December 12, 2021

Sunday of the Forefathers (Ancestors) of Christ and

Syridon, Bishop of Trimythous, the Wonder-worker

Ephesians 5:8-19: Brethren, walk as children of light—for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth—proving what is acceptable to the Lord; and have no communion with the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them; for it is a shame even to speak of the things which they do in secret. But all things when they are exposed are made manifest by the light, for everything that is made manifest is light. Therefore, he says: “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine upon thee.” See then that you walk circumspectly, not as unwise, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and chanting in your heart to the Lord.

Luke 14:16-24: The Lord spoke this parable: “A man once gave a great banquet, and invited many; and at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for all is now ready.’ But, one by one, they all began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it; I pray you, have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them; I pray you, have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported this to his master. Then the householder in anger said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

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 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 St. Spyridon: Thou wast shown forth as a champion of the First Council and a wonderworker, O Spyridon, our God-bearing Father. Wherefore, thou didst speak unto one dead in the grave, and didst change a serpent into gold. And while chanting thy holy prayers, thou hadst Angels serving with thee, O most sacred one. Glory to Him that hath glorified thee. Glory to Him that hath crowned thee. Glory to Him that worketh healings for all through 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

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, December 12 (Forefathers of Christ; Spyridon the Wonder-worker)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros (webcast)

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy (webcast)

12:00 p.m. — St. Nicholas Play during Coffee Hour

Monday, December 13 (Herman of Alaska )

Father Herman off

Tuesday, December 14

NO Services

Wednesday, December 15 (Hieromartyr Eleutherios)

6:30 p.m. — Advent Paraklesis

Thursday, December 16

NO Services

Friday, December 17

NO Services

Saturday, December 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, December 19 (Sunday before Nativity)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros (webcast)

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy (webcast)

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Davises for the Divine Liturgy this morning. The Artoklasia bread for the Feast of St. Nicholas was offered last Sunday evening by the Hendersons.

Eucharist Bread Schedule (MODIFIED Coffee Hour — Coffee, pre-packaged food**):

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

December 12 Davis Henderson, Jones

December 18 (Sat. p.m.) Pacurari (Artoklasia bread)

(Sunday before the Nativity of our Lord)

December 19 D. Root Danereau, Alaeetawi, Katool

December 24 (Fri. p.m.) Karam Meadows, Pigott

December 26 Brock Schelver, Algood

December 31 Baker (Artoklasia bread)

(Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord; Feast-day of St. Basil the Great)

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.

We will continue to serve coffee (and juice for the children), and pre-packaged snacks, following the Divine Liturgy on Sunday mornings. We will also continue to use the 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#

December 12 Kh. Sharon Meadows Eph. 5:8-19 78

December 19 Ian Jones Heb. 11:9-10, 32-40 348

December 24 (Fri. p.m.) Brenda Baker Gal. 4:4-7 351

December 26 Walt Wood Gal. 1:11-19 188

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.

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 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; Lottie Dabbs (Sh. Charlotte Algood’s mother), Sh. Charlotte and their family; Maria Costas (currently at St. Catherine’s Village); Eugene and Bea Berry.

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.

Save the Date! The Diocese of Miami and the Southeast will hold their annual Winter Retreat January 28-30, at St. Elias Orthodox Church in Atlanta. More information will be available later.

Dn. Richard is in charge of showing photos from St. Peter’s last 35 years for the celebration on March 5th. Please look through your photos and submit good selections to him within the next couple of weeks. They may be physical prints or digital clips. Be sure to put your name on them if you want them returned. The deadline for submitting your photos to Dn. Richard is the end of January. Suggested Categories:

Weddings, Baptisms, Chrismations Bible Studies

Fishing Trips Men’s and Women’s lunches

Retreats Angel Tree

Fall Festival Sunday School and Garden work

Stew Pot Work Days

Any other things involving the life of our parish

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 book study afterwards.

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

* As is our usual custom in the parish during the Fast of the Nativity, we will pray the Advent Paraklesis on Wednesday evenings in place of Daily Vespers.

* The Christian Education classes will stage a St. Nicholas play during Coffee Hour this morning.

* The next Workday at the Church is scheduled for Saturday, December 18th.

* We will celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord on December 24th with Royal Hours, beginning at 7:00 a.m., and Festal Orthros followed by the Divine Liturgy, beginning at 10:00 p.m. that evening. Please see announcement below for information about the meal afterwards.

* As is our parish custom, the Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord and the feast-day of St. Basil the Great will be celebrated with Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia on Friday evening, December 31st, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

* His Grace, Bishop NICHOLAS will be at St. Peter the weekend of March 5-6, 2022 to help us celebrate Fr. John’s retirement and our 35th anniversary as a parish. Please mark your calendars now.

Nativity Feast: We will be having a meal following the Divine Liturgy on the night of December 24th. In order to simplify set-up and clean-up, we are ordering sandwich trays from Newk’s Deli. These bundles will include sandwiches, fresh fruit and a dessert tray. In addition to this we will have cheese balls and cheese slices with crackers, cheese cake squares and mini crème puffs. Please do not bring any food to share unless you have been requested to do so. It will be very important that you use the hand sanitizer and wear a mask while serving your food. A basket will be located on the coffee table for donations to help cover the cost of the meal.

Fasting Discipline for December

During the Fast of the Nativity the traditional fasting (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) discipline 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 December

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

Quotable: “The question addressed all of us as we make our way through the Winter Pascha is the one which Jesus put to the two blind men who called out to Him for mercy. ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’ He asks. And they respond: ‘Lord, let our eyes be opened.’ And according to the gospels, ‘Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they received their sight and followed Him’ (Mt 20:29-34).

We too must say: Lord, let the eyes of our minds and hearts be opened. Lord, let us see. For You Yourself have said that God Your Father has sent You into the world to make this judgment, namely ‘that those who do not see may see, and that those who see ma become blind’ (Jn 9:39).”

Fr. Thomas Hopko, The Winter Pascha

Worship: Sunday, December 19, 2021 (Sunday before the Nativity)

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

Celebrant: Father Herman

Epistle Reader: Ian Jones

Prosphora: D. Root

Coffee Hour: Dansereau/Alaeetawi/Katool