Monthly Archives: August 2016

Memory Eternal, Stephen Chamblee

 

Please find below the schedule of services for Stephen Chamblee:
Wednesday, August 10
     5:00 p.m.  Reception of the body at St. Peter Church
     5:30-7:00 p.m.  Visitation
     7:00 p.m. Funeral service followed by vigil of Psalm readings
Thursday, August 11
     9:00 a.m. Trisagion Prayers of Mercy for the Departed at St. Peter Church followed by Last Kiss for family only, final anointing of the body and sealing of the casket.
     9:25 Departure for  Natchez Trace Cemetery.
     9:30 Interment at Natchez Trace Cemetery
Mercy Meal at St. Peter Church afterwards.
Please note that we need readers of the Psalms for Wednesday night to cover as much as possible the entire evening as vigil.  Please contact Dn. Terry if you are willing to fill a time slot for this.
Many thanks for the outpouring of prayers, live and support for Sheryl, Steve and all of our family.  Please continue.  May Stephen’s memory be eternal, and may God grant you long life.
Fr. John

Blessing for School Children


O Lord our God and Creator, who hast honored men with Thine own image; who hast taught Thine elect, so that most wise are they who give heed to Thy teaching; who revealest wisdom unto babes; who hast imparted Thy teaching unto Solomon and unto all who have sought Thy wisdom: Open Thou the heart, the mind, and the lips of these Thy servants, that they may receive the power of Thy law, and understand the knowledge which shall be taught them, to the glory of Thine all-holy Name, to the profit and building up of Thy holy Church, and that they may comprehend Thy good and perfect will. Deliver them from every hostile oppression; preserve them in the Orthodox faith, and in holiness all the days of their life, that they may increase in wisdom and in the fulfilling of Thy commandments, that being thus prepared they may glorify Thine all-holy Name and become an heir of Thy kingdom. For Thou art God, mighty in mercy, and gracious in strength, and unto Thee is due glory: To the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

– St. Gregory Palamas

8/7 announcements

August 7, 2016

Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

Sunday after the Transfiguration of our Lord on Mount Tabor

Romans 15:1-7: St Paul encourages us to deny ourselves on behalf of others for our own edification. He reminds us that the Lord has brought salvation to the Gentiles, thus giving hope to those who were lost.

Matthew 9:27-35: The Lord Jesus again demonstrates His mercy by healing two blind men and cast­ing out a demon from a man possessed. We see that the Lord has compassion for all those who are op­pressed by sin, death and Satan.

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 Transfiguration: When, O Christ our God, thou wast transfigured on the mountain, thou didst reveal thy glory to thy Disciples in proportion as they could bear it. Let thine everlasting light also enlighten us sinners, through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Bestower of light, 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 Transfiguration: Thou wast transfigured on the mount, and thy Disciples, in so far as they were able, beheld thy glory, O Christ our God; so that, when they should see thee crucified, they would remember that thy suffering was voluntary, and could declare to all the world that thou art truly the effulgent Splendor of the Father.

CALENDAR

Sunday, August 7 (Seventh Sunday after Pentecost)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

12:00 p.m. — Brief Meeting of Ladies of St. Peter

Monday, August 8

Office Closed — Father John’s Day Off

6:30 p.m. — Paraklesis Service

Tuesday, August 9

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Wednesday, August 10

6:30 p.m. — Paraklesis Service

Thursday, August 11

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Friday, August 12

6:30 p.m. — Paraklesis Service

Saturday, August 13

9:00 a.m. — Men’s Breakfast with Bishop THOMAS

6:00 p.m. — Reception of the Bishop followed by Great Vespers

(NO Ninth Hour)

Sunday, August 14 (Forefeast of the Dormition of the Theotokos)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

10:00 a.m. — Hierarchical Divine Liturgy

12:00 p.m. — Pot Luck Meal (Fasting)

5:30 p.m. — Great Vespers for the Feast of the Dormition

Monday, August 15 (Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos)

We celebrate this month the Feast of the Dormition (or “Falling Asleep”) of the Theotokos. Church Tradition states that the Virgin Mary died in her early fifties. The icon shows her lying upon her funeral bier. On either side of the bier stand the Apostles; the group on the left is led by St. Peter who stands at the head of the bier; the group on the right is led by St. Paul who stands at the foot of the bier. At the time of her death many of the Apostles were scattered throughout the world preaching the Gospel. However, they all returned to Jerusalem upon learning of her death. All arrived in time for the burial except St. Thomas. Standing by the bier is her Son, who had come to receive His Mother’s soul into heaven. He holds in His arms an infant in white symbolizing the soul of the Theotokos. The Orthodox Church, although it has never had the need to make it a dogma (as has the Roman Catholic Church), also believes in the Virgin Mary’s “assumption” or bodily resurrection into heaven. Tradition relates that when the other disciples showed St. Thomas (who arrived in Jerusalem after the burial) the tomb in Gethsemane where the Theotokos had been buried near her parents, they discovered that the tomb was empty.

Office Closed — Father John’s Day Off

9:00 a.m. — Orthros

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Dn. Richard Roots for the Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord yesterday morning and by the Hendersons for the Divine Liturgy this morning.

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

August 7 Henderson R.Root/Habeeb

August 14 Algood POT LUCK MEAL

(Set-up: Schelver/Lavric/Turner)

August 15 (Mon. a.m.) Katool Kh. Sharon Meadows

(Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos)

August 21 Schelver Henderson/Baker/Lockhart

August 28 Morris Karam/Stewart/Meadows

Schedule for Epistle Readers – Page numbers refer to the Apostolos (book of the Epistles) located on the front pew. Please be sure to use this book when you read.

Reader Reading Page#

August 7 Warren Strain Rom. 15:1-7 119

August 14 Mildred Morris I Cor. 1:10-17 124

August 15 (Mon. a.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows Phil. 2:5-11 403

(Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos)

August 21 Phillip Lasseter I Cor. 3:9-17 130

August 28 Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver I Cor. 4:9-16 141

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.

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

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; Tom and Kathy Willingham; Demitrius Zouboukos; Fr. James and Kh. Sharon and their family.

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

Gabriel Salibury will be baptized on Saturday morning, August 20th. His godparents will be Anthony and Athena Zouboukos. Please keep them all in your prayers.

Tithes and Donations: We have had several unexpected expenses this summer (new a/c unit for the nave, etc.) and have used some of our financial buffer. If you are behind on your contributions, please catch them up as soon as you are able, so that we can rebuild our buffer.

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 Fast of the Dormition runs through August 14th. During this time, as is our custom, we will pray the Paraklesis Service to the Theotokos on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings of the fast.

* His Grace, Bishop THOMAS will be with us August 12-15th. Please refer to the Calendar earlier in these announcements for details about his schedule.

* The Feast of the Dormition will be celebrated with Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy on Monday morning, August 15th, beginning at 9:00 a.m. (Great Vespers for the Feast will be celebrated Sunday evening, beginning at 5:30 p.m.)

* Gabriel Salisbury’s Baptism will be on Saturday morning, August 20th.

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

* The MS Valley Deanery Clergy Retreat will be held at St. Peter October 24-26th.

Burial Plots at Natchez Trace Cemetery: Mr. Michael Hudgins, the Director of the Natchez Trace Funeral Home has made a very generous offer to the members of St. Peter who wish to purchase a burial plot and pre-arrange their funeral needs. The offer will expire at the end of 2016. Copies of Mr. Hudgins letter may be found on the information table in the Fellowship Hall. If you are interested in this offer, please contact Mr. Hudgins for an appointment. (We will not have another meeting of the parish as previously announced.)

Fasting Discipline for August

From August 1st through August 14th (the Dormition Fast), the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all days, except August 6th (the Feast of the Transfiguration) when fish and wine are permitted. After the 15th, the traditional fasting discipline is observed on the remaining Wednesdays and Fridays of the month. August 29th is also a strict fast day in remembrance of the beheading of the Forerunner.

Major Commemorations for August

August 15 Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos

August 25 Apostles Bartholomew and Titus

August 29 Beheading of the Forerunner

August 31 Deposition of the Belt of the Theotokos

Quotable: “Separated from God Who is the source of Life, man can only withdraw into himself. He is deprived of divine strength and is unable to seek salvation. Gradually he is left desolate and dissolute. Faced by the inexorable threat of his annihilation, man’s spirit is seized by the fear of death. He becomes sick with selfishness and enters upon a contentious struggle for personal survival.”
The Hidden Man of the Heart by Archimandrite Zacharias

Worship: Sunday, August 14, 2016 (Eighth Sunday after Pentecost; Forefeast of the

Dormition of the Theotokos)

Scripture: I Corinthians 1:10-17; Matthew 14:14-22

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Mildred Morris

Prosphora: Algood

Coffee Hour: POT LUCK MEAL

(Set-up: Schelver/Lavric/Turner)