May 1, 2016

PASCHA

“Unique and holy day, King and lord of days, feast of feasts, solemnity of solemnities. . . ” Thus we celebrate the Great Feast because of the resurrection of our Lord and begin the season of celebration which lasts through Pentecost. The paschal solemnities (of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday) are joined to the feast of the resurrection to endow the mystery of Christmas and the Incarnation with the fulness of its meaning and are the prerequisite condition for Pentecost. Easter, therefore, is the center, the heart of the Christian Year.

“Come, take light from the Light that has no evening, and glorify Christ, risen from the dead.” The Church again represents the Christian mystery in terms of light; this Light, whose birth was marked by the star of Bethlehem, is shining among us with growing intensity; the darkness of Golgotha could not extinguish it. The physical Resurrection of Jesus would be without value to us if the divine light did not shine at the same time among us, within us. But the good news of the Resurrection is that the light brought by the Saviour now completely overcomes the darkness of our sins!

“Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death, and to those in the tomb He has given life!”

Acts 1:1-8: From our reading in Acts we are reminded that following the Resurrection and Ascen­sion of our Lord, the Church would receive the Holy Spirit to empower her in spreading the eternal gos­pel to all parts of the Earth.

John 1:1-17: Reading in the Gospel of John we see Jesus Christ as the eternally Begotten Son of The Father with Whom He has always existed. We also see John the Baptist coming to prepare the way for our Lord’s ministry.

Paschal Troparion: Christ is risen from the dead; by Death has he trodden death, and upon those in the tombs, hath he bestowed life.

Hypakoe of Easter: They who were with Mary came before the dawn, found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre, and heard the angels say unto them, Why seek ye him as man with the dead, who dwelleth in light eternal? Behold the grave wrappings; make haste and declare to the world that the Lord is risen, and hath caused death to die; for he is the Son of God, the Saviour of mankind.

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 1 (Great and Holy PASCHA)

4:00 p.m. — Agape Vespers

Monday, May 2 (Athanasios the Great)

Office Closed — Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, May 3

6:00 a.m. — Bright Week Orthros

Wednesday, May 4

11:30 a.m. — Ladies Lunch

6:30 p.m. — Vespers of Bright Week

Thursday, May 5

6:00 a.m. — Bright Week Orthros

11:30 a.m. — Men’s Lunch

Friday, May 6

Saturday, May 7

5:45 p.m. — Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers

Sunday, May 8 (Thomas Sunday)

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 Karams for the Vesperal Liturgy of Great and Holy Thursday morning, by the Brocks for the Vesperal Liturgy of Great and Holy Saturday morning and by the Fahmys for the Divine Liturgy tonight.

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

April 30 (Sat. p.m.) Fahmy Kh. Janet /Kh. Be’Be’

May 8 Baker Pigott/Strain/Osborne

May 15 Meadows Skirtech/Skirtech/Parker

May 22 R. Root D. Root/Dansereau

May 29 Henderson Algood/Lasseter

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#

April 30 (Sat. p.m.) Warren Strain Acts 1:1-8 25

May 8 Mildred Morris Acts 5:12-20 32

May 15 Phillip Lasseter Acts 6:1-7 38

May 22 Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver Acts 9:32-42 45

May 29 Brenda Baker Acts 11:33-12:2 52

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 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: Steve, Sheryl and Stephen Chamblee; 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; Walt and Charlotte Wood and their family; Lynda Costas; Kevin and Angelina Speier; Tom and Kathy Willingham.

Please continue to pray for the health of His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN.

Please remember Fr. Joseph and Kh. Joanna Bittle, and their daughter Abigail, in your prayers.

Welcome and Many Years! to Jay Davis who was baptized and chrismated this morning!

We will be having a special Coffee Hour on Sunday, May 15th to honor Alexia Parker and Anastasia Osborne who will be graduating from high school!

Fasting Discipline for May

During Bright Week (the week following Pascha) there is no fasting of any kind. Following Bright Week, the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all remaining Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.

Major Commemorations for May

May 2 Athanasios the Great

May 8 Thomas Sunday; Antipascha

Apostle John the Theologian

May 10 Apostle Simon the Zealot

May 15 Sunday of the Holy Myrrh-bearers

May 21 Constantine and Helen

May 22 Sunday of the Paralytic

May 25 The Forerunner (3rd Discovery)

May 29 Sunday of the Samaritan Woman

Burial Plots at Natchez Trace Cemetery: There is a sign-up sheet in the Fellowship Hall for anyone interested in a group of burial plots set aside for St. Peter at the Natchez Trace Cemetery on Highway 51 in Madison. There is a letter detailing a special offer for members of St. Peter for burial plots and funeral arrangements. For those interested we will have a meeting to discuss this further.

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.

* Special Coffee Hour honoring our graduating seniors, Alexia Parker and Anastasia Osborne.

* The men of the parish will meet at the church once each quarter for a Saturday morning Father-Son Prayer Breakfast. The next meeting is Saturday, May 21st.

* The dates for serving at the Stewpot Ministries this year are May 14th, September 17th and November 26th.

* His Grace, Bishop THOMAS will be with us August 12-15th. Be sure to mark your calendars now.

Parish Life Conference: This year’s PLC will be hosted by St. Andrew the Apostle in Pensacola, FL, from June 15-18. Registration and information about the hotel is available on the Antiochian website. Please make plans to support our sister parish in their efforts.

Quotable: “Another infallible means by which the believer finds his heart is in accepting shame for his sins in the sacrament of confession. Christ saved us by enduring the Cross of shame for our sakes. Similarly, when the believer comes out of the camp of this world (cf. Heb. 13:11-12), he disregards its good opinion and judgment, taking upon himself the shame of his sins, and thereby acquiring a humble heart. The Lord receives his sense of shame for his sins as a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and imparts to him the grace of His great sacrifice on the Cross. This grace so purifies and renews his heart that he can then stand before God in a manner that is pleasing to Him.”
The Hidden Man of the Heart

by Archimandrite Zacharias

Worship: Sunday, May 8, 2016 (Thomas Sunday; Antipascha)

Scripture: Acts 5:12-20; John 20:19-31

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Mildred Morris

Prosphora: Baker

Coffee Hour: Pigott/Strain/Osborne

April 24, 2016

Palm Sunday

Entrance of our Lord into Jerusalem

Palm Sunday begins the observance of the eight days that encapsulate all of time and eternity as relates to man. The days begin with the proclamation on earth of the entry of the Messiah into Jerusalem and end with the Eternal King rising in incomprehensible victory to establish the heavenly Jerusalem and His eternal reign. On Palm Sunday, we begin the days of the full exhibition of the awful corruption sin has spread in mankind and the measureless love that heals and deifies our humanity. Today we thrill at the picture of Christ and the praises of the people, the object of adoration yet the perfection of humility. The imagery of the scene is beyond description: the King amidst His people, the palm and olive branches symbolizing His victory, His anointing, His peace; the cloaks and garments cast before Him symbolizing our complete submission to His will; the cries of adoration, of “Hosanna,” the coming of the Lord. Yet, on this day we are also near enough to feel acutely the dread of His passion, the desolation of the trial and Golgotha. This day also begins the week of the Eighth Day, the entry to eternity. As we observe Palm Sunday, we observe all history and the fulfillment of all history.

Philippians 4:4-9: The Apostle Paul encourages us in the reading from his letter to the Philippians: we are to rejoice in the Lord and to let our concerns and desires be made known to God in prayer and sup­plication. By doing so, he tells us that the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds.

John 12:1-18: In anticipation of her Lord’s passion, Mary anoints Jesus’ feet with costly ointment, fore­shadowing His coming death. Jesus then enters Jerusalem shortly before Passover in fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy.

First Troparion of Palm Sunday: O Christ God, when thou didst raise Lazarus from the dead before thy Passion, thou didst confirm the universal resurrection. Wherefore, we, like babes, carry the insignia of triumph and victory, and cry to thee, O Vanquisher of death, Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord.

Second Troparion of Palm Sunday: O Christ God, when we were buried with thee in Baptism, we became deserving of thy Resurrection to immortal life. Wherefore, we praise thee, crying, Hosanna in the highest, blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord.

Kontakion of Palm Sunday: Seated upon Thy throne in heaven, and a foal on earth, O Christ our God, Thou didst receive the praise of the angels and the hymns of the children: Blessed is He that cometh to recall Adam.

CALENDAR

Sunday, April 24 (Palm Sunday)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

12:00 p.m. — Palm Sunday Meal

6:30 p.m. — Bridegroom Matins

[Holy
Week Begins]

Monday, April 25

Office Closed — Father John’s Day Off

6:30 p.m. — Bridegroom Matins

Tuesday, April 26

6:30 p.m. — Bridegroom Matins

Wednesday, April 27

6:30 p.m. — Holy Unction Service

Thursday, April 28 (Great and Holy Thursday)

6:00 a.m. –Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil

6:30 p.m. — Reading of the Twelve Passion Gospels

Friday, April 29 (Great and Holy Friday)

6:00 a.m. — Royal Hours

8:30 a.m. — Decorating the Bier and making flower arrangements for Pascha

3:00 p.m. — Taking down from the Cross

6:30 p.m. — Lamentations Service

Saturday, April 30 (Great and Holy Saturday)

9:00 a.m. — Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil with Baptism and

Chrismation

11:45 a.m. — Reception honoring Jay Davis

10:30 p.m. — Paschal Service

Sunday, May 1 (Great and Holy PASCHA)

4:00 p.m. — Agape Vespers

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Davises yesterday morning for Lazarus Saturday and by the Daniel Roots for the Divine Liturgy this morning.

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.

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

April 24 D. Root Kh. Sharon /Anna Kathryn Stewart

April 28 (Thurs. a.m.) Karam Kh. Sharon

April 30 (Sat. a.m.) Brock Joanna Davis/Kh. Sharon Meadows

April 30 (Sat. p.m.) Fahmy Kh. Janet /Kh. Be’Be’

May 8 Baker Pigott/Strain/Osborne

May 15 Meadows Skirtech/Skirtech/Parker

May 22 R. Root D. Root/Dansereau

May 29 Henderson Algood/Lasseter

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#

April 24 Walt Wood Phil. 4:4-9 294

April 28 (Thurs. a.m.) Sh. Charlotte Algood I Cor. 11:23-32 295

April 30 (Sat. a.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows Rom. 6:3-11 300

April 30 (Sat. p.m.) Warren Strain Acts 1:1-8 25

May 8 Mildred Morris Acts 5:12-20 32

May 15 Phillip Lasseter Acts 6:1-7 38

May 22 Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver Acts 9:32-42 45

May 29 Brenda Baker Acts 11:33-12:2 52

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: Steve, Sheryl and Stephen Chamblee; 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; Walt and Charlotte Wood and their family; Lynda Costas; Kevin and Angelina Speier; Tom and Kathy Willingham.

Please continue to pray for the health of His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN.

Please remember Fr. Joseph and Kh. Joanna Bittle, and their daughter Abigail, in your prayers.

Jay Davis will be baptized and chrismated on the morning of Great and Holy Saturday. Please keep him and Joanna in your prayers.

Palm Sunday Meal: This year Penn’s will be providing our annual catfish dinner today following the Divine Liturgy. The meal will include all-you-can-eat catfish, French fries, hushpuppies, cole slaw, greens, tea and peach cobbler. Meals will be $10 for adults and children over 10, and $6 for children 5-10.

Plans for decorating the Church for Pascha: We will decorate the bier on Holy Friday morning after the royal hours. All are welcome. Bring your pruners and creative juices! We usually start about 8:30 a.m. We’ll also be making arrangements for the church windows and a few for extra tables for Agape.
If your elementary school or preschool daughter wants to be a myrrh-bearing woman during the Lamentations Service on Holy Friday evening, please let Sh. Charlotte know so that we can have enough flower baskets available!

We will be having a special Coffee Hour on Sunday, May 15th to honor Alexia Parker who will be graduating from high school!

Fasting Discipline for April

During Great Lent the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all days of the week until Pashca (except the Feast of the Annunciation on March 25th and Palm Sunday on April 24th, when fish, wine and oil are permitted).

Major Commemorations for April

April 24 Palm Sunday

April 24-30 Holy Week

April 25 Apostle Mark

April 29 Apostle James of Zebedee

Burial Plots at Natchez Trace Cemetery: There is a sign-up sheet in the Fellowship Hall for anyone interested in a group of burial plots set aside for St. Peter at the Natchez Trace Cemetery on Highway 51 in Madison.

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.

* Special Coffee Hour honoring our graduating senior, Alexia Parker.

* The men of the parish will meet at the church once each quarter for a Saturday morning Father-Son Prayer Breakfast. The next meeting is Saturday, May 21st.

* The dates for serving at the Stewpot Ministries this year are May 14th, September 17th and November 26th.

* His Grace, Bishop THOMAS will be with us August 12-15th. Be sure to mark your calendars now.

Parish Life Conference: This year’s PLC will be hosted by St. Andrew the Apostle in Pensacola, FL, from June 15-18. Registration and information about the hotel is available on the Antiochian website. Please make plans to support our sister parish in their efforts.

Quotable: “When man believes and his spirit finds true contact with the Spirit of ‘Jesus Christ who was raised from the dead’ (2 Tim. 2:8) and Who lives and reigns forever, he is enlightened so that he can see his spiritual poverty and desolation. He also perceives that he is still far from eternal life, and this gives birth to great fear in him because he is now aware that God is absent from his life. Godly fear such as this strengthens man’s heart to resist sin and begets a firm resolve to prefer heavenly things to earthly things. His life begins to prove the truth of the words of Scripture: ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom’ (Prov. 1:7 Lxx). As man’s heart draws to itself the grace of God, this gift of fear humbles him, and prevents him from becoming overbold; that he ‘not think of himself more highly than he ought to think’ (Rom. 12:3), and that he keep himself prudently within the limits of created being.”

The Hidden Man of the Heart

by Archimandrite Zacharias

Worship: Sunday, May 1, 2016 (Great and Holy PASCHA)

Scripture: Acts 1:1-8; John 1:1-17

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Warren Strain

Prosphora: Fahmy

Coffee Hour: Kh. Janet Henderson/Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver

April 17, 2016

Fifth Sunday of Great Lent

Commemoration of St. Mary of Egypt

The facts of the life of St. Mary of Egypt are vague and clouded by time and separation, but the spirit of her story is a clear call to repentance and devotion. According to tradition, Mary was from Alexandria, where she was an actress and courtesan, living a life of sin and infamy. When spiritual intervention forbade her entry to Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, she spent the night in penitent prayer. The following morning she was able to enter, whereupon she venerated the cross and immediately removed herself to the life of a penitent and solitary in the Palestinian desert. She remained in isolation for forty-seven years, aided only by monks of the region and God’s grace. Only at her death was she found and given communion by the priest Zosimus. On this last Sunday of Lent, as we prepare for Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and the Great Feast of the eighth and eternal day, we call to mind this holy woman, her fear of the all-powerful God, her recognition of her sin, her repentance, her humility, her faith, and her unwavering intent to seek righteousness and the courts of her King.

Hebrews 9:11-14: In our reading from Hebrews, we hear the Apostle tell us that when Christ entered the heavenly Holy of Holies through His own blood, He obtained for us eternal redemption for our sins.

Mark 10:32-45: We again hear our Lord prophesy concerning His coming death and resurrection, but, His disciples do not understand, displaying concern for personal gain as a reward. The Lord then explains to them that greatness in the kingdom of God is attained through service to others.

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 St. Mary of Egypt: Through thee the divine likeness was securely preserved, O Mother Mary; for thou didst carry the cross and followed Christ. By example and precept thou didst teach us to ignore the body because it is perishable, and to attend to the concerns of the undying soul. Therefore, doth thy soul rejoice with the angels.

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 Sundays of Lent: To thee the champion leader, I thy servant offer thanks for victory, O Theotokos, thou who hast delivered me form terror. As thou hast power invincible, free me from every danger that I may cry unto thee: Rejoice, O bride without bridegroom.

CALENDAR

Sunday, April 17 (St. Mary of Egypt)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

Monday, April 18

Office Closed — Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, April 19

6:00 a.m. — Lenten Orthros

Wednesday, April 20

6:30 p.m. — Pre-sanctified Liturgy followed by Soup Supper

Thursday, April 21

6:00 a.m. –Lenten Orthros

Friday, April 22

6:30 p.m. — Small Compline with the Canon of St. Lazarus

Saturday, April 23 (Lazarus Saturday)

9:00 a.m. — Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy

11:45 a.m. — Decorating the Church for Palm Sunday

5:45 p.m. — Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers

Sunday, April 24 (Palm Sunday)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

12:00 p.m. — Palm Sunday Meal

6:30 p.m. — Bridegroom Matins

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Meadows for the Divine Liturgy this morning.

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

April 17 Meadows Stewart/Karam/Meadows

April 23 (Sat. a.m.) Davis Sh. Margaret

April 24 D. Root Charlotte Wood/Anna Kathryn Stewart

April 28 (Thurs. a.m.) Karam Kh. Sharon

April 30 (Sat. a.m.) Brock Joanna Davis/Kh. Sharon Meadows

April 30 (Sat. p.m.) Fahmy Kh. Janet /Kh. Be’Be’

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#

April 17 David Turner Heb. 9:11-14 290

April 23 (Sat. a.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows Heb. 12:28-13:8 291

April 24 Walt Wood Phil. 4:4-9 294

April 28 (Thurs. a.m.) Sh. Charlotte Algood I Cor. 11:23-32 295

April 30 (Sat. a.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows Rom. 6:3-11 300

April 30 (Sat. p.m.) Warren Strain Acts 1:1-8 25

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 remember the following in your prayers: Steve, Sheryl and Stephen Chamblee; 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; Walt and Charlotte Wood and their family; Lynda Costas; Kevin and Angelina Speier.

Please continue to pray for the health of His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN.

Please remember Fr. Joseph and Kh. Joanna Bittle, and their daughter Abigail, in your prayers.

Jay Davis will be baptized and chrismated on the morning of Great and Holy Saturday. Please keep him and Joanna in your prayers.

Confessions: Please go ahead and schedule your confessions so we do not have so many people trying to fit it in just before Holy Week. Father John will not be hearing confessions during Holy Week. (Definitely no confessions during the latter half of Holy Week, and only those that are the result of extenuating circumstances during the beginning of the week.)

Palm Sunday Meal: This year Penn’s will be providing our annual catfish dinner on Palm Sunday, April 24th following the Divine Liturgy. The meal will include all-you-can-eat catfish, French fries, hushpuppies, cole slaw, greens, tea and peach cobbler. Meals will be $10 for adults and children over 10, and $6 for children 5-10. There is a sign-up sheet in the fellowship hall. Please be sure to sign it if your family will be participating in the meal.

Fasting Discipline for April

During Great Lent the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all days of the week until Pashca (except the Feast of the Annunciation on March 25th and Palm Sunday on April 24th, when fish, wine and oil are permitted).

Major Commemorations for April

April 17 5th Sunday of Lent; Mary of Egypt

April 23 Lazarus Saturday; Great-martyr George

April 24-30 Holy Week

April 25 Apostle Mark

April 29 Apostle James of Zebedee

Plans for decorating the Church for Palm Sunday and Pascha: We will decorate with palms Lazarus Saturday after the Divine Liturgy. Please check with Joanna and Elizabeth for details.
We will decorate the bier on Holy Friday morning after the royal hours. All are welcome. Bring your pruners and creative juices! We usually start about 8:30. We’ll also be making arrangements for the church windows and a few for extra tables for Agape.
If your elementary school or preschool daughter wants to be a myrrh-bearing woman during the Lamentations Service on Holy Friday evening, please let Sh. Charlotte know so that we can have enough flower baskets available!

Burial Plots at Natchez Trace Cemetery: There is a sign-up sheet in the Fellowship Hall for anyone interested in a group of burial plots set aside for St. Peter at the Natchez Trace Cemetery on Highway 51 in Madison.

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.

* The men of the parish will meet at the church once each quarter for a Saturday morning Father-Son Prayer Breakfast. The next meeting is Saturday, May 21st.

* Schedule for Holy Week services are as follows:

Saturday, April 23rd — Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy at 9:00 a.m.

Sunday, April 24th — Bridegroom Matins at 6:30 p.m.

Monday, April 25th — Bridegroom Matins at 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 26th — Bridegroom Matins at 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, April 27th