Costas E. Pavlou, 76, of Jackson, MS, was called home to be with the Lord on July 17, 2017 in Greece.

Visitation will be Monday, July 31, 2017 from 6-8 p.m. at Natchez Trace Funeral Home located at 759 hwy 51 in Madison, MS. Funeral service will be held at St. Peter Antiochian Orthodox Church on Tuesday, August 1, 2017 at 10:30a.m. located at 180 St. Augustine Dr. in

Madison, MS.

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July 30, 2017
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

I Corinthians 1:10-17: St. Paul appeals to the Corinthians to put away their divisions and to be joined together in Jesus Christ.

Matthew 14:14-22: In the reading from St Matthew we hear about Jesus’ feeding the five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fish. In this miracle we see that Jesus is the Bread of Life.

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 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, July 30 (Eighth Sunday after Pentecost)
8:50 a.m. — Orthros
10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

Monday, July 31
Office Closed — Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, August 1 (Procession of the Holy Cross)
[FAST
OF THE DORMITION BEGINS TODAY]
NO Daily Orthros

Wednesday, August 2
6:30 p.m. — Paraklesis Service to the Theotokos

Thursday, August 3
NO Daily Orthros
11:30 a.m. — Men’s Lunch

Friday, August 4
6:30 p.m. — Paraklesis Service to the Theotokos

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

Sunday, August 6 (Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord)
8:50 a.m. — Orthros
10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy
12:00 p.m. — Pot Luck Meal honoring the Lasseters and the Salisburys

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Dn. Richard Roots for the Divine Liturgy this morning.

His Grace, Bp. ANTOUN will retire this summer. He has continuing health problems, so please keep him in your prayers. We thank God for all that he has done for us. We are especially thankful for his role in bringing us into canonical Orthodoxy. Many Years to you, Master!

Memory Eternal! Our condolences go to the family of Costas Pavlou. He was a dear and faithful member of St. Peter’s for many years. Please continue to pray for his family.

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour
July 30 R. Root Ellis/Zouboukos
August 6 Henderson POT LUCK MEAL
set-up: Meadows/Alaeetawi
August 13 Algood Algood/Jones/Strain/Dabit
August 14 (Mon. p.m.) Katool Christina Katool
(Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos)
August 20 Schelver Skirtech/Parker
August 27 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#
July 30 Mildred Morris I Cor. 1:10-17 124
August 6 Phillip Lasseter II Pet. 1:10-19 401
August 13 K. Be’Be’ Schelver I Cor. 4:9-16 135
August 14 (Mon. p.m.) Brenda Baker Phil. 2:5-11 403
August 20 Sam Habeeb I Cor. 9:2-12 141
August 27 David Turner I Cor. 15:1-11 146

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 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; Sue Thayer (Charlotte Wood’s mother), Walt and Charlotte and their family; Lynda Costas; Fr. Nicholas, Kh. Jan 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 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.

Our prayers and condolences go to Mike and Cheryl Pigott and their family on the peaceful passing of Mike’s mother, Vida Pigott, following a 2 ½ week battle with cancer. She was 96 years old.

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

Please keep Fr. John Morris and Kh. Cheryl in your prayers. Fr. John has been ill and was hospitalized this past week. He is home now but is still ill. Kh. Cheryl has also been ill.

Update on the health of Caroline Halley . . .Anna has sent a letter to the church giving an update on Caroline’s health (she was diagnosed with Lewy Bodies Dementia last November and has experienced a marked decline). Copies of the letter are available in the foyer. Please keep Caroline and all of her family in your prayers.

Preston and Brittany Salisbury will be moving this week. Preston has accepted a job in Austin, TX, and the family will be moving out there to be closer to Brittany’s parents.

Father John and Kh. Janet will be out of town July 23rd -August 3rd for the Archdiocese Convention followed by vacation. If you need a priest during this time, please contact Father Leo or Father James.

Our Pot Luck Meal in celebration of the Feast of the Transfiguration on Sunday, August 6th will also be a time when we will honor Phillip and Nikki Lasseter who will be leaving in August for Holy Cross Seminary, and Preston and Brittany Salisbury who will also be leaving for Austin, TX.

Thatcher Jude Lasseter will be baptized on Sunday, August 13th following Coffee Hour. Please keep him, his parents and his godparents in your prayers.

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 1 Procession of the Holy Cross
August 6 Feast of the Transfiguration
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

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 first Saturday in July to pray the Akathist to the Mother of God, Nurturer of Children.
* The Ladies of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the last Tuesday of the month, beginning in September. They will still meet for lunch on the fourth Tuesday in July and August.
* The fast of the Dormition will begin on August 1st and run through August 14th. During this time we will pray the Paraklesis Service to the Theotokos on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, as is our parish custom, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
* The Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord will be celebrated on Sunday, August 6th. We will celebrate our monthly Pot Luck Meal then instead of the usual second Sunday of the month. At that time we will also honor Phillip and Nikki Lasseter who will be leaving for Holy Cross Seminary later in the month and Preston and Brittany Salisbury who will be leaving for Austin, TX.
* Thatcher Jude Lasseter will be baptized on Sunday, August 13th following Coffee Hour.
* We will celebrate the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos on Monday evening, August 14th, beginning at 6:00 p.m.
* Our next time to serve a meal at the Stewpot will be November 18th.

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.

Parents of Young Children: Please make sure that your children are supervised if they are in the Nursery during Coffee Hour, just as they are supervised if out on the Playground. The Nursery is being left in a mess on Sunday mornings following Coffee Hour and the clean-up is falling on the same people (i.e. those who teach Sunday School classes in that room). If you leave and there are still children using the room, please make sure that your children pick up the things with which they have been playing.

Quotable: “Have you still preserved your state of spiritual warmth? It should be preserved. Its basis is humility. As soon as humility decreases, coolness enters. For when the soul begins to regard itself as important, the Lord at once withdraws; and, left by itself, the soul grows cold. It is not just with the tongue that we should keep saying ‘I am nothing’, but we should feel our nothingness in the heart. Then the Lord will always be there, He who creates and has created everything out of nothing. The Lord will give warmth, but we must do our part as well.
What, then, can we contribute to this work? Humility and attention, and a suffering submission to God in the depths of the heart, which should continue unceasingly whatever we may be doing or saying, whether we are sitting down or moving about, whether at home or in church. May the Lord grant you wisdom. Read holy writings, reflect upon them, and absorb all that is useful, applying it to your life and to your soul.”
St. Theophan the Recluse, The Art of Prayer

Worship: Sunday, August 6, 2017 (Feast of the Transfiguration of Christ)

Scripture: II Peter 1:10-19; Matthew 17:1-9
Celebrant: Father John
Epistle Reader: Phillip Lasseter
Prosphora: Henderson
Coffee Hour: POT LUCK MEAL
(Set-up: Meadows/Alaeetawi)

July 23, 2017

Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

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 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 Theotokos: O undisputed intercessor of Christians, O mediatrix, who is unrejected by the Creator, turn not away from the voice of our petitions though we be sinners; come to us in time, who cry to thee in faith, for thou art good. Hasten to us with intercessions, O Theotokos, who didst ever intercede for those who honor thee.

CALENDAR

Sunday, July 23 (Seventh Sunday after Pentecost)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

Monday, July 24

Office Closed — Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, July 25 (Dormition of Righteous Anna)

NO Daily Orthros

11:30 a.m. — Ladies’ Lunch

Wednesday, July 26

6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers

7:15 p.m. — Choir Practice

Thursday, July 27 (Great-martyr Panteleimon)

NO Daily Orthros

Friday, July 28

Saturday, July 29

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

Sunday, July 30 (Eighth Sunday after Pentecost)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Bakers 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

July 23 Baker Stewart/Turner/Waites

July 30 R. Root Ellis/Zouboukos

August 6 Henderson POT LUCK MEAL

set-up: Pigott/Meadows/Alaeetawi

August 13 Algood Algood/Jones/Strain/Dabit

August 14 (Mon. p.m.) Katool Christina Katool

(Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos)

August 20 Schelver Skirtech/Skirtech/Parker

August 27 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#

July 23 Kh. Sharon Meadows Rom. 15:1-7 119

July 30 Mildred Morris I Cor. 1:10-17 124

August 6 Phillip Lasseter II Pet. 1:10-19 401

August 13 K. Be’Be’ Schelver I Cor. 4:9-16 135

August 14 (Mon. p.m.) Brenda Baker Phil. 2:5-11 403

August 20 Sam Habeeb I Cor. 9:2-12 141

August 27 David Turner I Cor. 15:1-11 146

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; Sue Thayer (Charlotte Wood’s mother), Walt and Charlotte and their family; Lynda Costas; Fr. Nicholas, Kh. Jan 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.

His Grace, Bp. ANTOUN will retire this summer. He has continuing health problems, so please keep him in your prayers. We thank God for all that he has done for us. We are especially thankful for his role in bringing us into canonical Orthodoxy. Many Years to you, Master!

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.

Memory Eternal! Our condolences go to the family of Costas Pavlou. He was a dear and faithful member of St. Peter’s for many years. Please continue to pray for his family.

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.

Please keep Fr. John Morris and Kh. Cheryl in your prayers. Fr. John has been ill and was hospitalized this past week. He is home now but is still ill. Kh. Cheryl has also been ill.

Update on the health of Caroline Halley . . .Anna has sent a letter to the church giving an update on Caroline’s health (she was diagnosed with Lewy Bodies Dementia last November and has experienced a marked decline). Copies of the letter are available in the foyer. Please keep Caroline and all of her family in your prayers.

Welcome and Many Years! to Hazel Dansereau who was baptized yesterday morning.

Many thanks to all who helped to make Christina and Matt’s wedding such a wonderful affair!

Preston and Brittany Salisbury will be moving in the near future. Preston has accepted a job in Austin, TX and the family will be moving out there to be closer to Brittany’s parents.

Father John and Kh. Janet will be out of town July 23rd -August 3rd for the Archdiocese Convention followed by vacation. If you need a priest during this time, please contact Father Leo or Father James.

Our Pot Luck Meal in celebration of the Feast of the Transfiguration on Sunday, August 6th will also be a time when we will honor Phillip and Nikki Lasseter who will be leaving in August for Holy Cross Seminary.

Thatcher Jude Lasseter will be baptized on Sunday, August 13th following Coffee Hour. Please keep him, his parents and his godparents in your prayers.

Fasting Discipline for July

The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays in July.

Major Commemorations for July

July 25 Dormition of Righteous Anna

July 27 Great-martyr Panteleimon

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 first Saturday in July to pray the Akathist to the Mother of God, Nurturer of Children.

* The Ladies of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the last Tuesday of the month, beginning in September. They will still meet for lunch on the fourth Tuesday in July and August.

* The fast of the Dormition will begin on August 1st and run through August 14th. During this time we will pray the Paraklesis Service to the Theotokos on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, as is our parish custom, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

* The Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord will be celebrated on Sunday, August 6th. We will celebrate our monthly Pot Luck Meal then instead of the usual second Sunday of the month. At that time we will also honor Phillip and Nikki Lasseter who will be leaving for Holy Cross Seminary later in the month.

* Thatcher Jude Lasseter will be baptized on Sunday, August 13th following Coffee Hour.

* We will celebrate the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos on Monday evening, August 14th, beginning at 6:00 p.m.

* Our next time to serve a meal at the Stewpot will be November 18th.

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.

Parents of Young Children: Please make sure that your children are supervised if they are in the Nursery during Coffee Hour, just as they are supervised if out on the Playground. The Nursery is being left in a mess on Sunday mornings following Coffee Hour and the clean-up is falling on the same people (i.e. those who teach Sunday School classes in that room). If you leave and there are still children using the room, please make sure that your children pick up the things with which they have been playing.

Quotable: “To be sober means not to let the heart cling to anything except God. Cleaving to other things makes the soul drunk, and it begins to do quite unaccountable things. To be vigilant means to watch carefully, lest something evil springs up in the heart.”

St. Theophan the Recluse, The Art of Prayer

Worship: Sunday, July 30, 2017 (Eighth Sunday after Pentecost)

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

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Mildred Morris

Prosphora: R. Root

Coffee Hour: Ellis/Zouboukos

July 16, 2017

Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the Fourth Ecumenical Council

Titus 3:8-15: On this Sunday we read from St. Paul’s letter to Titus, whom he warns to avoid delv­ing into unprofitable and foolish questions about doctrine, and to reject heretics after two admonitions.

Matthew 5:14-19: In this portion of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus teaches that we are to be Light in the darkness of this world, not hiding the glory of God from others, but rather, putting it where it can be seen.

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 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 Theotokos: O undisputed intercessor of Christians, O mediatrix, who is unrejected by the Creator, turn not away from the voice of our petitions though we be sinners; come to us in time, who cry to thee in faith, for thou art good. Hasten to us with intercessions, O Theotokos, who didst ever intercede for those who honor thee.

CALENDAR

Sunday, July 16 (Holy Fathers of the Fourth Ecumenical Council)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

Monday, July 17 (Great-martyr Marina)

Office Closed — Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, July 18

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Wednesday, July 19

6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers

7:15 p.m. — Choir Practice

Thursday, July 20 (Prophet Elias)

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Friday, July 21

Saturday, July 22

10:30 a.m. — Hazel’s Dansereau’s Baptism

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

Sunday, July 23 (Seventh Sunday after Pentecost)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

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

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

July 16 Brock Henderson/Baker/Lockhart

July 23 Baker Stewart/Turner/Waites

July 30 R. Root Ellis/Zouboukos

August 6 Henderson POT LUCK MEAL

set-up: Pigott/Meadows/Alaeetawi

August 13 Algood Algood/Jones/Strain/Dabit

August 14 (Mon. p.m.) Katool Christina Katool

August 20 Schelver Skirtech/Skirtech/Parker

August 27 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#

July 16 Warren Strain Titus 3:8-15 322

July 23 Kh. Sharon Meadows Rom. 15:1-7 119

July 30 Mildred Morris I Cor. 1:10-17 124

August 6 Phillip Lasseter II Pet. 1:10-19 401

August 13 K. Be’Be’ Schelver I Cor. 4:9-16 135

August 14 (Mon. p.m.) Brenda Baker Phil. 2:5-11 403

August 20 Sam Habeeb I Cor. 9:2-12 141

August 27 David Turner I Cor. 15:1-11 146

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 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; Sue Thayer (Charlotte Wood’s mother), Walt and Charlotte and their family; Lynda Costas; Fr. Nicholas, Kh. Jan 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.

His Grace, Bp. ANTOUN will retire this summer. He has continuing health problems, so please keep him in your prayers. We thank God for all that he has done for us. We are especially thankful for his role in bringing us into canonical Orthodoxy. Many Years to you, Master!

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

Please keep Fr. John Morris and Kh. Cheryl in your prayers. Fr. John has been ill and was hospitalized this past week. He is home now but is still ill. Kh. Cheryl has also been ill.

Update on the health of Caroline Halley . . .Anna has sent a letter to the church giving an update on Caroline’s health (she was diagnosed with Lewy Bodies Dementia last November and has experienced a marked decline). Copies of the letter are available in the foyer. Please keep Caroline and all of her family in your prayers.

Congratulations and Many Years! . . .to

Matt and Christina Hood who were married yesterday here at St. Peter!

Stephanie Baker and Niko Petrogeorge who will be married this afternoon at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Pittsburgh, PA!

Hazel Dansereau will be baptized on Saturday morning, July 22nd. Please keep Hazel, her parents and her godmother, Charlotte Wood, in your prayers.

Preston and Brittany Salisbury will be moving in the near future. Preston has accepted a job in Austin, TX and the family will be moving out there to be closer to Brittany’s parents.

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 first Saturday in July to pray the Akathist to the Mother of God, Nurturer of Children.

* The Ladies of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the last Tuesday of the month, beginning in September. They will still meet for lunch on the fourth Tuesday in July and August.

* Our next time to serve a meal at the Stewpot will be November 18th.

Father John and Kh. Janet will be out of town July 23rd -August 3rd for the Archdiocese Convention followed by vacation. If you need a priest during this time, please contact Father Leo or Father James.

Fasting Discipline for July

The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays in July.

Major Commemorations for July

July 17 Great-martyr Marina

July 20 Prophet Elias

July 25 Dormition of Righteous Anna

July 27 Great-martyr Panteleimon

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.

Parents of Young Children: Please make sure that your children are supervised if they are in the Nursery during Coffee Hour, just as they are supervised if out on the Playground. The Nursery is being left in a mess on Sunday mornings following Coffee Hour and the clean-up is falling on the same people (i.e. those who teach Sunday School classes in that room). If you leave and there are still children using the room, please make sure that your children pick up the things with which they have been playing.

Quotable: “The warriors of Christ should keep watchful guard over two things in particular: sobriety and discernment. The first is directed within, the second outward. With sobriety we observe movements which come from the heart itself; with discernment we foresee movements which are about to be roused in it under the impulse of external influences. The rule for sobriety is: after every thought has been banished from the soul by the memory of God’s presence, stand at the door of the heart and watch carefully everything that enters or goes out from there. Especially do not let your actions be prejudiced by emotion and desire, for all evil comes thence.”

St. Theophan the Recluse, The Art of Prayer

Worship: Sunday, July 23, 2017 (Seventh Sunday after Pentecost)

Scripture: Romans 15:1-7; Matthew 9:27-35

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Kh. Sharon Meadows

Prosphora: Baker

Coffee Hour: Stewart/Turner/Waites