Monthly Archives: May 2015

5/31 announcements

Leave a reply

May 31, 2015
Pentecost
 
  In several senses, Pentecost marks for us the end of many months of anticipation, commemoration, and celebration and the beginning of the fullness of the life and faith we share.  It is a day bringing our focus on the Holy Spirit, the embodiment of divine grace, the supreme gift, the ongoing presence of God in our lives; yet, it is a day directing us to the praise of the Trinity, the three divine persons, and the historical and spatial relationship God’s people have with Him.  For the disciples, the day marks their spiritual maturity.  Their faith began in their nationality, for they were of the nation that God the Father chose to glorify Him.  The faith was completed in their confrontation with God the Son, through His presence and the nourishment He gave.  The fullness of the faith came with the coming in power of God the Spirit.  The disciples had grown in spirit and were ready for their work; the birth of the Church was imminent; the Bride was to be made ready.  In the cycle of the calendar, we now stand ready to do likewise, and all weeks from now until our preparation for Advent are the weeks of Pentecost.  In the picture of the birth of the Church there are symbols beyond mention here; the unity in the common tongue, the Light that shines brighter than day, the bold proclamation to all men of the Gospel.  We look forward from this day to weeks without special celebrations, to days without reference to past days of enormous import–to normal, uneventful days.  But these are not uneventful days; they are the days for which we have prepared, the days of the Church, the days of our maturity and growth, the days when, through the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit, we run the good race and cross the finish to bring praise and glory to our glorious God, the eternal Trinity.
 
Acts 2:1-11:  In the reading from Acts we see the pouring out of God’s Spirit on the apostles, the ful­fillment of Joel’s prophecy, and the beginning of the Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
 
John 7:37-52, 8:12:  Our Lord calls those thirsting for righteousness to Himself, promising to eternally quench their thirst by the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The Pharisees, however, view Jesus as a threat to their authority and seek for ways to undermine His authority.
 
Troparion of Pentecost:  Blessed art thou, O Christ our God, who hast revealed the fishermen as most wise, having sent upon them the Holy Spirit, and through them thou hast fished the universe, O Lover of mankind, glory to thee.
 
Kontakion of Pentecost:  When the high One descended, confusing tongues, he divided the nations.  And when he distributed the fiery tongues he called all to one unity.  Wherefore, in unison we glorify the most Holy Spirit.
 
 
CALENDAR
 
Sunday, May 31   (Pentecost)
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
            12:00 p.m.       — Picnic Pot Luck Meal
            6:00 p.m.         — Kneeling Vespers    [PLEASE NOTE CHANGE IN TIME]
 
Monday, June 1   (Justyn Martyr)
            Office Closed — Father John’s Day Off
                       
Tuesday, June 2  
            6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
 
Wednesday, June 3   
            6:30 p.m.         — Daily Vespers
            7:15 p.m.         — Choir Practice
           
Thursday, June 4   (Metrophanes of Constantinople)
            6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
            11:30 a.m.       — Men’s Lunch
 
Friday, June 5   
 
Saturday, June 6  
            5:45 p.m.         — Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
Sunday, June 7   (Sunday of the All Saints)
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
            5:00 p.m.         — Young Adults
 
 
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Meadows yesterday morning for Saturday of the Souls and by the Davises for the Divine Liturgy today.  The Koliva for Saturday of the Souls was offerered by the Dn. Richard Roots.
 
Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
                                    Eucharist Bread                     Coffee Hour
May 31                        Davis                                       POT LUCK MEAL
         (Feast of Pentecost)                                            (Set-up:  Elizabeth Root
                                                                                                   Brittany Salisbury)
June 7                          D. Root                                    Algood/Lasseter
June 14                        Abraham                                  R. Root/Abraham/Habeeb
June 21                        Karam                                      Schelver/Lavric/Turner
June 28                        Brock                                       Henderson/Baker/Lockhart
June 29 (Mon. am)      Fahmy                                     Kh. Sharon Meadows
         (Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul)
 
Schedule for Epistle Readers – Page numbers refer to the Apostolos (book of the Epistles) located on the front pew.  Please be sure to use this book when you read.
                                            Reader                                 Reading                             Page#
May 31                              Tom Willingham                Acts 2:1-11                        77
June 7                                Walt Wood                           Heb. 11:33-12:2               84
June 14                              Sh. Charlotte Algood         Rom. 2:10-16                    90
June 21                              Warren Strain                       Rom. 5:1-11                      96
June 28                              Phillip Lasseter                    Rom. 6:18-23                    102
June 29 (Mon. am)           David Turner                       II Cor. 11:21-33, 12:6-9  389
 
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.
 
Continue to pray for Metropolitan Paul (who is also the brother of our Patriarch) and the Syriac Archbishop John of Aleppo who were abducted while on a humanitarian mission in Syria.
 
Please continue to pray for the health of His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN.
 
Please be reminded of the following:
Be very careful with the Blessed Bread when you take it after communion.  Because this bread has been blessed, we should take care not to let crumbs fall on the floor.  Parents, especially, please help your children to choose a small piece and treat it carefully.
         Also, at the end of the liturgy, maintain a prayerful disposition during the veneration of the cross as the prayers of thanksgiving after communion are still underway.  Please exchange your greetings with each other in the Fellowship Hall during Coffee Hour.
 
Please remember the following in your prayers:  Steve, Sheryl and Stephen Chamblee; Amy and Brantley Oliver; Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Sam and Lamia Dabit and Sammie; Georgia Buchanan, George Johns (Georgia’s grandson) and his family; Mary Greene (Lee and Kh. Sharon’s sister); Fr. Stephen Tewfik; Sh. Gail Shannon; Dn. Sidney and Sh. Mary Elliot;
Walt and Charlotte Wood and their family; Tom and Jennifer Skirtech and their family; Tom and Kathy Willingham; Athena and Anthony Zouboukos and their family.
 
Please remember Fr. Joseph and Kh. Joanna Bittle, and their daughter Abigail, in your prayers.
 
Calendar Items:
*    The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.
*    The Ladies of St. Peter will meet at 10:00 a.m. on the second Saturday of the month to pray the Akathist to the Mother of God, Nurturer of Children.  Those who are able will go out for lunch and fellowship afterwards. 
*    This evening we will have Vespers with the Kneeling Prayers of Pentecost, beginning at 6:00 p.m.  [PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE IN TIME FOR THIS SERVICE.]
*    There will be no fasting of any kind during the week following Pentecost.  The Fast of the Apostles will then begin on Monday, June 8th and last through June 28th.  We will celebrate the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul with Divine Liturgy (only) on Monday morning, June 29th, beginning at 6:00 a.m.
*    Vacation Church School will be held Thursday, July 2nd through Saturday, July 4th.
 
Fr. Matthew Baker,  the 37-year-old Orthodox priest (and dear friend of Ian Jones) who died in a car accident on March 1st while pursuing a doctorate in Theology at Fordham University, was awarded a degree posthumously on May 16th.  An article about Fr. Matthew may be found in the University Newsletter at the following link:  http://news.fordham.edu/faith-and-service/fordham-awards-posthumous-degree-to-theology-doctoral-student-2/ 
 
Parents, please supervise your children with food in the Fellowship Hall.  We are getting stains on the new carpet (and also the chairs in the nave).
 
Parish Life Conference 2015:  This year St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in Franklin, TN will be hosting the Parish Life Conference for our Diocese on June 10-14.  His Grace, Bishop JOHN Abdallah will be the speaker.  Registration forms are available in the office or you can go online at www.saint-ignatius.org to register.  The Conference will take place at the Franklin Marriott Cool Springs.
 
Fr. David Alexander, an Antiochian priest who is also a Marine Corps Chaplain, will be here with his wife on June 7-9 to visit Ian Jones.  Please make them welcome.
 
Young Adults Study Group:  The Young Adults agreed to begin meeting twice a month.  One of these meetings will feature a teaching by Fr. John on various aspects of the Orthodox Christian faith.  Topics will include education, ethics and parenting children.  The next meetings will be Sunday, June 7th and 21st.
 
Fasting Discipline for June
The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) will be observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.
 
Major Commemorations for June
May 31                  Feast of Pentecost
June 1                    Justyn Martyr
June 4                    Metrophanes of Constantinople
June 7                    Sunday of All Saints
June 8                    Theodore the General (transfer of relics)
June 24                  Nativity of the Forerunner
June 29                  Chief Apostles Peter and Paul
June 30                  Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles
 
Thermostats in the Fellowship Hall:  There are two thermostats in the Fellowship Hall—one in the main room to control the air in the main room, and a second one in the Nursery room that controls the air in all four of the Sunday School rooms.  Please be sure when you leave the building that both thermostats are set to 80 degrees in warm weather or 60 degrees in cold weather.
 
Happy Anniversaries in June:
         June 8                    —    Nader and Lily Dabit (#7!)
         June 10                  —    Dorin and Carolina Lavric (#4!)
         June 14                  —    Ken and Anastasia Jones (#45!)
                                       —    Saliba and Lamia Dabit (#51!)
         June 22                  —    Fr. Leo and Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver (#41!)
         June 31                  —    Denis and Tatiana Lavric (#5!)
 
Happy Birthdays in June:
         June 1                    —    Fr. James Meadows
         June 5                    —    George Wood
         June 6                    —    Michel Root (#3!)
         June 7                    —    Simon Karam
         June 12                  —    Ellie Yeatts (#17!)
         June 13                  —    Lou Turner
         June 17                  —    Sh. Margaret Root
         June 21                  —    Sandra Strain
         June 22                  —    Isabelle Goss (#5!)
         June 29                  —    Jennifer Skirtech
 
Fr. John will be attending the Parish Life Conference in Franklin, TN June 10-14 and the Archdiocese Convention in Boston July 17-25.  If you need a priest during these times, please contact Fr. Leo or Fr. James.
 
Quotable:  “How Should We Conduct Ourselves in the Morning?
                       After having washed and dressed, stand before the holy icons and say those morning prayers as specified and in the order specified by the Holy Church, the interpreter and guardian of the path to salvation.
                       So that you may pray unimpeded, especially if you do not know how to read, learn by heart at least the beginning morning prayers.  Is this difficult?  And how could you not know by heart even the Lord’s Prayer, that is the prayer ‘Our Father, Who art in the heavens.’  Learn it!  This is the most important prayer and the most salvific for all occasions.”
                                                How to Live a Holy Life by Metropolitan GREGORY of
                                                            St. Petersburg
 
 
Worship:         Sunday, June 7, 2015 (First Sunday after Pentecost; Sunday of All Saints)
 
         Scripture:                                Hebrews 11:33-12:2; Matthew 10:32-33, 37-38; 19:27-30
         Celebrant:                               Father John
         Epistle Reader:                      Walt Wood
         Prosphora:                               D. Root
         Coffee Hour:                          Algood/Lasseter

5/24 announcements

Leave a reply

May 24, 2015
Sunday of the After-Feast of the Ascension
Commemoration of the Holy Father of Nicea
 
    Today is the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of Nicea.  This day commemorates the Holy Fathers who sat in council at Nicea, the first of the ecumenical councils.  Through them we see the commitment to the immutable truth of God for all the faithful, especially those who lead in the faith.  The men of this council bear special note by the significance of their creed, for it is the fundamental statement of orthodox Christology and an enduring guide to our faith.  The events of the ascension and the scriptures of this day emphasize to us the nature and action of Christ, and the history of these fathers puts us in mind of the work of the Holy Spirit in the church, work proclaimed by the glorious events which we now anticipate in the preparation for Pentecost.
 
Acts 20:16-18, 28-36:  In the reading from Acts, we hear St Paul speak to the elders of the church at Ephesus, encouraging them to follow his example in their shepherding, and bidding them his final fare­well as he approached his imprisonment at Rome.
 
John 17:1-13:  In the passage from John, Jesus prays for His disciples, that they would be united as one and kept from evil.
 
Troparion of the Resurrection:  When Mary stood at thy grave looking for thy sacred body, angelic powers shone above thy revered tomb, and the soldiers who were to keep guard became as dead men.  Thou led hades captive and wast not tempted thereby.  Thou didst meet the Virgin and didst give life to the world; O thou who art risen from the dead!  O Lord, glory to thee.

Troparion of the Ascension: Thou hast ascended in glory, O Christ our God, and gladdened thy disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit, having become confident of the blessing.  Verily, thou art the Son of God, and Deliverer of the world.
 
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 Ascension:  When thou didst fulfill thy dispensation for our sakes, uniting the terrestrials with the celestials, thou didst ascend in glory, O Christ our God, inseparable in space, but constant without separation, and crying unto thy beloved, I am with you, and no one shall be against you.
 
 
CALENDAR
 
Sunday, May 24   (Sunday of the Holy Fathers of Nicea)
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
            5:30 p.m.         — Youth Group
 
Monday, May 25   (The Forerunner – 3rd Discovery)
            Office Closed — Father John’s Day Off
                       
Tuesday, May 26  
            6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
            11:30 a.m.       — Ladies Lunch
 
Wednesday, May 27   
            6:30 p.m.         — Daily Vespers
            7:15 p.m.         — Choir Practice
            7:30 p.m.         — Parish Council Meeting
 
Thursday, May 28  
            6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
 
Friday, May 29   
 
Saturday, May 30  (Saturday of the Souls)
            9:00 a.m.         — Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy
            5:45 p.m.         — Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
 
Sunday, May 31   (Pentecost)
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
            12:00 p.m.       — Picnic Pot Luck Meal
            6:30 p.m.         — Kneeling Vespers
 
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Morrises for the Feast of the Ascension this past Wednesday evening and by the Joneses for the Divine Liturgy today. 
 
Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
                                           Eucharist Bread                   Coffee Hour
May 24                              Jones                                       D. Root/Dansereau
May 30 (Sat. am)             Meadows                                 Kh. Sharon Meadows
         (Saturday of the Souls)          Koliva:
May 31                              Davis                                       POT LUCK MEAL
         (Feast of Pentecost)                                                 (Set-up:  Elizabeth Root
                                                                                                   Brittany Salisbury)
June 7                                D. Root                                   Algood/Lasseter
June 14                             Abraham                                  R. Root/Abraham/Habeeb
June 21                              Karam                                      Schelver/Lavric/Turner
June 28                             Brock                                       Henderson/Baker/Lockhart
June 29 (Mon. am)          Fahmy                                     Kh. Sharon Meadows
         (Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul)
 
Schedule for Epistle Readers – Page numbers refer to the Apostolos (book of the Epistles) located on the front pew.  Please be sure to use this book when you read.
                                            Reader                                  Reading                            Page#
May 24                              Brenda Baker                        Acts 20:16-18, 28-36      66
May 30 (Sat. am)             David Turner                        Acts 28:1-31                     72
May 31                              Tom Willingham                 Acts 2:1-11                       77
June 7                                Walt Wood                           Heb. 11:33-12:2                84
June 14                              Sh. Charlotte Algood          Rom. 2:10-16                    90
June 21                              Warren Strain                        Rom. 5:1-11                      96
June 28                              Phillip Lasseter                     Rom. 6:18-23                   102
June 29 (Mon. am)          David Turner                        II Cor. 11:21-33, 12:6-9   389
 
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 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.
 
Continue to pray for Metropolitan Paul (who is also the brother of our Patriarch) and the Syriac Archbishop John of Aleppo who were abducted while on a humanitarian mission in Syria.
 
Please continue to pray for the health of His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN.
 
Please remember the following in your prayers:  Steve, Sheryl and Stephen Chamblee; Amy and Brantley Oliver; Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Sam and Lamia Dabit and Sammie; Georgia Buchanan, George Johns (Georgia’s grandson) and his family; Mary Greene (Lee and Kh. Sharon’s sister); Fr. Stephen Tewfik; Sh. Gail Shannon; Dn. Sidney and Sh. Mary Elliot;
Walt and Charlotte Wood and their family; Tom and Jennifer Skirtech and their family; Tom and Kathy Willingham; Athena and Anthony Zouboukos and their family.
 
Please remember Fr. Joseph and Kh. Joanna Bittle, and their daughter Abigail, in your prayers.
 
Calendar Items:
*    The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.
*    The Ladies of St. Peter will meet at 10:00 a.m. on the second Saturday of the month to pray the Akathist to the Mother of God, Nurturer of Children.  Those who are able will go out for lunch and fellowship afterwards. 
*    Next Sunday we will celebrate the Feast of Pentecost with a Picnic Pot Luck following the Divine Liturgy.  Please bring your favorite picnic dishes to share!!
*    Sunday evening, May 31st, we will have Vespers with the Kneeling Prayers of Pentecost, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
*    There will be no fasting of any kind during the week following Pentecost.  The Fast of the Apostles will then begin on Monday, June 8th and last through June 28th.  We will celebrate the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul with Divine Liturgy (only) on Monday morning, June 29th, beginning at 6:00 a.m.
*    Vacation Church School will be held Thursday, July 2nd through Saturday, July 4th.
 
Fr. Matthew Baker,  the 37-year-old Orthodox priest (and dear friend of Ian Jones) who died in a car accident on March 1st while pursuing a doctorate in Theology at Fordham University, was awarded a degree posthumously on May 16th.  An article about Fr. Matthew may be found in the University Newsletter at the following link:  http://news.fordham.edu/faith-and-service/fordham-awards-posthumous-degree-to-theology-doctoral-student-2/ 
 
Parents, please supervise your children with food in the Fellowship Hall.  We are getting stains on the new carpet (and also the chairs in the nave).
 
Parish Life Conference 2015:  This year St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in Franklin, TN will be hosting the Parish Life Conference for our Diocese on June 10-14.  His Grace, Bishop JOHN Abdallah will be the speaker.  Registration forms are available in the office or you can go online at www.saint-ignatius.org to register.  The Conference will take place at the Franklin Marriott Cool Springs.
 
Young Adults Study Group:  The Young Adults agreed to begin meeting twice a month.  One of these meetings will feature a teaching by Fr. John on various aspects of the Orthodox Christian faith.  Topics will include education, ethics and parenting children.  The next meetings will be Sunday, June 7th and 21st.
 
Fasting Discipline for May
The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) will be observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.
 
Major Commemorations for May
May 24                  Sunday of the holy Fathers of Nicea
May 25                  The Forerunner (3rd Discovery)
May 30                  Saturday of the Souls
May 31                  Feast of Pentecost
 
Thermostats in the Fellowship Hall:  There are two thermostats in the Fellowship Hall—one in the main room to control the air in the main room, and a second one in the Nursery room that controls the air in all four of the Sunday School rooms.  Please be sure when you leave the building that both thermostats are set to 80 degrees in warm weather or 60 degrees in cold weather.
 
Happy Anniversaries in May:
         May 12                  —    Cliff and Anna Kathryn Stewart (#8!)
         May 19                  —    Jay and Joanna Davis (#3!)
         May 25                  —    Nicholas and Carrie Henderson (#1!)
         May 30                  —    Tom and Jennifer Skirtech (#38!)
 
Happy Birthdays in May:
         May 5                    —    Dale Cooper
                                       —    Joanna Davis
         May 7                    —    Tiffany Strain (#18!)
         May 8                    —    Kh. Janet Henderson
         May 10                  —    Fr. Leo Schelver
         May 11                  —    Meghan Brock
         May 15                  —    Tom Skirtech
         May 21                  —    Jacob Skirtech (#8!)
         May 24                  —    Paul Katool
                                       —    Daniel Root
         May 26                  —    David Turner
                                       —    Julian Dabit (#3!)
         May 27                  —    Luke Habeeb (#10!)
         May 30                  —    Dn. Terry Algood
         May 31                  —    Stephen Chamblee
 
Quotable:  “How Should We Conduct Ourselves in the Morning?
                             Second, after having woken and washed, we should immediately stand before the Lord God with our morning prayers.  And we would never dare to appear before even any of our lower-ranking earthly bosses without having dressed properly.
                             And finally, if you have dressed decently immediately after sleep, you will guard yourself from two dangers to which unfortunately very many people are subjected in our times, namely:  from the danger of causing temptation for others and from the danger of becoming infected with the spirit of shamelessness.  My friend, what can we expect in midday and evening from one who is shameless even in the morning?”
                                                How to Live a Holy Life by Metropolitan GREGORY of
                                                            St. Petersburg
 
 
Worship:         Sunday, May 31, 2015 (Pentecost)
 
         Scripture:                              Acts 2:1-11; John 7:37-52, 8:12
         Celebrant:                             Father John
         Epistle Reader:                    Tom Willingham
         Prosphora:                             Davis
         Coffee Hour:                         PICNIC POT LUCK MEAL
                                                         (Set-up:  Elizabeth Root/Brittany Salisbury)

5/17 announcements

Leave a reply

May 10, 2015
Sunday of the Blind Man
 
  Today is the Sunday of the Blind Man.  Though the Gospel account of the healing of the blind man touches many subjects, there is but one theme:  Christ is the divine Light which illuminates the hearts of those who behold Him in faith.  Despite the intimidation of the authorities, despite the confusion of the people who know him, despite the fear of his parents, the blind man given sight refuses to deny what he knows is the truth:  Jesus has given him sight, has healed the affliction he has born from birth, and one who does such good is from God.  To deny his healer is to deny the truth, and he prefers persecution and rejection to that denial.  More than his eyes have been opened; his heart has been opened to true and eternal Light.  As were the Israelites cast into the dark despair of his fear, as are we all blinded by the frustration of sin and of our weakness, so this man was trapped by his closed eyes; and, as may all be, he was freed by the coming of the Messiah.  In faith we open our eyes to the radiant glory of our Lord and King.
 
Acts 16:16-34:  In our reading from Acts we see Paul and Silas imprisoned unjustly; but the Lord uses the circumstances to bring the jailer to Himself by means of a dramatic rescue.
 
John 9:1-38:  After Jesus heals a man born blind, we see the hypocrisy and unbelief of the Pharisees as they seek to learn how the man came to see.  After being put out of the temple, the formerly blind man again encounters Jesus, whom he worships as his savior.
 
 
Troparion of the Resurrection:  Let us believers praise and worship the Word, co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit, born of the Virgin for our salvation; for he took pleasure in ascending the Cross in the flesh, to suffer death, and to raise the dead by his glorious Resurrection.
 
Troparion of the Chains of St. Peter: O Holy Apostle, Peter, thou dost preside over the Apostles by the precious chains which thou didst bear.  We venerate them with faith and beseech thee that by thine intercessions we be granted the great mercy.
 
Kontakion of Pascha: When Thou didst descend into the grave, O Immortal, Thou didst destroy the power of Hades.  In victory didst Thou arise, O Christ God, proclaiming ARejoice@ to the myrrh-bearing women, granting peace to Thine apostles and bestowing resurrection on the fallen.
 
CALENDAR
 
Sunday, May 17   (Sunday of the Blind Man)
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            9:00 a.m.         — Christian Education
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
            5:00 p.m.         — Young Adults
 
Monday, May 18   
            Office Closed — Father John’s Day Off
                       
Tuesday, May 19  
            6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
            6:30 p.m.         — Paschal Vespers for the Leave-taking of Pascha
 
Wednesday, May 20   
            6:00 p.m.         — Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy
 
Thursday, May 21   (Ascension)
  The fortieth day after Easter is the day of the Ascension, the liturgical end to the celebration of the Resurrection and the opening of the season observing the glory of the Messiah.  This is a day too often associated with the sadness of departure; yet this day brought great joy to the Disciples.  They saw not the departure of one dear to them, but the glorious entry of their King to His heavenly throne.  They saw not the loss of their Intercessor, but the Father accepting the eternal sacrifice and blessing the completion of man’s salvation.  They saw not their separation from Christ but their assumption with Him into glory through the Incarnation.  They saw not the removal of the blessed One but the promise from Him of further blessings.  This day is another step in our procession into eternity, a remembrance of heavenly things, a reminder that the essence of our lives is the heavenly, a refreshing of the image of our God in all His glory.
            NO Daily Orthros
Friday, May 22   
 
Saturday, May 23   
            11:30 a.m.       — Serving Meal at Stewpot Ministries
            5:45 p.m.         — Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
 
Sunday, May 24   (Sunday of the Holy Fathers of Nicea)
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
            5:30 p.m.         — Youth Group
 
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Schelvers for the Divine Liturgy today. 
 
Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
                                             Eucharist Bread                     Coffee Hour
May 17                                Schelver                                   Skirtech/Skirtech/Parker
May 20 (Wed. pm)              Morris                                       Kh. Janet Henderson
         (Feast of the Ascension)                                             Mary Guy Lockhart
May 24                                  Jones                                        D. Root/Dansereau
May 30 (Sat. am)                  Meadows                                 Brittany Salisbury
         (Saturday of the Souls)          Koliva:
May 31                                 Davis                                       POT LUCK MEAL
         (Feast of Pentecost)                                                    (Set-up:  Elizabeth Root
                                                                                                   Brittany Salisbury)
 
Schedule for Epistle Readers – Page numbers refer to the Apostolos (book of the Epistles) located on the front pew.  Please be sure to use this book when you read.
                                            Reader                                 Reading                          Page#
May 17                              Phillip Lasseter                    Acts 16:16-34                 58
May 20 (Wed. pm)          Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver           Acts 1:1-12                      63
May 24                              Brenda Baker                       Acts 20:16-18, 28-36      66
May 30 (Sat. am)             David Turner                        Acts 28:1-31                    72
May 31                             Tom Willingham                  Acts 2:1-11                      77
 
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 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.
 
Continue to pray for Metropolitan Paul (who is also the brother of our Patriarch) and the Syriac Archbishop John of Aleppo who were abducted while on a humanitarian mission in Syria.
 
Please continue to pray for the health of His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN.
 
Please remember the following in your prayers:  Steve, Sheryl and Stephen Chamblee; Amy and Brantley Oliver; Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Sam and Lamia Dabit and Sammie; Georgia Buchanan, George Johns (Georgia’s grandson) and his family; Mary Greene (Lee and Kh. Sharon’s sister); Fr. Stephen Tewfik; Sh. Gail Shannon; Dn. Sidney and Sh. Mary Elliot;
Walt and Charlotte Wood and their family; Tom and Jennifer Skirtech and their family; Tom and Kathy Willingham; Athena and Anthony Zouboukos and their family.
 
Please remember Fr. Joseph and Kh. Joanna Bittle, and their daughter Abigail, in your prayers.
 
Vivian Haddad from Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in Clinton is at home again, having been hospitalized earlier with a stroke.  She and her husband Charles have been dear friends of many here at St. Peter.  Please keep them and their family in your prayers.
 
Calendar Items:
*    The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.
*    The Ladies of St. Peter will meet at 10:00 a.m. on the second Saturday of the month to pray the Akathist to the Mother of God, Nurturer of Children.  Those who are able will go out for lunch and fellowship afterwards. 
*    The Leave-taking of Pascha will be celebrated with Paschal Vespers on Tuesday evening, May 19th, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
*    We will celebrate the Feast of the Ascension with Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy on Wednesday evening, May 20th, beginning at 6:00 p.m.
*    We will be serving at the Stewpot on Saturday, May 23rd, along with members of Holy Resurrection and Holy Trinity/St. John the Theologian Orthodox Churches.
*    Vacation Church School will be held Thursday, July 2nd through Saturday, July 4th.
 
Parents, please supervise your children with food in the Fellowship Hall.  We are getting stains on the new carpet (and also the chairs in the nave).
 
Parish Life Conference 2015:  This year St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in Franklin, TN will be hosting the Parish Life Conference for our Diocese on June 10-14.  His Grace, Bishop JOHN Abdallah will be the speaker.  Registration forms are available in the office or you can go online at www.saint-ignatius.org to register.  The Conference will take place at the Franklin Marriott Cool Springs and the last day to book the special conference rate is May 20th.
 
Young Adults Study Group:  The Young Adults agreed to begin meeting twice a month.  One of these meetings will feature a teaching by Fr. John on various aspects of the Orthodox Christian faith.  Topics will include education, ethics and parenting children.  The next meetings will be Sunday, May 17th and June 7th and 21st.
 
Fasting Discipline for May
The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) will be observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.
 
Major Commemorations for May
May 17                  Sunday of the Blindman
May 21                  Feast of Ascension
                              Sts Constantine and Helen
May 24                  Sunday of the holy Fathers of Nicea
May 25                  The Forerunner (3rd Discovery)
May 30                  Saturday of the Souls
May 31                  Feast of Pentecost
 
Happy Birthdays in May:
         May 5                    —    Dale Cooper
                                       —    Joanna Davis
         May 7                    —    Tiffany Strain (#18!)
         May 8                    —    Kh. Janet Henderson
         May 10                  —    Fr. Leo Schelver
         May 11                  —    Meghan Brock
         May 15                  —    Tom Skirtech
         May 21                  —    Jacob Skirtech (#8!)
         May 24                  —    Paul Katool
                                       —    Daniel Root
         May 26                  —    David Turner
                                       —    Julian Dabit (#3!)
         May 27                  —    Luke Habeeb (#10!)
         May 30                  —    Dn. Terry Algood
         May 31                  —    Stephen Chamblee
 
Happy Anniversaries in May:
         May 12                  —    Cliff and Anna Kathryn Stewart (#8!)
         May 19                  —    Jay and Joanna Davis (#3!)
         May 25                  —    Nicholas and Carrie Henderson (#1!)
         May 30                  —    Tom and Jennifer Skirtech (#38!)
 
Suggestions on use of the Cry Room:
            — Please remember you’re in liturgy when you’re in the cry room.
            — Its main purpose should be a place for parents to take their children if they’re being disruptive during liturgy, staying for 5-10 minutes (or until the child is calmed down) and then returning to liturgy.
            — It should not be used as a main sitting area during the liturgy.
            — Children should not be eating snacks or watching electronic devices while in the cry room.
 
Thermostats in the Fellowship Hall:  There are two thermostats in the Fellowship Hall—one in the main room to control the air in the main room, and a second one in the Nursery room that controls the air in all four of the Sunday School rooms.  Please be sure when you leave the building that both thermostats are set to 80 degrees in warm weather or 60 degrees in cold weather.
 
Quotable:  “How Should We Conduct Ourselves in the Morning?
                  First, we never are completely alone; always and everywhere our Guardian Angel and the Lord God are with us.  Our Guardian Angel, if we ourselves do not drive him away from us, is always with us, and the Lord God unquestionably is always with us by His very essence, because He is an omnipresent God.  For in him we live, and move, and have our being, says the holy apostle (Acts 17:28).”
                                                How to Live a Holy Life by Metropolitan GREGORY of
                                                            St. Petersburg
 
 
Worship:         Sunday, May 24, 2015 (Sunday of the Holy Fathers of Nicea)
 
         Scripture:                                Acts 20:16-18, 28-36; John 17:1-13
         Celebrant:                               Father John
         Epistle Reader:                      Brenda Baker
         Prosphora:                              Jones
         Coffee Hour:                          D. Root/Dansereau

5/10 announcements

Leave a reply

May 10, 2015
Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
After-feast of Mid-Pentecost
 
    This Sunday concludes the week which includes mid-Pentecost.  The scriptures for that day make reference to the great and final feast and the Lord’s words concerning fountains of living water and the nourishment of the spirit.  The episode of the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well and Jesus’s further description of Himself as living water continue this theme.  There are innumerable nuances to the message of this episode, ranging from the allusion to the patriarch Joseph to the faith of those who believe without seeing, but let us concentrate on the woman who comes into the presence of her God.  Christ asks service of her, asks her to ignore their traditional enmity, confuses her with parables, confronts her with her sins, and claims to be her Messiah and Lord.  She enters the scene with skepticism, but she does not let circumstances blind her, for the words of the man before her ring with unmistakable authority and truth.  Whether she wants to or not, she must believe herself to be in the presence of the Son of God; she not only believes, but she quickly bears witness to the others of her town.  We join her in her faith, and we, too, partake of the Water of Life.
 
Acts 11:19-30:  Reading in Acts, we see the establishment of the first predominately Gentile church in Antioch under the leading of Barnabas and Saul.
 
John 4:5-42:  In Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman we see our Lord’s concern with the truth, both in our dealings with others and in our worship of God.  We also see that spreading the eternal gospel of the Kingdom is a corporate action and not that of just one or two.
 
Troparion of the Resurrection:  Having learned the joyful message of the Resurrection from the angel, the women Disciples cast from them their parental condemnation, and proudly broke the news to the Disciples, saying, Death has been spoiled.  Christ God is risen, granting the world Great Mercy.
 
Troparion for mid-Pentecost:  In the midst of this Feast, O Saviour, give my thirsty soul to drink of the waters of true worship; for thou didst call out to all, saying, Whosoever is thirsty, let him come unto me and drink.  Wherefore, O Christ our God, Fountain of life, glory to thee.
 
Troparion of the Chains of St. Peter: O Holy Apostle, Peter, thou dost preside over the Apostles by the precious chains which thou didst bear.  We venerate them with faith and beseech thee that by thine intercessions we be granted the great mercy.
 
Kontakion of Pascha: When Thou didst descend into the grave, O Immortal, Thou didst destroy the power of Hades.  In victory didst Thou arise, O Christ God, proclaiming ARejoice@ to the myrrh-bearing women, granting peace to Thine apostles and bestowing resurrection on the fallen.
 
CALENDAR
 
Sunday, May 10   (Sunday of the Samaritan Woman)
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            9:00 a.m.         — Christian Education
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
            12:00 p.m.       — Pot Luck Meal honoring High School Graduate Tiffany Strain
            5:30 p.m.         — Youth Group
 
Monday, May 11   
            Office Closed — Father John’s Day Off
                       
Tuesday, May 12  
            6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
 
Wednesday, May 13   
            6:30 p.m.         — Daily Vespers
            7:15 p.m.         — Choir Practice
 
Thursday, May 14  
            6:00 a.m.         — Daily Orthros
Friday, May 15   
 
Saturday, May 16   
            5:45 p.m.         — Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
 
Sunday, May 17   (Sunday of the Blindman)
            8:50 a.m.         — Orthros
            9:00 a.m.         — Christian Education
            10:00 a.m.       — Divine Liturgy
            5:00 p.m.         — Young Adults
 
 SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Katools for the Divine Liturgy today. 
 
Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
                                            Eucharist Bread                     Coffee Hour
May 10                               Katool                                      POT LUCK MEAL
                                                                                              (set-up:  Pigott/Dabit/Strain)
May 17                               Schelver                                   Skirtech/Skirtech/Parker
May 20 (Wed. pm)             Morris                                      Kh. Janet Henderson
         (Feast of the Ascension)                                           Mary Guy Lockhart
May 24                               Jones                                        D. Root/Dansereau
May 30 (Sat. am)               Meadows                                 Brittany Salisbury
         (Saturday of the Souls)          Koliva:
May 31                               Davis                                       POT LUCK MEAL
         (Feast of Pentecost)                                                  (Set-up:  Elizabeth Root
                                                                                                   Brittany Salisbury)
 
Please be reminded of the following:
Be very careful with the Blessed Bread when you take it after communion.  Because this bread has been blessed, we should take care not to let crumbs fall on the floor.  Parents, especially, please help your children to choose a small piece and treat it carefully.
         Also, at the end of the liturgy, maintain a prayerful disposition during the veneration of the cross as the prayers of thanksgiving after communion are still underway.  Please exchange your greetings with each other in the Fellowship Hall during Coffee Hour.
 
Please 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.

Schedule for Epistle Readers – Page numbers refer to the Apostolos (book of the Epistles) located on the front pew.  Please be sure to use this book when you read.
                                            Reader                                   Reading                          Page#
May 10                              Mildred Morris                      Acts 11:19-30                 52
May 17                              Phillip Lasseter                      Acts 16:16-34                 58
May 20 (Wed. pm)          Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver             Acts 1:1-12                      63
May 24                              Brenda Baker                         Acts 20:16-18, 28-36     66
May 30 (Sat. am)              David Turner                         Acts 28:1-31                   72
May 31                              Tom Willingham                   Acts 2:1-11                     77
 
Continue to pray for Metropolitan Paul (who is also the brother of our Patriarch) and the Syriac Archbishop John of Aleppo who were abducted while on a humanitarian mission in Syria.
 
Please continue to pray for the health of His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN.
 
Please remember the following in your prayers:  Steve, Sheryl and Stephen Chamblee; Amy and Brantley Oliver; Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Sam and Lamia Dabit and Sammie; Georgia Buchanan, George Johns (Georgia’s grandson) and his family; Mary Greene (Lee and Kh. Sharon’s sister); Fr. Stephen Tewfik; Sh. Gail Shannon; Dn. Sidney and Sh. Mary Elliot;
Walt and Charlotte Wood and their family; Tom and Jennifer Skirtech and their family; Tom and Kathy Willingham; Athena and Anthony Zouboukos and their family.
 
Please remember Fr. Joseph and Kh. Joanna Bittle, and their daughter Abigail, in your prayers.
 
Vivian Haddad from Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in Clinton is at home again, having been hospitalized earlier with a stroke.  She and her husband Charles have been dear friends of many here at St. Peter.  Please keep them and their family in your prayers.
 
Parish Life Conference 2015:  This year St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in Franklin, TN will be hosting the Parish Life Conference for our Diocese on June 10-14.  His Grace, Bishop JOHN Abdallah will be the speaker.  Registration forms are available in the office or you can go online at www.saint-ignatius.org to register.  The Conference will take place at the Franklin Marriott Cool Springs and the last day to book the special conference rate is May 20th.
 
Calendar Items:
*    The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.
*    The Ladies of St. Peter will meet at 10:00 a.m. on the second Saturday of the month to pray the Akathist to the Mother of God, Nurturer of Children.  Those who are able will go out for lunch and fellowship afterwards. 
*    We will be serving at the Stewpot on Saturday, May 23rd, along with members of Holy Resurrection and Holy Trinity/St. John the Theologian Orthodox Churches.
*    Vacation Church School will be held Thursday, July 2nd through Saturday, July 4th.

Young Adults Study Group:  The Young Adults agreed to begin meeting twice a month.  One of these meetings will feature a teaching by Fr. John on various aspects of the Orthodox Christian faith.  Topics will include education, ethics and parenting children.  The next meetings will be Sunday, May 17th and June 7th and 21st.
 
Our Pot Luck Meal today is also a Special Coffee Hour to honor Tiffany Strain our graduating High School Senior!
 
Fasting Discipline for May
The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) will be observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.
 
Major Commemorations for May
May 10                  Apostle Simon the Zealot
                              Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
May 17                  Sunday of the Blindman
May 21                  Feast of Ascension
                              Sts Constantine and Helen
May 24                  Sunday of the holy Fathers of Nicea
May 25                  The Forerunner (3rd Discovery)
May 30                  Saturday of the Souls
May 31                  Feast of Pentecost
 
Parents, please supervise your children with food in the Fellowship Hall.  We are getting stains on the new carpet (and also the chairs in the nave).
 
Happy Birthdays in May:
         May 5                    —    Dale Cooper
                                       —    Joanna Davis
         May 7                    —    Tiffany Strain (#18!)
         May 8                    —    Kh. Janet Henderson
         May 10                  —    Fr. Leo Schelver
         May 11                  —    Meghan Brock
         May 15                  —    Tom Skirtech
         May 21                  —    Jacob Skirtech (#8!)
         May 24                  —    Paul Katool
                                       —    Daniel Root
         May 26                  —    David Turner
                                       —    Julian Dabit (#3!)
         May 27                  —    Luke Habeeb (#10!)
         May 30                  —    Dn. Terry Algood
         May 31                  —    Stephen Chamblee

Happy Anniversaries in May:
         May 12                  —    Cliff and Anna Kathryn Stewart (#8!)
         May 19                  —    Jay and Joanna Davis (#3!)
         May 25                  —    Nicholas and Carrie Henderson (#1!)
         May 30                  —    Tom and Jennifer Skirtech (#38!)
 
Thermostats in the Fellowship Hall:  There are two thermostats in the Fellowship Hall—one in the main room to control the air in the main room, and a second one in the Nursery room that controls the air in all four of the Sunday School rooms.  Please be sure when you leave the building that both thermostats are set to 80 degrees in warm weather or 60 degrees in cold weather.
 
Quotable:  “How Should We Conduct Ourselves in the Morning?
                  In the morning, conduct yourself in the following manner:
                  Right after this, or at the same time, get out of bed.  Getting out of bed quickly is often very unpleasant for our flesh, because our flesh, like a lazy servant, always likes to lie and sleep or to luxuriate and remain idle.  Every single morning act against the basic desires of your flesh.  Let this opposition to the flesh be your first sacrifice to the Lord God. Among other reasons, quickly getting up in th morning is very beneficial for the soul because (as all who fervently strive for salvation have long observed) when we lie in bed for a long time after waking, impure tendencies very easily arise in our bodies, and impure thoughts and desires in our souls.  Later in the day these easily cause the careless to fall into serious sins and into great danger of losing their salvation.  But whoever bravely opposes the wishes of his flesh in the morning will resist temptations besetting him during the day and evening, even very serious ones.  But if you have been watching after yourself to any degree, you already know this.”
                                                How to Live a Holy Life by Metropolitan GREGORY of
                                                            St. Petersburg
 
 
Worship:         Sunday, May 17, 2015 (Sunday of the Blindman)
 
         Scripture:                                Acts 16:16-34; John 9:1-38
         Celebrant:                               Father John
         Epistle Reader:                      Phillip Lasseter
         Prosphora:                              Schelver
         Coffee Hour:                          Skirtech/Skirtech/Parker