February 24, 2019

First and Second Discovery of the Forerunner’s Head

Sunday of the Prodigal Son

The theme of the third Sunday before Lent is RETURN FROM EXILE and the Gospel lesson of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) is read. We are taught by this lesson that even as we stray from God, a banquet is set for our return. And we find that nothing in this fallen world truly satisfies, and thus we find ourselves on a pilgrimage of repentance – returning to God.

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 15:11-32: The parable of the prodigal son as told by our Lord serves to illustrate how precious in the sight of the Lord is one who repents from his sin and is returned to the fold.

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. John: The Forerunner=s sacred head, having dawned forth upon the earth, doth send incorruption=s rays unto the faithful, whereby they find healings of their ills. From on high he gathereth the choirs of the Angels and on earth he summoneth the whole race of mankind, that they with one voice might send up glory to Christ 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 of the Prodigal Son: Foolishly I sprang away from Thy great fatherly glory, and dispersed in wicked deeds the riches that Thou didst give me. With the Prodigal I therefore cry unto Thee now: I have sinned against Thee, O compassionate Father. But receive me in repentance; make me as one of Thy hired servants, O Lord.

CALENDAR

Sunday, February 24 (1st and 2nd Discovery of the Forerunner’s Head; Sunday of the Prodigal Son)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

Monday, February 25

Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, February 26

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

12:00 p.m. — Ladies’ Lunch

Wednesday, February 27

6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers

7:15 p.m. — Choir Practice

Thursday, February 28

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Friday, March 1

Saturday, March 2 (Saturday of the Souls)

9:00 a.m. — Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy

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

Sunday, March 3 (Sunday of Meatfare)

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 Davises for the Divine Liturgy this morning.

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

February 24 Davis Baker/D. Root/Dansereau

March 2 (Sat. a.m.) D. Root Sh. Charlotte Algood

(Saturday of the Souls) Koliva: Sh. Margaret Root

March 3 Karam Katool/Davis/Staursky

March 10 Brock POT LUCK MEAL

Set-up: Schelver/Karam/Pacurari

March 17 Baker Algood/Jones/Turner

March 24 R. Root Ellis/Zouboukos/Waites

March 25 (Mon. a.m.) Henderson Kh. Sharon Meadows

(Feast of the Annunciation)

March 31 Algood 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#

February 24 Mildred Morris II Cor. 4:6-15 163

March 2 (Sat. a.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows I Thess. 4:13-17 412

March 3 Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver I Cor. 8:8-9:2 273

March 10 Brenda Baker Rom. 13:11-14:4 279

March 17 Sh. Charlotte Algood Heb. 11:24-26; 32-40 281

March 24 Mildred Morris Heb. 1:10-2:3 283

March 25 (Mon. a.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows Heb. 2:11-18 376

March 31 Kh. Sharon Meadows Heb. 4:14-5:6 285

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, the Reader Basil and Brenda and all of the Baker family; Chris and Rebecca Dansereau and their daughters; Fr. Leo and Kh. Be’Be’ and their 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. 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.

* We will celebrate the Saturday of the Souls liturgy on Saturday morning, March 2nd, beginning at 9:00 a.m.

* Our next date for serving at the Stewpot is Saturday, March 9th. Our remaining date for the year will be Saturday, September 28th.

* We will have Forgiveness Vespers on Sunday evening, March 10th, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

* Great Lent begins on Clean Monday, March 11th.

* We will pray the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings during the first week of Lent.

* We will celebrate the Presanctified Liturgy on Wednesday evenings in place of Daily Vespers during Lent, beginning at 6:30 p.m..

* On Friday evenings of the Great Lent we will pray the Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

* On the morning of Saturday, March the 16th there will be a Creative Arts Festival work-time for the children for their entries for the Parish Life Conference. More information will be provided at a later date.

* Vacation Church School will be held again this year in July. More information will be available once plans and dates have been finalized.

March is Ladies Month in our Archdiocese when we give special attention to the role of women in our parish. Ladies will be reading the Epistle this month. Also, please allow the women to go first for communion during this time.

Sister Olga from the convent of St. Elizabeth in Minsk, Belarus will be giving a presentation on their convent following daily vespers this Wednesday evening. The Convent of St. Elizabeth has a strong ministry to children without parental support and to patients in the nearby psychiatric hospital. Sr. Olga will have icons and other items for sale and all proceeds go toward new construction at the convent. Please make plans to attend.

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 February/March

The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on the remaining Wednesday and Friday of February. Following Meatfare Sunday (March 3rd) meat will no longer be eaten until Pascha. During the week following Meatfare Sunday dairy products (milk, cheese, eggs, etc.) are permitted, even on Wednesday and Friday. March 10th is Cheesefare Sunday, the last day that dairy and wine are permitted. Monday, March 11th is Clean Monday, the first day of Great Lent when the traditional fasting discipline is observed on all days of the week until Pascha (except the Feast of the Annunciation on March 25th and Palm Sunday on April 21st, when fish, wine and oil are permitted).

Major Commemorations for February/March

February 17 Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican

February 24 The Forerunner (1st and 2nd Discoveries)

Sunday of the Prodigal Son

March 2 Saturday of the Souls

March 3 Meatfare Sunday

March 9 Forty Martyrs of Sebaste

March 10 Cheesefare Sunday

March 16 Christodoulos, Wonder-worker of Pamos

March 17 1st Sunday of Lent; Sunday of Orthodoxy

March 24 2nd Sunday of Lent; Gregory Palamas

March 25 Feast of the Annunciation

March 26 Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel

March 31 3rd Sunday of Lent; Adoration of the Holy Cross

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: “From directions on inner spiritual life he discovers the necessity of paying attention to oneself, of watching over the movements of the heart. In order not to admit anything bad, it is necessary to preserve the remembrance of God.

And so he sets to work to achieve this remembrance. But his thoughts can no more be arrested than the wind; his bad feelings and worthless impulses can no more be evaded than the stench of a corpse; his mind, like a wet and frozen bird, cannot rise to the remembrance of God.”

St. Theophan the Recluse

Worship: Sunday, March 3, 2019 (Sunday of Meat Fare; Sunday of the Last Judgement)

Scripture: I Corinthians 8:8-9:2; Matthew 25:1-46

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver

Prosphora: Karam

Coffee Hour: Katool/Davis/Staursky

February 17 2019

Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican

The theme of the fourth Sunday before Lent is HUMILITY and the Gospel lesson of the Publican and the Pharisee (Luke 18:10-14) is read. Here we are taught to avoid the arrogant thoughts of the Pharisee and to emulate the humble prayer of the Publican “God be merciful to me a sinner.”

II Timothy 3:10-15: In St Paul’s second letter to Timothy we are reminded that godliness will bring persecutions; and we are encouraged to continue doing those things that we have been taught so as to gain the wisdom that leads to salvation in Christ.

Luke 18:10-14: In the parable of the Pharisee and the tax-gatherer, Jesus teaches us that justification does not come to those who are proud and arrogant, but rather to those who are humble and repen­tant.

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 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 Pharisee and the Publican: Let us flee from the boasting of the Pharisee and learn the heights of humility from the publican’s words. Let us cry out in repentance: O Savior of the World, be gracious to thy servants.

CALENDAR

Sunday, February 17 (Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican)

[NO FASTING THIS WEEK]

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

Monday, February 18

Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, February 19

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Wednesday, February 20

6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers

7:15 p.m. — Choir Practice

7:30 p.m. — Parish Council Meeting

Thursday, February 21

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Friday, February 22

Saturday, February 23

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

Sunday, February 24 ( Sunday of the Prodigal Son)

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 Meadows for the Divine Liturgy this morning.

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.

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

February 17 Meadows Pigott/Dabit/Strain/Lavric

February 24 Davis Baker/D. Root/Dansereau

March 2 (Sat. a.m.) D. Root Sh. Charlotte Algood

(Saturday of the Souls) Koliva: Sh. Margaret Root

March 3 Karam Katool/Davis/Staursky

March 10 Brock POT LUCK MEAL

Set-up: Schelver/Karam/Pacurari

March 17 Baker Algood/Jones/Turner

March 24 R. Root Ellis/Zouboukos/Waites

March 25 (Mon. a.m.) Henderson Kh. Sharon Meadows

(Feast of the Annunciation)

March 31 Algood 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#

February 17 Warren Strain II Tim. 3:10-15 258

February 24 Mildred Morris II Cor. 4:6-15 163

March 2 (Sat. a.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows I Thess. 4:13-17 412

March 3 Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver I Cor. 8:8-9:2 273

March 10 Brenda Baker Rom. 13:11-14:4 279

March 17 Sh. Charlotte Algood Heb. 11:24-26; 32-40 281

March 24 Mildred Morris Heb. 1:10-2:3 283

March 25 (Mon. a.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows Heb. 2:11-18 376

March 31 Kh. Sharon Meadows Heb. 4:14-5:6 285

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, the Reader Basil and Brenda and all of the Baker family; Chris and Rebecca Dansereau and their daughters; Fr. Leo and Kh. Be’Be’ and their 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.

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 house 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 (March 11th this year).

The Parish Council has decided to give the St. Nicholas tithe to a needy family of which Father John is personally aware. They are a large family which has undergone great personal tragedy. They have also been heavily involved in caring for foster children over the years.

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.

* We will celebrate the Saturday of the Souls liturgy on Saturday morning, March 2nd, beginning at 9:00 a.m.

* Our next date for serving at the Stewpot is Saturday, March 9th. Our remaining date for the year will be Saturday, September 28th.

* We will have Forgiveness Vespers on Sunday evening, March 10th, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

* Great Lent begins on Clean Monday, March 11th.

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 February

There is no fasting during the week following the Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican (February 17th). The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all other Wednesdays and Fridays of February.

Major Commemorations for February

February 17 Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican

February 24 The Forerunner (1st and 2nd Discoveries)

Sunday of the Prodigal Son

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: “At this point the zealous man looks inward, and what do you think he finds there? Ceaseless wandering of thoughts, constant onslaughts from the passions, hardness and coldness of heart, obstinacy and disobedience, desire to do everything according to his own will. In a word, he finds everything within himself in a very bad state. And seeing this, his zeal is inflamed, and he now directs strenuous efforts to the development of his inner life, to controlling his thoughts and the disposition of his heart..”

St. Theophan the Recluse

Worship: Sunday, February 24, 2019 (Sunday of the Prodigal Son; Holy Forerunner John the Baptist)

Scripture: II Corinthians 4:6-15; Luke 15:11-32

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Mildred Morris

Prosphora: Davis

Coffee Hour: Baker/D. Root/Dansereau

February 10, 2019

Hieromaryr Charalampos, Bishop of Magnesia

II Timothy 2:1-10: Through the example of the soldier, athlete and farmer, St. Paul reminds us that faithful ministry requires discipline, obedience, self-denial and struggle.

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: 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 St. Haralampos: An unshaken pillar of the Church of Christ God art thou, an ever-resplendent lamp, O Haralampus most wise, which shineth throughout the earth; in martyric contest thou hast shined on the whole world, and thou hast dispelled the moonless night of the idols. Now boldly intercede thou with Christ that we may all 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, February 10 (Hieromartyr Haralampos)

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, February 11 (Blaise, Bishop of Sebaste)

Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, February 12

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Wednesday, February 13

6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers

7:15 p.m. — Choir Practice

Thursday, February 14

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Friday, February 15

Saturday, February 16

8:30 a.m. — Workday at the Church

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

Sunday, February 17 (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 Joneses for the Divine Liturgy this morning.

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

February 10 Jones POT LUCK MEAL

Set-up: Stewart/Meadows

February 17 Meadows Pigott/Dabit/Strain/Lavric

February 24 Davis Baker/D. Root/Dansereau

March 2 (Sat. a.m.) D. Root Sh. Charlotte Algood

(Saturday of the Souls) Koliva: Sh. Margaret Root

March 3 Karam Katool/Davis/Staursky

March 10 Brock POT LUCK MEAL

Set-up: Schelver/Karam/Pacurari

March 17 Baker Algood/Jones/Turner

March 24 R. Root Ellis/Zouboukos/Waites

March 25 (Mon. a.m.) Henderson Kh. Sharon Meadows

(Feast of the Annunciation)

March 31 Algood 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#

February 10 Sh. Charlotte Algood II Tim. 2:1-10 328

February 17 Warren Strain II Tim. 3:10-15 258

February 24 Mildred Morris II Cor. 4:6-15 163

March 2 (Sat. a.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows I Thess. 4:13-17 412

March 3 Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver I Cor. 8:8-9:2 273

March 10 Brenda Baker Rom. 13:11-14:4 279

March 17 Sh. Charlotte Algood Heb. 11:24-26; 32-40 281

March 24 Mildred Morris Heb. 1:10-2:3 283

March 25 (Mon. a.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows Heb. 2:11-18 376

March 31 Kh. Sharon Meadows Heb. 4:14-5:6 285

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.

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 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, the Reader Basil and Brenda and all of the Baker family; Chris and Rebecca Dansereau and their daughters; Fr. Leo and Kh. Be’Be’ and their 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.

Camp St. Thekla applications are now available. Scholarship money is also available for a limited time. If you would like your children to attend Camp, please get your applications in as soon as possible. The sessions fill up very quickly!

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 house 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 (March 11th this year).

The Parish Council has decided to give the St. Nicholas tithe to a needy family of which Father John is personally aware. They are a large family which has undergone great personal tragedy. They have also been heavily involved in caring for foster children over the years.

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.

* We will celebrate the Saturday of the Souls liturgy on Saturday morning, March 2nd, beginning at 9:00 a.m.

* Our next date for serving at the Stewpot is Saturday, March 9th. Our remaining date for the year will be Saturday, September 28th.

* We will have Forgiveness Vespers on Sunday evening, March 10th, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

* Great Lent begins on Clean Monday, March 11th.

Fasting Discipline for February

There is no fasting during the week following the Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican (February 17th). The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all other Wednesdays and Fridays of February.

Major Commemorations for February

February 10 Hieromartyr Haralampos

February 17 Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican

February 24 The Forerunner (1st and 2nd Discoveries)

Sunday of the Prodigal Son

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.

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: “Once a man has become conscious of what the essence of the Christian life is, and has found that it is something that he does not yet possess, he sets to work with his mind in order to achieve it. He reads, thinks, and talks. And so he comes to realize that the Christian life depends on union with the Lord. But though he reflects on this truth with his mind, it still remains far from his heart, and is still not felt. And so it bears no fruit.”

St. Theophan the Recluse

Worship: Sunday, February 17, 2019 (Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican)

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

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Warren Strain

Prosphora: Meadows

Coffee Hour: Pigott/Dabit/Strain/Lavric

February 3, 2019

Synaxis of Holy and Righteous Simeon the God-receiver

and Anna the Prophetess

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.

II Corinthians 6:1-10: In our reading from II Corinthians, St Paul commends his and the other apostles’ ministry as servants of God, explaining the means by which they were able to endure all things for the glory of God.

Matthew 25:14-30: From the Gospel of St Matthew we hear our Lord use a parable to describe how He will judge His servants. Our faithful use of His gifts will result in greater blessing when His King­dom comes in its fullness.

Troparion of the Resurrection: Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad; for the Lord hath done a mighty act with his own arm. He hath trampled down death and become the First-born from the dead. He hath delivered us from the depths of hades, granting the world the Great Mercy.

Troparion of the Presentation: Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos, full of grace; for from thee arose the Sun of justice, Christ our God, lighting those who are in darkness. Rejoice and be glad, O righteous old man, carrying in thine arms the Deliverer of our souls, who granteth us resurrection.

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, February 3 (Thirty-second Sunday after Pentecost)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

Monday, February 4

Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, February 5

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Wednesday, February 6

6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers

7:15 p.m. — Choir Practice

Thursday, February 7

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

11:30 a.m. — Men’s Lunch

Friday, February 8

Saturday, February 9

10:00 a.m. — Ladies meet for Akathist

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

Sunday, February 10 (Hieromartyr Haralampos)

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 Schelvers for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple yesterday morning and by the Morrises for the Divine Liturgy this morning.

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour
February 3 Morris Henderson/Lockhart/Alaeetawi

February 10 Jones POT LUCK MEAL

Set-up: Stewart/Meadows

February 17 Meadows Pigott/Dabit/Strain/Lavric

February 24 Brock Baker/D. Root/Dansereau

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#

February 3 Walt Wood I Tim. 4:9-15 252

February 10 Sh. Charlotte Algood II Tim. 2:1-10 328

February 17 Warren Strain II Tim. 3:10-15 258

February 24 Mildred Morris II Cor. 4:6-15 163

Please be reminded that the Sacristy/Vestry which is adjacent to and behind the altar in our church is considered by the Orthodox Church to be part of the Sanctuary (Altar area) and should not be entered without the blessing of the priest for a specific purpose. If you need to speak with a member of the clergy while they are in the Sanctuary, please ask them to come to you in the nave.

Please be reminded of the following:

Be very careful with the Blessed Bread when you take it after communion. Because this bread has been blessed, we should take care not to let crumbs fall on the floor. Parents, especially, please help your children to choose a small piece and treat it carefully.

Also, at the end of the liturgy, maintain a prayerful disposition during the veneration of the cross as the prayers of thanksgiving after communion are still underway. Please exchange your greetings with each other in the Fellowship Hall during Coffee Hour.

Please 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, the Reader Basil and Brenda and all of the Baker family; Chris and Rebecca Dansereau and their daughters.

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. They have both been ill recently.

Camp St. Thekla applications are now available. Scholarship money is also available for a limited time. If you would like your children to attend Camp, please get your applications in as soon as possible. The sessions fill up very quickly!

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 house 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 (March 11th this year).

Our prayers and condolences go to Mike and Cheryl Pigott, as well as Meghan and Michelle, in the recent passing of Mike’s sister, Carole, in New Mexico following a battle with cancer.

The Parish Council has decided to give the St. Nicholas tithe to a needy family of which Father John is personally aware. They are a large family which has undergone great personal tragedy. They have also been heavily involved in caring for foster children over the years.

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.

Fasting Discipline for February

There is no fasting during the week following the Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican (February 17th). The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all other Wednesdays and Fridays of February.

Major Commemorations for February

February 3 Simeon the God-receiver

February 10 Hieromartyr Haralampos

February 17 Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican

February 24 The Forerunner (1st and 2nd Discoveries)

Sunday of the Prodigal Son

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.

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: “Let us now take the case of one who has been falling somewhat short of the work of salvation; he becomes aware of this incompleteness, and sees the incorrectness of his way of life and the instability of his efforts. And so he turns fro outward to inward piety. He is led into this either by reading books about spiritual life, or by talking with those who know what the essence of Christian life is, or by dissatisfaction with his own efforts, by a certain intuition that something is lacking, and that all is not going as it should.

Despite all his correctness he has no inner peace; he lacks what was promised to true Christians, ‘peace and joy in the Holy Spirit’ (Rom. xiv. 17). Once this troubling thought is born in him, then talking with people who have knowledge he will come to realize what the matter is, or he may read about it in a book. Either of these things will enable him to see the essential defect in the order of his life, namely his lack of attention to the movements within himself, and his lack of self-mastery.

He understands then that the essence of Christian life consists in establishing himself with the mind in the heart before God, in the Lord Jesus Christ, by the grace of the Holy Spirit: in this way he is enabled to control all inward movements and all outward actions, so as to transform everything in himself, whether great or small, into the service of God the Trinity, consciously and freely offering himself wholly to God.”

St. Theophan the Recluse

Worship: Sunday, February 10, 2019 (Haralampos of Magnesia)

Scripture: II Timothy 2:1-10; Matthew 15:21-28

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Sh. Charlotte Algood

Prosphora: Jones

Coffee Hour: POT LUCK MEAL

Set-up: Stewart/Meadows