January 8, 2017
Sunday after Theophany
Ephesians 4:7-13: From our reading in Ephesians we hear St Paul explain how Christ gave apostles and prophets to the Church in order that through their work we might attain maturity in Christ Jesus.
Matthew 4:12-17: Jesus settles in Capernaum after the imprisonment of John the Baptist and there began His public ministry, preaching a gospel of repentance.
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 of Theophany: By thy baptism, O Lord, in the River Jordan, worship to the Trinity has made its appearance; for the voice of the Lord didst come forth to thee with the testimony, naming thee beloved Son; and the Spirit in the likeness of a dove, confirming the truth of the word. Wherefore, O thou who didst appear and light the world, 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 Theophany: Today thou hast appeared to the universe, O Lord, and thy light hast been shed upon us, who praise thee with knowledge, saying, Thou hast come and appeared, O unapproachable Light.
CALENDAR
Sunday, January 8 (Sunday after Theophany)
8:50 a.m. — Orthros
9:00 a.m. — Christian Education
10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy
4:00 p.m. — Blessing of the Waters at the Ross Barnett Reservoir
Monday, January 9
Office Closed — Father John’s Day Off
Tuesday, January 10
6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros
Wednesday, January 11 (Theodosios, the Head of Monasteries)
6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers
7:15 p.m. — Choir Practice
Thursday, January 12
6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros
11:30 a.m. — Men’s Lunch
Friday, January 13
Saturday, January 14
10:00 a.m. — Ladies meet for Akathist
5:45 p.m. — Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
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
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Hendersons for the Feast of Theophany this past Thursday evening and by the Algoods 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 8 Algood Ellis/Zouboukos/Fahmy
January 15 Katool POT LUCK MEAL
(set-up: Pigott/Meadows/Alaeetawi)
January 22 Schelver Skirtech/Skirtech/Parker
January 29 Morris D. Root/Dansereau/Davis
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 8 Warren Strain Eph. 4:7-13 364
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
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 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.
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 next Sunday, January 15th. 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.
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.
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 11 Theodosios the Head of Monasteries
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
Pledge Letters have been mailed. Please fill yours out and return it to the office as soon as possible.
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: “Fr. John Romanides says that all living creatures possess two known memory-systems. First, there is the cell memory which determines the development and growth of the individual in relationship to itself. This is the known D.N.A. structure which is the genetic code that literally defines everything in the human constitution. Secondly, ‘there is the brain cell memory which determines the functions and relations of the individual towards himself and his environment.’ This is the operation of the brain which—being imprinted by all memories of the past as well as by human knowledge acquired through study and investigation—defines man’s relations with his fellow-human beings. In addition though, according to Romanides, ‘there exists within every person a malfunctioning or sub-functioning memory within the heart; and when activated through noetic prayer it has perpetual memory of God, which contributes to the normalization of all of a person’s other relations.”
Metropolitan HIEROTHEOS of Nafpaktos , Orthodox Spirituality
Worship: Sunday, January 15, 2017 (Twenty-ninth Sunday after Pentecost)
Scripture: Colossians 3:4-11; Luke 17:12-19
Celebrant: Father John
Epistle Reader: Kh. Sharon Meadows
Prosphora: Katool
Coffee Hour: POT LUCK MEAL
(Set-up: Pigott/Meadows/Alaeetawi)
