Sunday, November 1, 2026
Holy Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian of Asia
Holy Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian of Asia
The Holy Wonderworkers and Unmercenary Physicians Cosmas and Damian and their mother Saint Theodota were natives of Asia Minor (some sources say Mesopotamia). Their pagan father died while they were still small children, and their mother raised them in Christian piety. Trained and skilled as physicians, they received from the Holy Spirit the gift of healing people’s illnesses of body and soul by the power of prayer. They even treated animals. With fervent love for both God and neighbor, they never took payment for their services. Many miracles were worked after the death of the holy unmercenaries. The venerable relics of the holy brothers were buried together at Thereman (Mesopotamia).
THE EPISTLE:
(For Ss. Cosmas and Damian of Asia)
In the saints that are in His earth hath the Lord been wondrous. I beheld the Lord ever before me.
I Corinthians (12:27-13:8) Brethren, you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the Church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.
THE GOSPEL:
(For the Fifth Sunday of Luke)
Luke (16:19-31) The Lord said, “There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
APOLYTIKIA AND THEOTOKIA:
Troparion of the Resurrection: Let us worship the Word, O ye faithful, praising Him * that with the Father and Spirit is cobeginningless God, * Who was born of a pure Virgin that we all be saved; * for he was pleased to mount the Cross * in the flesh that He assumed, accepting thus to endure death. * And by His glorious rising, He also willed to resurrect the dead.
Troparion of Sts. Cosmas and Damien of Asia: O ye silver-hating, wonderworking saints, Cosmas and Damian, visit our sicknesses. Freely ye received, freely give unto us.
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.
Special Announcements and News
New Church Directory: We are in the process of updating the St. Peter church directory. We ask everyone—including long-standing members, new members, catechumens, and inquirers—to fill out a new information sheet. We also want to include photos of you and your family. The easiest way to share your photo is to email (stpetersecretary01) or text (210-912-2030) it to the contact information on the form. Please place your completed information form in the box located on the foyer table, or hand it directly to Jenny Rodriguez. Both the forms and photos must be submitted no later than November 1, 2026, to ensure you are included in the new directory.
We will be serving for Stewpot on Saturday, November 7. If you would like to volunteer to help serve, please meet at 11:30 a.m. at 1100 W Capitol St, Jackson, MS 39203.
St. Peter Orthodox Church is blessed to have four members of the Antiochian Archdiocese National Choir. The National Choir will gather in Washington, D.C., for its Winter Concert, with daily rehearsals beginning December 10 and culminating in a concert on Saturday, December 12, at 3:00 p.m. Please keep our choir members and all participants in your prayers as they prepare for this special event, and please prayerfully consider a donation to help support their participation and to offset travel costs. Be sure to write “Choir” on your donation checks. Or if you prefer to donate online, please be sure to select “Choir fund” under Designation.
His Grace Bishop Nichoals will be visiting on November 14 and 17. During His visit, Vespers with Bishop Nichoals will be held at St. George in Vicksburg on Saturday, November 14 at 5:00 p.m. There will be no Vespers that evening at St. Peter. Fr. Herman and Dn Richard will be assisting in the Hierarchal Divine Liturgy at St. George on Sunday morning, November 15 at 10:30 a.m. (Please RSVP to the phone number on the flier included if you plan on attending any of their service with His Grace, Bishop Nicholas.) Fr. James will be heading the Divine Liturgy at St. Peter that day.
Sunday Evening, November 15, at 5:00 p.m., we will have Great Vespers here at St Peter with His Grace. Grady Fisher and Brandon Strain will be tonsured as Readers at that time. Congratulations and Many Years to them both!
If you have not already and would like to opt in for receiving text messages from Saint Peter Orthodox Church via your phone – please add your name, e-mail, phone number and check "Yes" in the checkbox to the sign-up sheet on the Fellowship Hall table. Clearstream provides the group text messaging for us and the church text number is on the signup sheet if you would like to add that to your contact list. The purpose for the group text is to provide important and timely information pertaining to church services and activities."
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. St Peter has also set up an option to donate through our website via the QR code included in the bulletin or by going to http://stpeterorthodox.org.
As a friendly reminder: NO Food or drinkshould be brought into the Nave. Especially during the Divine Services. We must always bear in mind that we are standing in the presence of the Holy Trinity during our worship. Being respectful of that and of those who have fasted for the partaking of the Holy Eucharist during Divine Liturgy, and to make sure our Nave stays clean and pleasing to God. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation with this.
Please remember the following in your prayers:
Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Mary Greene (Lee and Kh. Sharon’s sister); Jay and Joanna
Davis; Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver and family; Jack and Jill Weatherly; Dn.Terry Algood and their family; Fr. John and Kh. Janet Henderson and their family
This Week’s Calendar
Sunday, November 1, 2026 (Sts. Cosmas and Damien of Asia)
8:50 AM – Orthros
9:00 AM – Christian Education
10:00 AM – Divine Liturgy
12:30 PM – Catechesis
Monday, November 2, 2026
Fr. Herman Off
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
No Services
Wednesday, November 4, 2026
6:30 PM – Daily Vespers
Thursday, November 5, 2026
11:00 AM – Men’s Lunch
No Services
Friday, November 6, 2026 (St Rapael, Bishop of Brooklyn)
6:30 PM – Great Vespers w/ Litia & Artoklasia
11:30 AM – Stewpot
6:00 PM – Great Vespers
Sunday, November 8, 2026 (The Synaxis of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and
all the bodiless powers of Heaven)
8:50 AM – Orthros
9:00 AM – Christian Education
10:00 AM – Divine Liturgy
12:00 PM – Potluck
Please make sure to check and subscribe to the Google calendar for all updated services and events at the parish
Upcoming Events
* The men of the parish meet for lunch at 11:00 a.m. on the first Thursday of the month.
* The men will also meet for every third Saturday of the month at 8:30 at Primos
* The Ladies meet for dining once a month. Date and time to be determined.
* November 21: Entrance of the Theotokos Orthros and Divine Liturgy at 9:00 a.m.
COFFEE HOUR AND POTLUCKS:
The next potluck is scheduled Sunday, November 8, 2026.
Potluck Meals: Everyone who attends the potluck meals is encouraged to bring a dish to share. This is to ensure that there is enough food for all to partake. This also applies to the Festal Liturgies that may be served during the week and the Soup Suppers after Presanctified Liturgies during Lent. Parents, please accompany your children through the line. Thank you all for your help with this.
As a friendly reminder, in regards to coffee hour, the church will provide snacks and beverages. 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. Coffee hour is not meant to be a meal, but a means to break the fast with a snack and visit with each other. * Please be sure kids are not getting ice in the kitchen without adult supervision. *
Eucharist Schedule:
The Eucharist Bread was provided by the Algoods for the Divine Liturgy this morning.
Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour
November 1 Algood Kumar/Jimmy Jones
November 6 (Fri. p.m.) Anastasia No Coffee Hour
Feast of Raphael, (Artoklasia)
Bishop of Brooklyn
November 8 Jones Pigott/Ian Jones
Potluck
November 15 Meadows Dansereau/Alaeetawi
November 21 (Sat a.m.) D. Root Meadows/Brock
Entrance of the Theotokos
November 22 Karam Winstead/Stewart
November 29 Brock Ellis/Zouboukos
Epistle Readers Schedule:
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#
November 1 Ian Jones I Cor 12:27-13:8 329
November 8 Kh. Sharon Meadows Heb 2:2-10 332
November 15 Katie Miller Eph 2:14-22 207
November 21 (Sat a.m.) Grady Fisher Heb 9:1-11 337
November 22 Mary Martha Ellis Eph 2:14-22 212
November 29 Reader Basil Baker Eph 5:8-19 217
Greeter Schedule:
Please arrive at the Parish by 9:45 a.m. to greet everyone coming in.
Greeter
November 1 Kyriaki Snell
November 8 Dane Skirtech
November 15 Andrew Spiehler
November 22 Charlotte Algood
November 29 Jenny Rodriguez
Fasting Discipline for November
In November, the traditional fast (Abstain from meat, dairy, eggs, fish, olive oil, wine) is observed on Mondays and Wednesday, with exceptions on 11, 13, and 25 when olive oil and wine are allowed. (See Major Commemorations) The Fast of the Nativity begins on November 15 and ends on December 24.
Major Commemorations for November
November 1 Cosmas and Damian of Asia
November 3 Dedication of the Church of St. George
November 7 Raphael, Bishop of Brooklyn
November 8 Archangel Michael & the other Bodiless Powers: Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Salaphiel, Jegudiel, & Barachiel
November 9 Nektarios of Pentapolis
November 13 John Chrysostom (repose)
November 14 Apostle Phillip
November 16 Apostle Matthew
November 21 Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple
November 25 Great martyrs Catherine and Mercurios
November 30 Apostle Andrew, the First-called
Quote
“Obedience breaks down many barriers. You achieve freedom and peace as your heart practices non-resistance. You show obedience, and thorny hedges give way before you. Then love has open space in which to move about. By obedience you crush your pride, your desire to contradict, your self-wisdom and stubbornness that imprison you within the hard shell. Inside that shell you cannot meet the God of love and freedom. Thus, make it a habit to rejoice when an opportunity for obedience offers.”
Tito Colliander, Way of the Ascetics
Next Week’s Schedule:
Sunday, November 8, 2026 (The Synaxis of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and
all the bodiless powers of Heaven)
Scripture: I Cor 12:27-13:8; Luke 16:19-31
Epistle Reader: Ian Jones
Prosphora: Algood
Coffee Hour: Kumar/Jimmy Jones