December 29, 2019

After-feast of and Sunday after the Nativity of Christ

Galatians 1:11-19: St. Paul defends his ministry in his letter to the Galatians, telling them of how his former way of life was changed by a direct revelation from the Lord, and of his actions immediately afterwards.

Matthew 2:13-23: From the Gospel of Matthew we hear the fulfillment of several prophecies concerning the incarnation of our Lord.

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 Nativity: Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, hath given rise to the light of knowledge in the world; for they that worshiped the stars did learn therefrom to worship thee, O Sun of justice, and to know that from the east of the Highest thou didst come; O Lord, glory to thee.

Troparion of the Sunday after Nativity: Proclaim, O Joseph, to David, the grandparent of God, the amazing wonders; for thou hast seen a Virgin great with child; for with the shepherds thou didst give glory, with the Magi thou didst worship, and by the angel it was revealed to thee. Wherefore, plead thou with Christ God to save our souls.

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 Nativity: On this day the Virgin beareth the Transcendent in Essence; to the Unapproachable, the earth doth offer a small cave; Angels join in choir with shepherds in giving glory; with a star the Magi travel upon their journey; for our sakes is born a young Child, He Who existed before the ages as God.

CALENDAR

Sunday, December 29 (Sunday after the Nativity)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

Monday, December 30

Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, December 31

6:30 a.m. — Daily Orthros

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

Wednesday, January 1 (The Circumcision of our Lord and Feast of St. Basil the Great)

6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers

Thursday, January 2

6:30 a.m. — Daily Orthros

11:30 a.m. — Men’s Lunch

Friday, January 3

7:00 a.m. — Royal Hours

Saturday, January 4

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

Sunday, January 5 (Forefeast of Theophany)

[STRICT
FAST DAY]

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 Feast of the Nativity of our Lord last Tuesday evening and by the Morrises for the Divine Liturgy this morning.

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

December 29 Morris Pigott/Dabit/Strain/Lavric

December 31 (Tues. p.m.) Meadows (Artoklasia Bread) NO MEAL

(Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord and Feastday of St. Basil the Great)

January 5 Jones Baker/D. Root/Dansereau

January 6 (Mon. a.m.) Meadows Christina Katool

(Feast of Theophany)

January 12 Davis POT LUCK MEAL

Set-up: Katool/Davis/Algood/Baba

January 15 (Wed. p.m.) D. Root Rola Karam

(Feast of the Veneration of the Chains of St. Peter)

January 19 Karam Schelver/Karam/Pacurari

January 26 Brock Habeeb/Jones/Turner

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 29 Walt Wood Gal. 1:11-19 188

January 5 Kh. Sharon Meadows II Tim. 4:5-8 354

January 6 (Mon. a.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7 361

January 12 Mildred Morris Eph. 4:7-13 364

January 15 (Wed. p.m.) Brenda Baker Acts 12:1-11 50

January 19 Sam Habeeb Col. 3:4-11 233

January 26 Walt Wood I Tim. 4:9-15 252

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

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; 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; Dn. Noah and Sh. 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; Emad and Natalia Alaeetawi and their family.

Please continue to pray for the following members of St. Peter:

Warren Strain and their family. Warren is hospitalized in the ICU at St. Dominic’s following a stroke last Monday morning.

Nicholas Zouboukos and his family. Nickolas is recovering from pneumonia and may be undergoing surgery for a GI disorder in the future.

Aidan Milnor and his family. Aidan is hospitalized at Batson’s Children’s Hospital with influenza and possible pneumonia.

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.

* We will celebrate the Circumcision of our Lord and the Feastday of St. Basil the Great with Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia on Tuesday evening, December 31st, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

* The Feast of Theophany will be celebrated with Royal Hours on Friday, January 3rd, beginning at 7:00 a.m. We will have Divine Liturgy (only) on Monday morning, January 6th, beginning at 9:00 a.m.

* The annual Blessing of the Water at the Ross Barnett Reservoir will be held on the afternoon of Sunday, January 12th, beginning at 4:00 p.m. beside the Cock of the Walk restaurant. All are invited to stay for a meal together at the restaurant afterwards.

* Stewpot Dates: February 22nd and August 22nd.

Farewell and Many Years in the near future to Dorin and Carolina Lavric and their children! Dorin is being transferred to Atlanta with his job and this is the family’s last day with us. We will miss them greatly and send them away with our love and prayers and our hopes to see them again in the future. We also congratulate them on the news that an additional member to their family will be arriving in late May!

Anyone wishing to contribute to Sunnybrook Children’s Home can find information on options available on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall. Please let Dn. Terry know right away if you’d like to participate.

Congratulations to our own Breeze Johns for earning first team honors at the district level—in his first year playing football! And he also took home the Cougar Award!

Fasting Discipline for December/January

There is no fasting of any kind from December 25th through January 4th. January 5th is a strict fast day when the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed. Following the Feast of Theophany the traditional fasting discipline is observed on the remaining Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.

Major Commemorations for January

January 1 Circumcision of our Lord

Feast of St. Basil the Great

January 6 Feast of Theophany

January 7 Synaxis of the Forerunner

January 11 Theodosios the Head of Monasteries

January 16 Veneration of the Chains of St. Peter

January 18 Athanasios and Cyril of Alexandria

January 20 Euthymios the Great

January 25 Gregory the Theologian

January 27 John Chrysostom

January 30 The Three Hierarchs

January 31 Cyros and John the Unmercenary Healers

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 severe weather is in the area please check our website or facebook page for information on services. If it is ever necessary to cancel any of our services due to severe weather conditions, this will be posted on those sites.

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: “But [Georg] Koepgen continues:

‘God and divinity aren’t the same thing. When the mystic [the spiritual
person] speaks of God, he doesn’t mean a metaphysical divinity (ens a se), but he thinks of God in trinity, who has united in a completely incomprehensible way with men and has saved them. [If Christianity has as its
basis faith in the Holy Trinity, spirituality is a part of its very
being.] Mysticism [the life in
relationship with God, the life which has God in itself, in different degrees,
we would say], isn’t an appendix annexed later by Christianity, which is offered as a new possibility to some specially endowed souls; it belongs to the very act of faith’ [which is an act of entering into a relationship with God,
but which can be developed by the purification from the passions, we would say.]”

Dumitru Staniloae, Orthodox Spirituality

Worship: Sunday, January 5, 2020 (Forefeast of Theophany)

Scripture: II Timothy 4:5-8; Mark 1:1-8

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Kh. Sharon Meadows

Prosphora: Jones

Coffee Hour: Baker/D. Root/Dansereau

December 22, 2019

Forefeast of and Sunday before the Nativity of Christ

Sunday of the Genealogy

Hebrews 11:9-10, 17-23,32-40: Reading from Hebrews we hear the Apostle tell us of the faith of Abra­ham and other saints of ancient times who endured hardships and death and yet still did great things because of their faith.

Matthew 1:1-25: In the Gospel we hear the genealogy of Jesus Christ, and of how Joseph was visited by an angel of God who told him of the child that Mary bore in her womb.

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 Forefeast: Be thou ready, Bethlehem, Eden hath opened unto all. Ephratha, prepare thyself, for now, behold, the Tree of life hath blossomed forth in the cave of the holy Virgin. Her womb hath proved a true spiritual Paradise, wherein the divine and saving Tree is found, and as we eat thereof we shall all live, and shall not die as did Adam. Verily, Christ shall be born, raising the likeness that fell of old.

Troparion of Sunday before the Nativity: Great are the accomplishments of faith; for the three holy youths rejoiced in the fountain of flames as though at waters of rest. And the Prophet Daniel appeared a shepherd to the lions as though they were sheep. Wherefore, by their pleadings, O Christ God, have mercy upon us.

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 22 (Sunday before the Nativity of our Lord)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

Monday, December 23

Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, December 24

7:00 a.m. — Royal Hours

10:00 p.m. — Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy

Wednesday, December 25 (The Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ)

[NO
SERVICES] [NO FASTING THROUGH JANUARY 4^TH]

Thursday, December 26 (Synaxis of the Theotokos)

6:30 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Friday, December 27 (Protomartyr Stephen)

Saturday, December 28

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

Sunday, December 29 (Sunday after the Nativity)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

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

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

December 22 Katool Stewart/Meadows

December 24 (Tues. p.m.) Schelver Kh. Be’Be’/Cheryl/Sarah Anne/Lamia

(Feast of the Nativity of our Lord)

December 29 Morris Pigott/Dabit/Strain/Lavric

December 31 (Tues. p.m.) Meadows (Artoklasia Bread) NO MEAL

(Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord and Feastday of St. Basil the Great)

January 5 Jones Baker/D. Root/Dansereau

January 6 (Mon. a.m.) Meadows Christina Katool

(Feast of Theophany)

January 12 Davis POT LUCK MEAL

Set-up: Katool/Davis/Algood/Baba

January 15 (Wed. p.m.) D. Root Rola Karam

(Feast of the Veneration of the Chains of St. Peter)

January 19 Karam Schelver/Karam/Pacurari

January 26 Brock Habeeb/Jones/Turner

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 22 Mildred Morris Heb. 11:9-10, 32-40 348

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

December 29 Sh. Charlotte Algood Gal. 1:11-19 188

January 5 Warren Strain II Tim. 4:5-8 354

January 6 (Mon. a.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7 361

January 12 Mildred Morris Eph. 4:7-13 364

January 15 (Wed. p.m.) Brenda Baker Acts 12:1-11 50

January 19 Sam Habeeb Col. 3:4-11 233

January 26 Walt Wood I Tim. 4:9-15 252

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 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; 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; Dn. Noah and Sh. 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; Emad and Natalia Alaeetawi and their family.

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

Farewell and Many Years in the near future to Dorin and Carolina Lavric and their children! Dorin is being transferred to Atlanta with his job and the family will be moving shortly. We will miss them greatly and send them with our love and prayers and our hopes to see them again in the future. We also congratulate them on the news that an additional member to their family will be arriving in late May!

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.

* Our celebration of the Nativity of our Lord will begin with Royal Hours on Tuesday morning, December 24th, beginning at 7:00 a.m. Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy will take place that evening, beginning at 10:00 p.m.

* We will celebrate the Circumcision of our Lord and the Feastday of St. Basil the Great with Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia on Tuesday evening, December 31st, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

* The Feast of Theophany will be celebrated with Royal Hours on Friday, January 3rd, beginning at 7:00 a.m. We will have Divine Liturgy (only) on Monday morning, January 6th, beginning at 9:00 a.m.

* The annual Blessing of the Water at the Ross Barnett Reservoir will be held on the afternoon of Sunday, January 12th, beginning at 4:00 p.m. beside the Cock of the Walk restaurant. All are invited to stay for a meal together at the restaurant afterwards.

* Stewpot Dates: February 22nd and August 22nd.

The meal for the Nativity Feast is being provided by the Church and the Feast Committee. The menu will include appetizers, ham, breakfast casseroles, fruit and desserts. A basket for donations to help cover the cost of the meal will be available. We are asking that every adult present help in some way with clean-up, so that the committee can get home at the same time as the rest of us.

The Parish Council is aware of problems with the water pressure in the bathrooms and is seeking solutions with the city and a plumbing company. We appreciate your forbearance.

Anyone wishing to contribute to Sunnybrook Children’s Home can find information on options available on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall. Please let Dn. Terry know right away if you’d like to participate.

Fasting Discipline for December

During the Fast of the Nativity (November 15-December 24) the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed each day of the week. There will be no fasting of any kind from December 25th through January 4th.

Major Commemorations for December

December 25 The 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 severe weather is in the area please check our website or facebook page for information on services. If it is ever necessary to cancel any of our services due to severe weather conditions, this will be posted on those sites.

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: “The one who has reached the peaks of spiritual living is no longer preoccupied with external activity, but with contemplation. Even so, he exerts an influence on the development of the world by an attraction and a power which touch his neighbors, that they might become as he is, by the same fulfillment of the commandments, by the same virtuous work. He imitates God who, although unchangeable, doesn’t stop the dynamism of creation by that unchangeability; but by an unceasing impulse and attraction exerted on it, He sustains it, giving it as an ideal goal His supreme perfection, which for that very reason is unchangeable. The person who has reached the peak of perfection exerts an influence and attraction on his neighbors, which makes them strive to reach the ideal goal. Because the very highest of the virtues which the spiritual man struggles for is love. In love there is knowledge too. Now the love of God can’t be separated from the love of people.”

Dumitru Staniloae, Orthodox Spirituality

Worship: Sunday, December 29, 2019 (Sunday after the Nativity of our Lord)

Scripture: Galatians 1:11-19; Matthew 2:13-23

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Sh. Charlotte Algood

Prosphora: Morris

Coffee Hour: Pigott/Dabit/Strain/Lavric

December 15, 2019

Hieromartyr Eleutherios

Sunday of the Forefathers

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 Forefathers: Thou hast justified by faith the ancient forefathers and through them thou hast gone before and betrothed unto thyself the Church of the Gentiles. Let the saints, therefore, take pride in glory; for from their seed sprouted forth a noble fruit, and she it was who gavest birth to thee without seed. Wherefore, by their pleadings, O Christ God, save our souls.

Troparion of the Hieromartyr Eleutherius: Being comely adorned in thy sacred priestly robes and newly drenched with the streams of thy pure and sanctified blood, thou didst soar aloft to stand before thy Master, Christ; hence never cease to intercede for those honouring with faith thy mighty and blessed contest, thou overthrower of Satan, O wise and blessed Eleutherius.

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 15 (Sunday of the Holy Forefathers)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

12:00 p.m. — Children’s Nativity Play

Monday, December 16

Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, December 17

6:30 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Wednesday, December 18

6:30 p.m. — Advent Paraklesis

Thursday, December 19

6:30 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Friday, December 20 (Ignatios the God-bearer of Antioch)

Saturday, December 21

8:30 a.m. — Workday at the Church

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

Sunday, December 22 (Sunday before the Nativity of our Lord)

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

December 15 Algood Henderson/Lockhart/Alaeetawi/Cooper

December 22 Katool Stewart/Meadows

December 24 (Tues. p.m.) Schelver Kh. Be’Be’/Cheryl/Sarah Anne/Lamia

(Feast of the Nativity of our Lord)

December 29 Morris Pigott/Dabit/Strain/Lavric

December 31 (Tues. p.m.) Meadows (Artoklasia Bread) NO MEAL

(Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord and Feastday 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 15 Kh. Sharon Meadows II Tim. 1:8-18 346

December 22 Mildred Morris Heb. 11:9-10, 32-40 348

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

December 29 Sh. Charlotte Algood Gal. 1:11-19 188

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; 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; Dn. Noah and Sh. 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; Emad and Natalia Alaeetawi and their family.

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

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.

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.

* We are currently in the Fast of the Nativity and, as is our parish custom, we will have the Service of the Advent Paraklesis in place of Daily Vespers on Wednesday evenings, beginning December 4th.

* The Christian Education classes will present their annual Nativity Play following Coffee Hour today.

* Our celebration of the Nativity of our Lord will begin with Royal Hours on Tuesday morning, December 24th, beginning at 7:00 a.m. Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy will take place that evening, beginning at 10:00 p.m.

* We will celebrate the Circumcision of our Lord and the Feastday of St. Basil the Great with Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia on Tuesday evening, December 31st, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Fasting Discipline for December

During the Fast of the Nativity (November 15-December 24) 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 15 Hieromartyr Eleutherios

December 20 Ignatios the God-bearer of Antioch

December 25 The Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

December 26 Synaxis of the Theotokos

December 27 Protomartyr Stephen

The Parish Council is aware of problems with the water pressure in the bathrooms and is seeking solutions with the city and a plumbing company. We appreciate your forbearance.

Information regarding the Diocesan Winter Retreat will be forthcoming from Father John. Registration forms are available in the hallway outside the nave.

Anyone wishing to contribute to Sunnybrook Children’s Home can find information on options available on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall. Please let Dn. Terry know right away if you’d like to participate.

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 severe weather is in the area please check our website or facebook page for information on services. If it is ever necessary to cancel any of our services due to severe weather conditions, this will be posted on those sites.

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: “The ultimate purpose of work and the taking part in the life of this world isn’t so much the development of nature as it is the normal development of the dormant possibilities in man and his neighbors. Even in the enduring of troubles, which is one of the most important means of Christian striving, we don’t have a running away from the life of the world, but a persistence in it. The care for one’s own formation and that of our neighbors, by beautifying ourselves with virtues, doesn’t mean a non-participation in the life of the world. It is the very fullest collaboration, if man is a part of humanity, and his formation is the ultimate goal of creation.”

Dumitru Staniloae, Orthodox Spirituality

Worship: Sunday, December 22, 2019 (Sunday before the Nativity of our Lord)

Scripture: Hebrews 11:9-10, 32-40; Matthew 1:1-25

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Mildred Morris

Prosphora: Katool

Coffee Hour: Stewart/Meadows

December 1, 2019

Twenty-fourth 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 13:10-17: By healing a woman held in bondage to an illness for eighteen years, our Lord dem­onstrates that the Law does not prohibit righteous action on the Sabbath.

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 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 8 (Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost)

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

Monday, December 9 (Conception of the Theotokos)

Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, December 10

6:30 a.m. — Daily Orthros

Wednesday, December 11

6:30 p.m. — Advent Paraklesis

Thursday, December 12 (Spyridon the Wonder-worker)

6:30 a.m. — Festal Orthros

11:30 a.m. — Men’s Lunch

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

Friday, December 13 (Herman of Alaska)

Saturday, December 14

10:00 a.m. — Women meet for Akathist

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

Sunday, December 15 (Sunday of the Holy Forefathers)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy

12:00 p.m. — Children’s Nativity Play

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Bakers for the Divine Liturgy this morning. The Artoklasia Bread for Great Vespers for the Feast of St. Nicholas this past Thursday evening was offered by the Hendersons.

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

December 8 Baker Ellis/Zouboukos/Waites

December 15 Algood Henderson/Lockhart/Alaeetawi/Cooper

December 22 Katool Stewart/Meadows

December 24 (Tues. p.m.) Schelver Kh. Be’Be’/Cheryl/Sarah Anne/Lamia

(Feast of the Nativity of our Lord)

December 29 Morris Pigott/Dabit/Strain/Lavric

December 31 (Tues. p.m.) Meadows (Artoklasia Bread) NO MEAL

(Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord and Feastday 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 8 Brenda Baker Eph. 4:1-7 212

December 15 Kh. Sharon Meadows II Tim. 1:8-18 346

December 22 Mildred Morris Heb. 11:9-10, 32-40 348

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

December 29 Sh. Charlotte Algood Gal. 1:11-19 188

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; 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; Dn. Noah and Sh. 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; Emad and Natalia Alaeetawi and their family.

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

We thank God for the safe return of Chris Dansereau from Afghanistan and for the grace given to Rebecca and their daughters during his absence!

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.

* We are currently in the Fast of the Nativity and, as is our parish custom, we will have the Service of the Advent Paraklesis in place of Daily Vespers on Wednesday evenings, beginning December 4th.

* We will have a Santa Lucia celebration during Coffee Hour today.

* The Christian Education classes will present their annual Nativity Play following Coffee Hour next Sunday, December 15th.

* Our celebration of the Nativity of our Lord will begin with Royal Hours on Tuesday morning, December 24th, beginning at 7:00 a.m. Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy will take place that evening, beginning at 10:00 p.m.

* We will celebrate the Circumcision of our Lord and the Feastday of St. Basil the Great with Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia on Tuesday evening, December 31st, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Fasting Discipline for December

During the Fast of the Nativity (November 15-December 24) 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 9 Conception of the Theotokos

December 12 Spyridon the Wonder-worker

December 13 Herman of Alaska

December 15 Hieromartyr Eleutherios

December 20 Ignatios the God-bearer of Antioch

December 25 The Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

December 26 Synaxis of the Theotokos

December 27 Protomartyr Stephen

The Parish Council is aware of problems with the water pressure in the bathrooms and is seeking solutions with the city and a plumbing company. We appreciate your forbearance.

Information regarding the Diocesan Winter Retreat will be forthcoming from Father John. Registration forms are available in the hallway outside the nave.

Anyone wishing to contribute to Sunnybrook Children’s Home can find information on options available on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall. Please let Dn. Terry know right away if you’d like to participate.

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 severe weather is in the area please check our website or facebook page for information on services. If it is ever necessary to cancel any of our services due to severe weather conditions, this will be posted on those sites.

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: “He who directs his thoughts to God honors everyone; he finds help from everyone by the hidden will of God. And he who defends the oppressed has God as an ally; he who gives his hand to help his neighbor receives God’s hand in return.”

St. Isaac the Syrian

Worship: Sunday, December 15, 2019 (Hieromartyr Eleutherios; Sunday of the Holy Forefathers)

Scripture: II Timothy 1:8-18; Luke 14:16-24

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Kh. Sharon Meadows

Prosphora: Algood

Coffee Hour: Henderson/Lockhart/Alaeetawi/Cooper