September 1, 2024

Beginning of the Indiction: Ecclesiastical New Year

September 1 marks the beginning of the ecclesiastical year. The liturgical year is a body of sacred “signs” which have a present effect. Each liturgical feast renews and actualizes the event of which it is the symbol; it takes the event out of the past and makes it immediate; it offers us the appropriate grace; it becomes the “effectual sign.” The liturgical year is a special means of union with Christ. Every Eucharist unites us intimately with Christ, for in it He is “both He who offers and He who is offered.” Every prayer, being the prayer of the members of the mystical body, shares in the prayer of Him who is the Head of the Body and the only One whose prayer is perfect. We are called to relive the whole life of Christ: from Christmas to Easter, from Easter to Pentecost, we are exhorted to unite ourselves to Christ in his birth and in his growth, to Christ suffering, to Christ dying, to Christ in triumph and to Christ inspiring His Church. The liturgical year forms Christ in us; the liturgical year is Christ Himself, annus est Christus. It includes the cycle of feasts of the saints, the glorified members of the body of Christ. Their sanctity is but an aspect, a shining ray of the holiness of Christ Himself. To celebrate the feast of a saint is to celebrate a special grace that flows from Christ to that saint and so to us. In the same way that the feasts of our Lord in a mysterious way renew the events of His life, so the feasts of the saints make their lives, their merits and their deaths mysteriously actual. Commemorations of the martyrs renew the grace of their violent deaths, so that, as these were a participation in the passion of Christ, this passion is relived in remembering the martyrs. The liturgical year has but one and the same object, Jesus Christ; whether we contemplate Him directly or through the members of His body. Great graces and great spiritual opportunities are offered us during the course of the liturgical year. It provides a frame and support for Christian piety; it gives it a style which is sober and objective; it maintains a bond of unity among believers. Above all, it communicates an inspiration and transmits a life. It acquires its true meaning to the extent that it becomes an adoration in spirit, in truth.

(Excerpted and paraphrased from The Year of Grace of the Lord)

I Timothy 2:1-7: Timothy, my son, first of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way. This is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony to which was borne at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

Luke 4:16-22: At that time, Jesus came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and He went to the synagogue, as His custom was, on the Sabbath day. And He stood up to read; and there was given to Him the book of the prophet Isaiah. Jesus opened the book and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor and to heal the broken hearted. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” And Jesus closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke well of Him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth.

Troparion of the Resurrection: The stone being sealed by the Jews, and thy pure body being guarded by the soldiers, thou didst arise on the third day, O Saviour, granting life to the world. Wherefore, the heavenly powers acclaimed thee, O Giver of life, crying, Glory to thy Resurrection, O Christ! Glory to thy kingdom! Glory to thy gracious providence, O only Lover of mankind.

Troparion for the Indiction: O Maker of all creation, Who hast established the times and seasons in Thine own power: bless the crown of this year with Thy goodness, O Lord, and keep our rulers and Thy flock in peace, by the intercessions of the Theotokos, and save us.

Troparion of the Synaxis of the Theotokos: Rejoice, thou who art full of grace, O Virgin Theotokos, haven and protection of the race of man; for the Redeemer of the world became incarnate of thee; for thou alone art both mother and virgin, ever blessed and glorified. Intercede with Christ God that peace be granted unto all the world.

Troparion for the Righteous Simeon the Stylite: Thou becamest a pillar of patience and didst emulate the Forefathers, O righteous one: Job in his sufferings, Joseph in temptations, and the life of the bodiless while in the body. O Simeon, our righteous Father, intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.

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 for the Indiction: O God of all, Thou Who hast made all the ages, O Sovereign Lord, truly transcendent in essence, bestow Thy grace and blessing on the year to come; and, O Most Compassionate, in Thine infinite mercy save all them that worship Thee, Who alone art our Master, and that with fear, O Savior, cry to Thee: Grant unto all men a fruitful and godly year.

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, September 1 (Indiction of the Ecclesiastical Year)

8:50 a.m. – Orthros

10:00 a.m. – Divine Liturgy (webcast)

Monday, September 2

Father Herman off

Tuesday, September 3

NO Services

Wednesday, September 4

6:30 p.m. – Daily Vespers

Thursday, September 5

NO Services

11:00 a.m. – Men’s Lunch

Friday, September 6 (Miracle of the Archangel Michael)

NO Services

Saturday, September 7

4:30 p.m. – Choir Practice

6:00 p.m. – Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia

Sunday, September 8 (Nativity of the Theotokos)

8:50 a.m. – Orthros

9:00 a.m. – Christian Education

10:00 a.m. – Divine Liturgy (webcast)

12:00 p.m. – POT LUCK MEAL

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

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

Eucharist Bread Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

September 1 Algood Miller/Alaeetawi

September 7 (Sat. p.m.) Meadows (Artoklasia Bread)

September 8 Schelver POT LUCK MEAL

(Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos) Ellis/Zouboukos/Waites

September 14 (Sat. a.m.) Jones D. Root/Lively

(Feast of the Elevation of the Cross)

September 15 Davis Dansereau/Weatherly

September 22 D. Root Lasseter/Pacurari/Lavric

September 29 Karam Lockhart/Karam/Snell

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#

September 1 Walt Wood I Tim. 2:1-7 303

September 8 Reader Basil Baker Gal. 6:11-18 198

September 14 (Sat. a.m.) Reader Chad Miller I Cor. 1:18-24 311

September 15 Brandon Strain Gal. 2:16-20 193

September 22 Katie Miller I Cor. 16:13-24 152

September 29 Mary Martha Ellis II Cor. 1:21-2:4 158

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; Marilyn (Kyriake) Snell; Jack and Jill Weatherly; Sh. Charlotte Algood and their family; Reader Basil and Brenda Baker and their family; Fr. Joseph Bittle; Rick Carlton; Very Rev. Fr. Nicholas and Kh. Jan Speier; Lee Greene; Joseph, Amanda and Hunter Hines; Fr. John and Kh. Janet Henderson and their family; Galina Singletary; Emily and Cole Parker; Dane and Stephanie Skirtech.

Antidoron (Greek meaning “instead of the gifts”) is the blessed bread partaken of as a ‘fast breaker’ and an extra blessing after receiving Holy Communion. It is remaining bread from the loaf used in the pre-Liturgy service preparing the bread on the diskos and the wine in the chalice. This ‘extra’ bread is blessed during the hymn to the Theotokos during the Anaphora of the Divine Liturgy. Importantly, it is NOT consecrated to become the Body of Christ — and must be carefully distinguished from that — but NEVERTHELESS, we must do our best to treat it with due reverence and care.

Portions that are uneaten are disposed of by being placed outside where they are consumed by the elements or by animals. Unfortunately, we have recently been seeing an increase in crumbs being found on the nave floor after Divine Liturgy. Parents, please help the young ones to be careful to consume their pieces of antidoron completely, and, if crumbs should fall, be proactive in picking them up and placing them on the ground outside.

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.

Beginning TODAY, we will discontinue our parish practice of venerating the Cross during the recessional at the end of the Divine Liturgy.

Father Herman and Family will be out of town September 2-7. If you need a priest during that time, please call one of the other priests.

We will be showing the documentary film Sacred Alaska at Mississippi College on Friday evening, November 1st, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The date was changed from the original date selected to accommodate MC’s student schedule and also MC’s Homecoming celebration. Further details will be available in the very near future.

NO children are allowed to be in the pantry or in the refrigerator and children under the age of 12 are not allowed in the kitchen without the presence of a parent or a responsible adult. Children under the age of 12 are not allowed to access the icemaker. Parents, we ask for your assistance with enforcing this policy. Thank you.

** We ask that families go through the Coffee Hour line together, so that children are under the supervision of their parents. **

The 2024 Fall Retreat will be held September 20-21 and will be hosted by St. Ignatius in Franklin, TN. Registration opened recently. Early Bird special will run until September 4th, after that the price for the retreat will increase. So please make sure you register before Septmber 4th! The link for registration was emailed out by Fr. Herman this past week as well. If you did not receive it, please let him know as soon as possible. Hope to see you all there!

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. However, we will NOT have the Akathist on September 14th due to Orthros and Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Elevation of the Cross.

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

* We will celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos with Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia on Saturday evening, beginning at 6:00 p.m. with Festal Orthros and Divine Liturgy for the feast on Sunday morning at the usual times.

* The Feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross will be celebrated with Festal Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy on Saturday morning, September 14th, beginning at 9:00 a.m.

* The Ladies of St. Peter will meet during Coffee Hour on Sunday, September 15th.

* The Diocesan Fall Retreat will be held September 20-21 at St. Ignatius in Franklin, TN.

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

Fasting Discipline for September

The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month. The feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross on September 14th is also a strict fast day.

Major Commemorations for September

September 1 Indiction of the Ecclesiastical New Year

September 6 Miracle of the Archangel Michael

September 8 Nativity of the Theotokos

September 9 Righteous Joachim and Anna

September 13 Dedication of the Church of the Anastasis

September 14 Elevation of the Precious Cross

September 23 Conception of the Forerunner

September 24 Proto-martyr Thekla

September 26 Apostle John the Theologian (repose)

September 28 Venerable Chariton

Quotable: “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because I see everything else.”

C. S. Lewis

Worship: Sunday, September 8, 2024 (Nativity of the Theotokos)

Scripture: Galatians 6:11-18; John 3:13-17

Epistle Reader: Reader Basil Baker

Prosphora: Schelver

Coffee Hour: POT LUCK MEAL

Ellis/Zouboukos/Waites