November 29, 2020

Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost

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

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

Troparion of the Resurrection: 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.

From Father John: In His Eminence, Metropolitan JOSEPH’s last communique regarding the restrictions for participation in the services at our churches, he stated that, we should follow the guidelines based on our local numbers with the virus. As our numbers locally are rising, we will be dropping back to 25 participants at liturgies (which includes the priest and chanters). I will continue to try my best to rotate, as fairly as possible, our members who are healthy and wish to come to the services. Thank you for your cooperation with these restrictions.

Please continue to follow the CDC Guidelines to limit contagion and the spread of the COVID virus.

ATTENTION: Please be reminded that both the Archdiocese and the Governor have issued directions which mandate that masks be worn while in public/group settings. If you are inside of the church, you must wear a mask. Only the chanters and serving clergy are exempted from this during services. Masks should be worn outside, too, if you are in close proximity to others. You have done well with this for the most part, but with a few lapses recently, I wanted to remind you of this essential precaution. — Fr. John

CALENDAR

UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE: All services listed on the calendar will be available through streaming and webcast.

Sunday, November 29 (Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros (webcast)

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy (webcast)

Monday, November 30 (Apostle Andrew-the First-called)

Father John’s Day Off

Tuesday, December 1

NO Services

Wednesday, December 2

6:30 p.m. — Advent Paraklesis

Thursday, December 3

NO services

Friday, December 4(Great-martyr Barbara and Venerable John of Damascus)

NO services

Saturday, December 5(Sava the Sanctified)

6:00 p.m. — Great Vespers (No Ninth Hour Prayers)

Sunday, December 6 (Nicholas the Wonderworker of Myra)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros (webcast)

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy (webcast)

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

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

Eucharist Bread Schedule (NO Coffee Hour):

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

December 6 D. Root

December 13 Karam

December 20 Brock

December 24 (Thurs. p.m.) Henderson

December 27 Algood

December 31 (Thurs. p.m.) Baker (Artoklasia Bread)

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

Please remember that the schedule for prosphora is still in place as we will continue to serve the Divine Liturgy.

Also, please remember that we still need your tithes and offerings which may be placed in the tithe box at the back of the nave or be mailed to: St. Peter Orthodox Church, P.O. Box 2084, Madison, MS 39130-2084.

If you are ready to return to the services of our church, please let Fr. John know so that he can add you to the list of attendees. It is up to individuals to request attendance at the services. Fr. John attempts to be fair in allotting slots, but he does not make assignments or phone calls.

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

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); Jay and Joanna; Fr. Leo and Kh. Be’Be’ and their family; Emad and Natalia Alaeetawi and their family; Tom and Kathy Willingham.

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.

If you get sick, especially with the Corona virus, please let Fr. John know.

Calendar Items:

* The Fast of the Nativity has begun. During this time, we will celebrate the Advent Paraklesis on Wednesday evenings instead of Daily Vespers.

Sunnybrook Children’s Home: St. Peter’s will once again help support the children at Sunnybrook Children’s Home in Ridgeland. This year we will make a cash gift to Sunnybrook to be used either for a retreat for the children that have no other home for Christmas or to meet the needs of a young lady who is trying to recover from the trauma of seeing her father murdered in front of her when she was age 12. She is a senior in high school now and trying to get on her feet to go to college with the many expenses that entails. We will send one check to be used at the discretion of the staff at Sunnybrook. If you would like to contribute toward this, please make your check payable to St. Peter Orthodox Church and note “Sunnybrook Children’s Home” on your check. Many thanks! Pray for these children.

The new Icon Calendars are available on the table in the hall outside the nave. Please only take one per family.

A Benevolence account remains in effect at St. Peter to help the Strain family deal with Warren’s medical bills and other needs. If you would like to make a donation to this fund, please note on your check that it is for the Warren Strain Benevolence Fund. 100% of these funds will go to the Strain family. (All funds previously raised to go toward the purchase of a special van will now be applied to Warren’s funeral expenses.)

Fasting Discipline for November/December

During the Fast of the Nativity the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed each day of the week. Note, however, through December 19th there is a katlysis on Tuesdays and Thursdays when wine and oil are permitted, and on Saturdays and Sundays when fish, wine and oil are permitted. There will be no fasting of any kind from December 25th through January 4th.

Major Commemorations for November/December

November 30 Apostle Andrew, the First-called

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

December 5 Sava the Sanctified

December 6 Nicholas the Wonder-worker of Myra

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 Savior Jesus Christ

December 26 Synaxis of the Theotokos

December 27 Protomartyr Stephen

Instructions for streaming our services can be found on the parish website.

The Archdiocese Convention scheduled for 2021 in Pittsburgh has been cancelled due to the pandemic. This was necessitated by the hotel’s demand for an excessive nonrefundable deposit.

ead of ManHead of Maonasteries

Quotable: “Because of his humility the saint is scarcely noticed, but he is always there when anyone has need of his support, consolation or encouragement. He stands by the one whom everyone else abandons. With him no difficulty is insurmountable, no obstacle invincible, when it is a matter of drawing someone out of a situation of despair. At such times he shows an astonishing strength and skill, together with an unshakeable calm and confidence, because he believes firmly in the help of God, seeking it with urgent prayer.

He is the most humble and human of men, but at the same time an unconventional and surprising figure. He gives others the feeling that they have discovered in him, and therefore in themselves because of him, the nature of true humanityoly Spirit, goiven and sent by both the FFaa.”

Dumitru Staniloae, Prayer and Holiness

Worship: Sunday, December 6, 2020 (Nicholas the Wonderworker of Myra)

Scripture: Hebrews 13:17-21; Luke 13:10-17

Celebrant: Father John

Prosphora: D. Root