February 9, 2025

Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican and

Leave-taking of the Presentation (Meeting) of Christ

II Timothy 3:10-15: Timothy my son, you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions, and my sufferings; and what befell me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra. What persecutions I endured; yet from them all, the Lord rescued me. Indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceivers and deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Luke 18:10-14: The Lord spoke this parable: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank Thee that I am not like other men, extortionists, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to Heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Troparion of the Resurrection: O compassionate One, thou didst descend from the heights; thou didst submit to the three-day burial, that thou might deliver us from passion. Thou art our Life and our Resurrection, O Lord, glory to thee.

Troparion of the Presentation: Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos, full of grace; for from thee arose the Sun of justice, Christ our God, lighting those who are in darkness. Rejoice and be glad, O righteous old man, carrying in thine arms the Deliverer of our souls, who granteth us resurrection.

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 Presentation: Thou, O Christ God, who by your Birth, didst sanctify the Virgin’s womb, and as is meet, didst bless Simeon’s arms, and didst also come to save us, preserve thy fold in wars, and confirm them whom thou didst love; for thou alone art the Lover of mankind.

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.)

12:00 p.m. – Ladies of St. Peter meeting during Coffee Hour

Sunday, February 9 (Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican)

8:50 a.m. – Orthros

9:00 a.m. – Christian Education

10:00 a.m. – Divine Liturgy (webcast)

[NO Fasting this week]

Monday, February 10 (Hieromartyr Haralampos)

Father Herman off

Tuesday, February 11

NO Services

Wednesday, February 12

6:30 p.m. – Daily Vespers

Thursday, February 13

NO Services

Friday, February 14

NO Services

Saturday, February 15

4:30 p.m. – Choir Practice

6:00 p.m. – Great Vespers

Sunday, February 16 (Sunday of the prodigal Son)

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 this morning.

Eucharist Bread Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

February 9 Jones Algood/Schelver

February 16 Meadows Baker/Jimmy Jones

February 22 (Sat. a.m.) Davis Pigott/Ian Jones

(Saturday of the Souls) Koliva: Anastasia Jones

February 23 D. Root Ken Jones/Stewart

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 9 Grady Fisher II Tim. 3:10-15 258

February 16 Ian Jones I Cor. 6:12-20 265

February 22 (Sat. a.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows Thess. 4:13-17 412

February 23 Walt Wood I Cor. 8:8-9:2 273

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; Dn. Terry 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; Fr. John and Kh. Janet Henderson and their family; Galina Singletary; Emily and Cole Parker.

Fr. Herman will be out of town February 14th-17th for Winter Camp St. Thekla. If you need a priest during this time, please contact Fr. James.

St. Andrew’s Antiochian parish in Pensacola, Florida has invited our community to a Pre-Lenten Retreat they are hosting on Saturday, February 8. The speaker of this retreat will be Dr. Jeannie Constantinou. Further information on the retreat will be forthcoming. In the meantime, if you are interested in attending the retreat please see Fr. Herman.

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.

* This year’s dates for serving at Stewpot Ministries are Saturday, March 1st and Saturday, September 27th.

* Great Lent begins this year on Clean Monday, March 3rd. More details on services, etc. will available in the coming weeks.

* St. Peter will be hosting the Sunday of Orthodoxy vespers this year on Sunday afternoon, March 9th, beginning at 4:00 p.m. More information will be available very soon.

Fasting Discipline for February

The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on Wednesdays and Fridays during the first and third weeks in February. However, there is no fasting during the week following the Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican (February 9th). February 23rd is Meatfare Sunday after which meat will no longer be eaten until Pascha. During the week that follows, dairy products may be eaten on all days, including Wednesday and Friday.

Major Commemorations for February

February 9 Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican

February 10 Hieromartyr Haralampos

February 16 Sunday of the Prodigal Son

February 22 Saturday of the Souls

February 23 Meatfare Sunday

February 24 The Forerunner (1st and and Discoveries)

Seating spaces in the Nave: As a gentle reminder, please be mindful of seating spaces in the Nave during Sunday Divine Liturgy. Due to our growth over the past few years seating has become a little more limited and there has been an overflow toward the back of the Nave near the Narthex, which makes it “tight” for the clergy to make the Great Entrance. While this is a good problem to have, and until we can begin work on the new Temple, please make sure there are enough spaces available in the “seating” area of the Nave for as many people as possible. This means we may have “squtch in” on the rows. Thank you for your help in this.

Quotable: “You must never be afraid, if you are troubled by a flood of thoughts, that the enemy is too strong against you, that his attacks are never ending, that the war will last for your lifetime, and that you cannot avoid incessant downfalls of all kinds. Know that our enemies, with all their wiles, are in the hands of our divine Commander, our Lord Jesus Christ, for Whose honor and glory you are waging war. Since He himself leads you into battle, He will certainly not suffer your enemies to use violence against you and overcome you, if you do not yourself cross over to their side with your will. He will Himself fight for you and will deliver your enemies into your hands, when He wills and as He wills, as it is written: ‘The Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee’ (Deut. xxii, 14).”

+ St. Theophan the Recluse and St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain, Unseen Warfare

Worship: Sunday, February 16, 2025 (Sunday of the Prodigal Son)

Scripture: I Corinthians 6:12-20; Luke 15:11-32

Epistle Reader: Ian Jones

Prosphora: Meadows

Coffee Hour: Baker/Jimmy Jones