September 15, 2024

Sunday after the Elevation of the Holy Cross

Galatians 2:16-20: Brethren, you know that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified. But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were found to be sinners, is Christ then an agent of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again those things which I tore down, then I prove myself a transgressor. For I through the Law died to the Law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ Who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Mark 8:34-9:1: The Lord said, “If any man would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” And He said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Kingdom of God come with power.”

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 15 (Sunday after the Elevation of the Cross)

8:50 a.m. – Orthros

9:00 a.m. – Christian Education

10:00 a.m. – Divine Liturgy (webcast)

Monday, September 16

Father Herman off

Tuesday, September 17

NO Services

Wednesday, September 18

6:30 p.m. – Daily Vespers

Thursday, September 19

NO Services

Friday, September 20

NO Services

Saturday, September 21

8:30 a.m. – Workday at the Church

4:30 p.m. – Choir Practice

6:00 p.m. – Great Vespers

Sunday, September 22 (Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

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 Joneses for the Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Elevation of the Cross yesterday morning and by the Davises for the Divine Liturgy this morning.

Eucharist Bread Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

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 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.

His Grace, Bishop NICHOLAS will be visiting St. Peter again on October 20-21st. He will be in Vicksburg earlier that week-end and will come to us following the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy there on Sunday. More details will be available in the future.

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. The link for registration was emailed out by Fr. Herman recently 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.

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

* The Ladies of St. Peter will meet during Coffee Hour TODAY.

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

* MARK YOUR CALENDARS: His Grace, Bishop NICHOLAS will be visiting St. Peter October 20-21st.

* 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 23 Conception of the Forerunner

September 24 Proto-martyr Thekla

September 26 Apostle John the Theologian (repose)

September 28 Venerable Chariton

Quotable: “That whoever wishes to be deemed worthy of the gift of noetic prayer must ask God for it with a fervent heart, living a noble, pure, blameless, and toilsome life; and he should continue his supplication to God even if he does not receive it quickly until he does receive it from the Father of lights, for God oftentimes does not immediately give what one asks for in order for the supplicant’s enduring patience to be manifested, and thus he will become even more fervent than before”

-The Watchful Mind, A Monk of Mount Athos

Worship: Sunday, September 22, 2024 (Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Scripture: I Corinthians 16:13-24; Luke 5:1-11

Epistle Reader: Katie Miller

Prosphora: D. Root

Coffee Hour: Lasseter/Pacurari/Lavric