February 18, 2024

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

II Corinthians 6:16-7:1: Brethren, you are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Therefore, come out from them, and be separate from them,” says the Lord, “and touch nothing unclean; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters,” says the Lord Almighty. Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, and make holiness perfect in the fear of God.

Matthew 15:21-28: At that time, Jesus went to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon.” But He did not answer her one word. And His disciples came and begged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before Him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

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 the Theotokos: O undisputed intercessor of Christians, O mediatrix, who is unrejected by the Creator, turn not away from the voice of our petitions though we be sinners; come to us in time, who cry to thee in faith, for thou art good. Hasten to us with intercessions, O Theotokos, who didst ever intercede for those who honor thee.

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, February 18 (Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost)

8:50 a.m. – Orthros

9:00 a.m. – Christian Education

10:00 a.m. – Divine Liturgy (webcast)

Monday, February 19

Father Herman off

Tuesday, February 20

NO Services

Wednesday, February 21

6:30 p.m. – Daily Vespers

Thursday, February 22

NO Services

Friday, February 23

NO Services

Saturday, February 24 (The Forerunner – 1st & 2nd Discoveries)

4:30 p.m. – Choir Practice

6:00 p.m. – Great Vespers

Sunday, February 25 (Sunday of the Pharisee & the Publican)

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 Morrises for the Divine Liturgy this morning.

Eucharist Bread Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

February 18 Morris Lockhart/Karam/Snell

February 25 Jones Lavric/Skirtech/Dabit

March 3 Meadows Meadows/Pacurari/Cooper

March 9 (Sat. a.m.) Davis Pigott/Stewart

(Saturday of the Souls Koliva: )

March 10 D. Root POT LUCK MEAL
Ellis/Zouboukos/Waites

March 17 Karam TEENS FUNDRAISER MEAL

March 24 Brock Algood/Schelver/I. Jones

March 25 (Mon. a.m.) R. Root Lasseter/Miller

(Feast of the Annunciation)

March 31 Pacurari 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#

February 18 Sam Habeeb II Cor. 6:16-7:1 173

February 25 Walt Wood II Tim. 3:10-15 258

March 3 Sophie Dansereau I Cor. 6:12-20 265

March 9 (Sat. a.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows Thess. 4:13-17 412

March 10 Brenda Baker I Cor. 8:8-9:2 273

March 17 Katie Miller Rom. 13:11-14:4 279

March 24 Anastasia Heb. 11:24-26, 32-40 281

March 25 (Mon. a.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows Heb. 2:11-18 376

March 31 Brenda Baker Heb. 1:10-2:3 283

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.

Pilgrimage to Holy Dormition: There will be a brief meeting during Coffee Hour this morning for all those who are planning to make the pilgrimage to Holy Dormition Monastery in order to discuss plans.

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; Fr. John and Kh. Janet Henderson and their family.

Registration is now open for this year’s Parish Life Conference which will be held June 12-15th in Atlanta at the Hilton Peachtree City Atlanta Hotel and Conference Center and hosted by St. Stephen in Hiram. Please go to the Diocesan website (DOMSE.org) to register for the conference and for the hotel.

Update on Kitchen Repairs: Currently all damage to the kitchen from the water break has been cleaned up. ServPro has finished everything they needed to get done. The insurance adjuster has been out to inspect the damage, and we are now waiting to hear back from contractors to come back in and repair/replace those things that were damaged. We are continuing to have Coffee Hour as we have been. The coffee machines are working and are safe to use for coffee hours. Please do not prepare any type of food in the kitchen until it can be properly sanitized. By God’s grace everything will be back to normal soon.

Camp St. Thekla registration opened on February 1st. If your children are going to camp, please register as soon as possible. If financial help is needed, please let Father Herman or Daniel know. This year the church will not be providing transportation to camp. If you have children going to camp who need a ride, please let Father Herman or Daniel know.

The book study group with Father John meets every other Sunday in the Fellowship Hall at 5:30 p.m. The next meeting will be February 25th. Of course, there may arise a need where these dates are subject to change.

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.

* Book Study –February 25th.

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

Fasting Discipline for February

The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month. However, there is a katalysis for fish, wine and oil on Friday, February 2nd (Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple) and there will be no fasting during the week following the Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican (February 25th this year).

Major Commemorations for February

February 24 The Forerunner (1st and @nd Discoveries)

February 25 Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican

Quotable: “We will not be condemned at the end of our lives because we did not perform miracles. Nor because we failed to theologize. Neither will we be condemned because we failed to achieve divine vision. But because of one reason only: that we did not repent continuously.”

St. John of the Ladder

Worship: Sunday, February 25, 2024 (Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican)

Scripture: II Timothy 3:10-15; Luke 18:10-14

Celebrant: Father Herman

Epistle Reader: Walt Wood

Prosphora: Jones

Coffee Hour: Lavric/Skirtech/Dabit