June 30, 2019

Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles

I Corinthians 4:9-16: We hear St Paul speak to the Corinthians as their spiritual father and exhort them to imitate him in their actions.

Matthew 9:36-10:8: Our Lord sends the twelve apostles out to preach that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. They are also to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, and cast out demons. He instructs them, however, to go nowhere among the Gentiles and to enter no town of the Samaritans.

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 Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles: O Holy Apostles, intercede with our merciful God, to grant our souls forgiveness of sins.

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, June 30 (Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

Monday, July 1 (Cosmas and Damian of Rome)

Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, July 2 (Deposition of the Robe of the Theotokos)

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Wednesday, July 3

6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers

7:15 p.m. — Choir Practice

Thursday, July 4

NO Daily Orthros

Friday, July 5 (Athanasios of Athos)

Saturday, July 6

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

Sunday, July 7 (Third Sunday after Pentecost)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

12:00 p.m. — POT LUCK MEAL

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Daniel Roots for the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul yesterday morning and by the Davises 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

June 30 Davis Pigott/Dabit/Strain/Lavric

July 7 Meadows POT LUCK MEAL

Set-up: Stewart/Henderson

July 14 Karam Katool/Davis/Baba

July 21 Brock Baker/D. Root/Dansereau

July 28 Baker Schelver/Karam/Pacurari

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#

June 30 Mildred Morris I Cor. 4:9-16 135

July 7 Kh. Sharon Meadows Gal. 3:23-4:5 160

July 14 Sam Habeeb Titus 3:8-15 322

July 21 Brenda Baker Rom. 10:1-10 108

July 28 Walt Wood Rom. 12:6-14 113

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; 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.

For updates on Fr. Leo’s condition, please go to caringbridge.org/visit/leofredrichschelver.

Calendar Items:

* The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month. However, they will meet on the third Thursday in July (only).

* 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.

* Due to Vacation Church School we will have our monthly Pot Luck Meal next Sunday instead of our usual second Sunday of the month.

* Vacation Church School will be held again this year in July on the 11th,12th, and 13th.

* Our next date for serving at the Stewpot is Saturday, September 28th.

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

Fasting Discipline for July

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

Major Commemorations for July

July 1 Cosmas and Damian of Rome

July 2 Deposition of the Robe of the Theotokos

July 5 Athanasios of Athos

July 11 Euphemia the all-praised

July 17 Great-martyr Marina

July 25 Dormition of Righteous Anna

July 27 Great-martyr Panteleimon

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: “Everyone who has been clothed in humility becomes like Him who came down from His exalted place and hid the splendor of His majesty, concealing His glory in lowliness, so that the created world should not be utterly consumed at the sight of Him. Creation could not behold Him unless He took part of it to Himself and thus conversed with it: only thus was creation able to hear the words of His mouth face to face.”

St. Isaac the Syrian

Worship: Sunday, July 7, 2019 (Great-martyr Kyriaki; Third Sunday after Pentecost)

Scripture: Galatians 3:23-4:5; Matthew 6:22-33

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Kh. Sharon Meadows

Prosphora: Meadows

Coffee Hour: Stewart/Henderson

June 23, 2019

First Sunday after Pentecost

All Saints Sunday

The Church commemorates and remembers all of its saints at three times during the year; in anticipation of Christmas, at the beginning of Lent, and immediately after Pentecost. On all three days we are reminded of the unified body of God’s people and of the holiness they have achieved and for which we strive. These two things are not abnormal and removed from us; they are truth and reality. On this day we are especially reminded of the strength of the saints and their victories, and we move from the day of Pentecost, the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit, to join God’s people in our victorious procession, through purifying trial and sacrifice, to the Day of the Lord.

Hebrews 11:33-12:2: The writer of Hebrews calls us to consider the faith of those saints of the Old Testament who endured hardships and death and yet still did great things because of their faith. The Apos­tle encourages us to lay aside the encumbrances of sin and run with endurance the race that is set be­fore us.

Matthew 10:32- 33, 37-38;19:27-30: In the gospel reading we hear the Lord Jesus teach the mean­ing of discipleship, and, when asked by Peter, tells him what shall be the reward for those who truly are dis­ci­ples of His.

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 All Saints: Thy Church, O Christ God, hast regaled herself in the blood of thy Martyrs throughout all the world, as in porphyry and purple. Through them she lifts her voice, crying, Turn with thy compassion to thy people, and grant peace to thy city, and to the souls the Great Mercy.

Troparion of the Chains of St. Peter: O Holy Apostle, Peter, thou dost preside over the Apostles by the precious chains which thou didst bear. We venerate them with faith and beseech thee that by thine intercessions we be granted the great mercy.

Kontakion of All Saints: To thee, O Lord and Author of all creation, the universe offers as first-fruits of nature the divinity-bearing Martyrs. Wherefore, by their imploring preserve thy Church in perfect safety, for the sake of the Theotokos, O most Merciful.

CALENDAR

Sunday, June 23 (Sunday of All Saints)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

Monday, June 24

[FAST OF THE APOSTLES BEGINS]

Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, June 25

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

12:00 p.m. — Ladies’Lunch

Wednesday, June 26

6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers

7:15 p.m. — Choir Practice

Thursday, June 27

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Friday, June 28

Saturday, June 29 (Chief Apostles Peter and Paul)

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

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

Sunday, June 30 (Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

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

June 23 Jones Henderson/Lockhart/Alaeetawi

June 29 (Sat. a.m.) D. Root Marica Pacurari

(Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul)

June 30 Davis Pigott/Dabit/Strain/Lavric

July 7 Meadows POT LUCK MEAL

Set-up: Stewart/Henderson

July 14 Karam Katool/Davis/Baba

July 21 Brock Baker/D. Root/Dansereau

July 28 Baker Schelver/Karam/Pacurari

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#

June 23 Warren Strain Heb. 11:33-12:2 84

June 29 (Sat. a.m.) Brenda Baker II Cor. 11:21-33; 12:6-9 389

June 30 Mildred Morris I Cor. 4:9-16 135

July 7 Kh. Sharon Meadows Gal. 3:23-4:5 160

July 14 Sam Habeeb Titus 3:8-15 322

July 21 Brenda Baker Rom. 10:1-10 108

July 28 Walt Wood Rom. 12:6-14 113

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; 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.

For updates on Fr. Leo’s condition, please go to caringbridge.org/visit/leofredrichschelver.

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 Apostles begins tomorrow and runs through June 28th.

* We will celebrate the Feast of the Chief Apostles Peter and Paul with Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy on Saturday morning, June 29th, beginning at 9:00 a.m.

* 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.

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

Fasting Discipline for June

The Fast of the Apostles will run from June 24th through the 28th. During this time the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all days.

Major Commemorations for June

June 23 Sunday of All Saints

June 24 Nativity of the Forerunner

June 29 Chief Apostles Peter and Paul

June 30 Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles

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: “Let us be firm, my brothers, on the rock of faith, in the tradition of the Church, and not remove or change the boundaries established by our Holy Fathers. Let us close the road to innovators and not permit them to demolish the structure of the Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church of God. If we allow, however, the introduction of any innovation, we unconsciously support the collapse of the Church. No, my brother, you who love Christ, no, you children of the Church, you will never want to surround your Mother Church with confusion.”

St. John of Damaskos

Worship: Sunday, June 30, 2019 (Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles; Second Sunday after Pentecost)

Scripture: I Corinthians 4:9-16; Matthew 9:36-10:8

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Mildred Morris

Prosphora: Davis

Coffee Hour: Pigott/Dabit/Strain/Lavric

June 16, 2019

The Great Feast of Pentecost

In several senses, Pentecost marks for us the end of many months of anticipation, commemoration, and celebration and the beginning of the fullness of the life and faith we share. It is a day bringing our focus on the Holy Spirit, the embodiment of divine grace, the supreme gift, the ongoing presence of God in our lives; yet, it is a day directing us to the praise of the Trinity, the three divine persons, and the historical and spatial relationship God’s people have with Him. For the disciples, the day marks their spiritual maturity. Their faith began in their nationality, for they were of the nation that God the Father chose to glorify Him. The faith was completed in their confrontation with God the Son, through His presence and the nourishment He gave. The fullness of the faith came with the coming in power of God the Spirit. The disciples had grown in spirit and were ready for their work; the birth of the Church was imminent; the Bride was to be made ready. In the cycle of the calendar, we now stand ready to do likewise, and all weeks from now until our preparation for Advent are the weeks of Pentecost. In the picture of the birth of the Church there are symbols beyond mention here; the unity in the common tongue, the Light that shines brighter than day, the bold proclamation to all men of the Gospel. We look forward from this day to weeks without special celebrations, to days without reference to past days of enormous import–to normal, uneventful days. But these are not uneventful days; they are the days for which we have prepared, the days of the Church, the days of our maturity and growth, the days when, through the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit, we run the good race and cross the finish to bring praise and glory to our glorious God, the eternal Trinity.

Acts 2:1-11: In the reading from Acts we see the pouring out of God’s Spirit on the apostles, the ful­fillment of Joel’s prophecy, and the beginning of the Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

John 7:37-52, 8:12: Our Lord calls those thirsting for righteousness to Himself, promising to eternally quench their thirst by the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Pharisees, however, view Jesus as a threat to their authority and seek for ways to undermine His authority.

Troparion of Pentecost: Blessed art thou, O Christ our God, who hast revealed the fishermen as most wise, having sent upon them the Holy Spirit, and through them thou hast fished the universe, O Lover of mankind, glory to thee.

Kontakion of Pentecost: When the high One descended, confusing tongues, he divided the nations. And when he distributed the fiery tongues he called all to one unity. Wherefore, in unison we glorify the most Holy Spirit.

CALENDAR

Sunday, June 16 (Pentecost)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy with the Kneeling Prayers of Pentecost

at the end of the Liturgy

12:00 p.m. — Picnic Pot Luck Meal

Monday, June 17

[NO
FASTING THIS WEEK]

Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, June 18

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Wednesday, June 19

6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers

7:15 p.m. — Choir Practice

Thursday, June 20

6:00 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Friday, June 21

Saturday, June 22

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

Sunday, June 23 (Sunday of All Saints)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

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

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

June 16 Morris PICNIC POT LUCK MEAL

(Feast of Pentecost) Set-up: R. Root/Habeeb/Cooper

June 23 Jones Henderson/Lockhart/Alaeetawi

June 29 (Sat. a.m.) D. Root Marica Pacurari

(Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul)

June 30 Davis Pigott/Dabit/Strain/Lavric

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#

June 16 Kh. Sharon Meadows Acts 2:1-11 77

June 23 Warren Strain Heb. 11:33-12:2 84

June 29 (Sat. a.m.) Brenda Baker II Cor. 11:21-33; 12:6-9 389

June 30 Mildred Morris I Cor. 4:9-16 135

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; 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.

For updates on Fr. Leo’s condition, please go to caringbridge.org/visit/leofredrichschelver.

Father Lawrence Farley will be speaking at Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church on June 21-22. Fr. Lawrence is one of the speakers on Ancient Faith Radio and has several books available through Ancient Faith Publishing. He will be speaking on the challenges of Christian discipleship.

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 Feast of Pentecost with a Picnic Pot Luck Meal today following the Divine Liturgy.

* We will have the Kneeling Vespers of Pentecost this morning at the end of the Divine Liturgy. We will NOT have a vespers service this evening as is our usual parish custom.

* The Fast of the Apostles begins June 24th and runs through June 28th.

* We will celebrate the Feast of the Chief Apostles Peter and Paul with Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy on Saturday morning, June 29th, beginning at 9:00 a.m.

* 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.

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 June

There is no fasting the Week following Pentecost (June 16th). The Fast of the Apostles will run from June 24th through the 28th. During this time the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all days.

Major Commemorations for June

June 16 Feast of Pentecost

June 23 Sunday of All Saints

June 24 Nativity of the Forerunner

June 29 Chief Apostles Peter and Paul

June 30 Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles

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: “A small sea urchin warns sailors about good or stormy weather. When it senses a storm, it attaches itself beneath a large rock so as not to be swayed. By this example, there is nothing that God neglects. If God does not abandon the urchin, then He will also embrace each of our lives with the same loving care.”

St. Basil the Great

Worship: Sunday, June 23, 2019 (Sunday of All Saints; First Sunday after Pentecost)

Scripture: Hebrews 11:33-12:2; Matthew 10:32-33, 37-38; 19:27-30

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Warren Strain

Prosphora: Jones

Coffee Hour: Henderson/Lockhart/Alaeetawi

June 9, 2019

Sunday of the After-feast of the Ascension

Commemoration of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council

Today is the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of Nicea. This day commemorates the Holy Fathers who sat in council at Nicea, the first of the ecumenical councils. Through them we see the commitment to the immutable truth of God for all the faithful, especially those who lead in the faith. The men of this council bear special note by the significance of their creed, for it is the fundamental statement of orthodox Christology and an enduring guide to our faith. The events of the ascension and the scriptures of this day emphasize to us the nature and action of Christ, and the history of these fathers puts us in mind of the work of the Holy Spirit in the church, work proclaimed by the glorious events which we now anticipate in the preparation for Pentecost.

Acts 20:16–34: In the reading from Acts, we hear St Paul speak to the elders of the church at Ephesus, encouraging them to follow his example in their shepherding, and bidding them his final fare­well as he approached his imprisonment at Rome.

John 17:1-13: In the passage from John, Jesus prays for His disciples, that they would be united as one and kept from evil.

Troparion of the Resurrection: When Mary stood at thy grave looking for thy sacred body, angelic powers shone above thy revered tomb, and the soldiers who were to keep guard became as dead men. Thou led hades captive and wast not tempted thereby. Thou didst meet the Virgin and didst give life to the world; O thou who art risen from the dead! O Lord, glory to thee.

Troparion of the Ascension: Thou hast ascended in glory, O Christ our God, and gladdened thy disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit, having become confident of the blessing. Verily, thou art the Son of God, and Deliverer of the world.

Troparion of the Holy Fathers: Thou, O Christ, art our God of exceeding praise who didst establish our holy Fathers as luminous stars upon earth, and through them didst guide us unto the true Faith, O most merciful One, glory to thee.

Troparion of the Chains of St. Peter: O Holy Apostle, Peter, thou dost preside over the Apostles by the precious chains which thou didst bear. We venerate them with faith and beseech thee that by thine intercessions we be granted the great mercy.

Kontakion of the Ascension: When thou didst fulfill thy dispensation for our sakes, uniting the terrestrials with the celestials, thou didst ascend in glory, O Christ our God, inseparable in space, but constant without separation, and crying unto thy beloved, I am with you, and no one shall be against you.

CALENDAR

Sunday, June 9 (Sunday of the Holy Fathers of Nicea)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

Monday, June 10

Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, June 11 (Apostles Bartholomew and Baranabas)

NO Daily Orthros

Wednesday, June 12

6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers

7:15 p.m. — Choir Practice

Thursday, June 13

NO Daily Orthros

Friday, June 14

Saturday, June 15

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

Sunday, June 16 (Pentecost)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

12:00 p.m. — Picnic Pot Luck Meal

6:30 p.m. — Kneeling Vespers of Pentecost

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Katools for the Feast of the Ascension this past Wednesday evening and by the Schelvers for the Divine Liturgy this morning.

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

June 9 Schelver Ellis/Zuoboukos/Waites

June 16 Morris PICNIC POT LUCK MEAL

(Feast of Pentecost) Set-up: R. Root/Habeeb/Cooper

June 23 Jones Henderson/Lockhart/Alaeetawi

June 29 (Sat. a.m.) D. Root Marica Pacurari

(Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul)

June 30 Davis Pigott/Dabit/Strain/Lavric

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#

June 9 Walt Wood Acts 20:16-18, 28-36 66

June 16 Kh. Sharon Meadows Acts 2:1-11 77

June 23 Warren Strain Heb. 11:33-12:2 84

June 29 (Sat. a.m.) Brenda Baker II Cor. 11:21-33; 12:6-9 389

June 30 Mildred Morris I Cor. 4:9-16 135

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; 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.

For updates on Fr. Leo’s condition, please go to caringbridge.org/visit/leofredrichschelver.

Father John will be in Raleigh/Durham NC for the Parish Life Conference June 12-15. If you need a priest during this time, please call Father James. We will have Daily Vespers and Great Vespers as usual but there will no Daily Orthros in his absence.

Father Lawrence Farley will be speaking at Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church on June 21-22. Fr. Lawrence is one of the speakers on Ancient Faith Radio and has several books available through Ancient Faith Publishing. He will be speaking on the challenges of Christian discipleship.

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 Parish Life Conference will be held in Raleigh NC, June 13-16.

* We will celebrate the Feast of Pentecost with a Picnic Pot Luck Meal following the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, June 16th.

* We will have the Kneeling Vespers of Pentecost on the evening of June 16th, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

* 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 June

There is no fasting the Week following Pentecost (June 16th). The Fast of the Apostles will run from June 24th through the 28th. During this time the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all days.

Major Commemorations for June

June 9 Sunday of the Holy Fathers of Nicea

June 11 Apostles Bartholomew and Barnabas

June 16 Feast of Pentecost

June 23 Sunday of All Saints

June 24 Nativity of the Forerunner

June 29 Chief Apostles Peter and Paul

June 30 Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles

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: “Everyone is made in God’s image; but to be in His likeness is granted only to those who through great love have brought their own freedom into subjection to God. For only when we do not belong to ourselves do we become like Him who through love has reconciled us to Himself. No one achieves this unless he persuades his soul not to be distracted by the false glitter of this life.”

St. Diadochos of Photiki

Worship: Sunday, June 16, 2019 (Feast of Pentecost)

Scripture: Acts 2:1-11; John 7:37-52; 8:12

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Kh. Sharon

Prosphora: Morris

Coffee Hour: PICNIC POT LUCK

Set-up: R. Root/Habeeb/Cooper