January 29, 2017

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

II Corinthians 6:16-7:1: St Paul reminds us that as God has promised to dwell with us, we are to be holy, cleansing ourselves from ungodliness.

Matthew 15:21-28: In the passage from Matthew we see our Lord demonstrate His mercy by healing the daughter of a Canaanite woman.

Troparion of the Resurrection: Thou didst shatter death by thy Cross; thou didst open paradise to the thief; thou didst turn the mourning of the ointment-bearing women into joy, and didst bid thine Apostles proclaim warning that thou hast risen, O Christ, granting the world Great Mercy.

Troparion of St. Ignatius of Antioch: By choosing the Apostles’ way of life, thou hast succeeded to their throne. Inspired by God, thou didst find the way to divine contemplation through the practice of virtue. After teaching the Word of Truth without error, thou didst defend the Faith to the very shedding of thy blood, O Hieromartyr Ignatius. Entreat the Lord our God to save our souls.

Troparion of the Chains of St. Peter: O Holy Apostle, Peter, thou dost preside over the Apostles by the precious chains which thou didst bear. We venerate them with faith and beseech thee that by thine intercessions we be granted the great mercy.

Kontakion of the Presentation: Thou, O Christ God, who by your Birth, didst sanctify the Virgin’s womb, and as is meet, didst bless Simeon’s arms, and didst also come to save us, preserve thy fold in wars, and confirm them whom thou didst love; for thou alone art the Lover of mankind.

CALENDAR

Sunday, January 29 (Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

Monday, January 30

Office Closed — Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, January 31

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Wednesday, February 1

6:00 p.m. — Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia

Thursday, February 2 (Presentation of our Lord in the Temple)

Many years before the coming of Christ there lived a very pious and saintly man called Simeon. He was one of the most intelligent Jewish scholars of his day. Simeon prayed for the day that the Saviour would come and deliver all Israel (and the world) from sin. One evening while kneeling in prayer, Simeon heard the voice of God saying to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Holy Tradition tells us that Simeon waited many long years. Some Holy Fathers inform us that Simeon was over 150 years old when the Promise of God was fulfilled. The Holy Scriptures tell us that 40 days after the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ the Virgin Mary brought the Christ Child to the Temple for Presentation. It was a law that the first born son of a family should be offered to God and His service, as soon as a period of purification was past. It was here that Simeon waited patiently that day, as he had done for so many years. The Spirit of the Lord brought him to the baby Jesus. Simeon took the infant Child in his trembling hands and recited the following beautiful prayer which is recited in the Orthodox Church every evening during Vesper services:

“Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word.

For mine eyes have seen Thy Salvation which thou hast prepared before the

face of all peoples. A Light to enlighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of

thy people Israel.”

Thus the promise to the aged Simeon was finally fulfilled. The next day Simeon died in peace, thankful to Almighty God that he was honored to see the coming of Christ.

This custom has continued down to our own day for both male and female children, and every mother who brings her new-born child to Church on the fortieth day is remembering the Great Feast of the Presentation of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple.

6:00 a.m. — Festal Orthros

11:30 a.m. — Men’s Lunch

Friday, February 3 (Simeon the God-receiver)

[TEEN
RETREAT BEGINS]

Saturday, February 4

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

Sunday, February 5 (Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican)

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 Morrises 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

January 29 Morris D. Root/Dansereau/Davis

February 1 (Wed. p.m.) Katools (Artoklasia Bread)

(Feast of the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple)

February 5 Jones Algood/Lasseter/Strain/Dabit

February 12 Meadows POT LUCK MEAL

(set-up: R. Root/Habeeb/Pacurari)

February 18 (Sat. a.m.) Davis

(Saturday of the Souls)

February 19 D. Root Schelver/Lavric/Karam

February 26 Karam Henderson/Baker/Lockhart

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#

January 29 Phillip Lasseter II Cor. 6:16-7:1 173

February 5 Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver II Tim. 3:10-15 258

February 12 Brenda Baker I Cor. 6:12-20 265

February 18 (Sat. a.m.) David Turner I Cor. 10:23-26 271-272

February 19 Walt Wood I Cor. 8:8-9:2 273

February 26 Warren Strain Rom. 13:11-14:4 279

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

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 Chamblee; Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Sam and Lamia Dabit and Sammie; Georgia Buchanan, George and Michael Johns (Georgia’s grandsons) and their 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 and Tom’s stepdaughter, Marica, who has been diagnosed with MS; Peggy (David Turner’s paternal aunt) who is suffering from cancer and related complications; Alexa (Lou Turner’s very close friend) who sustained multiple injuries in a serious car wreck; and George (Dorothea and Daniel Staursky’s uncle) who sustained injuries in a bad fall.

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

Chanters’ Stand: We are looking into the purchase of a Chanters’ Stand for the church. The ones that are currently under consideration are carved and are similar to the beautiful tables in the nave and narthex. The cost would be somewhere between $2000 and $4000. We are soliciting donations to cover the cost. If you would like to participate, please let Fr. John know.

House Blessings! A sign-up sheet is available in the Fellowship Hall to sign up for your house blessing. You may also e-mail Father John at frjohnc with 3 dates for your blessing. Please schedule these as soon as possible. Everyone should have their home blessed. However, the responsibility for scheduling lies with individuals and not with Father John. No house blessings will be done once Great Lent starts (February 27th this year).

Thomas Wood’s wedding is scheduled for Sunday, February 19th in San Antonio, TX. An invitation has been placed on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall. Please keep Thomas and Caitie and their families in your prayers!

Please pray for the following:

Kevin Spier, the son of Fr. Nicholas and Kh. Jan from St. Athanasius in Goleta, CA, has been moved to hospice care and is rapidly declining.

Vivian Joy, the ten year-old daughter of Jill Weatherly’s goddaughter, is in ICU with probable complications of a brain tumor and not doing well.

Taxable Donations for 2016: The letters documenting your taxable donations to St. Peter for 2016 were mailed earlier this week. If you have not received yours, or if you have found any discrepancies with your records, please let Kh. Sharon know as soon as possible.

Pledge Letters were mailed last month. Please fill yours out and return it to the office as soon as possible.

If you are the last to leave, please make sure that the doors in the Fellowship Hall, the kitchen and the hallway are all locked.

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 MS Valley Deanery will hold its annual Teen Retreat February 3-5, 2017 at Camp Hopewell in Oxford, MS. Fr. Daniel Bethancourt, Retreat Master this year, will be addressing issues related to self-esteem. Please mark your calendars now.

* Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church’s 40th Anniversary Celebration will be held February 3rd-5th. Please see additional information elsewhere in these announcements.

* Great Lent will begin on Clean Monday, February 27th. More information about the schedule of services will be available in the coming weeks.

Fasting Discipline for January

The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on the remaining Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.

Major Commemorations for January

January 30 The Three Hierarchs

January 31 Cyros and John the Unmercenary Healers

Burial and Funeral Care Instructions forms: These forms are located on the bureau in the hallway outside the nave. There are two forms: one for the church and one for the family (with a copy given to the church). Please fill out your forms and return to the office as soon as possible.

Please be sure to have your forms notarized. The forms will be kept in a file in the office so that we have your instructions should the need arise.

Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in Clinton will be celebrating their 40th year as a Canonical Orthodox Church on February 3rd-5th. His Grace, Bishop ALEXANDER will be here presiding. Please pray for them. Father John and some of our clergy will be participating.

Quotable: “But you have neither experience, nor even knowledge, of what you ought to do. So recognize your infirmity. The inactivity of eremitic life is completely beyond you. You are used to exterior activity, whereas interior life is utterly unfamiliar to you. You have to learn about it, and this is what you should be thinking about. We must get used to turning the attention of our mind to the heart: watching over what is happening there, what it is reflecting on, what feelings it is living with, what state it is in, i.e., whether its state is in accordance with the commandments of God or whether it is overwhelmed by passions (anger, irritation, lust, self-love and so on). This continual looking into our heart with prayer should lead to the state where the mind and the heart are inseparably united. Then you will know the true being for which your soul is thirsting..”

Archimandrite Sophrony, Striving for Knowledge of God

Worship: Sunday, February 5, 2017 (Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican)

Scripture: II Timothy 3:10-15; Luke 18:10-14

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver

Prosphora: Jones

Coffee Hour: POT LUCK MEAL

(set-up: R. Root/Habeeb/Pacurari)

January 22, 2017

Thirty-second Sunday after Pentecost

I Timothy 4:9-15: From our reading in St Paul’s first letter to Timothy, we hear him exhort

Timothy to teach concerning God, the Savior of all men, and by his conduct to be an example of godliness to unbelievers.

Luke 19:1-10: In the story of Zaccheus we are reminded of why the Only-begotten Son of the

Father became incarnate: to save mankind from our sin and its consequences.

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 Holy Apostle Timothy: Since thou hadst been instructed in uprightness thoroughly and wast vigilant in all things, thou wast clothed with a good conscience as befitteth one holy. Thou didst draw from the Chosen Vessel ineffable mysteries; and having kept the Faith, thou didst finish a like course, O Hieromartyr and Apostle Timothy. Intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.

Troparion of St. Athanasios the Persian: Thy Martyr, O Lord, in his courageous contest for Thee received as the prize the crown of incorruption and life from Thee, our immortal God. For since he possessed Thy strength, he cast down the tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons= strengthless presumption. O Christ our God, by his prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful.

Troparion of the Chains of St. Peter: O Holy Apostle, Peter, thou dost preside over the Apostles by the precious chains which thou didst bear. We venerate them with faith and beseech thee that by thine intercessions we be granted the great mercy.

Kontakion of the Presentation: Thou, O Christ God, who by your Birth, didst sanctify the Virgin’s womb, and as is meet, didst bless Simeon’s arms, and didst also come to save us, preserve thy fold in wars, and confirm them whom thou didst love; for thou alone art the Lover of mankind.

CALENDAR

Sunday, January 22 (Thirty-second Sunday after Pentecost)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

Monday, January 23

Office Closed — Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, January 24

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

11:30 a.m. — Ladies Lunch

Wednesday, January 25 (Gregory the Theologian)

6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers

7:15 p.m. — Choir Practice

7:30 p.m. — Parish Council Meeting

Thursday, January 26

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Friday, January 27 (John Chrysostom)

Saturday, January 28

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

Sunday, January 29 (Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost)

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 Schelvers 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

January 22 Schelver Skirtech/Skirtech/Parker

January 29 Morris D. Root/Dansereau/Davis

February 1 (Wed. p.m.) Katools (Artoklasia Bread)

(Feast of the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple)

February 5 Jones Algood/Lasseter/Strain/Dabit

February 12 Meadows POT LUCK MEAL

(set-up: R. Root/Habeeb/Pacurari)

February 18 (Sat. a.m.) Davis

(Saturday of the Souls)

February 19 D. Root Schelver/Lavric/Karam

February 26 Karam Henderson/Baker/Lockhart

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#

January 22 Mildred Morris I Tim. 4:9-15 252

January 29 Phillip Lasseter II Cor. 6:16-7:1 173

February 5 Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver II Tim. 3:10-15 258

February 12 Brenda Baker I Cor. 6:12-20 265

February 18 (Sat. a.m.) David Turner I Cor. 10:23-26 271-272

February 19 Walt Wood I Cor. 8:8-9:2 273

February 26 Warren Strain Rom. 13:11-14:4 279

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

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 Chamblee; Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Sam and Lamia Dabit and Sammie; Georgia Buchanan, George and Michael Johns (Georgia’s grandsons) and their 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 and Tom’s stepdaughter, Marica, who has been diagnosed with MS; Peggy (David Turner’s paternal aunt) who is suffering from cancer and related complications; Alexa (Lou Turner’s very close friend) who sustained multiple injuries in a serious car wreck; and George (Dorothea and Daniel Staursky’s uncle) who sustained injuries in a bad fall.

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

Chanters’ Stand: We are looking into the purchase of a Chanters’ Stand for the church. The ones that are currently under consideration are carved and are similar to the beautiful tables in the nave and narthex. The cost would be somewhere between $2000 and $4000. We are soliciting donations to cover the cost. If you would like to participate, please let Fr. John know.

House Blessings! A sign-up sheet is available in the Fellowship Hall to sign up for your house blessing. You may also e-mail Father John at frjohnc with 3 dates for your blessing. Please schedule these as soon as possible. Everyone should have their home blessed. However, the responsibility for scheduling lies with individuals and not with Father John. No house blessings will be done once Great Lent starts (February 27th this year).

Welcome and Many Years! to Thomas Clark Henderson who was baptized yesterday morning.

Thomas Wood’s wedding is scheduled for Sunday, February 19th in San Antonio, TX. An invitation has been placed on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall. Please keep Thomas and Caitie and their families in your prayers!

Deedee Baba and her husband Arthur Jones, have two beautiful sons who were born this past Tuesday. The twins were both over 6 lbs and in good health. Mother and babies are doing well. Deedee and Arthur have requested no visitors until after they go home from the hospital.

Please pray for the following:

Kevin Spier, the son of Fr. Nicholas and Kh. Jan from St. Athanasius in Goleta, CA, has been moved to hospice care and is rapidly declining.

Vivian Joy, the ten year-old daughter of Jill Weatherly’s goddaughter, is in ICU with probable complications of a brain tumor and not doing well.

Pledge Letters have been mailed. Please fill yours out and return it to the office as soon as possible.

If you are the last to leave, please make sure that the doors in the Fellowship Hall, the kitchen and the hallway are all locked.

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.

* Great Lent will begin on Clean Monday, February 27th. More information about the schedule of services will be available in the coming weeks.

* The MS Valley Deanery will hold its annual Teen Retreat February 3-5, 2017 at Camp Hopewell in Oxford, MS. Fr. Daniel Bethancourt, Retreat Master this year, will be addressing issues related to self-esteem. Please mark your calendars now.

Fasting Discipline for January

The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on the remaining Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.

Major Commemorations for January

January 25 Gregory the Theologian

January 27 John Chrysostom

January 30 The Three Hierarchs

January 31 Cyros and John the Unmercenary Healers

Burial and Funeral Care Instructions forms: These forms are located on the bureau in the hallway outside the nave. There are two forms: one for the church and one for the family (with a copy given to the church). Please fill out your forms and return to the office as soon as possible.

Please be sure to have your forms notarized. The forms will be kept in a file in the office so that we have your instructions should the need arise.

Quotable: “You must give more attention, both now and in the future, to spiritual life; to practice the commandments, to vigilance in prayer, to reading the patristic ascetic works accepted by the Orthodox Church, and you will see that in the measure that your soul is enriched with these things, your mind too will gradually begin to acquire greater strength and clarity—in its thinking about God, in prayer, and even in theology and understanding of Scriptures.”

Archimandrite Sophrony, Striving for Knowledge of God

Worship: Sunday, January 29, 2017 (Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Scripture: II Corinthians 6:16-7:1; Matthew 15:21-28

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Phillip Lasseter

Prosphora: Morris

Coffee Hour: D. Root/Dansereau/Davis

January 15, 2017

Twenty-ninth Sunday after Pentecost

Colossians 3:4-11: As we read in Colossians, we see St Paul encouraging the Church to practice the virtues of compassion, kindness, and humility. He reminds us that love is the bond which holds us together and calls us to let the peace of Christ to rule us.

Luke 17:12-19: In the reading from St Luke we see the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ as He heals ten lepers, only one of whom thanks the Lord for being healed.

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. Paul of Thebes: The barren wilderness thou didst make fertile with the streams of thy tears and by thy deep sighing thou hast given fruit through thy struggles a hundred-fold. Accordingly, thou hast become a star for the universe, sparkling with miracles. Therefore, O righteous Father Paul, intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.

Troparion of St. John the Hut Dweller: Since thou hadst with fervor longed after the Lord from thy youth, thou leftist the world with its delights and nobly didst strive in valiant ascetic deeds. Thou didst pitch thy hut before the gates of thy parents; thou didst break the demons’ snares, O all-blessed Father. And therefore, as is meet, hath God glorified thee, O John.

Troparion of the Chains of St. Peter: O Holy Apostle, Peter, thou dost preside over the Apostles by the precious chains which thou didst bear. We venerate them with faith and beseech thee that by thine intercessions we be granted the great mercy.

Kontakion of the Presentation: Thou, O Christ God, who by your Birth, didst sanctify the Virgin’s womb, and as is meet, didst bless Simeon’s arms, and didst also come to save us, preserve thy fold in wars, and confirm them whom thou didst love; for thou alone art the Lover of mankind.

CALENDAR

Sunday, January 15 (Twenty-ninth Sunday after Pentecost)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

12:00 p.m. — Pot Luck Meal

Monday, January 16 (Veneration of the Chains of St. Peter)

Office Closed — Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, January 17

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Wednesday, January 18 (Athanasios and Cyril of Alexandria)

6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers

7:15 p.m. — Choir Practice

Thursday, January 19

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Friday, January 20 (Euthymios the Great)

Saturday, January 21

10:00 a.m. — Clark Henderson’s Baptism

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

Sunday, January 22 (Thirty-second Sunday after Pentecost)

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 Katools 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

January 15 Katool POT LUCK MEAL

(set-up: Pigott/Meadows/Alaeetawi)

January 22 Schelver Skirtech/Skirtech/Parker

January 29 Morris D. Root/Dansereau/Davis

February 1 (Wed. p.m.) Katools (Artoklasia Bread)

(Feast of the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple)

February 5 Jones Algood/Lasseter/Strain/Dabit

February 12 Meadows POT LUCK MEAL

(set-up: R. Root/Habeeb/Pacurari)

February 18 (Sat. a.m.) Davis

(Saturday of the Souls)

February 19 D. Root Schelver/Lavric/Karam

February 26 Karam Henderson/Baker/Lockhart

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#

January 15 Kh. Sharon Meadows Col. 3:4-11 233

January 22 Mildred Morris I Tim. 4:9-15 252

January 29 Phillip Lasseter II Cor. 6:16-7:1 173

February 5 Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver II Tim. 3:10-15 258

February 12 Brenda Baker I Cor. 6:12-20 265

February 18 (Sat. a.m.) David Turner I Cor. 10:23-26 271-272

February 19 Walt Wood I Cor. 8:8-9:2 273

February 26 Warren Strain Rom. 13:11-14:4 279

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

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 Chamblee; Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Sam and Lamia Dabit and Sammie; Georgia Buchanan, George and Michael Johns (Georgia’s grandsons) and their 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 and Tom’s stepdaughter, Maria, who has been diagnosed with MS; Peggy (David Turner’s paternal aunt) who is suffering from cancer and related complications; Alexa (Lou Turner’s very close friend) who sustained multiple injuries in a serious car wreck; and George (Dorothea and Daniel Staursky’s uncle) who sustained injuries in a bad fall.

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

Chanters’ Stand: We are looking into the purchase of a Chanters’ Stand for the church. The ones that are currently under consideration are carved and are similar to the beautiful tables in the nave and narthex. The cost would be somewhere between $2000 and $4000. We are soliciting donations to cover the cost. If you would like to participate, please let Fr. John know.

House Blessings! A sign-up sheet is available in the Fellowship Hall to sign up for your house blessing. You may also e-mail Father John at frjohnc with 3 dates for your blessing. Please schedule these as soon as possible. Everyone should have their home blessed. However, the responsibility for scheduling lies with individuals and not with Father John. No house blessings will be done once Great Lent starts (February 27th this year).

Patronal Feast: We will celebrate the feast of the Veneration of the Chains of St. Peter with a Pot Luck Meal TODAY. There will not be a service on Monday the 16th.

Nick and Carrie Henderson’s son Clark will be baptized on Saturday, January 21st, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Please keep them in your prayers.

Thomas Wood’s wedding is scheduled for Sunday, February 19th in San Antonio, TX. An invitation has been placed on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall. Please keep Thomas and Caitie and their families in your prayers!

Pledge Letters have been mailed. Please fill yours out and return it to the office as soon as possible.

If you are the last to leave, please make sure that the doors in the Fellowship Hall, the kitchen and the hallway are all locked.

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.

* Great Lent will begin on Clean Monday, February 27th. More information about the schedule of services will be available in the coming weeks.

* The MS Valley Deanery will hold its annual Teen Retreat February 3-5, 2017 at Camp Hopewell in Oxford, MS. Fr. Daniel Bethancourt, Retreat Master this year, will be addressing issues related to self-esteem. Please mark your calendars now.

Fasting Discipline for January

The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on the remaining Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.

Major Commemorations for January

January 16 The Veneration of the Chains of St. Peter

January 18 Athanasius and Cyril of Alexandria

January 20 Euthymios the Great

January 25 Gregory the Theologian

January 27 John Chrysostom

January 30 The Three Hierarchs

January 31 Cyros and John the Unmercenary Healers

Burial and Funeral Care Instructions forms: These forms are located on the bureau in the hallway outside the nave. There are two forms: one for the church and one for the family (with a copy given to the church). Please fill out your forms and return to the office as soon as possible.

Please be sure to have your forms notarized. The forms will be kept in a file in the office so that we have your instructions should the need arise.

Quotable: “Consequently the Saint—a bearer of Orthodox Spirutality—possesses all three of these memories, which act and function simultaneously without influencing one another. A Saint is the most ‘natural of men.’ He is conscious of the world, involved in various concerns, yet—because his nous has attained to its natural function—‘he lives on earth but is a citizen of heave.’

Therefore the centre of Orthodox spirituality is the heart, within which man’s nous must inherently operate. The energy of the soul—the nous—must return within the soul’s essence—in the heart–; and thus by uniting these powers by the grace of God acquire unity and communion with God the Trinity. A spirituality outside of this perspective is not Orthodox but moralistic, pietistic, abstract and rationalistic.”

Metropolitan HIEROTHEOS of Nafpaktos , Orthodox Spirituality

Worship: Sunday, January 22, 2017 (Thirty-second Sunday after Pentecost)

Scripture: I Timothy 4:9-15; Luke 19:1-10

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Mildred Morris

Prosphora: Schelver

Coffee Hour: Skirtech/Skirtech/Parker