May 5, 2019
New Sunday or ANTI-PASCHA
Sunday of Thomas the Apostle
On the Sunday following Easter, we hear the story of Thomas and are reminded of the all-permeating presence of Christ and the faith of those who followed the disciples. Even as walls and doors proved no obstacle to His coming to His followers, so nothing can prevent His presence with us. Even as He commissioned them to be peaceful of themselves and to bear His peace and life to those about them, so He grants us peace for ourselves and those we touch. Even as Thomas turned from his doubt to faith, so let us bow before our Lord and God in acknowledgment and praise. With Thomas and all the faithful who sing in heavenly worship, let us raise our hymn of adoration and life to our risen Saviour.
Acts 5:12-20: Through healing of the sick and the addition of new believers to the Church in Jerusalem we see the power of the Holy Spirit at work with the Apostles.
John 20:19-31: In our gospel reading we hear of the Apostle Thomas’ doubt regarding Jesus’ resurrection. When our Lord appears to Him he immediately believes; yet, the Lord pronounces a blessing upon those who believe without having seen Him.
Troparion of Thomas Sunday: While the tomb was sealed, thou didst shine forth from it, O Light. While the doors were closed, thou didst come in to thy Disciples, O Christ God, Resurrection of all, renewing in us through them an upright spirit, according to the greatness of thy mercy.
Kontakion of Thomas Sunday: With his anxiously searching right hand, O Christ God, Thomas did probe your life-giving side; for when you did enter, the doors being shut, he shouted with the rest of the Disciples, crying, You are my Lord and my God.
CALENDAR
Sunday, May 5 (Thomas Sunday)
8:50 a.m. — Orthros
9:00 a.m. — Christian Education
10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy
Monday, May 6
Father John’s Day Off
Tuesday, May 7
NO Daily Orthros
Wednesday, May 8 (Apostle John the Theologian)
6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers
7:15 p.m. — Choir Practice
Thursday, May 9
NO Daily Orthros
Friday, May 10 (Apostle Simon the Zealot)
Saturday, May 11
10:00 a.m. — Ladies meet for Akathist
5:45 p.m. — Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
Sunday, May 12 (Sunday of the Holy Myrrh-bearers)
8:50 a.m. — Orthros
9:00 a.m. — Christian Education
10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Eucharist Bread …was offered for the great Feast of PASCHA by the Daniel Roots and by the Karams for the Divine Liturgy this morning.
Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour
May 5 Karam Meadows/Lockhart/Alaeetawi
May 12 Brock Baker/D. Root/Dansereau
May 19 Baker Schelver/Karam/Pacurari
May 26 R. Root POT LUCK MEAL
Set-up: Katool/Davis/Staursky/Baba
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#
May 5 Warren Strain Acts 5:12-20 32
May 12 Walt Wood Acts 6:1-7 38
May 19 Mildred Morris Acts 9:32-42 45
May 26 Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver Acts 11:19-30 52
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.
His Grace, Bishop NICHOLAS will make his next arch-pastoral visit to St. Peter’s on May 26-27th (he will be leaving on Tuesday morning, May 28th). More information will be available at a later date. Please mark your calendars now!
Fr. John and Kh. Janet will be out of town for family vacation May 5-11. If you need a priest during this time, please contact Fr. James.
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.
* His Grace, Bishop NICHOLAS will be with us for a visit on May 26-27th. More details will be available at a later date.
* Vacation Church School will be held again this year in July on the 11th,12th, and 13th. More information will be available later.
* Our next date for serving at the Stewpot is Saturday, September 28th.
Fasting Discipline for May
There will be no fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays until the Feast of the Ascension, for the whole forty days, as decided by the Holy Synod of the Church of Antioch in 1997. (This is a departure from what we have done in the past, but is what we have been directed to do by the Archdiocese.)
Major Commemorations for May
May 5 Thomas Sunday
May 8 Apostle John the Theologian
May 12 Sunday of the Holy Myrrh-bearers
May 19 Sunday of the Paralytic
May 25 The Forerunner (#rd Discovery)
May 26 Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
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
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.
ead of ManHead of Maonasteries
Quotable: “Sin is now driven out from its stronghold and goodness takes its place, while the strength of sin is shattered and dispersed.
‘Grace and sin do not dwell together in the mind,’ says St. Diadochos, ‘but before baptism grace incites the soul to goodness from without, while Satan lurks in its depths, endeavouring to bar all the doors of righteousness in the mind; but from the very moment that we are reborn the devil remains outside and grace dwells within.’”
St. Theophan the Recluse
Worship: Sunday, May 12, 2019 (Sunday of the Holy Myrrh-bearers)
Scripture: Acts 6:1-7; Mark 15:43-16:8
Celebrant: Father John
Epistle Reader: Walt Wood
Prosphora: Brock
Coffee Hour: Baker/D. Root/Dansereau
Saint Peter Antiochian Orthodox Church 
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