Sunday, August 24, 2025

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

I Corinthians 9:2-12: Brethren, you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defense to those who would examine me. Do we not have the right to our food and drink? Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a wife, as the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? Do I say this on human authority? Does not the law say the same? For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of a share in the crop. If we have sown spiritual good among you, is it too much if we reap your material benefits? If others share this rightful claim upon you, do not we still more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the Gospel of Christ.

Matthew 18:23-35: The Lord spoke this parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also My heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Troparion of the Resurrection: When thou, O immortal Life, didst humble thyself unto death, then didst thou destroy death by the brightness of thy Godhead; and when thou didst raise the bowels of the earth, then all the heavenly powers exclaimed, O Christ, thou art the Giver of life! Glory to thee, O our God!

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 Nativity of the Theotokos: By thy holy birth-giving, O pure one, Joachim and Anne were delivered from the reproach of barrenness; and Adam and Eve were delivered from the corruption of death; thy people do celebrate it, having been saved from the stain of iniquity, crying unto thee, The barren doth give birth to the Theotokos, who nourisheth our life.

Calendar

Sunday, August 24, 2025 (11th Sunday after Pentecost)

8:50 AM – Orthros

10:00 AM – Divine Liturgy

1:00 PM – Ladies Lunch

Monday, August 25, 2025

Father Herman off

Tuesday, August 26, 2025

No Services

Wednesday, August 27, 2025

5:20 PM – Catechesis

6:30 PM – Daily Vespers

7:30 PM – Parish Council

Thursday, August 28, 2025

NO Services

Friday, August 29, 2025

No Services

Saturday, August 30, 2025

5:00 PM – Catechesis

6:00 PM – Great Vespers

Sunday, August 31, 2025 (Placing of the Sash of the Theotokos in Halkoprateia)

8:50 AM – Orthros

10:00 AM – Divine Liturgy

1:00 PM – Ladies Lunch

Special Announcements

The Eucharist Bread…was provided by the Milnors for the Divine Liturgy this morning.

Eucharist Bread Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

August 24 Milnor Ellis/Zouboukos/Waites

August 31 YAF Miller/D. Root

September 7 Baker Lasseter/Pacurari/Lavric

September 7 (Sun PM) D. Root (Artos) No Meal

(Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos)

September 14 Algood POT LUCK (Fasting Meal)

(Elevation of the Holy Cross) Karam/Snell/Meadows

September 21 Schelver Algood/Schelver

September 28 Jones Baker/Jimmy Jones/Rodriguez

Schedule for Epistle Readers – Page numbers refer to the Apostolos (book of Epistles) located on the chanters’ stand at the front of the nave. Please be sure to use book when you read.

Reader Reading Page#

August 24 Grady Fisher I Cor 9:2-12 141

August 31 Kh. Sharon Meadows Heb 9:1-7 337

September 7 Walt Wood Gal 6:11-18 198

September 7 (Sun PM) No Reader

September 14 Reader Basil Baker I Cor 1:18-24 311-312

September 21 Reader Chad Miller Gal 2:16-20 193

September 28 Brandon Strain II Cor 6:1-10 168

Potluck Meals: Everyone who attends the potluck meals during the month is encouraged to bring a dish to share with everyone. This is to ensure that there is enough food for all to partake. Over the past several months we have been running out of food before everyone has an opportunity to go through the line. This also applies to the Festal Liturgies that may be served during the week and the Soup Suppers after Presanctified Liturgies during Lent. Thank you all for your help with this.

Please remember that we still need your tithes and offerings which may be placed in the tray that is passed during 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.

The dates for the upcoming Fall Retreat at St. Ignatius in Franklin, TN are September 19-20. An email containing this information has been emailed out. Registration has not yet opened for the retreat. Once it is available this will be emailed out as well.

. We are gauging interest in two new ministries for the parish. If you are interested in being a part of the Gardening Team or the Greeter Team please sign up on the respective notepad on the bureau in the foyer of the parish

Any lady who is interested in setting up a weekly time to visit with Kh. Janet please see Sh. Charlotte. The hope is these weekly visits will help Fr. John to be able to get out to run errands or do anything he would like to do. This will also give an opportunity for Kh. Janet to stay connected to the fellowship of the parish through these visits. We would like to set up for two people to fellowship with Kh. Janet for three hours once every week. The day and time will be contingent upon Kh. Janet’s doctor and therapy appointments. These will be worked out with Fr. John through text message. So, if eight ladies are involved, this will occur one time a month, if more ladies become involved it will be less frequent. Thank you or your prayerful consideration

As a friendly reminder, in regards to coffee hour, the church will provide beef sticks, cheese cubes, crackers, cookies, and orange juice. For sponsors of baptisms/chrismations a reception may be held after the service and may have whatever food the sponsors would like to provide in celebration of this occasion. If you wish to bring a snack for your children, please be responsible for the clean up of those items. Coffee hour is not meant to be a meal, but a means to break the fast with a snack and visit with each other. Also, as a friendly reminder, please make sure kids are not getting ice in the kitchen without adult supervision.

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; 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.

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 dining on the last Tuesday of the month.

*The Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos is Monday, September 8. We will celebrate this day

on Sunday evening, September 7 with Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia beginning at

6:30pm.

* The Feast of the Elevation of the Precious Cross is on Sunday, September 14th. We will

celebrate with a fasting Pot Luck since this feast is considered a fast day.

* The DOMSE Fall Retreat will be September 19-20

* The remaining date for serving at Stewpot Ministries is Saturday, September 27th.

Fasting Discipline for August/September

The traditional fasting discipline is observed on Wednesdays and Fridays. The Feast of the Beheading of the Forerunner on Friday, August 29th and The Feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross, September 14 are also strict fast days.

Major Commemorations for August/September

August 25 Apostles Bartholomew and Titus

August 29 Beheading of the Forerunner

August 31 Deposition of the Belt of the Theotokos

September 1 Indication of the Ecclesiastical New Year

September 6 Miracle of Archangel Micael

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: “As a permanent state, repentance is an inner stance of fear of God, the remembrance of death, and—above all—humility; by which man comes to know again with sadness his infirmity, his weakness, and his nothingness before God.”

Elder Sergei of Vanves

Worship: August 31, 2025 (Placing of the Sash of the Theotokos in Halkoprateia)

Scripture: Heb. 9:1-7; Matthew 19:16-26

Epistle Reader: Kh. Sharon Meadows

Prosphora: YAF (Young Adult Fellowship)

Coffee Hour: Miller/D. Root