February 12, 2023
Sunday of the Prodigal Son
The theme of the third Sunday before Lent is RETURN FROM EXILE and the Gospel lesson of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) is read. We are taught by this lesson that even as we stray from God, a banquet is set for our return. And we find that nothing in this fallen world truly satisfies, and thus we find ourselves on a pilgrimage of repentance – returning to God.
I Corinthians 6:12-20: Brethren, all things are lawful for me, but not all things are expedient. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the authority of anything. Foods are for the belly, and the belly for foods; but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body; and God both raised up the Lord, and will also raise us up through His power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take away the members of Christ, and make them members of a harlot? God forbid! Or, do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For, “The two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication! Every sin that a person commits is outside the body, but whoever commits fornication sins against his own body. Or, do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have received from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
Luke 15:11-32: The Lord spoke this parable: “There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that falls to me.’ And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have fed on the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to make merry. Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”
Troparion of the Resurrection: When thou, O immortal Life, didst humble thyself unto death, then didst thou destroy death by the brightness of thy Godhead; and when thou didst raise the bowels of the earth, then all the heavenly powers exclaimed, O Christ, thou art the Giver of life! Glory to thee, O our God!
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 Prodigal Son: Foolishly I sprang away from Thy great fatherly glory, and dispersed in wicked deeds the riches that Thou didst give me. With the Prodigal I therefore cry unto Thee now: I have sinned against Thee, O compassionate Father. But receive me in repentance; make me as one of Thy hired servants, O Lord.
CALENDAR
UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE: All services listed on the calendar will be available through streaming and webcast.
Sunday, February 12 (Sunday of the Prodigal Son)
8:50 a.m. — Orthros (webcast)
9:00 a.m. — Christian Education
10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy (webcast)
12:00 p.m. — Pot Luck Meal
Monday, February 13
Father Herman off
Tuesday, February 14
NO Services
Wednesday, February 15
6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers
Thursday, February 16
NO Services
Friday, February 17
NO Services
Saturday, February 18 (Saturday of the Souls)
9:00 a.m. — Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy
6:00 p.m. — Great Vespers
Sunday, February 19 (Meat Fare Sunday)
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 Lasseters for the Divine Liturgy this morning.
Tax letters were mailed out recently. If you did not receive your letter, or if your there is a discrepancy with your records concerning contributions last year, please let Kh. Sharon know.
Eucharist Bread Schedule:
Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour
February 12 Lasseter Alaeetawi/Waites
February 18 (Sat. a.m.) Baker Meadows/Pacurari/Cooper
(Saturday of the Souls) Koliva:
February 19 Henderson Pigott/Stewart
February 26 Algood FUNDRAISER (TEENS) MEAL
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 12 Kh. Sharon Meadows I Cor. 6:12-20 265
February 18 (Sat. a.m.) Walt Wood Thess. 4:13-17 412
February 19 Walt Wood I Cor. 8:8-9:2 273
February 26 Ian Jones Rom. 13:11-14:4 279
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.
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; Fr. Joseph Bittle.
Please pray for the Holy Synod in Damascus who will meeting on February 22nd to discuss the election of the new Metropolitan.
Pledge Letters were mailed out recently. Please return them as soon as possible.
Winter Camp will be held at Camp St. Thekla on February 17-20, 2023 for ages 12-17.
Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers: St. Peter will be hosting the Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers this year on Sunday March 5th, beginning at 6:00 p.m. More information will be available shortly.
House Blessings: A sign-up sheet is located on the bureau in the hallway. Please indicate 3 dates that would work for your family and Father Herman will get back with you to schedule your house blessing. Everyone should have their house blessed, but the responsibility for scheduling lies with individuals and not Father Herman. (There will be no house blessings once Great Lent starts.)
Earthquake in Northern Syria: In hopes of relieving the suffering there, the Patriarch has issued an appeal to all parishes of the Archdiocese to contribute what they can to help with these efforts. If you would like to make a donation to this effort please mark your donation as “Syrian Relief” and place it either in the offering tray, the box in the back of the church, or you may mail it. The church will collect these donations each week and send one check to the Archdiocese.
Parents! If your children plan to attend Camp St. Thekla in the summer, please let Daniel know.
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.
* February 27th is Clean Monday when Great Lent begins. The schedule of services during the first week of Lent are as follows:
Sunday, February 26 — Forgiveness Vespers, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Monday, February 27 — Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, February 28 — Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, March 1 — Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified Gifts, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 2 — Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Friday, March 3 — Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 5 — Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers at St. Peter, beginning at
6:00 p.m.
Fasting Discipline for February
There will be no fasting during the week following the Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican (February 5th this year). Other than that, the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on Wednesdays and Fridays of the month until Meat Fare Sunday on February 19th. After that time, meat will no longer be eaten until Pascha. During the week following Meat Fare Sunday, dairy products are permitted, even on Wednesday and Friday. Beginning with Clean Monday on February 27th, the traditional fasting discipline 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 9th, when fish, wine and oil are permitted).
Major Commemorations for February
February 12 Sunday of the Prodigal Son
February 18 Saturday of the Souls
February 19 Sunday of Meat Fare
February 24 The Forerunner (1st and 2nd Discoveries)
February 26 Sunday of Cheese Fare
February 27 Clean Monday (Great Lent Begins)
Parents, your help is needed! Please monitor your children with regards to the Men’s Bathroom. Recently one of the stalls was locked as a prank.
Instructions for streaming our services can be found on the parish website.
Save the Date! This year the Parish Life Conference will hosted by St. George Cathedral in Coral Gables, FL on June 14-17.
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: “When the soul knows the love of God by the Holy Spirit, then he clearly feels that the Lord is our own Father, the closest, dearest Father, the best. And there is not greater happiness that to love God with all the mind and heart, and our neighbor as ourself. And when this love is in the soul, then all things bring joy to the soul.”
+ St Silouan the Athonite
Worship: Sunday, February 19, 2023 (Sunday of Meat Fare)
Scripture: I Corinthians 8:8-9:2; Matthew 25:31-46
Celebrant: Father Herman
Epistle Reader: Walt Wood
Prosphora: Henderson
Coffee Hour: Pigott/Stewart
Saint Peter Antiochian Orthodox Church 