Sunday, June 15, 2025

Sunday of All Saints

The Church commemorates and remembers all of its saints at three times during the year; in anticipation of Christmas, at the beginning of Lent, and immediately after Pentecost. On all three days we are reminded of the unified body of God’s people and of the holiness they have achieved and for which we strive. These two things are not abnormal and removed from us; they are truth and reality. On this day we are especially reminded of the strength of the saints and their victories, and we move from the day of Pentecost, the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit, to join God’s people in our victorious procession, through purifying trial and sacrifice, to the Day of the Lord.

.

Hebrews 11:33-12:2: Brethren, all the saints through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, and turned to flight armies of the aliens. Women received their dead by resurrection, and others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. And others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, being destitute, afflicted, tormented (of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a witness through their faith, did not receive the promise, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the Author and Perfecter of our faith.

Matthew 10:32-33, 37-38; 19:27-30: The Lord said to His disciples, “Everyone who acknowledges Me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father Who is in heaven; but whoever denies Me before men, I also will deny before My Father Who is in heaven. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.” Then Peter said in reply, “Lo, we have left everything and followed Thee. What then shall we have?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the New World, when the Son of Man shall sit on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My Name’s sake, will receive a hundred fold, and inherit eternal life. But many that are first will be last, and the last first.”

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 All Saints: Thy Church, O Christ God, hast regaled herself in the blood of thy Martyrs throughout all the world, as in porphyry and purple. Through them she lifts her voice, crying, Turn with thy compassion to thy people, and grant peace to thy city, and to the souls 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 All Saints: To thee, O Lord and Author of all creation, the universe offers as first-fruits of nature the divinity-bearing Martyrs. Wherefore, by their imploring preserve thy Church in perfect safety, for the sake of the Theotokos, O most Merciful.

Calendar

Sunday, June 15 (First Sunday after Pentecost; Sunday of All Saints)

8:50 AM – Orthros

10:00 AM – Divine Liturgy

Monday, June 16

[FAST OF THE
APOSTLES BEGINS]

Father Herman off

Tuesday, June 17

No Services

Wednesday, June 18

5:20 PM – Catechism Class

6:30 PM – Daily Vespers

7:30 PM – Parish Council Meeting

Thursday, June 19

No Services

Friday, June 20

No Services

Saturday, June 21

9:00 AM – Baptism of Zach Koenigsberger

6:00 pm – Great Vespers

Sunday, June 22 (Second Sunday after Pentecost; Sunday of All Saints of Antioch)

8:50 AM -Orthros

10:00 AM -Divine Liturgy

Special Announcements

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

Eucharist Bread Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

June 15 Henderson Dansereau/Alaeetawi

June 22 Algood Ellis/Zouboukos/Waites

June 29 Schelver Baker/Lively

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#

June 15 Walt Wood Heb 11:33; 12:2 84

June 22 Ian Jones Rom. 2:10-16 90

June 29 Brenda Baker II Cor 11:21-12:9 389

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.

Also 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.

Prayers for Fr. Paul Yerger from Holy Resurrection: Please continue to keep in your God-pleasing prayers Fr. Paul. He is slowly recovering from the injuries he suffered several weeks ago due to a fall. He is currently attending physical therapy at Methodist Rehabilitation and continues to improve each day. Glory to God for all things!

Prayers for His Grace Bp. Nicholas: Please keep in your God-pleasing prayers Bp. Nicholas who underwent a “preventive measure” procedure on his heart last week. He will be recovering over the next several weeks and hopes, by your prayers, to make a speedy recovery. May God grant him many years!

Zach Koenigsberger will be baptized this coming Saturday (June 21) at 9:00 a.m. Please come help celebrate this sacrament with the soon to be illumined Zach. May God grant him Many Years!

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.

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. However, we will NOT meet on June 14th, due to the wedding scheduled for our church.

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

* The next Catechism Class will be Wedesday, June 18th, beginning at 5:20 p.m.

* The next Parish Council Meeting will be held after vespers on Wednesday, June 18th.

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

Fasting Discipline for June

The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) will be observed on the first Wednesday and Friday of the month. There will be no fasting the week following Pentecost (June 9-13). The Fast of the Apostles begins Monday, June 16th and runs through Saturday, June 28th. During this time the traditional fasting discipline will be observed on all days of the week. (However, we are permitted fish and olive oil except on Wednesdays and Fridays during the Fast)

Major Commemorations for June

June 15 Sunday of All Saints

June 22 Sunday of All Saints of Antioch

June 24 Nativity of the Forerunner

June 29 Chief Apostles Peter and Paul

June 30 Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles

Registration for the Archdiocese National Convention has also opened. It is being hosted by St George Parish in Cicero, IL (just outside of Chicago) July 20-27th. If you are interested in attending, please see Father Herman and he will get you the registration information and link.

Quotable “The enjoyment of this present life though it seems to give delight and sweetness, is well thrust from us. At the very moment of its being it ceases to be, and, like the traces of a ship passing over the sea, or a bird flying through the air, quickly disappear. But the hope of the life to come which the Christians preach is certain and quite sure; howbeit in this world it has tribulation, whereas our pleasures now are short-lived, and in the beyond they only win us correction and everlasting punishment without release. For the pleasures of life are temporary, but its pain eternal; while the Christians’ labors are temporary but their pleasure and gain immortal. Therefore, right it is to exchange the corruptible for the incorruptible.”

St. John of Damascus

Worship: Sunday, June 22, 2025 (Second Sunday after Pentecost; Sunday of All Saints

of Antioch)

Scripture: Romans 2:10-16; Matthew 4:18-23

Epistle Reader: Ian Jones

Prosphora: Algood

Coffee Hour: Ken Jones/Stewart

Sunday, June 8, 2025

Holy Pentecost

In several senses, Pentecost marks for us the end of many months of anticipation, commemoration, and celebration and the beginning of the fullness of the life and faith we share. It is a day bringing our focus on the Holy Spirit, the embodiment of divine grace, the supreme gift, the ongoing presence of God in our lives; yet, it is a day directing us to the praise of the Trinity, the three divine persons, and the historical and spatial relationship God’s people have with Him. For the disciples, the day marks their spiritual maturity. Their faith began in their nationality, for they were of the nation that God the Father chose to glorify Him. The faith was completed in their confrontation with God the Son, through His presence and the nourishment He gave. The fullness of the faith came with the coming in power of God the Spirit. The disciples had grown in spirit and were ready for their work; the birth of the Church was imminent; the Bride was to be made ready. In the cycle of the calendar, we now stand ready to do likewise, and all weeks from now until our preparation for Advent are the weeks of Pentecost. In the picture of the birth of the Church there are symbols beyond mention here; the unity in the common tongue, the Light that shines brighter than day, the bold proclamation to all men of the Gospel. We look forward from this day to weeks without special celebrations, to days without reference to past days of enormous import–to normal, uneventful days. But these are not uneventful days; they are the days for which we have prepared, the days of the Church, the days of our maturity and growth, the days when, through the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit, we run the good race and cross the finish to bring praise and glory to our glorious God, the eternal Trinity.

Acts 2:1-11: When the day of Pentecost had come, the Disciples were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. And they were amazed and wondered, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”

John. 7:37-52; 8:12: On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.’” Now this He said about the Spirit, which those who believed in Him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. When they heard these words, many of the people said, “This is really the prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” So there was a division among the people over Him. Some of them wanted to arrest Him, but no one laid hands on Him. The officers then went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring Him?” The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this man!” The Pharisees answered them, “Are you led astray, you also? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in Him? But this crowd, who do not know the Law, are accursed.” Nicodemus, who had gone to Him before, and who was one of them, said to them, “Does our Law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee.” Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

Troparion of Pentecost: Blessed art thou, O Christ our God, who hast revealed the fishermen as most wise, having sent upon them the Holy Spirit, and through them thou hast fished the universe, O Lover of mankind, glory to thee.

Kontakion of Pentecost: When the high One descended, confusing tongues, he divided the nations. And when he distributed the fiery tongues he called all to one unity. Wherefore, in unison we glorify the most Holy Spirit.

Calendar

Sunday, June 8

8:50 AM -Orthros

10:00 AM – Divine Liturgy

12:00 PM – PICNIC POT LUCK MEAL

6:30 PM – Great Vespers with Kneeling Prayers of Pentecost

Monday, June 9

[NO FASTING THIS
WEEK]

Father Herman off

Tuesday, June 10

No Services

Wednesday, June 11

[PLC BEGINS]

6:30 PM -Daily Vespers

Thursday, June 12

No Services

Friday, June 13

No Services

Saturday, June 14

2:00 pm -Williford/McMillan Wedding

Sunday, June 15

6:00 PM -Great Vespers

Special Announcements

The Eucharist Bread…was provided by the Milnors for the Divine Liturgy of the Saturday of the Souls yesterday morning, and by the Bakers for the Divine Liturgy this morning. The Koliva for the Saturday of the Souls was provided by the Dn. Richard Roots.

Eucharist Bread Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

June 8 Baker PICNIC POT LUCK

Pigott/Ian Jones/Meadows/Brock

June 15 Henderson Dansereau/Alaeetawi

June 22 Algood Ellis/Zouboukos/Waites

June 29 Schelver Baker/Lively

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#

June 8 Grady Fisher Acts 2:1-11 77

June 15 Walt Wood Heb 11:33; 12:2 84

June 22 Ian Jones Rom. 2:10-16 90

June 29 Brenda Baker II Cor 11:21-12:9 389

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.

Also 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.

Prayers for Fr. Paul Yerger from Holy Resurrection: Please continue to keep in your God-pleasing prayers Fr. Paul. He is slowly recovering from the injuries he suffered several weeks ago due to a fall. He is currently attending physical therapy at Methodist Rehabilitation and continues to improve each day. Glory to God for all things!

Prayers for His Grace Bp. Nicholas: Please keep in your God-pleasing prayers Bp. Nicholas who underwent a “preventive measure” procedure on his heart last week. He will be recovering over the next several weeks and hopes, by your prayers, to make a speedy recovery. May God grant him many years!

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. However, we will NOT meet on June 14th, due to the wedding scheduled for our church.

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

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

* The Feast of Pentecost will be celebrated today with a PICNIC POT LUCK

following the Liturgy.

Fasting Discipline for June

The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) will be observed on the first Wednesday and Friday of the month. There will be no fasting the week following Pentecost (June 9-13). The Fast of the Apostles begins Monday, June 16th and runs through Saturday, June 28th. During this time the traditional fasting discipline will be observed on all days of the week. (However, we are permitted fish and olive oil except on Wednesdays and Fridays during the Fast)

Major Commemorations for June

June 8 Pentecost/

Theodore the General (transfer of relics)

June 11 Apostles Bartholomew & Barnabas

June 15 Sunday of All Saints

June 22 Sunday of All Saints of Antioch

June 24 Nativity of the Forerunner

June 29 Chief Apostles Peter and Paul

June 30 Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles

Registration for the Archdiocese National Convention has also opened. It is being hosted by St George Parish in Cicero, IL (just outside of Chicago) July 20-27th. If you are interested in attending, please see Father Herman and he will get you the registration information and link.

Quotable: “This Pentecostal season could be for each of us, as it should be, a time for re-creation and renewal. It could lead to an illuminating f the heart and mind that enables us to see ourselves as we truly are, and to love our enemy as he or she truly is, created in the image of God, renewed by the grace and power of the Holy Spirit, and called to eternal communion with the Lord of love.”

St. Silouan the Athonite

Worship: Sunday, June 15, 2025 (First Sunday after Pentecost; Sunday of All Saints)

Scripture: Heb. 11:33-12:2; Matthew 10:32-33, 37-38; 19:27-30

Epistle Reader: Walt Wood

Prosphora: Henderson

Coffee Hour: Dansereau/Alaeetawi