January 7, 2024

Synaxis of the Forerunner

Acts 19:1-8: In those days, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the One Who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve of them in all. And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, arguing and pleading about the Kingdom of God.

John 1:29-34: At that time, John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of Whom I said, ‘After me comes a man Who ranks before me, for He was before me.’ I myself did not know Him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that He might be revealed to Israel.” And John bore witness, “I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on Him. I myself did not know Him; but He Who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on Whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is He Who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

Troparion of the Resurrection: When Mary stood at thy grave looking for thy sacred body, angelic powers shone above thy revered tomb, and the soldiers who were to keep guard became as dead men. Thou led hades captive and wast not tempted thereby. Thou didst meet the Virgin and didst give life to the world; O thou who art risen from the dead! O Lord, glory to thee.

Troparion of Theophany: By thy baptism, O Lord, in the River Jordan, worship to the Trinity has made its appearance; for the voice of the Lord didst come forth to thee with the testimony, naming thee beloved Son; and the Spirit in the likeness of a dove, confirming the truth of the word. Wherefore, O thou who didst appear and light the world, glory to thee.

Troparion for the Forerunner: The memory of the righteous is celebrated with songs of praise, but the Lord’s testimony is sufficient for thee, O Forerunner. Thou wast shown indeed to be the most honorable of the prophets, for in the waters thou didst baptize Him Who had been proclaimed. After suffering with joy in behalf of the truth, thou didst proclaim even to those in Hades the God Who appeared in the flesh, Who takest away the sin of the world, and granteth us the 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 Theophany: Today thou hast appeared to the universe, O Lord, and thy light hast been shed upon us, who praise thee with knowledge, saying, Thou hast come and appeared, O unapproachable Light.

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, January 7 (Synaxis of the Forerunner)

8:50 a.m. – Orthros

9:00 a.m. – Christian Education

10:00 a.m. – Divine Liturgy (webcast)

4:00 p.m. – Outdoor Blessing of the Water at Ross Barnett Reservoir

Monday, January 8

Father Herman off

Tuesday, January 9

NO Services

Wednesday, January 10

6:30 p.m. – Daily Vespers

Thursday, January 11 (Theodosios the Head of Monasteries)

NO Services

Friday, January 12

NO Services

Saturday, January 13

10:00 a.m. – Ladies meet for Akathist

4:30 p.m. – Choir Practice

6:00 p.m. – Great Vespers

Sunday, January 14 (Sunday after Theophany)

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 last Sunday morning and by the Daniel Roots for the Feast of Theophany yesterday morning and by the Karams for the Divine Liturgy this morning. The Artos bread for the Litia and Artoklasia for the Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord and the Feast-day of St. Basil the Great was offered by the Bakers last Sunday evening.

Eucharist Bread Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

January 7 Karam Ellis/Zouboukos/Waites

January 14 Brock POT LUCK MEAL

Pigott/Stewart

January 15 (Mon. p.m.) R. Root Algood/Schelver/I. Jones

(Veneration of the Chains of St. Peter)

January 21 Pacurari Lasseter/Miller

January 24 (Wed. p.m.) Lasseter (Artos Bread) No Coffee Hour

January 28 Baker D. Root/Baker

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#

January 7 Ian Jones Acts 19:1-8 64

January 14 Brenda Baker Eph. 4:7-13 364

January 15 (Mon. p.m.) Walt Wood Acts 12:1-11 50-51

January 21 Reader Basil Baker Col. 3:4-11 233

January 28 Reader Chad Miller I Tim. 1:15-17 245

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.

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.

Due to schedule conflicts, His Grace, Bishop NICHOLAS will not be making an arch-pastoral visit to St. Peter in January as previously announced.

Maggie Miller will be baptized at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 13th. Please keep the Miller family in your prayers.

The Outdoor Blessing of the Water will be held at Crab’s on the Ross Barnett Reservoir this afternoon, beginning at 4:00 p.m. Any who wish to stay for dinner are invited to do so. Meals are the responsibility of the individual/family.

The new date for the Pilgrimage to Holy Dormition will be May 13-17th. More details will be available at a later date.

DOMSE will not have a Winter Retreat this year. The plans are for it to resume in January 2025.

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.

* We will celebrate the Feast of Chains of St. Peter with Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy on Monday evening, January 15th, beginning at 6:00 p.m.

* The Feast of the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple will be celebrated with Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia on Thursday evening, February 1st, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

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

Fasting Discipline for January

Following the Feast of Theophany (January 6) the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on the remaining Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.

Major Commemorations for December

January 7 Synaxis of the Forerunner

January 11 Theodosios the Head of Monasteries

January 16 Veneration of the Chains of St. Peter

January 17 Anthony the Great

January 18 Athanasios and Cyril of Alexandria

January 20 Euthymios the Great

January 25 Gregory the Theologian

January 27 John Chrysostom

January 30 The Three Hierarchs

January 31 Cyros and John the Unmercenary Healers

Quotable: “Religions devised for a social purpose, like Roman emperor-worship or modern attempts to ‘sell Christianity as a means of saving civilization’, do not come to much. The little knots of friends who turn their backs on the ‘World’ are those who really transform it.”

C.S. Lewis

Worship: Sunday, January 14, 2024 (Sunday after Theophany)

Scripture: Ephesians 4:7-13; Matthew 4:12-17

Celebrant: Father Herman

Epistle Reader: Brenda Baker

Prosphora: Brock

Coffee Hour: POT LUCK MEAL

Pigott/Stewart