The theme of the Sunday before Lent is FORGIVENESS (cheese fare) and the Gospel lesson is Matthew 6:14-21 which teaches us both of forgiveness and of fasting. “To forgive is to put between me and my enemy the radiant forgiveness of God Himself. To forgive is to reject the hopeless dead-ends of human relations and to refer them to Christ. Forgiveness is truly a breakthrough of the Kingdom into this sinful and fallen world” (Great Lent, Page 28). And to fast is to first fast before God and not men so as to curb the desires and cravings of our fallen nature. This effort can help free us from the dictatorship of the flesh over our spirit, so we can more fully love and forgive.
Romans 13:11-14:4: Brethren, now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk becomingly, as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in chambering and licentiousness, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts. But as for the one who is weak in faith, receive him, but not for disputes over opinions. For one believes he may eat anything; but the weak person eats herbs. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. Who are you to be the judge over the servant of a stranger? To his own master he either stands or falls; but he will be made to stand; for God is able to make him stand.
Matthew 6:14-21: The Lord said to His Disciples: If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father Who is in secret; and your Father Who sees in secret will reward you. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
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 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 Cheese Fare Sunday: O thou who guidest to wisdom, and givest understanding and intelligence, the Instructor of the ignorant and Helper of the poor, strengthen my heart and grant it understanding, O Master. Give me word, O Word of the Father; for behold, I shall not refrain my lips from crying to thee, O merciful One, have mercy upon me who am fallen.
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, March 6 (Sunday of Forgiveness — Cheese Fare)
8:50 a.m. — Orthros (webcast)
9:00 a.m. — Christian Education
10:00 a.m. — Hierarchical Divine Liturgy (webcast)
6:30 p.m. — Forgiveness Vespers
Monday, March 7 (Clean Monday)
Father Herman off
6:30 p.m. — Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
Tuesday, March 8
6:30 p.m. — Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
Wednesday, March 9 (Forty Martyrs of Sebaste)
6:30 p.m. — Pre-sanctified Liturgy followed by Soup Supper
Thursday, March 10
6:30 p.m. — Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
Friday, March 11
6:30 p.m. — Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos
Saturday, March 12
10:00 a.m. — Ladies Meet for Akathist and Reading Group
6:00 p.m. — Great Vespers
Sunday, March 13 (Sunday of Orthodoxy)
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 Bakers for the Divine Liturgy this morning.
Eucharist Bread Schedule:
Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour
March 6 Baker Lasseter/Pacurari/Miller
March 13 Henderson D. Root/Baker
March 20 Algood POT LUCK MEAL
Henderson/Jones
March 24 (Thurs. p.m.) Katool Dansereau/Alaeetawi
(Feast of the Annunciation)
March 27 Schelver Meadows/Pigott
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.
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#
March 6 Sh. Charlotte Algood Rom. 13:11-14:4 279
March 13 Kh. Sharon Meadows Heb. 11:24-26, 32-40 281
March 20 Kh. Sharon Meadows Heb. 1:10-2:3 283
March 24 (Thurs. p.m.) Brenda Baker Heb. 2:11-18 376
March 27 Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver Heb. 4:14-5:6 285
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); Fr. James 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.
* Great Lent begins on Clean Monday (TOMORROW). As is our parish custom, we will celebrate Forgiveness Vespers, March 6th, beginning at 6:30 p.m. We will pray the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday this 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.
* Please note that our Pot Luck Meal in March will be on Sunday, March 20th and NOT on March 13th as listed in our Quarterly Schedule.
* We will celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation with Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy on Thursday evening, March 24th, beginning at 6:00 p.m.
* The dates for Stewpot for 2022 are Saturday, May 7th and Saturday, September 3rd.
Master, bless! We welcome His Grace, Bishop NICHOLAS for his arch-pastoral this week-end.
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
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.
Camp St. Thekla dates: The dates for Camp St. Thekla are: Session 1 is June 26 – July 2 and Session 2 is July 3 – 9. If you have a child registered for Camp, please see Daniel for information on scholarships available from the Order of St. Ignatius. If there is still a financial need, some additional funds may be available.
Fasting Discipline for March
Beginning with Clean Monday on March 7th, the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all days of the week until Pascha (except for the Feast of the Annunciation on March 25th and Palm Sunday on April 17th, when fish, wine and oil are permitted).
Major Commemorations for March
March 6 Sunday of Cheese Fare
March 7-11 First Week of Great Lent
March 9 Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste
March 13 1st Sunday of Lent; Sunday of Orthodoxy
March 20 2nd Sunday of Lent; Gregory Palamas
March 25 Feast of the Annunciation
March 26 Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel
March 27 3rd Sunday of Lent; Adoration of the Holy Cross
Diocese of Miami and the Southeast Parish Life Conference: Registration is now open for the Parish Life Conference to be hosted June 15-18 by St. John Orthodox Church in Memphis. More information may be found on the Diocesan website at DOMSE.org.
Quotable: “The essence of sin is the failure to love. In their rebellion, Adam and Eve refused the ‘divine love made food’ offered to them by God, preferring instead life on their own. Cut off from loving communion with God, mankind has become enslaved to its own self-centeredness, the inevitable consequence of which is death. God, however, was not willing that the creature which bore His image should simply turn back to the nothingness from which he was created.”
Clark Carlton, The Faith
Worship: Sunday, March 13, 2022 (First Sunday of Lent; Sunday of Orthodoxy)
Scripture: Hebrews 11:24-26, 32-40; John 1:43-51
Celebrant: Father Herman
Epistle Reader: Kh. Sharon Meadows
Prosphora: Henderson
Coffee Hour: D. Root/Baker
Saint Peter Antiochian Orthodox Church 