September 19, 2021

Sunday after the Elevation of the Holy Cross

Galatians 2:16-20: We hear from St Paul’s letter to the Galatians that we are justified by faith in Christ, not by works of the Law; and that we now live our lives by faith in the Son of God.

Mark 8:34-9:1: In our reading from the gospel of Mark we hear our Lord tell His disciples that self-denial is required for true spirituality.

Troparion of the Resurrection: Having learned the joyful message of the Resurrection from the angel, the women Disciples cast from them their parental condemnation, and proudly broke the news to the Disciples, saying, Death has been spoiled. Christ God is risen, granting the world Great Mercy.

Troparion of the Holy Cross: O Lord, save thy people and bless thine inheritance, granting to thy people victory over all their enemies, and by the power of thy Cross preserving thy kingdom.

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 Holy Cross: Do thou, who of thine own good will wast lifted up upon the Cross, O Christ our God, bestow thy bounties upon the new nation which is called by thy Name; make glad in thy might those who lawfully govern, that with them we may led to victory over our adversaries, having in thine aid a weapon of peace and a trophy invincible.

CALENDAR

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

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

Sunday, September 19 (Sunday after the Elevation of the Cross)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros (webcast)

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy (webcast)

Monday, September 20

Father Herman off

Tuesday, September 21

NO Services

Wednesday, September 22

6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers

7:30 p.m. — Parish Council meeting

Thursday, September 23 (Conception of the Forerunner)

NO Services

Friday, September 24(Protomartyr Thekla)

NO Services

Saturday, September 25

4:45 p.m. — Choir Practice

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

Sunday, September 26 (Repose of John the Theologian)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros (webcast)

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy (webcast)

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Please be reminded that it is common Antiochian practice to tilt your head back and open your mouth to receive the Body and Blood. Please be aware of this when you approach the Chalice.

The Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Katools for the Feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross this past Monday evening and by the Schelvers for the Divine Liturgy this morning.

Eucharist Bread Schedule (MODIFIED Coffee Hour — Coffee only, no food**):

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

September 19 Schelver Kh. Sharon, Cheryl

September 26 Jones Kh. Be’Be’, Sh. Charlotte

October 3 D. Root Elizabeth, Brenda

October 10 Davis Kh. Janet, Anastasia

October 16 (Sat. p.m.) Meadows (Artoklasia Bread)

(Great Vespers with Litia & Artoklasia for the Sunday of the Holy Fathers)

October 17 Karam Rebecca, Natalia, Christina

October 24 Brock Kh. Sharon, Cheryl

October 31 R. Root 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.

Schedule for Epistle Readers – Page numbers refer to the Apostolos (book of the Epistles) located on the Chanters’ stand at the front of the nave. Please be sure to use this book when you read.

Reader Reading Page#

September 19 Brenda Baker Gal. 2:16-20 193

September 26 Walt Wood I John 4:12-19 315

October 3 Luke Habeeb II Cor. 4:6-15 163

October 10 Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver II Cor. 6:1-10 168

October 17 Sam Habeeb Titus 3:8-15 322

October 24 Sh. Charlotte Algood II Cor. 9:6-11 178

October 31 Kh. Sharon Meadows II Cor. 11:31-12:9 183

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.

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

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.

Maria Costas is currently at St. Catherine’s Village. Please keep her in your prayers as well.

From Fr. Herman, Kh. Nikki and family: “We would like to thank everyone for the warm welcome we received coming home to St. Peter’s. We have felt the prayers and love. We would also like to thank everyone who donated to our housing fund. We appreciate you all so much.”

If you are not feeling well PLEASE do not attempt to come to the services. This also includes anyone who may have been exposed to you during this time. Also, please let Fr. Herman know if you are not feeling well and have COVID like symptoms.

Father Herman’s contact information is as follows:

cell phone #- 601-573-5246

email- abounaherman

Thank you to Maria Pacurari for volunteering to serve as President of the Ladies of St. Peter. Many thanks also to Joanna Davis, our past President, and to Christina Katool , our interim President, for their service.

Decorations Volunteers: If you are interested in decorating the church and the festal icon for the major feasts during the year, please see Sh. Charlotte or Kh. Nikki.

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

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. They will also enjoy a brown-bag lunch and book study afterwards.

* The Ladies will meet for a brown-bag lunch at the church on the last Tuesday of the month.

* We will have a Litia and Artoklasia with the Great Vespers service on Saturday evening, October 16th, for the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the 7th Ecumenical Council the following day.

* The remaining Stewpot date for this year is November 6. More information will be available closer to time.

Fasting Discipline for September

In September, the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month. The Feast of the Elevation of the Cross on September 14th is also a strict fast day.

Major Commemorations for September

September 23 Conception of the Forerunner

September 24 Proto-martyr Thekla

September 26 Apostle John the Theologian (repose)

The Diocese of Miami and the Southeast Fall Retreat 2021 to be hosted by St. Ignatius Church in Franklin TN has been rescheduled to the weekend of October 15-17th. This will be an “IN-PERSON” Retreat. 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. If you had already registered and booked a hotel room for the September date, please check the website for information on what you need to do.

Quotable: “Certainly, we must work together with Christ who dwells in us through the holy mysteries; otherwise we aren’t saved. But the basis for the possibility of our cooperation is arranged on high; it is the grace of Christ. ‘The one is entirely His work, the other involves striving on our part.’ Or ‘…the baptismal washing is the beginning of life, its foundation and presupposition.’ In Baptism our first ‘union’ with Christ takes place but it is a ‘union’ which prepares us for the full union in the Eucharist, because the bride (the soul) is purified and washed for nuptial union with the Groom , in the Eucharist .”

Fr. Dumitru Staniloae, Orthodox Spirituality

Worship: Sunday, September 26, 2021 (Repose of John the Theologian)

Scripture: I John 4:12-19; John 19:25-27; 21:24-25

Celebrant: Father Herman

Epistle Reader: Walt Wood

Prosphora: Jones

Coffee Hour: Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver, Sh. Charlotte Algood

September 12, 2021

Sunday before the Elevation of the Holy Cross

Leave-taking of the Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos

Galatians 6:11-18: In the conclusion of his letter to the Galatians, St Paul reminds them that to be cir­cumcised or uncircumcised is not the issue, but rather to be a new creation in Christ Jesus.

John 3:13-17: In the Gospel of John we hear Jesus speak concerning His purpose for coming into the world: to save mankind through His death and Resurrection.

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 of the Theotokos: Thy nativity, O Theotokos, hath proclaimed joy to the whole universe; for from thee did shine forth the Sun of justice, Christ our God, annulling the curse, and bestowing the everlasting blessing, abolishing death and granting us life everlasting.

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 Nativity of the Theotokos: By thy holy birth-giving, O pure one, Joachim and Anne were delivered from the reproach of barrenness; and Adam and Eve were delivered from the corruption of death; thy people do celebrate it, having been saved from the stain of iniquity, crying unto thee, The barren doth give birth to the Theotokos, who nourisheth our life.

CALENDAR

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

Sunday, September 12 (Sunday before the Elevation of the Cross)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros (webcast)

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy (webcast)

Monday, September 13 (Dedication of the Church of the Anastasis)

Father Herman off

6:00 p.m. — Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy

Tuesday, September 14 (Elevation of the Precious Cross)

This feast is celebrated as one of the most important in the Church Year because it commemorates two events of great significance. After St. Helen had found at Jerusalem the cross upon which Christ was crucified, she built a Church on Mount Calvary to hold the precious relic. The Christians held the Holy Cross in such high regard that they soon began to celebrate this feast in honor of the finding of the Cross.

In the year 614, the Persians invaded the Empire and took Jerusalem, and sent the case containing the Cross back to their country. For fifteen years the Greek Emperor Heraclius waged war against the Persians, and finally in 629 defeated them, forcing them to make peace, and to restore the Holy Cross to him. It is said that the case containing the sacred relics was returned to him with the seals still unbroken. The Relics were replaced in the Church with great rejoicing, and to the original Feast in honor of the finding of the Cross was added another, in honor of its safe return to Jerusalem.

A special feature of the Church Services on this day, is the procession in which the Cross is borne aloft on a tray of flowers and placed in the midst of the Church; the Priest then elevates it to the four corners of the compass, blessing thrice with it as he does so, and praying that God will protect and preserve the President and the Civil Authorities of our country and the Armed Forces, and guard and guide the Hierarchs and clergy of the Church, and protect and preserve all His faithful people from every evil.

NO Services

Wednesday, September 15

6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers

Thursday, September 16

NO Services

Friday, September 17

NO Services

Saturday, September 18

8:30 a.m. — Workday at the Church

4:45 p.m. — Choir Practice

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

Sunday, September 19 (Sunday after the Elevation of the Cross)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros (webcast)

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy (webcast)

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Please be reminded that it is common Antiochian practice to tilt your head back and open your mouth to receive the Body and Blood. Please be aware of this when you approach the Chalice.

The Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Algoods for the Divine Liturgy this morning. The Artoklasia Bread for the Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos this past Tuesday evening was offered by the Bakers.

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

Eucharist Bread Schedule (MODIFIED Coffee Hour — Coffee only, no food**):

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

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

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.

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.

Schedule for Epistle Readers – Page numbers refer to the Apostolos (book of the Epistles) located on the Chanters’ stand at the front of the nave. Please be sure to use this book when you read.

Reader Reading Page#

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

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

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

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.

Maria Costas is currently at St. Catherine’s Village. Please keep her in your prayers as well.

If you are not feeling well PLEASE do not attempt to come to the services. This also includes anyone who may have been exposed to you during this time. Also, please let Fr. Herman know if you are not feeling well and have COVID like symptoms.

Father Herman’s contact information is as follows:

cell phone #- 601-573-5246

email- abounaherman

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

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 Ladies will meet for lunch on last Tuesday of the month.

* The Feast of the Elevation of the Precious and Life-giving Cross will be celebrated with Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy on Monday evening, September 14th, beginning at 6:00 p.m.

* The remaining Stewpot date for this year is November 6. More information will be available closer to time.

Fasting Discipline for September

In September, the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month. The Feast of the Elevation of the Cross on September 14th is also a strict fast day.

Major Commemorations for September

September 13 Dedication of the Church of the Anastasis

September 14 Elevation of the Precious Life-giving Cross

September 23 Conception of the Forerunner

September 24 Proto-martyr Thekla

September 26 Apostle John the Theologian (repose)

The Diocese of Miami and the Southeast Fall Retreat 2021 to be hosted by St. Ignatius Church in Franklin TN has been rescheduled to the weekend of October 15-17th. This will be an “IN-PERSON” Retreat. 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. If you had already registered and booked a hotel room for the September date, please check the website for information on what you need to do.

Quotable: “We know that an inter-communication exists from person to person; it’s a fact that according to the extent that they bear them, the burdens, pains and joys of others pass from one to another in a mystical way. It’s a fact that one can feel all the moods of others, receiving them into himself, or penetrating them. A person, by the sensitivity of love is able to know and to understand his neighbor, and can be burdened with the living of all his experiences. How much more can Jesus do this, the loftiest man, the man perfect in love, for His neighbor. He is one who has a perfect freedom from sin, therefore from egotism and indifference. This gives Him a unique sensitivity. He is close to everyone; He comprehends with supreme subtlety what is in everyone, and also takes part generously and without sin in the beating of every heart. He shares everyone’s fondest hopes and his struggles against evil and He strengthens him.'”

Fr. Dumitru Staniloae, Orthodox Spirituality

Worship: Sunday, September 19, 2021 (Sunday after the Elevation of the Cross)

Scripture: Galatians 2:16-20; Mark

Celebrant: Father Herman

Epistle Reader: Brenda Baker

Prosphora: Schelver

Coffee Hour: Kh. Sharon Meadows, Cheryl Pigott