Monthly Archives: October 2011

10/30 announcements

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October 30, 2011
Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost;
 
Galatians 1:11-19:  St. Paul defends his ministry in his letter to the Galatians, telling them of how his former way of life was changed by a direct revelation from the Lord, and of his actions immediately afterwards.
 
Luke 16:19-31:  In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, our Lord teaches us that giving mercy to others, regardless of the form, is essential to holiness.
 
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 Martyrs:  Thy Martyrs, O Lord, in their courageous contest for Thee received as the prize the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our immortal God.  For since they possessed Thy strength, they cast down the tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons= strengthless presumption.  O Christ our God, by their prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful.
 
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 Theotokos:  O undisputed intercessor of Christians, O mediatrix, who is unrejected by the Creator, turn not away from the voice of our petitions though we be sinners; come to us in time, who cry to thee in faith, for thou art good.  Hasten to us with intercessions, O Theotokos, who didst ever intercede for those who honor thee.
 
 
CALENDAR
 
Sunday, October 30   (Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost)
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            9:00 a.m.         — Christian Education
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
            4:00 p.m.         — Fall Festival at the Church
 
Monday, October 31  
            Office Closed  — Father John’s Day Off
           
Tuesday, November 1   (Cosmas and Damian of Asia)
            6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
 
Wednesday, November 2  
5:00 p.m.         — Catechism Class
6:30 p.m.         — Daily Vespers
7:30 p.m.         — Choir Practice
 
Thursday, November 3   (Dedication of the Church of St. George)
6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
11:30 a.m.       — Men’s Luncheon
 
Friday, November 4  
6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
 
Saturday, November 5   (Rapahael, Bishop of Brooklyn)
9:00 a.m.         — Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy
5:45 p.m.         — Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
 
Sunday, November 6   (Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost)
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            9:00 a.m.         — Christian Education
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
            12:00 p.m.       — Pot Luck Meal
            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.
 
Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
                                                      Eucharist Bread                     Coffee Hour
         October 30                            Joneses                                    Algoods
         November 5 (Sat. a.m.)         D. Roots                                  Karen Cooper
                  (Feast of St. Raphael of Brooklyn)
         November 6                          Joanna Meadows                     POT LUCK MEAL
                                                                                                            Set-up:  Pigotts
         November 13                        Meadows                                 Fahmys
         November 20                        Freundts                                   D. Roots/Dansereaus
         November 20 (p.m.)             Katools (Artoklasia Bread for Nativity of the Theotokos)
         November 27                        Dansereaus                              Morrises
 
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#
October 30                         Phillip Lasseter                      Gal. 1:11-19                    188
November 5 (Sat. a.m.)      Brenda Baker                        Heb. 7:26-8:3                  334
November 6                       Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver             Titus 3:8-15                     193
November 13                     Tom Willingham                     Heb. 7:26- 8:3                 334
November 20                     Tom Skirtech                         Eph. 2:4-10                     202
November 27                     Walt Wood                           Eph. 2:14 to end              207
 
Please be reminded that the Sacristy/Vestry which is adjacent to and behind the altar in our church is considered by the Orthodox Church to be part of the Sanctuary (Altar area) and should not be entered without the blessing of the priest for a specific purpose.  If you need to speak with a member of the clergy while they are in the Sanctuary, please ask them to come to you in the nave.
 
Please continue to pray for the health of His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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!!!
 
Church Photo:  We will be taking a group photo of the parish TODAY following the Divine Liturgy.  This will be used as the cover for our new Directory.  Also, if you have not had your individual/family photo taken, please contact Daniel Root.
 
Calendar Items:
*    The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.
*    A Fall Festival is scheduled here at the church this afternoon from 4:00-6:00 p.m.  Be sure to come for the fun and fellowship.
*    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.
*    Father Thomas Hopko will be speaking at Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in Clinton February 14-16, 2012.  More information will be available at a later date.
*    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 November
In October the traditional fasting (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays in the first half of the month.  Then, beginning November 15th, the first day of the Nativity Fast, the traditional fasting is observed each day of the week.  Note, however, through December 19th there is a katalysis on Tuesdays and Thursdays when wine and oil are permitted, and on Saturdays and Sundays when fish, wine and oil are permitted.
 
Major Commemorations for November
            November 1     Sts. Cosmas and Damian of Asia
            November 5     St. Raphael of Brooklyn
            November 8     Archangels Gabriel and Michael
            November 9     St. Nektarios the Wonder-worker
            November 13   St. John Chrysostom (repose)
            November 14   Apostle Philip
November 16   Apostle and Evangelist Matthew
November 21   Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple
November 23   St. Amphilocios of Iconium
November 25   St. Catherine the Great-martyr
November 30   Apostle Andrew, the First-called
           
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.
 
Supper Clubs:  Several members of the parish have expressed interest in a supper club again this year.  If you would be interested in participating, please sign-up on the sheet available in the Fellowship Hall.
 
At the request of some of our young parents, Father John will speak on the Orthodox view of the rearing and disciplining children in the near future.  This will probably take place on a Saturday morning.  For those who are interested in participating in this forum, please let Father John know what dates would be best for you as soon as possible.
 
Happy Birthdays in November:
         November 5           —    Alexia Parker (#13!)
         November 11         —    Beth Ann Baker Pappas
                                       —    Lorencz Quirk
         November 13         —    Sophia Skirtech (#3!)
         November 16         —    Melissa Curtis (#18!)
         November 17         —    Karen Cooper
         November 21         —    Ken Jones
         November 24         —    Mildred Morris
         November 29         —    Mike Pigott
         November 30         —    Peter Henderson
 
Happy Anniversaries in November:
         November 26         —    Glenn and Mildred Morris (#45!)
         November 28         —    Dn. Terry and Sh. Charlotte Algood (#40!)
 
Bright Sadness:  A 40 Day Lenten Journey to Pascha:  In our bookstore, we have 15 copies of a book prepared by Sh. Myrna Martin of St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in Franklin, TN.  It contains meal plans and quotations for all days during Great Lent.  The cost of the book is $15, with ALL proceeds going to the Hogar Raphael, the orphanage in Guatemala supported by our church.  Great idea for Christmas gifts, etc!!
 
Quotable:  “Besides, Confession before a priest has an enormous instructive meaning.  It humbles us.  It cures our pride; it makes us blush savingly; it instills in us shame and fear and thus protects us from future sins.  When we sin, we sin against the Omnipotent God, but we are not ashamed before Him because we do not see Him.  In the same manner, when we confess before God, we do so easily, because we do not see Him, and it is as if we were talking to our selves.  But what shyness comes over us when we confess before the priests!  The man who has submitted to the Church order to confess before a priest will hardly dare to repeat his sins, when he thinks of having to reveal them again during Confession.  Jesus Christ has ordered very wisely that our repentance should be done before a priest who is God’s witness!”
                                                                        Archimandrite Seraphim Aleksiev
 
 
Worship:         Sunday, November 6, 2011 (Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost)
 
         Scripture:                               Titus 3:8-15; Luke 8:41-56
         Celebrant:                               Father John
         Epistle Reader:                        Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver
         Prosphora:                              Joanna Meadows
         Coffee Hour:                           POT LUCK MEAL (set-up:  Pigotts)

10/23 announcements

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October 23, 2011
Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost;
Apostle James brother of the Lord
 
Galatians 1:11-19:  St. Paul defends his ministry in his letter to the Galatians, telling them of how his former way of life was changed by a direct revelation from the Lord, and of his actions immediately afterwards.
 
Luke 8:27-39:  From the reading in St Luke, we see Jesus heal a man possessed by demons;  in do­ing so, Jesus demonstrates His authority over His creation, even when it rebels against Him.
 
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!
 
Troparion of the Apostle James, Brother of the Lord:  Since thou art a Disciple of the Lord, thou didst receive the Gospel, O righteous one, and since thou art a Martyr thou art never rejected, and since thou art a brother of God, thou art privileged, and since thou art a High Priest, it is thine to intercede. Wherefore, beseech thou Christ God to save our souls.
 
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 Theotokos:  O undisputed intercessor of Christians, O mediatrix, who is unrejected by the Creator, turn not away from the voice of our petitions though we be sinners; come to us in time, who cry to thee in faith, for thou art good.  Hasten to us with intercessions, O Theotokos, who didst ever intercede for those who honor thee.
 
CALENDAR
 
Sunday, October 23   (Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost)
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            9:00 a.m.         — Christian Education
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
5:30 pm           — Youth Group
 
Monday, October 24  
            Office Closed  — Father John’s Day Off
           
Tuesday, October 25 
            NO Daily Orthros
 
Wednesday, October 26  (Great-martyr Demetrios)
NO Catechism Class
NO Daily Vespers
 
Thursday, October 27   
NO Daily Orthros
 
Friday, October 28    
NO Daily Orthros
 
Saturday, October 29   
7:30 a.m.         — Bible Study with Breakfast
5:45 p.m.         — Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
 
Sunday, October 30   (Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost)
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            9:00 a.m.         — Christian Education
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
            4:00 p.m.         — Fall Festival at the Church
 
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.
 
Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
                                                      Eucharist Bread                     Coffee Hour
         October 23                            Morrises                                  Schelvers
         October 30                            Joneses                                    Algoods
         November 5 (Sat. a.m.)         D. Roots                                  Karen Cooper
                  (Feast of St. Raphael of Brooklyn)
         November 6                          Joanna Meadows                     POT LUCK MEAL
                                                                                                            Set-up:  Pigotts
         November 13                        Meadows                                 Fahmys
         November 20                        Freundts                                   D. Roots/Dansereaus
         November 20 (p.m.)             Katools (Artoklasia Bread for Nativity of the Theotokos)
         November 27                        Dansereaus                              Morrises
 
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#
October 23                         Mildred Morris                     Gal. 1:11-19                    188
                                          (Reading for the feast of the Apostle James is same as next week)
October 30                         Phillip Lasseter                     Gal. 1:11-19                    188
November 5 (Sat. a.m.)      Brenda Baker                       Heb. 7:26-8:3                  334
November 6                       Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver            Titus 3:8-15                      193
November 13                     Tom Willingham                    Heb. 7:26- 8:3                 334
November 20                     Tom Skirtech                        Eph. 2:4-10                     202
November 27                     Walt Wood                           Eph. 2:14 to end              207
 
Please be reminded that the Sacristy/Vestry which is adjacent to and behind the altar in our church is considered by the Orthodox Church to be part of the Sanctuary (Altar area) and should not be entered without the blessing of the priest for a specific purpose.  If you need to speak with a member of the clergy while they are in the Sanctuary, please ask them to come to you in the nave.
 
Please continue to pray for the health of His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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!!!
 
Church Photo:  We will be taking a group photo of the parish on Sunday, October 30th following the Divine Liturgy.  This will be used as the cover for our new Directory.  Also, if you have not had your individual/family photo taken, please contact Daniel Root.
 
Supper Clubs:  Several members of the parish have expressed interest in a supper club again this year.  If you would be interested in participating, please sign-up on the sheet available in the Fellowship Hall.
 
At the request of some of our young parents, Father John will speak on the Orthodox view of the  rearing and disciplining children in the near future.  This will probably take place on a Saturday morning.  For those who are interested in participating in this forum, please let Father John know what dates would be best for you as soon as possible.
 
Calendar Items:
*    The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.
*    Father John will be in Little Rock, AR October 24-26 for the Lower MS Valley Deanery Clergy Retreat, hosted this year by Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Little Rock.
*    A Fall Festival is scheduled here at the church next Sunday afternoon, October 30th from 4:00-6:00 p.m.  Be sure to come for the fun and fellowship.
*    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.
*    Father Thomas Hopko will speaking at Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in Clinton February 14-16, 2012.  More information will be available at a later date.
*    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 October
In October the traditional fasting (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month. 
 
Major Commemorations for October
October 23             Apostle James the Brother of the Lord
October 26             Great-martyr Demetrios
 
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 Birthdays in October:
         October 1               —    Emily Parker
         October 3               —    Reader Basil Baker
         October 4               —    Rod Parker
         October 7               —    Glenn Morris
         October 8               —    Brantley Oliver
         October 10             —    Phillip Lasseter
         October 16             —    Jesse Milnor
         October 17             —    Max Baker
         October 20             —    Anna Kathryn Stewart
         October 23             —    Anne Habeeb
         October 24             —    Jean Kafoury
         October 25             —    Kathy Willingham
         October 28             —    Lamia Dabit
                                       —    Mona Fahmy
                                       —    Desi Roehner
         October 29             —    Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver
 
Happy Anniversaries in October:
         October 17             —    Phillip and Nikki Lasseter (#2!)
         October 18             —    Oliver and Laura Yeatts (#3!)
         October 22             —    Walter and Charlotte Wood (#28!)
 
 
Quotable:  “A fourth man says:  ‘I am confessing before God.  What need is there for me to go to the priest?’
                    …God has ordained the priest to administer the Holy Sacraments so that we can receive through them the heavenly all-saving grace.  Confession is a sacrament, too.  If you confess before God, you are doing well, because you are moving your conscience, remembering your sins, and maybe even shedding tears for them.  Yet you do not receive God’s grace of forgiveness through all that.  As when you sit and think how, during the never-ending day of the Heavenly Kingdom, those who have pleased God partake of the unfathomable-for-us heavenly Communion, you do not partake in reality, no matter how moved you may be by your thought, until you accept visible Holy Communion; so, too, until you go to the priest to whom Jesus Christ Himself has given the power to bind and loose, no matter how much you confess before God, you do not receive forgiveness for your sins, because God Himself has condescended to say to the priest: whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them   (John 20:23).”
                                                                        Archimandrite Seraphim Aleksiev
 
 
Bright Sadness:  A 40 Day Lenten Journey to Pascha:  In our bookstore, we have 15 copies of a book prepared by Sh. Myrna Martin of St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in Franklin, TN.  It contains meal plans and quotations for all days during Great Lent.  The cost of the book is $15, with ALL proceeds going to the Hogar Raphael, the orphanage in Guatemala supported by our church.  Great idea for Christmas gifts, etc!!
 
 
Worship:         Sunday, October 30, 2011 (Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost)
 
         Scripture:                               Galatians 1:11-19; Luke 16:19-31
         Celebrant:                              Father John
         Epistle Reader:                       Phillip Lasseter
         Prosphora:                             Joneses
         Coffee Hour:                          Algoods

10/16 announcements

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October 16, 2011
Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council
 
Titus 3:8-15:  On this Sunday we read from St. Paul’s letter to Titus, whom he warns to avoid delv­ing into unprofitable and foolish questions about doctrine, and to reject heretics after two admonitions.
 
Luke 8:5-15:  Our Lord tells the parable of the sower in which he teaches us that the believer who perseveres with honest and good hearts will bear much fruit.
 
Troparion of the Resurrection:  The stone being sealed by the Jews, and thy pure body being guarded by the soldiers, thou didst arise on the third day, O Saviour, granting life to the world.  Wherefore, the heavenly powers acclaimed thee, O Giver of life, crying, Glory to thy Resurrection, O Christ! Glory to thy kingdom! Glory to thy gracious providence, O only Lover of mankind.
 
Troparion of the Holy Fathers: Thou, O Christ, art our God of exceeding praise who didst establish our holy Fathers as luminous stars upon earth, and through them didst guide us unto the true Faith, O most merciful One, 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 the Theotokos:  O undisputed intercessor of Christians, O mediatrix, who is unrejected by the Creator, turn not away from the voice of our petitions though we be sinners; come to us in time, who cry to thee in faith, for thou art good.  Hasten to us with intercessions, O Theotokos, who didst ever intercede for those who honor thee.
 
 
CALENDAR
 
Sunday, October 16   (Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council)
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            9:00 a.m.         — Christian Education
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
12:00 p.m.       — Ladies of St. Peter
            1:00 p.m.         — Young Adults
 
Monday, October 17  
            Office Closed  — Father John’s Day Off
           
Tuesday, October 18  (Apostle Luke)
            6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
 
Wednesday, October 19   
5:00 p.m.         — Catechism Class
6:30 p.m.         — Daily Vespers followed by Parish Council Meeting
7:30 p.m.         — Choir Practice
 
Thursday, October 20   
6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
 
Friday, October 21    
6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
 
Saturday, October 22   
8:30 a.m.         — Workday at the Church
5:45 p.m.         — Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
 
Sunday, October 23   (Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost)
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            9:00 a.m.         — Christian Education
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
            5:30 pm           — Youth Group
 
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
Eucharist Bread …was offered by the 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
         October 16                            Schelvers                                 Woods
         October 23                            Morrises                                   Schelvers
         October 30                            Joneses                                    Algoods
 
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#
October 16                         Kh. Sharon Meadows           Titus 3:8-15                    322
October 23                         Mildred Morris                      Gal. 1:11-19                   188
October 30                         Phillip Lasseter                      Gal. 1:11-19                   188
 
Please be reminded that the Sacristy/Vestry which is adjacent to and behind the altar in our church is considered by the Orthodox Church to be part of the Sanctuary (Altar area) and should not be entered without the blessing of the priest for a specific purpose.  If you need to speak with a member of the clergy while they are in the Sanctuary, please ask them to come to you in the nave.
 
Please continue to pray for the health of His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN.
 
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.
 
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 and Many Years! to Beth Ann Baker and Noah Pappas on their wedding last Saturday at the Antiochian Village in Pennsylvania. (Congratulations also to parents of the bride, Reader Basil and Brenda Baker.)
 
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.
 
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!!!
 
Church Photo:  We will be taking a group photo of the parish on Sunday, October 30th following the Divine Liturgy.  This will be used as the cover for our new Directory.  Also, if you have not had your individual/family photo taken, please contact Daniel Root.
 
Supper Clubs:  Several members of the parish have expressed interest in a supper club again this year.  If you would be interested in participating, please sign-up on the sheet available in the Fellowship Hall.
 
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.
 
At the request of some of our young parents, Father John will speak on the Orthodox view of the  rearing and disciplining children in the near future.  This will probably take place on a Saturday morning.  For those who are interested in participating in this forum, please let Father John know what dates would be best for you as soon as possible.
 
Bright Sadness:  A 40 Day Lenten Journey to Pascha:  In our bookstore, we have 15 copies of a book prepared by Sh. Myrna Martin of St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in Franklin, TN.  It contains meal plans and quotations for all days during Great Lent.  The cost of the book is $15, with ALL proceeds going to the Hogar Raphael, the orphanage in Guatemala supported by our church.  Great idea for Christmas gifts, etc!!
 
Calendar Items:
*    The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.
*    Father John will be in Little Rock, AR October 24-26 for the Lower MS Valley Deanery Clergy Retreat, hosted this year by Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Little Rock.
*    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.
*    Father Thomas Hopko will speaking at Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in Clinton February 14-16, 2012.
*    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 October
In October the traditional fasting (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month. 
 
Major Commemorations for October
October 18             Apostle Luke
October 23             Apostle James the Brother of the Lord
October 26             Great-martyr Demetrios
 
Happy Birthdays in October:
         October 1               —    Emily Parker
         October 3               —    Reader Basil Baker
         October 4               —    Rod Parker
         October 7               —    Glenn Morris
         October 8               —    Brantley Oliver
         October 10             —    Phillip Lasseter
         October 16             —    Jesse Milnor
         October 17             —    Max Baker
         October 20             —    Anna Kathryn Stewart
         October 23             —    Anne Habeeb
         October 24             —    Jean Kafoury
         October 25             —    Kathy Willingham
         October 28             —    Lamia Dabit
                                       —    Mona Fahmy
                                       —    Desi Roehner
         October 29             —    Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver
 
Happy Anniversaries in October:
         October 17             —    Phillip and Nikki Lasseter (#2!)
         October 18             —    Oliver and Laura Yeatts (#3!)
         October 22             —    Walter and Charlotte Wood (#28!)
 
Quotable:      “A third man says:  ‘All this is true.  But why should I confess when I know that tomorrow I will sin again?  Is there any point in such confession?  I see that one should confess only if one would sin no more after that!’
                       This objection to Confession contains both something which is very true and something which is not.  The right thing here is the desire not to sin after Confession.  But we are feeble humans, and we cannot attain right away such a firmness which makes falling into voluntary sins impossible.  If we cannot reach such steadfastness in virtue right away, should we surrender to vice?  Or should we stop confessing?  Which is better—to roll in the mud of the spiritual swamp, or to pick yourself up after each fall and go on with the hope that someday you may reach the solid beautiful shore of virtue?  If you do not confess, you remain in the mud.  If you confess, you pick yourself up from the mud and clean yourself.  ‘But why should I get up if tomorrow I will fall again?’  When you fall again, then get up again!  Every day begin all over again!  This is undoubtedly better than falling out of the habit of getting up.”
                                                                        Archimandrite Seraphim Aleksiev
 
 
 
Worship:         Sunday, October 23, 2011 (Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost;
Apostle James, Brother of the Lord)
 
         Scripture:                                Galatians 1:11-19; Luke 8:26-29
         Celebrant:                               Father John
         Epistle Reader:                        Mildred Morris
         Prosphora:                               Morrises
         Coffee Hour:                           Schelvers

10/9 announcements

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October 9, 2011
Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
 
II Corinthians 6:16-7:1:  St Paul reminds us that as God has promised to dwell with us, we are to be holy, cleansing ourselves from ungodliness.
 
Luke 7:11-16:  In the reading from the Gospel of St Luke we see the Lord Jesus raise a woman’s son from death.
 
Troparion of the Resurrection:  O compassionate One, thou didst descend from the heights; thou didst submit to the three-day burial, that thou might deliver us from passion.  Thou art our Life and our Resurrection, O Lord, glory to thee.
 
Troparion of the Apostle James:  O holy Apostle James, pray to the merciful God that He may grant to our souls remission of our transgressions!
 
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 Theotokos:  O undisputed intercessor of Christians, O mediatrix, who is unrejected by the Creator, turn not away from the voice of our petitions though we be sinners; come to us in time, who cry to thee in faith, for thou art good.  Hasten to us with intercessions, O Theotokos, who didst ever intercede for those who honor thee.
 
CALENDAR
 
Sunday, October 9   (Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost)
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            9:00 a.m.         — Christian Education
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
            5:30 p.m.         — Youth Group
 
Monday, October 10  
            Office Closed  — Father John’s Day Off
           
Tuesday, October 11 
            6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
 
Wednesday, October 12   
5:00 p.m.         — Catechism Class
6:30 p.m.         — Daily Vespers
7:30 p.m.         — Choir Practice
 
Thursday, October 13   
6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
 
Friday, October 14    
6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
 
Saturday, October 15   
7:30 a.m.         — Bible Study with Breakfast
5:45 p.m.         — Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
 
Sunday, October 16   (Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council)
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            9:00 a.m.         — Christian Education
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
            1:00 p.m.         — Yong Adults
 
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Katools for the Divine Liturgy today.  
 
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.
 
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
         October 9                              Katools                                    Hendersons
         October 16                            Schelvers                                 Woods
         October 23                            Morrises                                   Schelvers
         October 30                            Joneses                                    Algoods
 
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#
October 9                           Warren Strain                        II Cor. 6:16 to 7:1           173
October 16                         Kh. Sharon Meadows           Titus 3:8-15                    322
October 23                         Mildred Morris                      Gal. 1:11-19                   188
October 30                         Phillip Lasseter                     Gal. 1:11-19                   188
 
Please be reminded that the Sacristy/Vestry which is adjacent to and behind the altar in our church is considered by the Orthodox Church to be part of the Sanctuary (Altar area) and should not be entered without the blessing of the priest for a specific purpose.  If you need to speak with a member of the clergy while they are in the Sanctuary, please ask them to come to you in the nave.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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!!!
 
Calendar Items:
*    The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.
*    Father John will be in Little Rock, AR October 24-26 for the Lower MS Valley Deanery Clergy Retreat, hosted this year by Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Little Rock.
*    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.
 
Bright Sadness:  A 40 Day Lenten Journey to Pascha:  In our bookstore, we have 15 copies of a book prepared by Sh. Myrna Martin of St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in Franklin, TN.  It contains meal plans and quotations for all days during Great Lent.  The cost of the book is $15, with ALL proceeds going to the Hogar Raphael, the orphanage in Guatemala supported by our church.  Great idea for Christmas gifts, etc!!
 
Church Photo:  We will be taking a group photo of the parish on Sunday, October 30th following the Divine Liturgy.  This will be used as the cover for our new Directory.  Also, if you have not had your individual/family photo taken, please contact Daniel Root.
 
Supper Clubs:  Several members of the parish have expressed interest in a supper club again this year.  If you would be interested in participating, please sign-up on the sheet available in the Fellowship Hall. 
 
Fasting Discipline for October
In October the traditional fasting (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month. 
 
Major Commemorations for October
October 9               Apostle James, Sin of Alphaeus
October 18             Apostle Luke
October 23             Apostle James the Brother of the Lord
October 26             Great-martyr Demetrios
 
Happy Birthdays in October:
         October 1               —    Emily Parker
         October 3               —    Reader Basil Baker
         October 4               —    Rod Parker
         October 7               —    Glenn Morris
         October 8               —    Brantley Oliver
         October 10             —    Phillip Lasseter
         October 16             —    Jesse Milnor
         October 17             —    Max Baker
         October 20             —    Anna Kathryn Stewart
         October 23             —    Anne Habeeb
         October 24             —    Jean Kafoury
         October 25             —    Kathy Willingham
         October 28             —    Lamia Dabit
                                       —    Mona Fahmy
                                       —    Desi Roehner
         October 29             —    Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver
 
 
Happy Anniversaries in October:
         October 17             —    Phillip and Nikki Lasseter (#2!)
         October 18             —    Oliver and Laura Yeatts (#3!)
         October 22             —    Walter and Charlotte Wood (#28!)
 
Quotable:  “The small sins are often more dangerous than the greatest crimes, because the latter weigh heavily on the conscience and insist on being atoned for, confessed, settled, erased, while the small sins do not weigh too much on the soul, but they have that perilous property of making it insensitive to the grace of God and indifferent to salvation.  Fewer people have perished from ferocious wild beasts than from small microbes, invisible to the naked eye.  By being considered insignificant, the small sins are usually passed by without any attention.  They are easily forgotten, but they create in man the most terrible habit—the habit of sinning, of dulling moral consciousness.  Thus the wretched sinner comes to deceive himself that he is not sinful, that everything is all right with him, when he is both a miserable and abject slave of sin.”
                                                                        Archimandrite Seraphim Aleksiev
 
 
Worship:         Sunday, October 16, 2011 (Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council)
 
         Scripture:                                Titus 3:8-15; Luke 8:5-15
         Celebrant:                               Father John
         Epistle Reader:                        Kh. Sharon Meadows
         Prosphora:                              Schelvers
         Coffee Hour:                           Woods