Monthly Archives: February 2012

2/19 announcements

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February 19, 2012
Meatfare Sunday
 
    The theme of the second Sunday before Lent is THE LAST JUDGEMENT (meat fare) and the Gospel lesson is Matthew 25:31-46 in which Christ describes the last judgement.  It is a lesson about Christian love.  For we all need love and each have been given the gift and grace of Christ’s love.  Thus, on whether or not we have accepted this responsibility (of Christ’s gift), and on whether we have loved or refused to love, shall we be judged.  For “inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto Me….”
 
I Corinthians 8:8-9:2:  St Paul, writing to the Corinthians, uses the situation about eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols to encourage them and us that we should be aware of our actions and how they affect others in their quest for holiness.
 
Matthew 25:31-46:  In describing the judgment of the nations, the Lord Jesus tells us that the righ­teous will receive eternal blessings, while the unrighteous shall receive eternal punishment.
 
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 Meat Fare Sunday:  When thou comest, O God, to earth with glory, and all creatures tremble before thee, and the river of fire floweth before the Altar, and the books are opened and sins revealed, deliver me then from that unquenchable fire, and make me worthy to stand at thy right hand, O righteous Judge.
 
 
CALENDAR
 
Sunday, February 19   (Sunday of Meatfare)
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            9:00 a.m.         — Christian Education
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
            1:00 p.m.         — Young Adults
 
Monday, February 20   
            Office Closed  — Father John’s Day Off
           
Tuesday, February 21   
            6:00     — Daily Orthros
 
Wednesday, February 22   
5:00 p.m.         — Catechism Class
6:30 p.m.         — Daily Vespers followed by Parish Council Meeting
7:30 p.m.         — Choir Practice
 
Thursday, February 23    
6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
 
Friday, February 24   (The Forerunner – 1st & 2nd Discoveries)
6:00 a.m.         — Festal Orthros
 
Saturday, February 25  
7:30 a.m.         — Breakfast with Bible Study
10:30 a.m.       — Bridal Shower for Joanna Meadows
5:45 p.m.         — Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
 
Sunday, February 26   (Sunday of Cheesefare)
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            9:00 a.m.         — Christian Education
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
            12:00 p.m.       — Annual Cheesefare Meal (fundraiser for Youth Group)
            6:30 p.m.         — Forgiveness Vespers
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Daniel Roots yesterday for Saturday of the Souls and by the Yeatts for the Divine Liturgy today.   Koliva for the Saturday of the Souls was offered by the Algoods.
 
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
         February 19                          Yeatts                                      Morris
         February 26                          Freundt                                    YOUTH GROUP
         March 4                                Fahmy                                     Jones/Stewart
         March 11                              Baker                                       Meadows/Lasseter
         March 18                              Wood                                       Ellis/Zouboukos
         March 25                              R. Root                                    POT LUCK MEAL
                                                                           (Set-up: R. Root/Jones/Pigott/Basinger)
 
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#
February 19                    Warren Strain                       I Cor. 8:8-9:2                   273
February 26                     Phillip Lasseter                    Rom. 13:11-14:4             279
March 4                           Mildred Morris                    Heb. 11:24-26, 32-40      281
March 11                         Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver            Heb. 1:10-2:3                  283
March 18                         Brenda Baker                        Heb. 4:14-5:6                  285
March 25                         Sh. Charlotte Algood          Heb. 2:11-18                   376
 
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 remember Fr. Joseph and Kh. Joanna Bittle and their daughter Abigail in your prayers. 
 
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 their family; 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; Georgia Buchanan, George Johns (Georgia’s grandson) and his family; Dorin and Carolina Lavric and Victor (Carolina’s brother); Mary Greene (Lee and Kh. Sharon’s sister); Joanna Meadows and Jay Davis (as they prepare for their wedding).
 
Calendar Items:
*    The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.
*    Bridal Shower for Joanna Meadows – February 25th at the home of Mildred Morris.
*    The Youth Group is planning to hold their annual Cheesefare Fundraising Luncheon on Sunday, February 26th.
*    Great Lent begins with Clean Monday on February 27th.  As is our parish custom, we will celebrate the Presanctified Liturgy on Wednesday evenings and the Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos on Friday evenings during the time of the fast.
*    The schedule of services for the first week of Great Lent is as follows (all services begin at 6:30 p.m.):
            Sunday, February 26th             Forgiveness Vespers
            Monday, February 27th           Great Compline with the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
            Tuesday, February 28th           Great Compline with the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
            Wednesday, February 29th     Presanctified Liturgy followed by Soup Supper
            Thursday, March 1st                Great Compline with the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
            Friday, March 2nd                     Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos
*    On Sunday evening, March 4th we will celebrate Sunday of Orthodoxy vespers with the other Orthodox churches in the area.  The service will be held at Holy Trinity and St. John the Theologian Greek Orthodox Church, located on Old Canton Road.  Time is TBA.
*    The Ladies of St. Peter will hold their annual fund-raising lunch and auction on Sunday morning, March 25th.
*    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.
 
House Blessings!  A sign-up sheet is available in the Fellowship Hall to sign up for your house blessing.  Please schedule these as soon as possible.  Everyone should have their home blessed.  However, the responsibility for scheduling lies with individuals and not Father John.  No house blessings will be done once Great Lent starts (February 27th this year).
 
Welcome!  Robert and Debbie Abraham have moved their membership officially from St. George Orthodox Church in Vicksburg to St. Peter’s and we welcome them as an “official” members!
 
Camping Scholarships:  We have received the request form for Scholarships to attend one of the Archdiocese camps this summer.  If your camper needs financial assistance to attend Camp St. Thekla or the Antiochian Village, please see Kh. Sharon for a form.  Father John must submit these forms to the Department of Camping no later than March 1, 2012 (no exceptions).
 
When you host Coffee Hour or the meal for a Feast please make sure that the oven, warmer, and coffee maker are turned off afterwards.  On several occasions in the past, the cleaning ladies have found the oven still on when they came in to clean later during the week.
 
Breakfast and Bible Study:  we are continuing to meet every 2-3 weeks for Bible Study 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.
 
Fasting Discipline for February
The traditional fasting (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil) is observed on Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.  Following Meatfare Sunday (February 19th) meat will not be eaten again until Pascha.  During the week following Meatfare Sunday, dairy products (millk, cheese, eggs, etc.) are permitted, even on Wednesday and Friday.  February 26th is Cheesefare Sunday, the last day until Pascha that cheese, dairy and wine are permitted.  Monday, February 27th is Clean Monday, the first day of  Great Lent when the traditional fasting discipline is observed on all days of the week until Pascha (except Annunciation on March 25th and Palm Sunday on April 8th, when fish, wine and oil are permitted).
 
Major Commemorations for February
February 19     Judgment Sunday (Meatfare)
February 24     The Forerunner (1st and 2nd Discoveries)
February 26     Forgiveness Sunday (Cheesefare)
February 27     Clean Monday (Great Lent begins)
 
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 February:
         February 7             —  Ben and Meghan Brock (#3!)
         February 18           —    David and Lou Turner (#6!)
         February 21           —    Michael and Amy Surratt (#14!)
         February 25           —    Daniel and Elizabeth Root (#6!)
 
 
Happy Birthdays in February:
         February 11           —    Cassie Freundt (#19!)
                                         —    Zoe Freundt (#19!)
                                         —    Demetrius Zouboukos (#19!)
         February 13           —    Clyde Ellis
         February 15           —    Mary Guy Lockhart
         February 17           —    Anthony Zouboukos
         February 18           —    Tom Willingham
         February 22           —    Kh. Sharon Meadows
         February 24           —    Nimr Fahmy
         February 28           —    Cole Parker (#7!)
 
Please be sure to turn in your pledge letters as soon as possible.  If you did not receive one in the recent weeks, please let Kh. Sharon know.
 
Quotable:  “The ascetic authors often seem to talk about thoughts as if they arrived one at a time.  However, we also experience undifferentiated streams of thought that follow the progression noted above, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, and often with many competing or even contradictory thoughts arising at any given moment.  It is possible that this is a condition that has been experienced only in modern times.”
                                                 Archimandrite. Meletios Webber, Bread and Water, Wine and
                                                             Oil: an Orthodox Christian Experience of God
 
 
Worship:         Sunday, February 26, 2012 (Sunday of Cheesefare)
 
         Scripture:                                Romans 13:11 to 14:4; Matthew 6:14-21
         Celebrant:                               Father John
         Epistle Reader:                       Phillip Lasseter
         Prosphora:                              Freundt
         Coffee Hour:                           Youth Group (Cheesefare Fund-raising Meal)

2/12 announcements

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February 12, 2012
Sunday of the Prodigal Son
 
    The theme of the third Sunday before Lent is RETURN FROM EXILE and the Gospel lesson of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) is read.  We are taught by this lesson that even as we stray from God, a banquet is set for our return.  And we find that nothing in this fallen world truly satisfies, and thus we find ourselves on a pilgrimage of repentance – returning to God.
 
I Corinthians 6:12-20:  In our reading from I Corinthians we hear St Paul remind us that we have been   bought with a price and that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit; therefore we should turn from immorality and glorify God.
 
Luke 15:11-32:  The parable of the prodigal son as told by our Lord serves to illustrate how precious in the sight of the Lord is one who repents from his sin and is returned to the fold.
 
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 St. Meletios: The truth of things hath revealed thee to thy flock as a rule of faith, an icon of meekness, and a teacher of temperance; for this cause, thou hast achieved the heights by humility, riches by poverty.  O Father and Hierarch Meletios, intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.

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 Prodigal Son:  When I disobeyed in ignorance thy fatherly glory, I wasted in iniquities the riches that thou gavest me.  Wherefore, I cry to thee with the voice of the prodigal son, saying, I have sinned before thee, O compassionate Father, receive me repentant, and make me as one of thy hired servants.
 
CALENDAR
 
Sunday, February 12   (Sunday of the Prodigal Son)
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            9:00 a.m.         — Christian Education
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
 
Monday, February 13   
            Office Closed  — Father John’s Day Off
           
Tuesday, February 14   
            6:00     — Daily Orthros
 
Wednesday, February 15   
5:00 p.m.         — Catechism Class
6:30 p.m.         — Daily Vespers
7:30 p.m.         — Choir Practice
 
Thursday, February 16    
6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
 
Friday, February 17   
6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
 
Saturday, February 18   (Saturday of the Souls)
9:00 a.m.         — Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy
5:45 p.m.         — Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
 
Sunday, February 19   (Sunday of Meatfare)
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            9:00 a.m.         — Christian Education
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
            1:00 p.m.         — Young Adults
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Dansereaus 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
         February 12                          Dansereaus                              Pigotts
         February 18 (Sat. a.m.)         D. Roots                                       
                  (Saturday of the Souls – Koliva: Charlotte Algood)
         February 19                          Yeatts                                      Morrises
         February 26                          Freundts                                   YOUTH GROUP
 
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#
February 12                    Tom Skirtech                        I Cor. 6:12-20                  265
February 18 (Sat. a.m.)  Kh. Sharon Meadows        I Cor. 10:23-26                271
February 19                    Warren Strain                       I Cor. 8:8-9:2                   273
February 26                     Phillip Lasseter                    Rom. 13:11-14:4             279
 
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 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 their family; 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; Georgia Buchanan, George Johns (Georgia’s grandson) and his family; Dorin and Carolina Lavric and Victor (Carolina’s brother); Mary Greene (Lee and Kh. Sharon’s sister); Joanna Meadows and Jay Davis (as they prepare for their wedding).
 
Please remember Fr. Joseph and Kh. Joanna Bittle and their daughter Abigail in your prayers. 
 
Please continue to pray for the health of His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN.
 
Calendar Items:
*    The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.
*    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.
*    We will celebrate Saturday of the Souls with Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy on Saturday morning, February 18th, beginning at 9:00 a.m.
*    Bridal Shower for Joanna Meadows – February 25th at the home of Mildred Morris.
*    The Youth Group is planning to hold their annual Cheesefare Fundraising Luncheon on Sunday, February 26th.
*    Great Lent begins with Clean Monday on February 27th.  As is our parish custom, we will celebrate the Presanctified Liturgy on Wednesday evenings and the Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos on Friday evenings during the time of the fast.
*    The schedule of services for the first week of Great Lent is as follows (all services begin at 6:30 p.m.):
            Sunday, February 26th            Forgiveness Vespers
            Monday, February 27th          Great Compline with the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
            Tuesday, February 28th          Great Compline with the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
            Wednesday, February 29th    Presanctified Liturgy followed by Soup Supper
            Thursday, March 1st               Great Compline with the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
            Friday, March 2nd                    Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos
*    On Sunday evening, March 4th we will celebrate Sunday of Orthodoxy vespers with the other Orthodox churches in the area.  The service will be held at Holy Trinity and St. John the Theologian Greek Orthodox Church, located on Old Canton Road.  Time is TBA.
*    The Ladies of St. Peter will hold their annual fund-raising lunch and auction on Sunday morning, March 25th.
*    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.
 
Welcome!  Lynda Costas has moved her membership officially from Holy Trinity and St. John the Theologian Orthodox Church to St. Peter’s and we welcome her as an “official” member!
 
House Blessings!  A sign-up sheet is available in the Fellowship Hall to sign up for your house blessing.  Please schedule these as soon as possible.  Everyone should have their home blessed.  However, the responsibility for scheduling lies with individuals and not Father John.  No house blessings will be done once Great Lent starts (February 27th this year).

Camping Scholarships:  We have received the request form for Scholarships to attend one of the Archdiocese camps this summer.  If your camper needs financial assistance to attend Camp St. Thekla or the Antiochian Village, please see Kh. Sharon for a form.  Father John must submit these forms to the Department of Camping no later than March 1, 2012 (no exceptions).
 
When you host Coffee Hour or the meal for a Feast please make sure that the oven, warmer, and coffee maker are turned off afterwards.  On several occasions in the past, the cleaning ladies have found the oven still on when they came in to clean later during the week.
 
Please be sure to turn in your pledge letters as soon as possible.  If you did not receive one in the recent weeks, please let Kh. Sharon know.
 
Breakfast and Bible Study:  we are continuing to meet every 2-3 weeks for Bible Study 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.
 
Fasting Discipline for February
The traditional fasting (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil) is observed on Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.  Following Meatfare Sunday (February 19th) meat will not be eaten again until Pascha.  During the week following Meatfare Sunday, dairy products (millk, cheese, eggs, etc.) are permitted, even on Wednesday and Friday.  February 26th is Cheesefare Sunday, the last day until Pascha that cheese, dairy and wine are permitted.  Monday, February 27th is Clean Monday, the first day of  Great Lent when the traditional fasting discipline is observed on all days of the week until Pascha (except Annunciation on March 25th and Palm Sunday on April 8th, when fish, wine and oil are permitted).
 
Major Commemorations for February
February 12     Sunday of the Prodigal Son
February 19     Judgement Sunday (Meatfare)
February 24     The Forerunner (1st and 2nd Discoveries)
February 26     Forgiveness Sunday (Cheesefare)
February 27     Clean Monday (Great Lent begins)
 
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 February:
         February 7             —  Ben and Meghan Brock (#3!)
         February 18           —    David and Lou Turner (#6!)
         February 21           —    Michael and Amy Surratt (#14!)
         February 25           —    Daniel and Elizabeth Root (#6!)
 
Happy Birthdays in February:
         February 11           —    Cassie Freundt (#19!)
                                       —    Zoe Freundt (#19!)
                                       —    Demetrius Zouboukos (#19!)
         February 13           —    Clyde Ellis
         February 15           —    Mary Guy Lockhart
         February 17           —    Anthony Zouboukos
         February 18           —    Tom Willingham
         February 22           —    Kh. Sharon Meadows
         February 24           —    Nimr Fahmy
         February 28           —    Cole Parker (#7!)
 
Quotable:  “The classical patristic expression of the relationship between thoughts and passions and the effect of one on the other is as follows:  First of all, a thought comes to exist in the mind of a person, seeking that person’s attention and awareness.  There follows a period of interaction, during which the person dabbles in the possibilities the thought brings.  The third stage is consent, where the person voluntarily gives in to the thought—sometimes hoping to stop the process immediately thereafter, only to discover that once embarked upon, this is very difficult.  The fourth stage is captivity, in which the person is dragged further and further from the way of righteousness towards spiritual destruction as a result of the thought.  The fifth stage, the goal of the thought, is labeled passion; here the person is entrapped, and sinful action is inevitable.”
                                                 Archimandrite. Meletios Webber, Bread and Water, Wine and
                                                             Oil: an Orthodox Christian Experience of God
 
 
Worship:         Sunday, February 19, 2012 (Sunday of Meatfare)
 
         Scripture:                              I Corinthians 8:8-9:2; Matthew 25:31-46
         Celebrant:                             Father John
         Epistle Reader:                    Warren Strain
         Prosphora:                            Yeatts
         Coffee Hour:                          Morris

2/5 announcements

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February 5, 2012
Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee
Sunday after the Meeting of our Lord in the Temple
 
II Timothy 3:10-15:  In St Paul’s second letter to Timothy we are reminded that godliness will bring persecutions;  and we are encouraged to continue doing those things that we have been taught so as to gain the wisdom that leads to salvation in Christ.
 
Luke 18:10-14:  In the parable of the Pharisee and the tax-gatherer, Jesus teaches us that justification does not come to those who are proud and arrogant, but rather to those who are humble and repen­tant.
 
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 Presentation:  Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos, full of grace; for from thee arose the Sun of justice, Christ our God, lighting those who are in darkness.  Rejoice and be glad, O righteous old man, carrying in thine arms the Deliverer of our souls, who granteth us 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 the Presentation: Thou, O Christ God, who by your Birth, didst sanctify the Virgin’s womb, and as is meet, didst bless Simeon’s arms, and didst also come to save us, preserve thy fold in wars, and confirm them whom thou didst love; for thou alone art the Lover of mankind.
 
CALENDAR
 
Sunday, February 5   (Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee)
            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, February 6   (No fasting this week)
            Office Closed  — Father John’s Day Off
           
Tuesday, February 7   
            6:00     — Daily Orthros
 
Wednesday, February 8   
5:00 p.m.         — Catechism Class
6:30 p.m.         — Daily Vespers
7:30 p.m.         — Choir Practice
 
Thursday, February 9    
6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
 
Friday, February 10   (Hieromartyr Haralampos)
6:00 a.m.         — Festal Orthros
 
Saturday, February 11   (Blaise, Bishop of Sebaste)
7:30 a.m.         — Bible Study with Breakfast
5:45 p.m.         — Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
 
Sunday, February 12   (Sunday of the Prodigal Son)
            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 Meadows for the Feast of the meeting of the Lord in the Temple this past Wednesday evening and by Joanna Meadows 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
         February 5                            Joanna Meadows                     D. Roots/Dansereaus
         February 12                          Dansereaus                              Pigotts
         February 18 (Sat. a.m.)         D. Roots                                       
                  (Saturday of the Souls – Koliva: Charlotte Algood)
         February 19                          Yeatts                                      Morrises
         February 26                          Freundts                                   YOUTH GROUP
 
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#
February 5                         Walt Wood                           II Tim. 3:10-15               258
February 12                       Tom Skirtech                        I Cor. 6:12-20                 265
February 18 (Sat. a.m.)      Kh. Sharon Meadows           I Cor. 10:23-26               271
February 19                       Warren Strain                        I Cor. 8:8-9:2                  273
February 26                       Phillip Lasseter                     Rom. 13:11-14:4            279
 
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.
 
Congratulations and Many Years! to Jordan and Lauri Henderson (and to Fr. John and Kh. Janet as well) on the birth of their son Lucas Deniakos Henderson on Tuesday evening.  Lucas was 21 inches long and weighed 7 pounds and 14 ounces.  Mother and baby are doing well.
 
Please remember Fr. Joseph and Kh. Joanna Bittle and their daughter Abigail in your prayers. 
 
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 their family; 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; Georgia Buchanan, George Johns (Georgia’s grandson) and his family; Dorin and Carolina Lavric and Victor (Carolina’s brother); Mary Greene (Lee and Kh. Sharon’s sister); Joanna Meadows and Jay Davis (as they prepare for their wedding).
 
Calendar Items:
*    The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.
*    The Annual Deanery Youth Retreat will be held NEXT WEEKEND at John W. Kyle State Park in Sardis.  Joel and Sarah Finley will be addressing the topic of the Culture of Dating. 
*    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.
*    Bridal Shower for Joanna Meadows – February 25th at the home of Mildred Morris.
*    The Youth Group is planning to hold their annual Cheesefare Fundraising Luncheon on Sunday, February 26th.
*    Great Lent begins with Clean Monday on February 27th.  As is our parish custom, we will celebrate the Presanctified Liturgy on Wednesday evenings and the Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos on Friday evenings during the time of the fast.
*    The schedule of services for the first week of Great Lent is as follows (all services begin at 6:30 p.m.):
            Sunday, February 26th       Forgiveness Vespers
            Monday, February 27th      Great Compline with the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
            Tuesday, February 28th      Great Compline with the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
            Wednesday, February 29th Presanctified Liturgy followed by Soup Supper
            Thursday, March 1st                       Great Compline with the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
            Friday, March 2nd               Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos
*    On Sunday evening, March 4th we will celebrate Sunday of Orthodoxy vespers with the other Orthodox churches in the area.  Time and location TBA.
*    The Ladies of St. Peter will hold their annual fund-raising lunch and auction on Sunday morning, March 25th.
*    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.
 
Welcome!  Lynda Costas has moved her membership officially from Holy Trinity and St. John the Theologian Orthodox Church to St. Peter’s and we welcome her as an “official” member!
 
House Blessings!  A sign-up sheet is available in the Fellowship Hall to sign up for your house blessing.  Please schedule these as soon as possible.  Everyone should have their home blessed.  However, the responsibility for scheduling lies with individuals and not Father John.  No house blessings will be done once Great Lent starts (February 27th this year).
 
Please be sure to turn in your pledge letters as soon as possible.  If you did not receive one in the recent weeks, please let Kh. Sharon know.
 
Breakfast and Bible Study:  we are continuing to meet every 2-3 weeks for Bible Study 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.
 
Camping Scholarships:  We have received the request form for Scholarships to attend one of the Archdiocese camps this summer.  If your camper needs financial assistance to attend Camp St. Thekla or the Antiochian Village, please see Kh. Sharon for a form.  Father John must submit these forms to the Department of Camping no later than March 1, 2012 (no exceptions).
 
Fasting Discipline for February
The traditional fasting (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil) is observed on Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.  However, there is no fasting during the week following the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee (February 5th).  Following Meatfare Sunday (February 19th) meat will not be eaten again until Pascha.  During the week following Meatfare Sunday, dairy products (millk, cheese, eggs, etc.) are permitted, even on Wednesday and Friday.  February 26th is Cheesefare Sunday, the last day until Pascha that cheese, dairy and wine are permitted.  Monday, February 27th is Clean Monday, the first day of  Great Lent when the traditional fasting discipline is observed on all days of the week until Pascha (except Annunciation on March 25th and Palm Sunday on April 8th, when fish, wine and oil are permitted).
 
Major Commemorations for February
February 5       Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee
February 10     Hieromartyr Haralampos
February 11     Blaise, Bishop of Sebaste
February 12     Sunday of the Prodigal Son
February 19     Judgement Sunday (Meatfare)
February 24     The Forerunner (1st and 2nd Discoveries)
February 26     Forgiveness Sunday (Cheesefare)
February 27     Clean Monday (Great Lent begins)
 
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 February:
         February 11           —    Cassie Freundt (#19!)
                                       —    Zoe Freundt (#19!)
                                       —    Demetrius Zouboukos (#19!)
         February 13           —    Clyde Ellis
         February 15           —    Mary Guy Lockhart
         February 17           —    Anthony Zouboukos
         February 18           —    Tom Willingham
         February 22           —    Kh. Sharon Meadows
         February 24           —    Nimr Fahmy
         February 28           —    Cole Parker (#7!)
 
Happy Anniversaries in February:
         February 7             —  Ben and Meghan Brock (#3!)
         February 18           —    David and Lou Turner (#6!)
         February 21           —    Michael and Amy Surratt (#14!)
         February 25           —    Daniel and Elizabeth Root (#6!)
  
Quotable:      “It is necessary to make a clear distinction between thoughts that we have when we make an effort to think; thoughts that have us, which seem to emerge automatically; and thoughts that come from an altogether deeper awareness which we may call discernment or intuition.  Describing these three forms of thought (and there may be many others) is not simply a matter of theorizing about such things.  The distinction between them has very important practical implications for our spiritual development.
                         Leaving the third to the experts (remembering that saints do not tend to advertise themselves), most people can recognize the difference between using thought and being used by thought.  The ability to think logically plays an important part in our fundamental role as God’s cocreators.  However, the stream of automatic thoughts which almost all of us recognize in ourselves needs to be regarded with some suspicion, as, according to the experience of the Church, it originates from a mind that is broken, divorced from the heart.  It is these thoughts (logismoi) of a person that eventually turn into passions—those behaviors that cut us off from God.  They stand in opposition to passionlessness, which the Fathers envisage as a state on the path to spiritual healing.  Passionlessness (in Greek apatheia) does not mean a lack of love or concern, as it tends to sound to Western ears, but rather a state of being unaffeceted by the passions as defined above.”
                                                 Archimandrite. Meletios Webber, Bread and Water, Wine and
                                                             Oil: an Orthodox Christian Experience of God
 
 
Worship:         Sunday, February 12, 2012 (Sunday of the Prodigal Son)
 
         Scripture:                                I Corinthians 6:12-20; Luke 15:11-32
         Celebrant:                               Father John
         Epistle Reader:                       Tom Skirtech
         Prosphora:                              Dansereaus
         Coffee Hour:                           Pigotts