September 11, 2011
Sunday before the Elevation of the Cross;
Sunday after the Nativity of the Theotokos
Galatians 6:11-18: In the conclusion of his letter to the Galatians, St Paul reminds them that to be circumcised or uncircumcised is not the issue, but rather to be a new creation in Christ Jesus.
John 3:13-17: In the Gospel of John we hear Jesus speak concerning His purpose for coming into the world: to save mankind through His death and Resurrection.
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 of the Nativity of the Theotokos: Thy nativity, O Theotokos, hath proclaimed joy to the whole universe; for from thee did shine forth the Sun of justice, Christ our God, annulling the curse, and bestowing the everlasting blessing, abolishing death and granting us life everlasting.
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 the Nativity of the Theotokos: By thy holy birth-giving, O pure one, Joachim and Anne were delivered from the reproach of barrenness; and Adam and Eve were delivered from the corruption of death; thy people do celebrate it, having been saved from the stain of iniquity, crying unto thee, The barren doth give birth to the Theotokos, who nourisheth our life.
CALENDAR
Sunday, September 11 (Sunday before the Elevation of the Cross;
Sunday after the Nativity of the Theotokos)
8:50 a.m. — Orthros
9:00 a.m. — Christian Education resumes
10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy
TBA — Swim Party for Christian Education at the Pigott’s
Monday, September 12
Office Closed — Father John’s Day Off
Tuesday, September 13 (Dedication of the Church of the Anastasis)
6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros
6:00 p.m. — Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy
Wednesday, September 14 (Elevation of the Holy Cross)
This feast is celebrated as one of the most important in the Church Year because it commemorates two events of great significance. After St. Helen had found at Jerusalem the cross upon which Christ was crucified, she built a Church on Mount Calvary to hold the precious relic. The Christians held the Holy Cross in such high regard that they soon began to celebrate this feast in honor of the finding of the Cross.
In the year 614, the Persians invaded the Empire and took Jerusalem, and sent the case containing the Cross back to their country. For fifteen years the Greek Emperor Heraclius waged war against the Persians, and finally in 629 defeated them, forcing them to make peace, and to restore the Holy Cross to him. It is said that the case containing the sacred relics was returned to him with the seals still unbroken. The Relics were replaced in the Church with great rejoicing, and to the original Feast in honor of the finding of the Cross was added another, in honor of its safe return to Jerusalem.
A special feature of the Church Services on this day, is the procession in which the Cross is borne aloft on a tray of flowers and placed in the midst of the Church; the Priest then elevates it to the four corners of the compass, blessing thrice with it as he does so, and praying that God will protect and preserve the President and the Civil Authorities of our country and the Armed Forces, and guard and guide the Hierarchs and clergy of the Church, and protect and preserve all His faithful people from every evil.
5:00 p.m. — Catechism Class
6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers
Thursday, September 15
6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros
Friday, September 16
6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros
Saturday, September 17
5:45 p.m. — Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
Sunday, September 18 (Sunday after the Elevation of the Cross)
8:50 a.m. — Orthros
9:00 a.m. — Christian Education
10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Fahmys for the Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos this past Wednesday evening and by the Bakers 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
September 11 Bakers Joneses/Stewarts
September 13 (Tues. p.m.) Woods POT LUCK
(Feast of the Elevation of the Cross) set-up: Kh. Sharon
September 18 R. Roots Ellis/Zouboukos
September 25 Hendersons Meadows
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#
September 11 Tom Willingham Gal. 6:11-18 198
September 13 (Tues. p.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows I Cor. 1:18-24 311
September 18 Tom Skirtech Gal. 2:16-20 193
September 25 Walt Wood II Cor. 4:6-15 163
Please remember Fr. Joseph and Kh. Joanna Bittle and their daughter Abigail in your prayers. Abigail, who was born prematurely and only recently came home after months in the NICU, has developed meningitis. She had surgery on Friday and is still seriously ill.
Please continue to pray for the health of His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN.
Please remember the following in your prayers: Maria Costas; Amy and Michael Surratt and Amy’s family; Tom and Jennifer Skirtech and Jennifer’s mother, Jessamine Hinkson; Warren and Sandi Strain and Warren’s mother, Ouida Strain; Fr. Leo, Kh. Be’Be’, Stephen and Amy, Justyn and Jeffrey; Steve, Sheryl and Stephen Chamblee; Amy and Brantley Oliver; Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Sam and Lamia Dabit; David Turner’s mother Mary Jean.
Congratulations to Stephen Chamblee on his graduation from High School!
25th Anniversary Celebration:
The Church is planning a celebration of our being received into the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese in March 1987. The weekend of May 4th-6th, 2012, has been set aside for some special events, including visits from Bishop ANTOUN and V. Rev. Fr. Jon Braun, with a celebratory banquet planned at the Mississippi Museum of Art on Saturday evening, May 5th.
The planning committee (composed of Dn. Terry, Kh. Janet, Sh. Charlotte, Brenda Baker, Elizabeth Root and Paul Katool) is working on some other projects and we need your help! An “Anniversary Book” is being compiled and will be printed and made available that weekend. It will contain, among other things, articles on the life of our church, our church’s history, and photos (new and old) of church members and activities. We are asking you to look through your files and albums for pictures that can be included in the book and also in a special video presentation. These photos will of course be returned to you as soon as they are scanned, etc. We need photos of church events going back 25 years or longer – but also events and photos from recent activities – from newer church members as well as the “old heads!” These can include our chrismation weekend in ’87, teen retreats, work-days, our renovation project, ladies’/men’s activities, feast day celebrations, etc., etc., etc. Please put your photos in an envelope –CLEARLY LABELED WITH YOUR NAME, AND ON THE BACK OF EACH PHOTO INCLUDE YOUR NAME, DATE OF PICTURE (IF KNOWN) NAMES OF THE PEOPLE, AND WHAT THE EVENT WAS. Give these either to Deacon Terry or Kh. Janet NO LATER THAN TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST.
We will also need a host of volunteers to help with various things over the next several months. If you would like to help, please contact Deacon Terry. THANK YOU!!!
Breakfast and Bible Study: we are continuing our Bible Study of 1st Peter. The Bible Study will meet every 2-3 weeks on Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m. with breakfast. This is open to all who are interested. Be sure to come and enjoy the fellowship.
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.
Calendar Items:
* The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.
* There will be a Swim Party this afternoon at the Pigotts’ for all those in Sunday School.
* The Annual Knucklehead Family Reunion (aka Men’s Fishing Trip) will be held in
Arkansas, on September 16-23 this year.
* A Fall Festival is scheduled here at the church on Sunday afternoon, October 30th from 4:00-6:00 p.m. More details will be available at a later date.
* We will be serving our next meal at the Stewpot in Jackson on November 19th.
* His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN will be at St. Andrew Orthodox Church in Pensacola the weekend of December 4th to consecrate their church. Father John and others from our parish plan to attend.
* The Annual Deanery Youth Retreat will be held on February 10-12, 2012 at John W. Kyle State Park in Sardis. Joel and Sarah Finley will be addressing the topic of the Culture of Dating. More information will be available as the time draws near.
* 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 September
In September the traditional fasting (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month. September 14th is also a strict fast day in remembrance of the Elevation of the Cross.
Major Commemorations for September
September 16 Euphemia the all-praised
September 20 Martyr Eustathios and his family
September 23 Conception of the Forerunner
September 26 Apostle John the Theologian (repose)
September 28 Venerable Chariton the Confessor
Happy Anniversaries in September:
September 4 — Ben and Jenna Skirtech (#10!)
September 6 — Richard and Vickie Curtis (#25!)
September 15 — Tom and Kathy Willingham (#21!)
September 26 — Rod and Emily Parker (#7!)
Happy Birthdays in September:
September 3 — Lee Greene
— Geraldine Quirk
September 4 — Fr. John Henderson
September 8 — Nikki Lasseter
September 9 — Rebecca Dansereau
September 10 — Dorin Lavric
September 12 — Alvin Buckles
September 15 — Lynda Costas
September 18 — Carolina Lavric
September 25 — Rick Carlton
September 30 — Laura Yeatts
Quotable: “Another says: ‘Why should I go to Confession? I have no special sins. Let those who have murdered, stolen, raped, or committed some other sin go to Confession.’
This objection to Confession is the complete opposite of the first one. There the man, because of the oppressing realization of his wickedness, does not believe that he can be forgiven. Here, there is a lack of any realization of wickedness. ‘I have no special sins…’ But is it really so? When a man stays in a closed room for a long time, he gets used to the bad air in it and does not feel how unpleasant it is. But if someone comes in from the outside, he will not be able to stand the stench in the room and will run away.
Let those who say, ‘I have no special sins,’ answer whether they have Christ in their hearts. He likes to inhabit pure hearts. But are their hearts pure? Hardly! They imagine that they are pure, but imagination is not reality. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (I John 1:8. And where there is a lie, there Christ is not.
Then what should we do? – let us confess. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just…to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9).”
Archimandrite Seraphim Aleksiev
Worship: Sunday, September 18, 2011 (Sunday after the elevation of the Cross)
Scripture: Galations 2:16-20; Mark 8:34-9:1
Celebrant: Father James
Epistle Reader: Tom Skirtech
Prosphora: R. Roots
Coffee Hour: Ellis/Zouboukos
Saint Peter Antiochian Orthodox Church 