December 2, 2018

Twenty-seventh Sunday after Pentecost

Ephesians 6:10-17: St Paul encourages us to be strong in the Lord utilizing the armor given us

to withstand the forces of darkness in the world.

Luke 18:35-43: In our reading from Luke we see the Lord’s mercy toward those who have faith as He restores the sight of a blind man on the road to Jericho.

Troparion of the Resurrection: When thou, O immortal Life, didst humble thyself unto death, then didst thou destroy death by the brightness of thy Godhead; and when thou didst raise the bowels of the earth, then all the heavenly powers exclaimed, O Christ, thou art the Giver of life! Glory to thee, O our God!

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 Preparatory for Nativity: Today the Virgin comes unto the cave to give birth in an ineffable manner to the Word before the ages. Rejoice, therefore, O universe, when you hear, and glorify with the angels and the shepherds him who shall appear by his own will as a new babe, being God before the ages.

CALENDAR

Sunday, December 2 (Twenty-seventh Sunday after Pentecost)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

Monday, December 3

Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, December 23 (Great-martyr Barbara and Father John of Damascus)

6:00 a.m. — Festal Orthros

Wednesday, December 5 (Sava the Sanctified)

6:30 p.m. — Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia

Thursday, December 6 (Nicholas the Wonder-worker)

6:00 a.m. — Festal Orthros

11:30 a.m. — Men’s Lunch

Friday, December 7

Saturday, December 8

10:00 a.m. — Ladies meet for Akathist

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

Sunday, December 9 (Conception of the Theotokos)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

12:00 p.m. — Santa Lucia Celebration during Coffee Hour

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

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

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.

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

December 2 Morris Henderson/Lockhart/Alaeetawi

December 5 (Wed. p.m.) Henderson (Artoklasia Bread) No Meal

(Feast of St. Nicholas the Wonder-worker)

December 9 Jones Pigott/Dabit/Strain/Lavric

December 16 Meadows POT LUCK MEAL

Set-up: Stewart/Meadows

December 23 Davis Baker/D. Root/Dansereau

December 24 (Mon. p.m.) D. Root 1. Sarah Milnor

(Feast of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ) 2. Natalia Aleetawi

3. Cheryl Pigott

December 30 Karam Katool/Davis/Staursky

December 31 (Mon. P.m.) Baker (Artoklasia Bread) No Meal

(January 1-Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord and Feast of St. Basil the Great)

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#

December 2 Mildred Morris Eph. 6:10-17 223

December 9 Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver Gal. 4:22-27 314

December 16 Sam Habeeb Col. 3:4-11 233

December 24 (Mon. p.m.) Walt Wood Gal. 4:4-7 351

December 30 Sh. Charlotte Algood Gal. 1:11-19 188

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 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; Mary Greene (Lee and Kh. Sharon’s sister); k; Lynda Costas; Fr. Nicholas, Kh. Jan and Angelina Speier; David Morris and his family; Vernie Meadows, Fr. James and Kh. Sharon and their family; Walt and Charlotte Wood and their family; Lou Turner’s cousin Amy and her husband John; Noah and Beth Ann (Baker) Pappas, the Reader Basil and Brenda and all of the Baker family.

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. They have both been ill recently.

Calendar Items:

* The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.

* The Ladies of St. Peter 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 Ladies of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the last Tuesday of the month.

* The Fast of the Nativity has begun and continues until the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord on December 25th. As is the custom in our parish, we will pray the Advent Paraklesis on Wednesday evenings during the fast in place of Daily Vespers, beginning Wednesday, November 28th.

* The Feast of St. Nicholas the Wonder-worker will be celebrated with Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia on Wednesday evening, December 5th, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

* We will have a Santa Lucia celebration during Coffee Hour on Sunday, December 9th.

* The Children will present their Nativity Program on Sunday, December 16th during Coffee Hour. We will also have a Pot Luck Meal that Sunday to add to the festivities.

Diocese of Miami and the Southeast Winter Retreat: The Winter Retreat is scheduled for January 25-27th at St. Elias Orthodox Church in Atlanta. V. Rev. Fr. John Oliver will be the Retreat Speaker. Registration (which covers meals and all other retreat expenses)is $50. You may register at http://bit.ly/DMC-Winter-Retreat. Hotel information is also available at that site.

Fasting Discipline for December

During the Fast of the Nativity the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed each day of the week. Note, however, through December 19th there is a katlysis on Tuesdays and Thursdays when wine and oil are permitted, and on Saturdays and Sundays when fish, wine and oil are permitted.

Major Commemorations for December

December 4 Great-martyr Barbara and our Venerable Father John of Damascus

December 5 Sava the Sanctified

December 6 Nicholas the Wonder-worker

December 9 Conception of the heotokos

December 12 Syridon the Wonder-worker

December 13 Herman of Alaska

December 15 Hieromartyr Eleutherios

December 20 Ignatius of Antioch, the God-bearer

December 25 Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

December 26 Synaxis of the Theotokos

December 27 Protomartyr Stephen

Unsupervised children in the Kitchen: For health and safety concerns children are not to be allowed in the kitchen unless accompanied by a parent. Please get ice for your children and do NOT allow them to use the icemaker themselves.

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.

For Parents: Children in the nursery during Coffee Hour MUST be supervised just as they are on the playground. This room is used for Sunday School each week. Children who are unsupervised create disarray and use materials set aside for the teaching of Christian Education. This creates extra work for the Sunday School teachers who have to come in and set the room in order before class or who find supplies depleted unexpectedly. A parent must be in the room with their children at all times. Please help us with this! — Fr. John

ead of ManHead of Maonasteries

Quotable: “When we decide to follow Christ, every day of our life becomes a day of suffering, of weeping, of pain. Sometimes this question arises in us: ‘Lord, why hast Thou created us thus, that we must go through so much suffering?’ We do not manage to understand that this negative experience is the way of salvation.”

Archimandrite Sophrony, Words of Life

Worship: Sunday, December 9, 2018 (Conception of the Theotokos)

Scripture: Galatians 4:22-27; Luke 13:10-17

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver

Prosphora: Jones

Coffee Hour: Pigott/Dabit/Strain/Lavric

November 25, 2018

Leave-taking of the Entrance of the Theotokos

Great-martyr Katherine the All-wise of Alexandria

Galatians 3:23-29;4:1-5: In this reading from Galatians we hear St. Paul explain that prior to the com­ing of Christ, we were under the Law and hence divided, but now that Christ has come we are justified by faith in Christ and have become one, belonging to Christ. Therefore, we are no longer under bond­age to the Law and the world, but are now free as children of God.

Luke 18:18-27: In the Gospel according to St Luke we hear our Lord tell us via an encounter with a rich, young ruler that to obtain eternal life we must be willing to give up everything that we possess in service to the Kingdom of God.

Troparion of the Resurrection: The stone being sealed by the Jews, and thy pure body being guarded by the soldiers, thou didst arise on the third day, O Saviour, granting life to the world. Wherefore, the heavenly powers acclaimed thee, O Giver of life, crying, Glory to thy Resurrection, O Christ! Glory to thy kingdom! Glory to thy gracious providence, O only Lover of mankind.

Troparion of the Presentation of the Theotokos: Today the Virgin is the foreshadowing of the pleasure of God, and the beginning of the preaching of the salvation of mankind. You have appeared in the Temple of God openly and have gone before, preaching Christ to all. Let us shout with one thrilling voice, saying, Rejoice, O you who are the fulfillment of the Creator’s dispensation.

Troparion of St. Katherine the Great-martyr: Let us praise the all-lauded and noble bride of Christ, the godly Katherine, the guardian of Sinai and its defense, who is also our support and succor and our help; for with the Holy Spirit’s sword she hath silenced brilliantly the clever among the godless; and being crowned as a Martyr, she now doth ask great mercy for us all.

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 of the Theotokos: The all-pure temple of the Saviour, the most precious bridal-chamber and Virgin, the treasure-house of the glory of God, today enters the Temple of the Lord, bringing with her the grace which is in the divine Spirit; whom also the angels of God do celebrate in song; for she is the heavenly tabernacle.

CALENDAR

Sunday, November 25 (Great-martyrs Katherine and Mercurios)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

Monday, November 26

Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, November 27

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

11:30 a.m. — Ladies’ Lunch

Wednesday, November 28

6:30 p.m. — Advent Paraklesis

7:30 p.m. — Parish Council Meeting

Thursday, November 29

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Friday, November 30 (Andrew the First-called)

Saturday, December 1

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

Sunday, December 2 (Twenty-seventh 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. The Artoklasia Bread for the Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple this past Tuesday evening was offered by the Katools.

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

November 25 Schelver R. Root/Habeeb/Cooper

December 2 Morris Henderson/Lockhart/Alaeetawi

December 5 (Wed. p.m.) Henderson (Artoklasia Bread) No Meal

(Feast of St. Nicholas the Wonder-worker)

December 9 Jones Pigott/Dabit/Strain/Lavric

December 16 Meadows POT LUCK MEAL

Set-up: Stewart/Meadows

December 23 Davis Baker/D. Root/Dansereau

December 24 (Mon. p.m.) D. Root 1. Sarah Milnor

(Feast of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ) 2. Natalia Alaeetawi

3. Cheryl Pigott

December 30 Karam Katool/Davis/Staursky

December 31 (Mon. p.m.) Baker (Artoklasia Bread) No Meal

(January 1 – Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord and the Feast of St. Basil the Great)

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#

November 25 Kh. Sharon Meadows Gal. 3:23-4:5 160

December 2 Mildred Morris Eph. 6:10-17 223

December 9 Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver Gal. 4:22-27 314

December 16 Sam Habeeb Col. 3:4-11 233

December 24 (Mon. p.m.) Walt Wood Gal. 4:4-7 351

December 30 Sh. Charlotte Algood Gal. 1:11-19 188

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 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 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; Mary Greene (Lee and Kh. Sharon’s sister); Lynda Costas; Fr. Nicholas, Kh. Jan and Angelina Speier; David Morris and his family; Vernie Meadows, Fr. James and Kh. Sharon and their family; Walt and Charlotte Wood and their family; Lou Turner’s cousin Amy and her husband John; Noah and Beth Ann (Baker) Pappas, their unborn child, Demetrios (his patron saint is the Holy and Right-victorious Martyr Demetrios of Thessalonika), the Reader Basil and Brenda and all of the Baker family.

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. They have both been ill recently.

Calendar Items:

* The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.

* The Ladies of St. Peter 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 Ladies of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the last Tuesday of the month.

* The Fast of the Nativity has begun and continues until the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord on December 25th. As is the custom in our parish, we will pray the Advent Paraklesis on Wednesday evenings during the fast in place of Daily Vespers, beginning Wednesday, November 28th.

* The Feast of St. Nicholas the Wonder-worker will be celebrated with Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia on Wednesday evening, December 5th, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

* We will have a Santa Lucia celebration during Coffee Hour on Sunday, December 9th.

* The Children will present their Nativity Program on Sunday, December 16th during Coffee Hour. We will also have a Pot Luck Meal that Sunday to add to the festivities.

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.

Diocese of Miami and the Southeast Winter Retreat: The Winter Retreat is scheduled for January 25-27th at St. Elias Orthodox Church in Atlanta. V. Rev. Fr. John Oliver will be the Retreat Speaker. Registration (which covers meals and all other retreat expenses) is $50. You may register at http://bit.ly/DMC-Winter-Retreat. Hotel information is also available at that site.

Unsupervised children in the Kitchen: For health and safety concerns children are not to be allowed in the kitchen unless accompanied by a parent. Please get ice for your children and do NOT allow them to use the icemaker themselves.

Fasting Discipline for November/December

During the Fast of the Nativity the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed each day of the week. Note, however, through December 19th there is a katlysis on Tuesdays and Thursdays when wine and oil are permitted, and on Saturdays and Sundays when fish, wine and oil are permitted.

Major Commemorations for November

November 25 Great-martyrs Catherine and Mercurios

November 30 Apostle Andrew the First-called

December 4 Great-martyr Barbara and our Venerable Father John of Damascus

December 5 Sava the Sanctified

December 6 Nicholas the Wonder-worker

December 9 Conception of the Theotokos

December 12 Spyridon the Wonder-worker

December 13 Herman of Alaska

December 15 Hieromartyr Eleutherios

December 20 Ignatios of Antioch, the God-bearer

December 25 Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

December 26 Synaxis of the Theotokos

December 27 Protomartyr Stephen

For Parents: Children in the nursery during Coffee Hour MUST be supervised just as they are on the playground. This room is used for Sunday School each week. Children who are unsupervised create disarray and use materials set aside for the teaching of Christian Education. This creates extra work for the Sunday School teachers who have to come in and set the room in order before class or who find supplies depleted unexpectedly. A parent must be in the room with their children at all times. Please help us with this! — Fr. John

ead of ManHead of Maonasteries

Quotable: “Such is the paradox of Christian life: it is in choosing the suffering of Christ for the world that we have the feeling of being nearer to Him and to eternal life.”

Archimandrite Sophrony, Words of Life

Worship: Sunday, December 2, 2018 (Twenty-seventh Sunday after Pentecost)

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-17; Luke 18:35-43

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Mildred Morris

Prosphora: Morris

Coffee Hour: Henderson/Lockhart/Alaeetawi

November 18, 2018

Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Ephesians 4:1-7: Reading in Ephesians, we hear St. Paul exhort us to maintain the unity of the spirit and to walk in a manner worthy of our calling.

Luke 12:16-21: In the parable of the rich landowner the Lord teaches us that material possessions are worthless when valued more than knowing God.

Troparion of the Resurrection: O compassionate One, thou didst descend from the heights; thou didst submit to the three-day burial, that thou might deliver us from passion. Thou art our Life and our Resurrection, 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 Presentation of the Theotokos: The all-pure temple of the Saviour, the most precious bridal-chamber and Virgin, the treasure-house of the glory of God, today enters the Temple of the Lord, bringing with her the grace which is in the divine Spirit; whom also the angels of God do celebrate in song; for she is the heavenly tabernacle.

CALENDAR

Sunday, November 18 (Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

Monday, November 19

Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, November 20

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

6:30 p.m. — Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia

Wednesday, November 21 (Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple)

The Presentation of the Holy Virgin into the Temple is found in the apocryphal gospels, which describe the three-year-old Mary being taken by her parents to the Temple, where she remained in a life of holiness and dedication. Though the story be legend, as symbol it yields insight into spiritual truth. The scriptures for vespers, matins, and the divine liturgy all speak to the relationship between man and God within the context of the Temple and emphasize two themes: holiness and the superiority of the living, eternal temple to that built of stone. In Mary we see both. Rather than being sanctified by the Temple, she sanctifies the Temple and all mankind by becoming herself the perfect temple in which dwelt the eternal Son. Truly she was set apart, even as a child, and consecrated to the most glorious work God granted humanity. Truly she is the instrument by which we, too, become living temples in which God lives and which live eternal. Truly we, the holy, catholic church, the living Temple of God, open our doors to her, most blessed of women, the Holy Mother of God.

NO Daily Services

Thursday, November 22

NO Daily Orthros

Friday, November 23

Saturday, November 24

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

Sunday, November 25 (Great-martyrs Katherine and Mercurios)

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 Algoods for the Divine Liturgy this morning.

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

November 18 Algood Algood/Jones/Turner

November 20 (Mon. p.m.) Katool (Artoklasia Bread) No Meal

(Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple)

November 25 Schelver R. Root/Habeeb/Cooper

December 2 Morris Henderson/Lockhart/Alaeetawi

December 5 (Wed. p.m.) Henderson (Artoklasia Bread) No Meal

(Feast of St. Nicholas the Wonder-worker)

December 9 Jones Pigott/Dabit/Strain/Lavric

December 16 Meadows POT LUCK MEAL

Set-up: Stewart/Meadows

December 23 Davis Baker/D. Root/Dansereau

December 24 (Mon. p.m.) D. Root 1. Sarah Milnor

(Feast of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ) 2. Natalia Alaeetawi

3. Cheryl Pigott

December 30 Karam Katool/Davis/Staursky

December 31 (Mon. p.m.) Baker (Artoklasia Bread) No Meal

(January 1 – Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord and the Feast of St. Basil the Great)

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#

November 18 Warren Strain Eph. 4:1-7 212

November 25 Kh. Sharon Meadows Gal. 3:23-4:5 160

December 2 Mildred Morris Eph. 6:10-17 223

December 9 Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver Gal. 4:22-27 314

December 16 Sam Habeeb Col. 3:4-11 233

December 24 (Mon. p.m.) Walt Wood Gal. 4:4-7 351

December 30 Sh. Charlotte Algood Gal. 1:11-19 188

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 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 Chamblee; Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Sam and Lamia Dabit and Sammie; Mary Greene (Lee and Kh. Sharon’s sister); Lynda Costas; Fr. Nicholas, Kh. Jan and Angelina Speier; David Morris and his family; Vernie Meadows, Fr. James and Kh. Sharon and their family; Walt and Charlotte Wood and their family; Lou Turner’s cousin Amy and her husband John; Noah and Beth Ann (Baker) Pappas, their unborn child, Demetrios (his patron saint is the Holy and Right-victorious Martyr Demetrios of Thessalonika), the Reader Basil and Brenda and all of the Baker family.

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. They have both been ill recently.

Memory Eternal! Mary Jo Wright, long-time secretary and Choir Director at St. George in Vicksburg and friend of many here at St. Peter, fell asleep in the Lord this past Monday. Please keep her and her family (as well as all of St. George) 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 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 Ladies of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the last Tuesday of the month.

* The Fast of the Nativity has begun and continues until the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord on December 25th. As is the custom in our parish, we will pray the Advent Paralesis on Wednesday evenings during the fast in place of Daily Vespers, beginning Wednesday, November 28th. (There will not be a service on Wednesday evening, November 21st.)

* We will celebrate the Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple with Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia on Tuesday evening, November 20th, at 6:30 p.m.

* The Feast of St. Nicholas the Wonder-worker will be celebrated with Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia on Wednesday evening, December 5th, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

* We will have a Santa Lucia celebration during Coffee Hour on Sunday, December 9th.

* The Children will present their Nativity Program on Sunday, December 16th during Coffee Hour. We will also have a Pot Luck Meal that Sunday to add to the festivities.

Changing of the Guard! We have new officers for the Ladies of St. Peter. Joanna Davis will serve alone as President for this year and Anna Kathryn Stewart will be her co-president beginning next year. Carolina Lavric will serve as Treasurer. Many thanks to Christina Katool, Kh. Sharon Meadows and Sandra Strain for their years of service to the Ladies!

Unsupervised children in the Kitchen: For health and safety concerns children are not to be allowed in the kitchen unless accompanied by a parent. Please get ice for your children and do NOT allow them to use the icemaker themselves.

Fasting Discipline for November

In November, the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays until the 15tth of the month, when the Fast of the Nativity begins. During this fast the traditional fasting discipline is observed each day of the week. Note, however, through December 19th there is a katlysis on Tuesdays and Thursdays when wine and oil are permitted, and on Saturdays and Sundays when fish, wine and oil are permitted.

Major Commemorations for November

November 21 Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple

November 25 Great-martyrs Catherine and Mercurios

November 30 Apostle Andrew the First-called

For Parents: Children in the nursery during Coffee Hour MUST be supervised just as they are on the playground. This room is used for Sunday School each week. Children who are unsupervised create disarray and use materials set aside for the teaching of Christian Education. This creates extra work for the Sunday School teachers who have to come in and set the room in order before class or who find supplies depleted unexpectedly. A parent must be in the room with their children at all times. Please help us with this! — Fr. John

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.

ead of ManHead of Maonasteries

Quotable: “We must follow Christ going up to Golgotha. This ascension is none other than a struggle waged by Christ in His love for the whole world. When contests are fought only on the level of the world and the passions, people exhaust themselves and age very quickly. But when, on the other hand, sufferings come from striving against the passions in the Spirit of Christ, people are born anew.”

Archimandrite Sophrony, Words of Life

Worship: Sunday, November 25, 2018 (Great-martyrs Katherine and Mercurios)

Scripture: Galatians 3:23-4:5; Luke 18:18-27

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Kh. Sharon Meadows

Prosphora: Schelver

Coffee Hour: R. Root/Habeeb/Cooper

November 11, 2018

Holy Martyr Menas of Egypt

II Corinthians 4:6-15: From our reading in II Corinthians we hear St Paul discuss how his and the other apostles’ sufferings have brought forth life in the people of God.

Luke 10:25-37: From the Gospel reading we hear the parable of the Good Samaritan in which the Lord teaches us that to love one’s neighbor requires giving of our time and money in addition to prayers and good words.

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 Menas the Great-martyr: With great valor of soul, thou didst strive in martyrdom, and having fought the good fight, O divine Great Martyr Mena, thou from Heaven hast received the gift of miracles; for God hath shown thee to the world as a worker of great signs, and He has made thee our protector and a swift help in afflictions and ever-vigilant defence from harm.

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 of the Theotokos: The all-pure temple of the Saviour, the most precious bridal-chamber and Virgin, the treasure-house of the glory of God, today enters the Temple of the Lord, bringing with her the grace which is in the divine Spirit; whom also the angels of God do celebrate in song; for she is the heavenly tabernacle.

CALENDAR

Sunday, November 11 (Menas the Wonder-worker)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

Monday, November 12

Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, November 13 (Repose of St. John Chrysostom)

6:00 a.m. — Festal Orthros

Wednesday, November 14 (Apostle Phillip)

6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers

7:15 p.m. — Choir Practice

Thursday, November 15

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

[FAST OF THE NATIVITY
BEGINS]

Friday, November 16 (Apostle Matthew)

Saturday, November 17

11:30 a.m. — Serving Meal at the Stewpot

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

Sunday, November 18 (Twenty-fifth 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 dn. Richard Roots for the Divine Liturgy this morning.

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

November 11 R. Root Ellis/Zouboukos/Waites

November 18 Algood Algood/Jones/Turner

November 20 (Mon. p.m.) Katool (Artoklasia Bread) No Meal

(Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple)

November 25 Schelver R. Root/Habeeb/Cooper

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#

November 11 Sh. Charlotte Algood II Cor. 4:6-15 163

November 18 Warren Strain Eph. 4:1-7 212

November 25 Kh. Sharon Meadows Gal. 3:23-4:5 160

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 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 Chamblee; Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Sam and Lamia Dabit and Sammie; Mary Greene (Lee and Kh. Sharon’s sister); Lynda Costas; Fr. Nicholas, Kh. Jan and Angelina Speier; David Morris and his family; Vernie Meadows, Fr. James and Kh. Sharon and their family; Walt and Charlotte Wood and their family; Lou Turner’s cousin Amy and her husband John; Noah and Beth Ann (Baker) Pappas, their unborn child, Demetrios (his patron saint is the Holy and Right-victorious Martyr Demetrios of Thessalonika), the Reader Basil and Brenda and all of the Baker family.

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. They have both been ill recently.

We welcome V. Rev. Fr. John Oliver from St. Elizabeth the New Martyr Orthodox Church in Murfreesboro, TN, and thank him for leading the Women’s Retreat yesterday.

Calendar Items:

* The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.

* The Ladies of St. Peter 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 Ladies of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the last Tuesday of the month.

* The Fast of the Nativity begins on Thursday, November 15th and continues until the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord on December 25th. As is the custom in our parish, we will pray the Advent Paralesis on Wednesday evenings during the fast in place of Daily Vespers, beginning Wednesday, November 28th. (There will not be a service on Wednesday evening, November 21st.)

* The next date for serving meals at the Stewpot will be Saturday, November 17th.

* We will celebrate the Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple with Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia on Tuesday evening, November 20th, at 6:30 p.m.

* We will have a Santa Lucia celebration during Coffee Hour on Sunday, December 9th.

* The Children will present their Nativity Program on Sunday, December 16th during Coffee Hour. We will also have a Pot Luck Meal that Sunday to add to the festivities.

Changing of the Guard! We have new officers for the Ladies of St. Peter. Joanna Davis will serve alone as President for this year and Anna Kathryn Stewart will be her co-president beginning next year. Carolina Lavric will serve as Treasurer. Many thanks to Christina Katool, Kh. Sharon Meadows and Sandra Strain for their years of service to the Ladies!

Unsupervised children in the Kitchen: For health and safety concerns children are not to be allowed in the kitchen unless accompanied by a parent. Please get ice for your children and do NOT allow them to use the icemaker themselves.

Fasting Discipline for November

In November, the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays until the 15th of the month, when the Fast of the Nativity begins. During this fast the traditional fasting discipline is observed each day of the week. Note, however, through December 19th there is a katlysis on Tuesdays and Thursdays when wine and oil are permitted, and on Saturdays and Sundays when fish, wine and oil are permitted.

Major Commemorations for November

November 13 John Chrysostom (repose)

November 16 Apostle and Evangelist Matthew

November 21 Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple

November 25 Great-martyrs Catherine and Mercurios

November 30 Apostle Andrew the First-called

For Parents: Children in the nursery during Coffee Hour MUST be supervised just as they are on the playground. This room is used for Sunday School each week. Children who are unsupervised create disarray and use materials set aside for the teaching of Christian Education. This creates extra work for the Sunday School teachers who have to come in and set the room in order before class or who find supplies depleted unexpectedly. A parent must be in the room with their children at all times. Please help us with this! — Fr. John

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.

ead of ManHead of Maonasteries

Quotable: “One cannot love without suffering. The greatest pain is that of loving to the utmost. Christ loved so much that He gave Himself up to a terrible death. The saints too. Paradise always costs this price. Prayer for the world is the fruit of extremely deep and acute suffering.”

Archimandrite Sophrony, Words of Life

Worship: Sunday, November 18, 2018 (Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost)

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-7; Luke 12:16-21

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Warren Strain

Prosphora: Algood

Coffee Hour: Algood/Jones/Turner

November 4, 2018

Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost

Ephesians 2:4-10: St Paul, writing to the Ephesians, encourages us by reminding us that we who were dead in our sins are now alive in our union with Christ because of God’s mercy toward us and are now able to do the good works prepared for us.

Luke 16:19-31: In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, our Lord teaches us that giving mercy to others, regardless of the form, is essential to holiness.

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 St. Ioanikios the Great: 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 Ioanikios, intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.

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, November 4 (Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Hierarchical Divine Liturgy

12:00 p.m. — Pot Luck Meal

Monday, November 5

Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, November 6

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Wednesday, November 7

6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers

7:15 p.m. — Choir Practice

Thursday, November 8 (Archangels Michael and Gabriel)

6:00 a.m. — Festal Orthros

Friday, November 9 (Nektarios of Pentapolis)

Saturday, November 10

9:00 a.m. — Orthodoz Women’s Retreat at St. Peter

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

Sunday, November 11 (Menas the Wonder-worker)

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 Brocks for the Feastday of St. Raphael yesterday morning and by the Bakers for the Divine Liturgy this morning.

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

November 4 Baker POT LUCK MEAL

Set-up: Katool/Davis/Staursky

November 11 R. Root Ellis/Zouboukos/Waites

November 18 Algood Algood/Jones/Turner

November 20 (Mon. p.m.) Katool (Artoklasia Bread) No Meal

(Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple)

November 25 Schelver R. Root/Habeeb/Cooper

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#

November 4 Walt Wood Eph. 2:4-10 202

November 11 Sh. Charlotte Algood II Cor. 4:6-15 163

November 18 Warren Strain Eph. 4:1-7 212

November 25 Kh. Sharon Meadows Gal. 3:23-4:5 160

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 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 Chamblee; Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Sam and Lamia Dabit and Sammie; Mary Greene (Lee and Kh. Sharon’s sister); Lynda Costas; Fr. Nicholas, Kh. Jan and Angelina Speier; David Morris and his family; Vernie Meadows, Fr. James and Kh. Sharon and their family; Walt and Charlotte Wood and their family; Lou Turner’s cousin Amy and her husband John.

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. They have both been ill recently.

Welcome and Many Years, Master! We welcome His Grace, Bishop NICHOLAS this week-end. Thank you for your care for us, Sayedna!

Calendar Items:

* The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.

* The Ladies of St. Peter 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 Ladies of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the last Tuesday of the month.

* V. Rev. Fr. John Oliver, the pastor of St. Elizabeth the New Martyr Orthodox Church in Murfreesboro, TN, will be the speaker for the annual Women’s Retreat to be held this year at St. Peter’s on Saturday, November 10th. Fr. John will be addressing the topic: “Anxiety, Despondency, Despair: Helping Orthodox Women Cope”.

* The next date for serving meals at the Stewpot will be Saturday, November 17th.

* We will have a Santa Lucia celebration during Coffee Hour on Sunday, December 9th.

* The Children will present their Nativity Program on Sunday, December 16th during Coffee Hour. We will also have a Pot Luck Meal that Sunday to add to the festivities.

Orthodox Women’s Retreat: V. Rev. Fr. John Oliver, the pastor of St. Elizabeth the New Martyr Orthodox Church in Murfreesboro, TN, will be the speaker for the annual Women’s Retreat to be held this year at St. Peter’s on Saturday, November 10th, beginning at 9:00 a.m.

Fr. John will be addressing the topic: “Anxiety, Despondency, Despair: Helping Orthodox Women Cope”.

Changing of the Guard! We have new officers for the Ladies of St. Peter. Joanna Davis will serve alone as President for this year and Anna Kathryn Stewart will be her co-president beginning next year. Carolina Lavric will serve as Treasurer. Many thanks to Christina Katool, Kh. Sharon Meadows and Sandra Strain for their years of service to the Ladies!

Unsupervised children in the Kitchen: For health and safety concerns children are not to be allowed in the kitchen unless accompanied by a parent. Please get ice for your children and do NOT allow them to use the icemaker themselves.

Fasting Discipline for November

In November, the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays until the 15tth of the month, when the Fast of the Nativity begins. During this fast the traditional fasting discipline is observed each day of the week. Note, however, through December 19th there is a katlysis on Tuesdays and Thursdays when wine and oil are permitted, and on Saturdays and Sundays when fish, wine and oil are permitted.

Major Commemorations for November

November 1 Cosmas and Damian of Asia

November 3 Raphael, Bishop of Brooklyn

Dedication of the Church of St. George

November 8 Archangels Michael and Gabriel

November 9 Nektarios of Pentapolis

November 13 John Chrysostom (repose)

November 16 Apostle and Evangelist Matthew

November 21 Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple

November 25 Great-martyrs Catherine and Mercurios

November 30 Apostle Andrew the First-called

For Parents: Children in the nursery during Coffee Hour MUST be supervised just as they are on the playground. This room is used for Sunday School each week. Children who are unsupervised create disarray and use materials set aside for the teaching of Christian Education. This creates extra work for the Sunday School teachers who have to come in and set the room in order before class or who find supplies depleted unexpectedly. A parent must be in the room with their children at all times. Please help us with this! — Fr. John

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.

ead of ManHead of Maonasteries

Quotable: “Christ has given His divine life to those who are created in His image, but the only response He received was hatred. Today, after two thousand years of Christianity, what do we see? The contemporary world is losing Christ, losing eternal life, more and more. The deep darkness of sinful passions, hatred, domination, wars of all kinds, are what make up our earthly existence. In this situation, Christ has given the commandment to those who decide to follow Him: ‘Love your enemies’. Why is the world afraid of such a God? Can you find a better principle than this: bless those who curse you, love your enemies.”

Archimandrite Sophrony, Words of Life

Worship: Sunday, November 11, 2018 (Menas the Wonder-worker)

Scripture: II Corinthians 4:6-15; Luke 10:25-37

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Sh. Charlotte Algood

Prosphora: R. Root

Coffee Hour: Ellis/Zouboukos/Waites