May 12, 2024

New Sunday or Antipascha

Sunday of Thomas the Apostle, Called “the Twin”

On the Sunday following Easter, we hear the story of Thomas and are reminded of the all-permeating presence of Christ and the faith of those who followed the disciples. Even as walls and doors proved no obstacle to His coming to His followers, so nothing can prevent His presence with us. Even as He commissioned them to be peaceful of themselves and to bear His peace and life to those about them, so He grants us peace for ourselves and those we touch. Even as Thomas turned from his doubt to faith, so let us bow before our Lord and God in acknowledgment and praise. With Thomas and all the faithful who sing in heavenly worship, let us raise our hymn of adoration and life to our risen Saviour.

Acts of the Holy Apostles 5:12-20: In those days, many signs and wonders were done among the people by the hands of the apostles; and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch. None of the rest dared to join them, but the people magnified them. And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and pallets, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. The people also gathered from the cities around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed. But the chief priest rose up and all who were with him, that is, the sect of the Sadducees, and filled with jealousy they laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison. But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out and said: “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.”

John 20:19-31: On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be to you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in His side, I will not believe.” Eight days later, His disciples were again in the house, and May 12, 2024 Liturgy Variables 3 Thomas Sunday Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, “Peace be to you.” Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand, and place it in My side; do not be faithless, but believing.” Thomas answered Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Thomas, you have believed because you have seen Me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His Name.

Troparion of Thomas Sunday: While the tomb was sealed, thou didst shine forth from it, O Light. While the doors were closed, thou didst come in to thy Disciples, O Christ God, Resurrection of all, renewing in us through them an upright spirit, according to the greatness of thy mercy.

Kontakion of Pascha: When Thou didst descend into the grave, O Immortal, Thou didst destroy the power of Hades. In victory didst Thou arise, O Christ God, proclaiming Rejoice! to the myrrh-bearing women, granting peace to Thine apostles and bestowing resurrection on the fallen.

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, May 12 (Thomas Sunday)

8:50 a.m. – Orthros

9:00 a.m. – Christian Education

10:00 a.m. – Divine Liturgy (webcast)

Monday, May 13

Father Herman off

[Pilgrimage
to Holy Dormition Monastery in Rives Junction, MI this week]

Tuesday, May 14

NO Services

Wednesday, May 15

6:30 p.m. – Daily Vespers

Thursday, May 16

NO Services

Friday, May 17

NO Services

Saturday, May 18

6:00 p.m. – Great Vespers

Sunday, May 19 (Sunday of the Holy Myrrh-bearers)

8:50 a.m. – Orthros

9:00 a.m. – Christian Education

10:00 a.m. – Divine Liturgy (webcast)

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

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

Eucharist Bread Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

May 12 D. Root Henderson/K. Jones/Lavric

May 19 Karam Dansereau/Alaeetawi

May 26 Brock Lasseter/Miller

June 2 R. Root D. Root/Baker

June 9 Pacurari Lockhart/Karam/Snell

June 12 (Wed. p.m.) Lasseter Meadows/Pacurari

(Feast of the Ascension)

June 16 Baker Ellis/Zouboukos/Waites

June 22 (Sat. a.m.) Henderson Algood/Schelver/I. Jones

(Saturday of the Souls) Koliva: Anastasia Jones

June 23 Algood PICNIC POT LUCK

(Feast of Pentecost) Pigott/Stewart

June 29 (Sat. a.m.) Schelver Lasseter/Miller

(Feastday of Sts. Peter and Paul)

June 30 Jones D. Root/Baker

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#

May 12 Brandon Strain Acts 5:12-20 32

May 19 Katie Miller Acts 6:1-7 38

May 26 Sam Habeeb Acts 9:32-42 45

June 2 Kh. Sharon Meadows Acts 11:19-30 52

June 9 Ian Jones Acts 16:16-34 58

June 12 (Wed. p.m.) Brenda Baker Acts 1-12 63

June 16 Walt Wood Acts 20:16-18, 28-36 66

June 22 (Sat. a.m.) Reader Basil Baker I Thess. 4:13-17 412

June 23 Reader Chad Miller Acts 2:1-11 77

June 29 (Sat. a.m.) Brandon Strain II Cor. 11:21-33; 12:6-9 389

June 30 Katie Miller Heb. 11:33-12:2 84

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; Galina Singletary; Emily and Cole Parker.

Wednesday Catechumen Class: Due to Bright Week and the Holy Dormition Monastery pilgrimage, there will be no catechumen class on Wednesday until May 22nd, beginning at

5:20 p.m.

Updating the Parish Directory: We will in the very near future, begin another update on our parish directory. If you have any changes since the last directory was updated, or think you have not been added to the directory, please see Kh. Sharon or Fr. Herman within the next two weeks to have this done.

There has arisen an issue with the large amount of trash being left in the back area of the church around and inside the playground area over the past several weeks. If everyone would please monitor this situation by making sure no trash is left around the area. Thank you for your help in this matter.

On a related note: Several of the older children have begun to drink coffee on Sunday mornings. Due to the amount of creamer they use, our supply of coffeemate pods are being used up quickly. So, we will be providing a small container of almond milk for them to use in their coffee and the coffeemate pods will be for adults only. Parents, please monitor this situation with your children who are allowed to drink coffee. Thank you.

Vacation Church School: This year we will be having Vacation Church School in conjunction with Holy Resurrection and Holy Trinity/St. John the Theologian Orthodox Churches May 30-June 1. VCS will be held at Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in Clinton and will begin Thursday, May 30th, starting at 8:45 a.m. and ending at 12:30 p.m. Please bring your child into the Fellowship Hall at Holy Resurrection. Please do not drop off any child. You will pick up your child from the same location. Snacks and a light lunch will be served. Your child will need an old shirt or t-shirt to wear during craft time. They will also be donating to the food pantry at the Four C’s in Clinton, so please send some boxed or canned goods each day for the food box. Please complete and send in the registration forms to Kari East, Elizabeth Root, Daniel Root, Elise Graham, Maddy Dietrich or Susan Ainsworth.

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.

There will be an icon writing workshop at Holy Resurrection July 8-13. The iconographer who will be teaching this class is Theodoros Papadopoulos. Tuition for this class is $780. For further information and enrollment, please visit the website http://www.theodoreicons.com/clinton. Holy Resurrection is only providing space for this class.

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.

* Wednesday Catechumen Class resumes on May 22nd, beginning at 5:20 p.m.

* Vacation Church School May 30 – June 1 at Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in Clinton.

* Remaining Stewpot date for 2024 will be November 30th.

Fasting Discipline for May

There is no fasting of any kind during Bright Week which follows Pascha (May 6-11).

The Holy Synod of Antioch has given instruction that there will be no fasting during the entirety of the Paschal Season.

Major Commemorations for May

May 12 Thomas Sunday

May 19 Sunday of the Holy Myrrh-bearers

May 21 Sts. Constantine and Helen

May 25 The Forerunner (3rd Discovery)

May 26 Sunday of the Paralytic

Quotable: “Yesterday I was crucified with Him; today I am glorified with Him.

Yesterday I died with Him; today I am made alive with Him.

Yesterday I was crucified with Him; today I am glorified with Him.

Yesterday I died with Him; today I am made alive with Him.

Yesterday I was buried with Him; today I am raised up with Him.

Let us offer to Him Who suffered and rose again for us . . . ourselves, the possession most precious to

God and most proper.

Let us become like Christ, since Christ became like us.

Let us become Divine for His sake, since for us He became Man.

He assumed the worse that He might give us the better.

He became poor that by His poverty we might become rich.

He accepted the form of a servant that we might win back our freedom.

He came down that we might be lifted up.

He was tempted that through Him we might conquer.

He was dishonored that He might glorify us.

He died that He might save us.

He ascended that He might draw to Himself us, who were thrown down through the fall of sin.

Let us give all, offer all, to Him who gave Himself a Ransom and Reconciliation for us.

We needed an incarnate God, a God put to death, that we might live.

We were put to death together with Him that we might be cleansed.

We rose again with Him because we were put to death with Him.

We were glorified with Him because we rose again with Him.

A few drops of Blood recreate the whole of creation!”

—St Gregory the Theologian, Easter Orations

Worship: Sunday, May 19, 2024 (Sunday of the Holy Myrrh-bearers)

Scripture: Acts 6:1-7; Mark 15:43-16:8

Celebrant: Father Herman

Epistle Reader: Katie Miller

Prosphora: Karam

Coffee Hour: Dansereau/Alaeetawi