October 13, 2024
Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council
Todaythe Church remembers the 350 holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council under the holy Patriarch Tarasius (February 25). The Council of 787, the second to meet at Nicea, refuted the Iconoclast heresy during the reign of Empress Irene and her son Constantine Porphyrogenitos.
The council decreed that the veneration of icons was not idolatry (Exodus 20:4-5), because the honor shown to them is not directed to the wood or paint, but passes to the prototype (the person depicted). It also upheld the possibility of depicting Christ, Who became man and took flesh at His Incarnation. The Father, on the other hand, cannot be represented in His eternal nature, because “no man has seen God at any time” (John 1:18).
Titus 3:8-15: Titus, my son, faithful is the saying, and concerning these things I desire you to affirm confidently, that those who have believed in God may be thoughtful of how to preside in honorable occupations. These things are good and profitable to men. But avoid foolish disputes, and genealogies, and contentions, and controversies about the Law; for they are unprofitable and vain. A man who is a heretic after the first and second admonition reject, knowing that such a one is subverted, and sins, being self-condemned. When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicós, give diligence to come to me to Nicopolis; for I have determined to winter there. Set forward Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that they may be lacking in nothing. And let our people also learn how to preside in honorable occupations, so as to help in cases of urgent need, that they should not be unfruitful. All who are with me salute you. Salute those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.
Luke 8:5-15: The Lord spoke this parable: “A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the path, and was trodden under foot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew, and yielded a hundredfold.” And when His Disciples asked Him what this parable meant, Jesus said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience.” As Jesus said this, He called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Troparion of the Resurrection: Thou didst shatter death by thy Cross; thou didst open paradise to the thief; thou didst turn the mourning of the ointment-bearing women into joy, and didst bid thine Apostles proclaim warning that thou hast risen, O Christ, granting the world Great Mercy.
Troparion of the Holy Fathers: Thou, O Christ, art our God of exceeding praise who didst establish our holy Fathers as luminous stars upon earth, and through them didst guide us unto the true Faith, O most merciful One, glory to thee.
Troparion of St. Jacob of Hamatoura: Thou didst flourish like Lebanon’s cedar, with no fear thou didst suffer martyrdom, thou becamest, O saint Jacob, a true victor. For thou didst conquer death with thy mortal flesh, when thou didst tame all the passions by humility. And while burning like incense as a true sacrifice, thou intercedest with Christ to grant us all 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 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, October 13 (Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council)
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
Monday, October 14
Father Herman off
Tuesday, October 15
NO Services
Wednesday, October 16
NO Daily Vespers
Thursday, October 17
NO Services
Friday, October 18 (Holy Apostle Luke)
NO Services
Saturday, October 19
8:30 a.m. – Workday at the Church
4:30 p.m. – Choir Practice
5:00 p.m. – Catechism Class
6:00 p.m. – Great Vespers
Sunday, October 20 (Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost)
8:50 a.m. – Orthros
9:00 a.m. – Christian Education
10:00 a.m. – Divine Liturgy (webcast)
5:20 p.m. – Formal Reception of Bishop NICHOLAS
5:30 p.m. – Vespers
6:30 p.m. – Men’s Meeting with Bishop NICHOLAS and DOMSE AMEN
President Michael Baclig in the Fellowship Hall
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Dn. Richard Roots for the Divine Liturgy this morning.
Eucharist Bread Schedule:
Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour
October 13 R. Root POT LUCK MEAL
Algood/Karam/Snell
October 20 Pacurari Pigott/Ian Jones
October 27 Lasseter Ken Jones/Stewart
November 2 (Sat. a.m.) Baker Meadows/Brock
(St. Raphael of Brooklyn)
November 3 Henderson Dansereau/Alaeetawi
November 10 Algood POT LUCK MEAL
D. Root/Lively
November 17 Schelver Ellis/Zouboukos/Waites
November 20 (Wed. p.m.) (Artos) NO Meal
(Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple – Great Vespers with Litia & Artoklasia)
November 24 Jones Miller/Weatherly
October is Teen SOYO Month in our Archdiocese. Teens will be reading the Epistle at the Divine Liturgy during this month.
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#
October 13 Sophie Dansereau Titus 3:8-15 322
October 20 Simeon Root II Cor. 6:16-7:1 173
October 27 Michel Root II Cor. 9:6-11 178
November 2 (Sat. a.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows Heb. 7:26-8:2 334
November 3 Ian Jones II Cor. 11:31-12:9 183
November 10 Brenda Baker Gal. 1:11-19 188
November 17 Walt Wood Gal. 2:16-20 193
November 24 Reader Basil Baker Gal. 6:11-18 198
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; 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.
Father Herman will be at the Knucklehead Family Reunion October 14-17.
There will be NO Daily Vespers on Wednesday, October 16th.
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. His schedule (subject to change) will be as follows:
Sunday, October 20
1:00 p.m. – Pick up from St. George Vicksburg
5:20 p.m. – Formal Reception of the Bishop
5:30 p.m. – Vespers
6:30 p.m. – Men’s Meeting with Bishop NICHOLAS and DOMSE AMEN
President Michael Baclig in the Fellowship Hall
Monday, October 21
10:00 a.m. – Orthros
11:15 a.m. – Clergy Lunch with Bishop NICHOLAS at Bulldog Burger
5:30 p.m. – Parish Council Dinner with Bishop NICHOLAS (location TBA)
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.
Posters for our Showing of Sacred Alaska have been placed on the bureau in the foyer. If you have a location at which these can be put up, please feel free to take one, or a few, to do so.
Fasting Discipline for October
The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.
Major Commemorations for October
October 18 Holy Apostle Luke
October 23 Holy Apostle James, Brother of the Lord
October 26 Great-martyr Demetrios
Fall Festival: Our annual Fall Festival is scheduled for Saturday, October 26th. We will not have Chor Practice, Catechism Class or Great Vespers that day. Anna Kathryn has placed two sign-up sheets in the Fellowship Hall – one for people who will be coming and another for people who are willing to help with activities. More details will be available shortly
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.
* Knucklehead Family Reunion in Arkansas, October 11-17th.
* The annual Fall Festival is scheduled for Saturday, October 26th. More details later.
* MARK YOUR CALENDARS: His Grace, Bishop NICHOLAS will be visiting St. Peter October 20-21st.
* Sacred Alaska documentary showing at Mississippi College, Friday, November 1st, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
* Remaining Stewpot date for 2024 will be November 30th.
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. **
Quotable: “Christians, have we understood the great responsibility that we have taken on before God through baptism? Have we come to know that we must conduct ourselves as children of God, that we must align our will with the will of God, that we must remain free from sin, that we must love God with all our hearts and always patiently await union with Him? Have we thought about the fact that our heart should be so filled with love that it should overflow to our neighbor? Do we have the feeling that we must become holy and perfect, children of God and heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven? We must struggle for this, so that we may not be shown unworthy and rejected. Let none of us lose our boldness, nor neglect our duties, nor be afraid of the difficulties of spiritual struggle. For we have God as a helper, who strengthens us in the difficult path of virtue.”
St. Nektarios of Aegina
Worship: Sunday, October 20, 2024 (Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost)
Scripture: II Cor. 6:16-7:1; Luke 8:26-39
Epistle Reader: Simeon Root
Prosphora: Pacurari
Coffee Hour: Pigott/Ian Jones