November 26, 2023

Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Ephesians 4:1-7: Brethren, I, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, Who is above all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

Luke 18:18-27: At that time, a man came testing Jesus and asking, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery. Do not kill. Do not steal. Do not bear false witness. Honor your father and mother.’” And the man said, “All these I have observed from my youth.” And when Jesus heard it, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the man heard this he became sad, for he was very rich. Jesus, seeing him sad, said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”

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 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. (Instructions can be found on the parish website.)

Sunday, November 26 (Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost)

8:50 a.m. – Orthros (webcast)

10:00 a.m. – Divine Liturgy (webcast)

Monday, November 27

Father Herman off

Tuesday, November 28

NO Services

1:00 p.m. – Ladies’ Lunch

Wednesday, November 29

6:30 p.m. – Advent Paraklesis

7:30 p.m. – Parish Council Meeting

Thursday, November 30 (Apostle Andrew the First-called)

NO Services

Friday, December 1

NO Services

Saturday, December 2

4:00 p.m. – St. Nicholas Tea for Children

4:30 p.m. – Choir Practice

6:00 p.m. – Great Vespers

Sunday, December 3 (Twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost))

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.

Eucharist Bread Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

November 26 Lasseter Pigott/Stewart

December 3 Algood Algood/Schelver/I. Jones

December 5 (Tues. p.m.) Henderson (Artos Bread)

(Feast-day of St. Nicholas the Wonder-worker)

December 10 Schelver Lasseter/Miller

December 17 Morris D. Root/Baker

December 24 (Sun. a.m.) Jones Henderson/K. Jones

December 24 (Sun. p.m.) Meadows Dansereau/Alaeetawi/

(Feast of the Nativity of our Lord) Lockhart/Karam/Snell

December 31 (Sun. a.m.) Davis Lavric/Skirtech/Dabit

December 31 (Sun. p.m.) Baker (Artos Bread)

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

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#

November 26 Brenda Baker Eph. 5:8-19 212

December 3 Walt Wood Eph. 5:8-19 217

December 10 Reader Basil Baker Eph. 6:10-17 223

December 17 Reader Chad Miller Col. 3:4-11 233

December 24 (Sun. a.m.) Brandon Strain Heb. 11:9-10, 32-40 348

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

December 31 Sh. Charlotte Algood II Tim. 4:5-8 354

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; Reader Basil and Brenda Baker and their family; Buddy Cooper; Georgia and Bob Buchanan; Fr. Joseph Bittle; Steve and Sheryl Chamblee; Rick Carlton; Very Rev. Fr. Nicholas and Kh. Jan Speier; Dora Lambert (Dimitri Zouboukos’ fiancée); Lee Greene; Joseph, Amanda and Hunter Hines.

St. Nicholas Tea: the annual St. Nicholas Tea for our children will be held next Saturday, December 2nd at 4:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall.

DOMSE Winter Camp: If your child is interested in attending Camp St. Thekla WAMP, February 16-19, 2024, please see Fr. Herman for the link to registration. Please note that the ages for WAMP are 12-17 years of age.

Bible Study: There have been several requests that a Bible Study be started. Fr. Herman has asked Fr. John if he would head this up. If you are interested in attending the Bible Study please place your name on the sign-up sheet on the bureau in the foyer. This is so Fr. Herman and Fr. John will know how many people are interested.

Fasting Discipline for November/December

In November the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on Wednesdays and Fridays until the 15th of the month, when the Fast of the Nativity begins. During this fast the traditional fasting is observed on each day of the week. Note, however, through December 19thth 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 November/December

November 30 Apostle Andrew, the First-called

December 4 Great-martyr Barbara and Venerable John of Damascus

December 5 Sava the Sanctified

December 6 Nicholas the Wonder-worker of Myra

December 9 Conception of the Theotokos

December 12 Spyridon the Wonder-worker

December 13 Herman of Alaska

December 15 Hieromartyr Eleutherios

December 20 Ignatius 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

A new date for the Pilgrimage to Holy Dormition will be forthcoming. More details will be available at a later date.

Calendar Items:

* The men of the parish meet for lunch at 11:00 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 at 1:00 p.m. on the last Tuesday of the month.

* The Fast of the Nativity began on November 15th and runs until December 25th. As is our parish custom, we will pray the Paraklesis Service to the Theotokos on Wednesday evenings instead of Daily Vespers during the Fast. However

* The Feast-day of St. Nicholas will be celebrated with Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia on Tuesday evening, December 5th, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

* The Festal Orthros and Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ will be celebrated on Sunday evening, December 24th, beginning at 8:00 p.m. followed by our festal meal.

* We will celebrate the Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord and the Feast-day of St. Basil the Great with Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia on Sunday evening, December 31st, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

* His Grace, Bishop NICHOLAS will be making his next Arch-pastoral visit in January. The date is yet to be determined and more information will be forthcoming in the future.

* Stewpot dates for 2024 will be March 30th and November 30th.

Quotable: “Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through a confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation”

Lorica of St. Patrick, Enlightener of Ireland

Worship: Sunday, December 3, 2023 (Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost)

Scripture: Ephesians 5:8-19; Luke 18:35-43

Celebrant: Father Herman

Epistle Reader: Walt Wood

Prosphora: Algood

Coffee Hour: Algood/Schelver/I. Jones