August 15, 2021
Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos
We celebrate this month the Feast of the Dormition (or “Falling Asleep”) of the Theotokos. Church Tradition states that the Virgin Mary died in her early fifties. The icon shows her lying upon her funeral bier. On either side of the bier stand the Apostles; the group on the left is led by St. Peter who stands at the head of the bier; the group on the right is led by St. Paul who stands at the foot of the bier. At the time of her death many of the Apostles were scattered throughout the world preaching the Gospel. However, they all returned to Jerusalem upon learning of her death. All arrived in time for the burial except St. Thomas. Standing by the bier is her Son, who had come to receive His Mother’s soul into heaven. He holds in His arms an infant in white symbolizing the soul of the Theotokos. The Orthodox Church, although it has never had the need to make it a dogma (as has the Roman Catholic Church), also believes in the Virgin Mary’s “assumption” or bodily resurrection into heaven. Tradition relates that when the other disciples showed St. Thomas (who arrived in Jerusalem after the burial) the tomb in Gethsemane where the Theotokos had been buried near her parents, they discovered that the tomb was empty.
Philippians 2:5 – 11: This passage calls us to ponder the humility of Christ, a truth necessary for suffering Christians to understand and live out. The passage has been incorporated into many hymns of the Orthodox Church, especially for feasts of the Virgin Mary, through whose humble obedience Christ came in the likeness of men.
Luke 10:38-42, 11:27-28: In these passages from Luke the focus is on devotion and obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. In the first part, Martha was distracted and troubled about many things in providing hospitality for Jesus. But the one thing needed was for her to listen to Christ, to hear His words – a priority which certainly does not exclude serving Him. In the second part, we read that God’s blessing falls not upon those who have prominent family connections, but upon those who hear the word of God and keep it. Jesus is not denigrating His mother; she both heard God’s word and kept it, and thus became the most blessed of women.
Troparion of the Resurrection: Thou didst shatter death by thy Cross; thou didst open paradise to the thief; thou didst turn the mourning of the ointment-bearing women into joy, and didst bid thine Apostles proclaim warning that thou hast risen, O Christ, granting the world Great Mercy.
Troparion of the Dormition: In thy birth-giving, O Theotokos, thou didst keep and preserve virginity; and in thy falling-asleep thou hast not forsaken the world; for living thou wast translated, being the Mother of Life. Wherefore, by thine intercessions, deliver our souls from death.
Kontakion of the Dormition: Verily, the Theotokos, who is ever watchful in intercessions, who is never rejected, neither tomb nor death could control. But being the Mother of Life, he who dwelt in her ever-virgin womb didst translate her to life.
CALENDAR
UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE: All services listed on the calendar will be available through streaming and webcast.
Sunday, August 15 (Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos)
8:50 a.m. — Orthros (webcast)
10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy (webcast)
Monday, August 16
Father Herman off
Tuesday, August 17
Wednesday, August 18
6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers
Thursday, August 19
NO Services
NO Services
4:45 p.m. — Choir Practice
6:00 p.m. — Great Vespers (No Ninth Hour)
Sunday, August 22 (Ninth Sunday after Pentecost)
8:50 a.m. — Orthros (webcast)
10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy (webcast)
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Karams for the Divine Liturgy this morning.
Eucharist Bread Schedule (MODIFIED Coffee Hour — Coffee only, no food**):
Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour
August 15 Karam Kh. Sharon, Kh. Be’Be’
August 22 Brock Elizabeth, Brenda
August 29 R. Root Kh. Janet, Anastasia
September 5 Henderson Kh. Sharon, Cheryl
September 7 (Tues, p.m.) Baker (Artoklasia Bread) NO Coffee Hour
(Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos)
September 12 Algood Rebecca, Natalia
September 13 (Mon. p.m.) Katool NO Coffee Hour
September 19 Schelver Kh. Sharon, Christina
September 26 Jones Kh. Be’Be’, Sh. Charlotte
Coffee Hour Going Forward: We will continue to serve coffee (and juice for the children), but no food as yet, following the Divine Liturgy on Sunday mornings. We will also continue to use disposable cups and individual sweeteners and creamers. Please use the available hand sanitizer before using the air-pots to get your coffee. Coffee will be served inside the fellowship hall and people will be free to go outside or to sit inside. For those sitting inside, we ask that you spread out and provide some space for each other. Please DO NOT congregate in front of the coffee table or in the entrance to the Fellowship Hall.
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.
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#
August 15 Kh. Sharon Phil. 2:5-11 403
August 22 Brenda Baker I Cor. 3:9-17 130
August 29 Walt Wood Acts 13:25-33 406
September 5 Kh. Elizabeth I Cor. 9:2-12 141
September 12 Sam Habeeb Gal. 6:11-18 198
September 13 (Mon. p.m.) Kh. Sharon I Cor. 1:18-24 311
(Feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross)
September 19 Brenda Baker Gal. 2:16-20 193
September 26 Walt Wood I John 4:12-19 315
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; Marilyn (Kyriake) Snell; Jack and Jill Weatherly; Darlene Amason and her 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 keep Lottie Dabbs (Sh. Charlotte Algood’s mother) in your prayers as she recovers from a bad fall which resulted in a fractured pelvis. Please also remember Sh. Charlotte and their family as well.
Please remember Fr. Joseph and Kh. Joanna Bittle, and their daughter Abigail, in your prayers.
Maria Costas is currently at St. Catherine’s Village. Please keep her in your prayers as well.
If you get sick, especially with the Corona virus, please let Fr. Herman know.
Father Herman’s contact information is as follows:
cell phone #- 601-573-5246
email- abounaherman
Please continue to follow the CDC Guidelines to limit contagion and the spread of the COVID virus.
Instructions for streaming our services can be found on the parish website.
Fasting Discipline for August
Following the 15th, the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on the remaining Wednesdays and Fridays of the month. The feastday of the Beheading of the Forerunner on August 29th is a strict fast day.
Major Commemorations for August
August 15 Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos
August 29 Beheading of the Forerunner
August 31 Deposition of the Belt of the Theotokos
Calendar Items:
* The Ladies will meet at the church at 10:00 a.m. on the second Saturday of the month to pray the Akathist to the Mother of God, Nurturer of Children on behalf of our children.
* The next Parish Council Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, August 25th following Daily Vespers.
* The remaining Stewpot date for this year is November 6. More information will be available closer to time.
ead of ManHead of Maonasteries
The Diocese of Miami and the Southeast Fall Retreat 2021 will be hosted by St. Ignatius Church in Franklin TN on the weekend of September 17-19. This will be an “IN-PERSON” Retreat. Special hotel rates are available through September 1st; the rates will go up on September 2nd. For information on registration and the hotel, go the Diocesan website at DOMSE.org. A schedule for the retreat is also available on the website.
Quotable: “But as we have said, the Lord is hidden in His commands and in the effort to gain the virtues, not only as a norm, as a model divided into principles of right behavior, but also as a personal power which is working within them, because only a superior person can command. Commands, somehow, also have an attraction and he who takes them to heart feels His helping attention constantly directed to him, because the Lord hasn’t given us commands once and forever, but He gives them every moment. So in the effort of the person to obey them, he finds His help.”
Fr. Dumitru Staniloae, Orthodox Spirituality
Worship: Sunday, August 22, 2021 (Ninth Sunday after Pentecost)
Scripture: I Corinthians 3:9-17; Matthew 14:22-34
Celebrant: Father Herman
Epistle Reader: Brenda Baker
Prosphora: Brock
Coffee Hour: Elizabeth Root, Brenda Baker
Saint Peter Antiochian Orthodox Church 