December 25, 2022

Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

Galatians 4:4-7: Brethren, when the time had fully come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, to redeem those who were under the Law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Therefore, you are no longer a slave but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Matthew 2:1-12: Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East, and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet: ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judea, are by no means least among the rulers of Judea; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern My people Israel.’” Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared; and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found Him bring me word, that I too may come and worship Him.” When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

Troparion of the Nativity: Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, hath given rise to the light of knowledge in the world; for they that worshiped the stars did learn therefrom to worship thee, O Sun of justice, and to know that from the east of the Highest thou didst come; O Lord, glory to thee.

Kontakion of Nativity: On this day the Virgin beareth the Transcendent in Essence; to the Unapproachable, the earth doth offer a small cave; Angels join in choir with shepherds in giving glory; with a star the Magi travel upon their journey; for our sakes is born a young Child, He Who existed before the ages as God.

CALENDAR

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

Sunday, December 25 (Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ)

[NO FASTING UNTIL THROUGH JANUARY 4^TH]

NO Services

Monday, December 26 (Synaxis of the Theotokos)

Father Herman off

Tuesday, December 27 (Protomartyr Stephen)

NO Services

1:00 p.m. — Ladies Lunch

Wednesday, December 28

6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers

Thursday, December 29

NO Services

Friday, December 30

NO Services

Saturday, December 31

6:00 p.m. — Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia

Sunday, January 1 (Circumcision of our Lord; Feastday of St. Basil the Great)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros (webcast)

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy (webcast)

11:30 a.m. — Special Parish Meeting to select candidate for Metropolitan

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Morrises for the Divine Liturgy this morning.

Eucharist Bread Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

December 24 (Sat. p.m.) Morris Meadows/Pacurari/Cooper

Pigott/Stewart

December 31(Sat. p.m.) R. Root (Artos) No Coffee Hour

January 1 Jones Algood/Schelver

January 5 (Thurs. p.m.) Meadows Lasseter/Miller

(Feast of Theophany)

January 8 Davis D. Root/Baker

January 15 D. Root POT LUCK MEAL

(Chains of St. Peter) Henderson/Jones

January 22 Karam Dansereau/Alaeetawi

January 29 Brock Lockhart/Karam/Snell

Also, please remember that we still need your tithes and offerings which may be placed in the tray that is passed during the Divine Liturgy, 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 Chanters’ stand at the front of the nave. Please be sure to use this book when you read.

Reader Reading Page#

December 24 (Sat. p.m.) Sam Habeeb Gal. 4:4-7 351

January 1 Walt Wood Col. 2:8-1 356

January 5 (Thurs. p.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7 361

January 8 Ian Jones Eph. 4:7-13 364

January 15 Brenda Baker Acts12:1-11 50-51

January 22 Walt Wood I Tim. 4:9-15 252

January 29 Sam Habeeb II Cor. 6:16-7:1 173

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 Davis; Fr. Leo and Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver 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); Reader Basil and Brenda Baker and their family; Buddy Cooper; Georgia and Bob Buchanan.

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

Congratulations to Andy and Rachel Anderton on the baptism if their son Drew on Friday, December 3rd at St. George Orthodox Church in Vicksburg. May God grant them all Many Years!

The Special Convention for the election of the New Metropolitan is scheduled to take place in Dallas, TX, on January 13, 2023. We will hold a special meeting at St. Peter’s NEXT Sunday (January 1st) to make our selection. Father Herman has sent out information on the candidates by email. If you have any questions about the process or the candidates, please reach out to Father Herman. There will also be time set aside at our special parish meeting to answer any questions that you may have.

Sunnybrook Children’s Home is beginning a Transitional Home for children aging out of foster care. Their goal is to make sure these children complete high school, and help them pursue further education and develop life skills to allow them to function well in their lives as adults. If you wish to make a donation to this worthwhile endeavor, please make your check out to St. Peter and be sure to mark “Sunnybrook” on the memo line. (This is separate from our annual St. Nicholas Offering.)

The Clergy and Winter Retreat that was scheduled for the end of January has been cancelled due to the increased travel and “busyness” for our clergy with the Special Convention in Dallas.

Calendar Items:

* The men of the parish meet for lunch at 11:30 a.m. on the first Thursday of the month.

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

* Our festal meal for the Feast of the Nativity will once again be provided by Newk’s. A basket for donations will be placed on the serving table to cover the cost of the meal. We request that everyone please help with clean-up afterwards, just as we do with our monthly pot luck meals on Sundays.

Winter Camp will be held at Camp St. Thekla on February 17-20, 2023 for ages 12-17.

Fasting Discipline for December

The Fast of the Nativity began on November 15th. During this time the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on 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 is no fasting of any kind from December 25th through January 4th.

Major Commemorations for December

December 25 The Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

December 26 Synaxis of the Theotokos

December 27 Protomartyr Stephen

PARENTS, a problem has arisen due to the nursery room being left messy after Coffee Hour. No food of any kind should be taken into that room. Also, it is necessary for a parent to be in the room whenever their children are in there playing. Thank you for your assistance with this.

Quotable: “The Fifth Beatitude that was spoken in the Sermon on the Mount is, ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy’ (Matt. 5:7). It is possible that no other commandment of Christ is needed more in our epoch than this commandment of mercy, of charity.
We live in the era of ideologies which in their attempt to be all-encompassing exist in continuous strife, and this strife fills the world with fear and hatred. We live in a world where mercy and charity are exiled, and that is perhaps the most frightening thing about it, the sign of its dehumanization.

How often it is told about Christ in the Gospels that He had compassion on them, that He was merciful to them!”

+ Fr. Alexander Schmemann

Worship: Sunday, January 1, 2023 (Circumcision of Christ; Feastday of St. Basil the Great)

Scripture: Colossians 2:8-12; Luke 2:20-21, 40-52

Celebrant: Father Herman

Epistle Reader: Walt Wood

Prosphora: Jones

Coffee Hour: Algood/Schelver