words of the man before her ring with unmistakable authority and truth.  Whether she wants to or not, she must believe herself to be in the presence of the Son of God; she not only believes, but she quickly bears witness to the others of her town.  We join her in her faith, and we, too, partake of the Water of Life.
 
Acts 11:19-30:  Reading in the book of  Acts, we see the establishment of the first predominately Gentile church in Antioch under the leading of Barnabas and Saul.
 
John 4:5-42:  In Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman we see our Lord’s concern with the truth, both in our dealings with others and in our worship of God.  We also see that spreading the eternal gospel of the Kingdom is a corporate action and not that of just one or two.
Troparion of the Resurrection:  Having learned the joyful message of the Resurrection from the angel, the women Disciples cast from them their parental condemnation, and proudly broke the news to the Disciples, saying, Death has been spoiled.  Christ God is risen, granting the world Great Mercy.
 
Troparion for mid-Pentecost:  In the midst of this Feast, O Saviour, give my thirsty soul to drink of the waters of true worship; for thou didst call out to all, saying, Whosoever is thirsty, let him come unto me and drink.  Wherefore, O Christ our God, Fountain of life, glory to thee.
 
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 ARejoice@ to the myrrh-bearing women, granting peace to Thine apostles and bestowing resurrection on the fallen.
 
CALENDAR
Sunday, May 22  (Sunday of the Smaritan Woman)
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            9:00 a.m.         — Christian Education
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
            1:00 p.m.         — Young Adults
           
Monday, May 23   
            Office Closed  — Father John’s Day Off
           
Tuesday, May 24   
            6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
 
Wednesday, May 25   (The Forerunner – Third Discovery)
5:00 p.m.         — Catechism Class      
6:30 p.m.         — Daily Vespers
7:30 p.m.         — Choir Practice
 
Thursday, May 26   
            NO Daily Orthros
 
Friday, May 27          
NO Daily Orthros
Saturday, May 28   
NO Catechism Class
5:45 p.m.         — Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
 
Sunday, May 29  (Sunday of the Blind Man)
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            9:00 a.m.         — Christian Education
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
            5:30 p.m.         — Youth Group
 
 
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Morrises for the Divine Liturgy today.  
 
Please be reminded of the following:
Be very careful with the Blessed Bread when you take it after communion.  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.
         Also, at the end of the liturgy, maintain a prayerful disposition during the veneration of the cross as the prayers of thanksgiving after communion are still underway.  Please exchange your greetings with each other in the Fellowship Hall during Coffee Hour.
 
Please continue to pray for the health of His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN.
 
Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
                                                      Eucharist Bread                     Coffee Hour
         May 22                                 Morrises                                  Schelvers
         May 29                                 Joneses                                    Pigotts
         June 1                                   Meadows                                Woods/T. Skirtech/
                  (Wed. p.m. – Feast of the Ascension)                          Mary Guy
         June 5                                   Joanna Meadows                     D. Roots   
         June 12                                 Freundts                                   POT LUCK
         June 19                                 Fahmys                                    Strains
         June 26                                 Bakers                                     Morrises
         June 28                                 Woods                                     Schelvers
                  (Tues. p.m. – Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul)
 
We will NOT hold the service for Saturday of the Souls on the day before Pentecost.  This was scheduled for Saturday morning June 11, but has been cancelled for this year only.        
 
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.
                                    Reader                               Reading                                  Page#
May 22                        Tom Willingham                   Acts 11:19-30                          52
May 29                        Tom Skirtech                       Acts 16:16-34                          58
June 1 (Wed. p.m.)      Sh. Charlotte Algood            Acts 1:1-12                              63
June 5                         Walt Wood                           Acts 20:16-18, 28-36              66
June 12                       Mildred Morris                     Acts 2:1-11                              77
June 19                       Warren Strain                       Heb. 11:33-12:2                       84
June 26                       Phillip Lasseter                     Rom. 2:10-16                           90
June 28 (Tues. p.m.)   Brenda Baker                       II Cor. 11:21-33, 12:1-9          389
 
Please remember the following in your prayers:  Fr. Leo, Kh. Be’Be’, Stephen and Amy, Justyn and Jeffrey; Steve, Sheryl and Stephen Chamblee; Maria Costas; Amy and Brantley Oliver; Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Sam and Lamia Dabit; David Turner’s mother Mary Jean; Fr. Joseph Bittle, Kh. Joanna, their daughter Abigail and the rest of their family; Brees Johns.
 
Calendar Items:
*    The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.
      The next meeting will be June 2nd at Pigskins in Ridgeland.
*    The Paschal Season will come to a close with Paschal Vespers for the Leave-taking of Pascha on Tuesday evening, May 31st  beginning at 6:30 p.m.
*    Thursday, June 2nd is the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord.  We will have Orthros followed by the Divine Liturgy the preceding night (June 1st), beginning at 6:00 p.m.
      There will be no Daily Orthros on Thursday morning.
*    We will celebrate the Feast of Pentecost with a Pot Luck Meal on Sunday, June 12th.  As is our custom, we will also have the service of Kneeling Vespers that evening, beginning at 6:30 p.m. There will be no fasting during the following week.
*    The Fast of the Apostles will run from June 20-28 this year.  We will celebrate Orthros and Divine Liturgy for the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul on Tuesday evening, July 28th, beginning at 6:00 p.m. 
*    The 2011 Parish Life Conference is being hosted by St. John Orthodox Church in
*    Memphis on June 16-19. More information (hotels, etc.) is available through the Archdiocese website at antiochian.org.
*    We will be serving a meal at the Stewpot in Jackson on July 9th and November 19th.
*    Father John will be out of town July 21-31st for the Archdiocese Convention in Chicago.
*    His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN will be here the weekend of May 6, 2012 to help us celebrate our 25th anniversary as a parish.  The planning committee is working very hard to make our celebration a memorable one.  There will be an evening event at the MS Museum of Art on Saturday, May 6th.  Other events are being planned and more information will be available in the coming months.
 
Because our clergy will be attending the Parish Life Conference there will be no Daily Vespers on Wednesday June 15th.  There will also be no catechism class on Wednesday June 15th or Saturday June 18th.  Nor will there be Daily Orthros on Thursday or Friday of that week.  However, Father James will be returning on Saturday afternoon.  So our regular services will be celebrated on Saturday and Sunday June 18th and 19th.
 
We are looking for new faces in the choir….anyone 7th grade or older who is interested should contact Karen or Sh. Margaret.
 
Antiochian Women’s Scholarship:  Each year AOCWNA is able to award scholarships, usually in the amount of $500 each, to help women continue their education in order to improve their circumstances and those of their families.  In order to be eligible, a woman must be over 25 years of age, a member in good standing and active in her parish, registered in an academic or trade program of study, and demonstrate financial need.  The application deadline is May 27, 2011.  If you are interested in applying for this scholarship, please see Fr. John for an application.
 
Fr. John leave for Pensacola Thursday, May 26th and will return on Monday, May 30th.  He will be filling in for Fr. David Bleam at St. Andrew’s and will be remaining for a family vacation.  There will be no Thursday or Friday Daily Orthros or Saturday Catechism Class in his absence.
 
Fasting Discipline for May/June
The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.  There will be no fasting during the week following Pentecost (June 12th).  The traditional fasting discipline is again observed on all days during the Fast of the Apostles (June 20-28).
 
Major Commemorations during May/June
May 25            The Forerunner (3rd discovery)
June 1              Justyn Martyr
June 2              Feast of Ascension
June 4              Metrophanes of Constantinople
June 5              Holy Fathers of the First Council of Nicea
June 8              Theodore the General (transfer of relics)
June 11            Apostles Bartholomew and Barnabas
June 12            Feast of Pentecost
June 19            Sunday of All Saints
June 24            Nativity of the Forerunner
June 29            Chief Apostles Peter and Paul
June 30            Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles
 
If you are planning to attend the Parish Life Conference in Memphis, please register as soon as possible.  St. John needs our registrations as they continue their preparations to host this event.
 
New Parish Directory:   The Parish Council has decided to implement a new Directory with family pictures.  Pictures will taken on the following Sundays:  May 29th, June 5th, June 12th, June 26th and July 3rd.  A group picture will taken on Pentecost (June 12th) for the cover of the Directory.
 
Lost Items!  Are you missing any items?? …most notably 3 sets of keys or a thread-counted bookmark.?  These may be claimed in the church office.  Please see Kh. Sharon.
 
If you are the last to leave the building, please make sure that the heating and cooling unit in the Fellowship Hall is turned off.
 
Happy Anniversaries remaining in May:
         May 30                  —    Tom and Jennifer Skirtech (1977)
 
Happy Birthdays in remaining May:
         May 21                  —    Jacob Skirtech (#4!)
         May 24                  —    Daniel Root
                                       —    Paul Katool
         May 26                  —    David Turner
         May 27                  —    Luke Habeeb (#6!)
         May 30                  —    Dn. Terry Algood
         May 31                  —    Stephen Chamblee
 
Quotable:  “Disease is not the greatest evil for man, because a disease of the body endured with humility, faith, and patience can cure the soul sick with sin and bring it closer to God—the greatest good for man.”
                                                                        Archimandrite Seraphim Aleksiev
 
        
Worship:         Sunday, May 29, 2011 (Sunday of the Blind Man)
 
         Scripture:                                Acts 16:16-34; John 9:1-38
         Celebrant:                               Father John
         Epistle Reader:                        Tom Skirtech
         Prosphora:                              Joneses
         Coffee Hour:                           Pigotts

5/15 announcements

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May 15, 2011
Sunday of the Paralytic
 
In the miracle of the healing of the paralytic at the pool of Bethesda, we see the Son’s power over life and sin, power which becomes fully evident in the Resurrection. The paralytic is a man crippled in body and spirit, for, even as He heals the body, Jesus warns against results of further sin.  Christ frees us from our bodies of corruption and grants us flesh glorified in Him; He also frees us from the power of sin and grants us perfection in His Spirit.  As the man at the pool accepted God’s grace and found life, so let us walk in His light and come into His presence.
 
Acts 9:32-42:  Empowered by the Holy Spirit, St Peter heals a paralyzed man and raises a woman from the dead; both acts lead to many people believing in the Lord.
 
John 5:1-15:  Jesus demonstrates His lordship over creation and the Sabbath when He heals a sick man at the pool of Bethsaida.
 
Troparion of the Resurrection:  Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad; for the Lord hath done a mighty act with his own arm.  He hath trampled down death and become the First-born from the dead. He hath delivered us from the depths of hades, granting the world the Great Mercy.
 
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 ARejoice@ to the myrrh-bearing women, granting peace to Thine apostles and bestowing resurrection on the fallen.
 
CALENDAR
Sunday, May 15  
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            9:00 a.m.         — Christian Education
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
12:00 p.m.       — Pot Luck Meal honoring our graduating High School Seniors
            1:00 p.m.         — Young Adults
           
Monday, May 16   
            Office Closed  — Father John’s Day Off
           
Tuesday, May 17   
            6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
 
Wednesday, May 18   
5:00 p.m.         — Catechism Class      
6:30 p.m.         — Daily Vespers followed by Parish Council Meeting
7:30 p.m.         — Choir Practice
 
Thursday, May 19   
            6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
 
Friday, May 20          
6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
 
Saturday, May 21   (Constantine and Helen)
5:00 p.m.         — Catechism Class
5:45 p.m.         — Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
 
Sunday, May 22 
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            9:00 a.m.         — Christian Education
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
            5:30 p.m.         — Youth Group
 
 
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
Eucharist Bread …was offered by Schelvers for the Divine Liturgy today.  
 
Please be reminded of the following:
Be very careful with the Blessed Bread when you take it after communion.  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.
         Also, at the end of the liturgy, maintain a prayerful disposition during the veneration of the cross as the prayers of thanksgiving after communion are still underway.  Please exchange your greetings with each other in the Fellowship Hall during Coffee Hour.
 
Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
                                                      Eucharist Bread                     Coffee Hour
         May 15                                 Schelvers                                 POT LUCK MEAL
         May 22                                 Morrises                                   Schelvers
         May 29                                 Joneses                                    Pigotts
 
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.
                                    Reader                               Reading                                  Page#
May 15                        Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver           Acts 9:32-42                            45
May 22                        Tom Willingham                  Acts 11:19-30                          52
May 29                        Tom Skirtech                      Acts 16:16-34                          58
 
Please remember the following in your prayers:  Fr. Leo, Kh. Be’Be’, Stephen and Amy, Justyn and Jeffrey; Steve, Sheryl and Stephen Chamblee; Maria Costas; Amy and Brantley Oliver; Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Sam and Lamia Dabit; David Turner’s mother Mary Jean; Fr. Joseph Bittle, Kh. Joanna, their daughter Abigail and the rest of their family.
 
Please continue to pray for the health of His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN.
 
Because our clergy will be attending the Parish Life Conference there will be no Daily Vespers on Wednesday June 15th.  There will also be no catechism class on Wednesday June 15th or Saturday June 18th.  Nor will there be Daily Orthros on Thursday or Friday of that week.  However, Father James will be returning on Saturday afternoon.  So our regular services will be celebrated on Saturday and Sunday June 18th and 19th.
 
We are looking for new faces in the choir….anyone 7th grade or older who is interested should contact Karen or Sh. Margaret.
 
The Updated Directory is temporarily on hold.  We hope to have it available in the near future.
 
Calendar Items:
*    The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month. 
*    The 2011 Parish Life Conference is being hosted by St. John Orthodox Church in
*    Memphis on June 16-19. More information (hotels, etc.) is available through the Archdiocese website at antiochian.org.
*    We will be serving a meal at the Stewpot in Jackson on July 9th and November 19th.
*    His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN will be here the weekend of May 6, 2012 to help us celebrate our 25th anniversary as a parish.  The planning committee is working very hard to make our celebration a memorable one.  There will be an evening event at the MS Museum of Art on Friday, May 5th.  Other events are being planned and more information will be available in the coming months.
 
If you are planning to attend the Parish Life Conference in Memphis, please register as soon as possible.  St. John needs our registrations as they continue their preparations to host this event.
 
Fasting Discipline for May
The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.
 
Major Commemorations during May
May 21            Sts. Constantine and Helen
May 25            The Forerunner (3rd discovery)
 
Antiochian Women’s Scholarship:  Each year AOCWNA is able to award scholarships, usually in the amount of $500 each, to help women continue their education in order to improve their circumstances and those of their families.  In order to be eligible, a woman must be over 25 years of age, a member in good standing and active in her parish, registered in an academic or trade program of study, and demonstrate financial need.  The application deadline is May 27, 2011.  If you are interested in applying for this scholarship, please see Fr. John for an application.
 
Lost Items!  Are you missing any items?? …most notably 3 sets of keys or a thread-counted bookmark.?  These may be claimed in the church office.  Please see Kh. Sharon.
 
If you are the last to leave the building, please make sure that the heating and cooling unit in the Fellowship Hall is turned off.
 
Happy Anniversaries in May:
         May 2                    —    Samer and Irene N’Ser (1999)
         May 12                  —    Cliff and Anna Kathryn Stewart (2007)
         May 30                  —    Tom and Jennifer Skirtech (1977)
  
Happy Birthdays in May:
         May 5                    —    Joanna Meadows
                                       —    Dale Cooper
         May 7                    —    Tiffany Strain (#14!)
         May 8                    —    Kh. Janet Henderson
         May 10                  —    Fr. Leo Schelver
         May 11                  —    Meghan Brock
         May 15                  —    Tom Skirtech
         May 21                  —    Jacob Skirtech (#4!)
         May 24                  —    Daniel Root
                                       —    Paul Katool
         May 26                  —    David Turner
         May 27                  —    Luke Habeeb (#6!)
         May 30                  —    Dn. Terry Algood
         May 31                  —    Stephen Chamblee
 
Quotable:  “The holy Apostles were themselves poor but enriched many (cf. II Cor. 6:10).  They were rich despite their poverty, because they possessed the marvelous gift of God—the heavenly grace which even in this life made them infinitely blissful!  Is it possible that poverty could have been a great evil for them who had found the treasure of eternal life?”
                                                                        Archimandrite Seraphim Aleksiev
 
        
Worship:         Sunday, May 22, 2011 (Sunday of the Samaritan Woman)
 
         Scripture:                                    Acts 11:19-30; John 4:5-42
         Celebrant:                                   Father John
         Epistle Reader:                            Tom Willingham
         Prosphora:                                  Morrises
         Coffee Hour:                              Schelvers

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May 8, 2011
Sunday of the Myrrh-bearing Women
and Sts. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemos;
Feastday of St. John the Theologian
 
About the beginning of His thirty-second year, when our Lord was going throughout Galilee, preaching and working miracles, many women who had received of His beneficence left their homeland and from then on followed after Him.  They ministered unto Him out of their own possessions, even until His crucifixion and entombment; and afterwards, neither losing faith in Him after His death, nor fearing the wrath of the Jewish rulers, they came to His sepulcher, bearing the myrrh-oils they had prepared to anoint His body.  It is because of the myrrh-oils that these God-loving women brought to the tomb that they are called the Myrrh-bearers.  Of those whose names are known are the following: first of all the most holy Virgin Mary, who in Matthew 27:56 and Mark 15:40 is called Athe mother of James and Joses@ (these are the sons of Joseph by a previous marriage, and she was therefore their step-mother); Mary Magdalene; Mary, the wife of Cleopas; Joanna, wife of Chouza, a steward of Herod Antipas; Salome, the mother of the sons of Zebedee; Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus; and Susanna.  As for the names of the rest of them, the evangelists have kept silence.
  On this day we also make commemoration of Joseph of Arimathea, who was a secret disciple, and also of Nicodemus, who was a disciple by night.  Joseph went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, and together with Nicodemus, he gave Him burial out of  reverence and love.
 
 
I John 4:12-19:  How can we know God lives in us?  St. John gives us a fourfold answer: (1) if we love one another; (2) if we have been given His Spirit; (3) if we can confess Jesus is the Son of God; and (4) if we abide in the love of God. 
 
Mark 15:43-16:8:  St Mark describes how Joseph of Arimathea claims the body of our Lord from  Pi­late to place it in his own tomb.  On the third day, the three women learn from an angel that the Lord has risen from the dead.
 
Troparion of the Resurrection:  When thou, O immortal Life, didst humble thyself unto death, then didst thou destroy death by the brightness of thy Godhead; and when thou didst raise the bowels of the earth, then all the heavenly powers exclaimed, O Christ, thou art the Giver of life!  Glory to thee, O our God!
 
Troparia of the Ointment-Bearers:  The pious Joseph, having brought down thy pure body from the Tree, wrapped it in fine linen, embalmed it with ointment, provided for it, and laid it in a new tomb.  But thou didst truly rise, after three days, O Lord, granting the world the Great Mercy.
  Verily, the angel came to the tomb and said to the ointment-bearing women, The ointment is meet for the dead, but Christ is shown to be remote from corruption.  But cry ye, The Lord is risen, granting the world the Great Mercy.
 
Troparion of St. John:  O Apostle, beloved of Christ our God, hasten to deliver a defenseless people.  He that allowed thee to recline on His breast, receiveth thee bowing in intercession.  Implore Him, O Theologian, to dispel the persistent cloud of the heathen, and ask for us His peace and great mercy.
 
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 ARejoice@ to the myrrh-bearing women, granting peace to Thine apostles and bestowing resurrection on the fallen.
 
CALENDAR
Sunday, May 8  
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            9:00 a.m.         — Christian Education
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
            1:00 p.m.         — Young Adults
           
Monday, May 9   
            Office Closed  — Father John’s Day Off
           
Tuesday, May 10   (Apostle Simon the Zealot)
            6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
 
Wednesday, May 11   
5:00 p.m.         — Catechism Class      
6:30 p.m.         — Daily Vespers
7:30 p.m.         — Choir Practice
 
Thursday, May 12   
            6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
 
Friday, May 13          
6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
 
Saturday, May 14   
5:00 p.m.         — Catechism Class
5:45 p.m.         — Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
 
Sunday, May 15  
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            9:00 a.m.         — Christian Education
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
12:00 p.m.       — Pot Luck Meal honoring our graduating High School Seniors
            5:30 p.m.         — Youth Group
 
 
 
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
Eucharist Bread …was offered by Katools for the Divine Liturgy today.  
 
Please be reminded of the following:
Be very careful with the Blessed Bread when you take it after communion.  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.
         Also, at the end of the liturgy, maintain a prayerful disposition during the veneration of the cross as the prayers of thanksgiving after communion are still underway.  Please exchange your greetings with each other in the Fellowship Hall during Coffee Hour.
 
Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
                                                      Eucharist Bread                     Coffee Hour
         May 8                                   Katools                                    Algoods
         May 15                                 Schelvers                                 POT LUCK MEAL
         May 22                                 Morrises                                   Schelvers
         May 29                                 Joneses                                    Pigotts
 
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.
                                    Reader                               Reading                                  Page#
May 8                          Mildred Morris                   I John 4:12-19                           315
May 15                        Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver           Acts 9:32-42                             45
May 22                        Tom Willingham                 Acts 11:19-30                            52
May 29                        Tom Skirtech                      Acts 16:16-34                           58
 
Please remember the following in your prayers:  Fr. Leo, Kh. Be’Be’, Stephen and Amy, Justyn and Jeffrey; Steve, Sheryl and Stephen Chamblee; Maria Costas; Amy and Brantley Oliver; Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Sam and Lamia Dabit; David Turner’s mother Mary Jean; Fr. Joseph Bittle, Kh. Joanna, their daughter Abigail and the rest of their family.
 
Please continue to pray for the health of His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN.
 
Because our clergy will be attending the Parish Life Conference there will be no Daily Vespers on Wednesday June 15th.  There will also be no catechism class on Wednesday June 15th or Saturday June 18th.  Nor will there be Daily Orthros on Thursday or Friday of that week.  However, Father James will be returning on Saturday afternoon.  So our regular services will be celebrated on Saturday and Sunday June 18th and 19th.
 
Calendar Items:
*    The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month. 
*    The 2011 Parish Life Conference is being hosted by St. John Orthodox Church in
*    Memphis on June 16-19. More information (hotels, etc.) is available through the Archdiocese website at antiochian.org.
*    We will be serving a meal at the Stewpot in Jackson on July 9th and November 19th.
*    His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN will be here the weekend of May 6, 2012 to help us celebrate our 25th anniversary as a parish.  The planning committee is working very hard to make our celebration a memorable one.  There will be an evening event at the MS Museum of Art on Friday, May 5th.  Other events are being planned and more information will be available in the coming months.
 
If you are planning to attend the Parish Life Conference in Memphis, please register as soon as possible.  St. John needs our registrations as they continue their preparations to host this event.
 
We are looking for new faces in the choir….anyone 7th grade or older who is interested should contact Karen or Sh. Margaret.
 
The Updated Directory is temporarily on hold.  We hope to have it available in the near future.
 
Fasting Discipline for May
The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.
 
Major Commemorations during May
May 8              Apostle John the Theologian
May 10            Apostle Simon the Zealot
May 21            Sts. Constantine and Helen
May 25            The Forerunner (3rd discovery)
 
Antiochian Women’s Scholarship:  Each year AOCWNA is able to award scholarships, usually in the amount of $500 each, to help women continue their education in order to improve their circumstances and those of their families.  In order to be eligible, a woman must be over 25 years of age, a member in good standing and active in her parish, registered in an academic or trade program of study, and demonstrate financial need.  The application deadline is May 27, 2011.  If you are interested in applying for this scholarship, please see Fr. John for an application.
 
Happy Birthdays in May:
         May 5                    —    Joanna Meadows
                                       —    Dale Cooper
         May 7                    —    Tiffany Strain (#14!)
         May 8                    —    Kh. Janet Henderson
         May 10                  —    Fr. Leo Schelver
         May 11                  —    Meghan Brock
         May 15                  —    Tom Skirtech
         May 21                  —    Jacob Skirtech (#4!)
         May 24                  —    Daniel Root
                                       —    Paul Katool
         May 26                  —    David Turner
         May 27                  —    Luke Habeeb (#6!)
         May 30                  —    Dn. Terry Algood
         May 31                  —    Stephen Chamblee
 
Happy Anniversaries in May:
         May 2                    —    Samer and Irene N’Ser (1999)
         May 12                  —    Cliff and Anna Kathryn Stewart (2007)
         May 30                  —    Tom and Jennifer Skirtech (1977)
 
Lost Items!  Are you missing any items?? …most notably 3 sets of keys or a thread-counted bookmark.?  These may be claimed in the church office.  Please see Kh. Sharon.
 
If you are the last to leave the building, please make sure that the heating and cooling unit in the Fellowship Hall is turned off.
 
Quotable:  “It is in vain that some unenlightened people seek the greatest evil for man somewhere else, rather than in sin.  Some consider disease to be the greatest evil, others—poverty, and others—death.  But neither disease, nor poverty, nor death, nor any other earthly disaster can be such a great evil for us as sin is.  These earthly misfortunes do not separate us from God if we are seeking Him sincerely, but, on the contrary, they bring us closer to Him.”
                                                                        Archimandrite Seraphim Aleksiev
 
        
Worship:         Sunday, May 15, 2011 (Sunday of the Paralytic)
 
         Scripture:                                    Acts 9:32-42; John 5:1-15
         Celebrant:                                   Father John
         Epistle Reader:                         Kh. Be’Be’ Schever
         Prosphora:                               Schelvers
         Coffee Hour:                           POT LUCK MEAL
                                                         (Set-up – R. Roots/Meadows)