February 13, 2022
Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican
Yes, it is that time again. Lent begins on Monday, March 7th, but we begin the preparations for the journey of “bright-sadness” by especially dealing with our hearts and our spiritual condition. In her wisdom the Church is a great aid to us, for the four Sundays before Lent carry special themes that enable us to examine ourselves.
The theme of the fourth Sunday before Lent is HUMILITY and the Gospel lesson of the Publican and the Pharisee (Luke 18:10-14) is read. Here we are taught to avoid the arrogant thoughts of the Pharisee and to emulate the humble prayer of the Publican “God be merciful to me a sinner.”
II Timothy 3:10-15: My son Timothy, you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience, persecutions, sufferings, what things befell me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra. What persecutions I endured! And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Indeed all who would live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But people who are wicked and deceivers will proceed from worse to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and how from infancy you have known the sacred temple writings which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Luke 18:10-14: The Lord spoke this parable: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank Thee that I am not like other men, extortionists, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
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 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 Pharisee and the Publican: Let us flee from the boasting of the Pharisee and learn the heights of humility from the publican’s words. Let us cry out in repentance: O Savior of the World, be gracious to thy servants.
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, February 13 (Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican)
8:50 a.m. — Orthros (webcast)
9:00 a.m. — Christian Education
10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy (webcast)
Monday, February 14
Father Herman off
Tuesday, February 15
NO Services
Wednesday, February 16
6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers
7:30 p.m. — Parish Council Meeting
Thursday, February 17
Friday, February 18
NO Services
Saturday, February 19
8:30 a.m. — Workday at the Church
6:00 p.m. — Great Vespers
Sunday, February 20 (Sunday of the Prodigal Son)
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.
Eucharist Bread Schedule:
Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour
No Coffee Hour for the remainder of the month
February 13 Davis
February 20 Karam
February 23 (Wed. p.m.) Meadows (Artoklasia Bread)
(Feast of The Forerunner)
February 26 (Sat. a.m.) Brock Koliva:
(Saturday of the Souls)
February 27 R. Root
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#
February 13 Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver II Tim. 3:10-15 258
February 20 Sam Habeeb I Cor. 6:12-20 265
February 26 (Sat. a.m. Ian Jones I Thess. 4:13-17 412
February 27 Walt Wood I Cor. 8:8-9:2 273
There will be no Coffee Hour the first two weeks of this month due to the rise in Co-vid cases. In the coming week we will re-evaluate the resumption of Coffee Hour on February 20th.
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.
We will pray the Trisagion Prayers for the Departed for the Forty Day Memorial for Tom Willingham today (February 13th) and for Saliba Dabit on Sunday, February 27th.
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: Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Lamia Dabit and her family; Mary Greene (Lee and Kh. Sharon’s sister); Jay and Joanna; Fr. Leo and Kh. Be’Be’ and their family; Kathy Willingham; Marilyn (Kyriake) Snell; Jack and Jill Weatherly; Lottie Dabbs (Sh. Charlotte Algood’s mother), Sh. Charlotte and their family; Maria Costas (currently at St. Catherine’s Village); Vernie Meadows (Fr. James’ mother) and all their family.
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.
* There will be a workday at the Church on Saturday morning, February 19th, beginning at 8:30 a.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.
* Great Lent begins on Clean Monday (March 7th). As is our parish custom, we will celebrate Forgiveness Vespers on Sunday evening, March 6th, beginning at 6:30 p.m. We will pray the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday that week March 7-11) and celebrate the Pre-sanctified Liturgy on Wednesday and the Akathist Hymn to the Mother of God on Friday. All services will begin at 6:30 p.m.
* The dates for Stewpot for 2022 are Saturday, May 7th and Saturday, September 3rd.
Pledge Letters have been mailed. Please return them to the church as soon as possible.
House Blessings: Fr. Herman will be blessing homes January 7 – February 25 (except for February 23-37 when he will be out for the Winter Retreat). A sign-up sheet is located on the bureau in the hallway. Please indicate 3 dates that would work for your family and he will get back with you to schedule your house blessing. Everyone should their house blessed, but the responsibility for scheduling this lies with individuals and not Fr. Herman.
The letters acknowledging tithes and offerings for 2021 were mailed last week. Please check your letter carefully to be sure that it matches your records. If you did not get your letter, or if there was a discrepancy with it, please let Kh. Sharon know as soon as possible.
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.
DOMSE Winter Retreat! The Diocese of Miami and the Southeast has rescheduled the annual Winter Retreat to the week-end of February 25-27, at St. Elias Orthodox Church in Atlanta. Registration is now open. Please go to the Diocesan website, DOMSE.org for information on registration, hotels, etc.
A movie has been released about St. Nectarius of Aegina. It’s called Man of God. It is scheduled to play at the theaters in Pearl and Madison one showing only, March 21, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. Here is the link: https://www.imdb.com/showtimes/title/tt6060964/?date=2022-03-21
Camp St. Thekla dates and registration: The dates for Camp St. Thekla are: Session 1 is
June 26 – July 2 and Session 2 is July 3 – 9. Registration will begin Sunday, February 13 at 4:00 p.m.
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. Dn Richard will continue to accept photos through next week. 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.
Fasting Discipline for February
In February the fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays except February 2nd (Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple when fish, wine and oil are permitted) and the week following the Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican (February 14-18) when there is no fasting at all. Following Meatfare Sunday on February 27th, meat will no longer be eaten until Pascha.
Major Commemorations for February
February 13 Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican
February 20 Sunday of the Prodigal Son
February 24 The Forerunner (1st and 2nd Discoveries)
February 26 Saturday of the Souls
February 27 Sunday of Meatfare
Quotable: “Everything that breathes, breathes by air and cannot live without air; similarly all reasonable free creatures live by the Holy Spirit, as though by air, and cannot live without Him.
“Every soul is quickened by the Holy Spirit.” Recognize that the Holy Spirit stands in the same relation to your soul as air stands in relation to your body.”
St. John of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ
Worship: Sunday, February 20, 2022 (Sunday of the Prodigal Son)
Scripture: I Corinthians 6:12-20; Luke 15:11-32
Celebrant: Father Herman
Epistle Reader: Sam Habeeb
Prosphora: Karam
Coffee Hour: NO Coffee Hour
Saint Peter Antiochian Orthodox Church 