December 15, 2024

Hieromartyr Eleutherios

Sunday of the Forefathers (Ancestors)of Christ

II Timothy 1:8-18: Timothy, my son, do not be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel in the power of God, Who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not in virtue of our works but in virtue of his own purpose and the grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus ages ago, and now has manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, Who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. For this gospel I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, and therefore I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know Whom I have believed, and I am sure that He is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus; guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit Who dwells within us. You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, and among them Phygelos and Hermogenes. May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphoros, for he often refreshed me; he was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me eagerly and found me. May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus.

Luke 14:16-24: The Lord spoke this parable: “A man once gave a great banquet, and invited many; and at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for all is now ready.’ But, one by one, they all began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it; I pray you, have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them; I pray you, have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported this to his master. Then the householder in anger said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

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 Forefathers: Thou hast justified by faith the ancient forefathers and through them thou hast gone before and betrothed unto thyself the Church of the Gentiles. Let the saints, therefore, take pride in glory; for from their seed sprouted forth a noble fruit, and she it was who gavest birth to thee without seed. Wherefore, by their pleadings, O Christ God, save our souls.

Troparion of the Hieromartyr Eleutherius: Being comely adorned in thy sacred priestly robes and newly drenched with the streams of thy pure and sanctified blood, thou didst soar aloft to stand before thy Master, Christ; hence never cease to intercede for those honouring with faith thy mighty and blessed contest, thou overthrower of Satan, O wise and blessed Eleutherius.

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 Preparatory for Nativity: Today the Virgin comes unto the cave to give birth in an ineffable manner to the Word before the ages. Rejoice, therefore, O universe, when you hear, and glorify with the angels and the shepherds him who shall appear by his own will as a new babe, being God before the ages.

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, December 15 (Heiromartyr Eleutherios; Forefathers of Christ)

8:50 a.m. – Orthros

9:00 a.m. – Christian Education

10:00 a.m. – Divine Liturgy (webcast)

12:00 p.m. – Santa Lucia celebration during Coffee Hour

Monday, December 16

Father Herman off

Tuesday, December 17

NO Services

6:30 p.m. – Presentation by Sister Velaria from St. Elizabeth Convent in Minsk,

Belarus

Wednesday, December 18

5:20 p.m. – Catechism Class

6:30 p.m. – Advent Paraklesis

Thursday, December 19

NO Services

Friday, December 20 (Ignatios of Antioch, the God-bearer)

NO Services

Saturday, December 21

4:30 p.m. – Choir Practice

6:00 p.m. – Great Vespers

Sunday, December 22 (Sunday before the Nativity)

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 Daniel Roots for the Divine Liturgy this morning.

Eucharist Bread Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

December 15 D. Root Algood/Schelver

December 22 Karam Lavric/Jimmy Jones

December 24 (Tues. p.m.) Brock Pigott/Ian Jones

(Nativity of our Lord) Ken Jones/Stewart

Meadows/Brock

December 29 Davis Dansereau/Alaeetawi

December 31 (Tues. p.m.) Baker (Artos) No Meal

(Circumcision of Christ & Feast-day of St. Basil the Great – GV with Litia & Artoklasia)

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#

December 15 Katie Miller II Tim. 1:8-18 346

December 22 Mary Martha Ellis Heb. 11:9-10, 32-40 348

December 24 (Tues. p.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows Gal. 4:4-7 351

December 29 Ian Jones Gal. 1:11-19 188

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; Joseph, Amanda and Hunter Hines; Fr. John and Kh. Janet Henderson and their family; Galina Singletary; Emily and Cole Parker; Dane and Stephanie Skirtech.

We will again celebrate the Festal Orthros/Divine Liturgy of our Lord’s Nativity on December 24th , beginning at 5:30 p.m. Please make sure to mark this time on your calendars.

Registration for the DOMSE Winter Retreat at St. Elias’ in Atlanta, GA on January 31-February 1 is now open. The registration link was emailed out a few weeks ago but if you did not receive it please see Fr. Herman. Registration ends on January 7.

Sister Valeria from St. Elizabeth Convent in Minsk, Belarus will be visiting with us the evening of Tuesday, December 17. She will give a presentation on the convent and the ministries they conduct there. Her presentation will begin at 6:30pm.

We are now taking up donations for Sunnybrook Children’s Home and the St. Nicholas Fund. These donations will go directly to Sunnybrook to help with their ministry there and donations taken up for the St. Nicholas fund will go toward a need from within the parish our outside the parish. Please mark your donation as either Sunnybrook or St. Nicholas. Please prayerfully consider giving toward these charities. We will take up donations until December 31 for both.

On January 4, 2025 Lucy Skirtech and Aaron Franklin will be baptized into the “One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church” beginning at 9:30am. Please mark this date and time on your calendars and join us for this most blessed occasion. Please keep them and their Godparents, Ian Jones and Jennifer Skirtech, in your prayers.

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.

* The Fast of the Nativity began on Friday, November 15th.

* The Advent Paraklesis Service will be prayed on Wednesday evenings December 4th, 11th, and 18th beginning at 6:30 p.m. (in place of Daily Vespers).

* Royal Hours for the Feast of the Nativity will be prayed Tuesday morning, December 24th, beginning at 7:00 a.m.

* Festal Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ will be celebrated on Tuesday evening, December 24th, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

In 2025 the Feast of Theophany will fall on a Monday. We have been given permission to transfer the celebration of the Feastday to Sunday, January 5th instead. We will also have our monthly Pot Luck Meal in conjunction with the Feast that month. We will pray Royal Hours for the Feast on Friday, January 3rd, beginning at 7:00 a.m.

Fasting Discipline for December

The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month. The Fast of the Nativity began on Friday, November 15th.

During this fast there is a katlysis allowing fish, wine and oil (except on Wednesdays and Fridays) through December 10th and wine and oil on December 12, 14-15, and 20-22. The traditional fasting discipline will be observed on December 23-24. There will be no fasting whatsoever

From December 25 through January 5.

Major Commemorations for December

December 15 Heiromartyr Eleutherios

Forefathers of Christ

December 20 Ignatius of Antioch

December 22 Sunday before the Nativity of Christ

December 25 Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ

December 26 Synaxis of the Theotokos

December 27 Protomartyr Stephen

December 29 Sunday after the Nativity of Christ

Quotable: “Not only does a demon, which is a servant of Satan, flee from the presence of a crushed heart, but also Satan himself, the chief of demons, flees faster than lightning from the presence of a heart that has been crushed by inner prayer.”

-The Watchful Mind; Teachings on the Prayer of the Heart

Worship: Sunday, December 22, 2024 (Sunday before the Nativity of Christ)

Scripture: Heb.11:9-10,32-40; Matthew 1:1-25

Epistle Reader: Mary Martha Ellis

Prosphora: Karam

Coffee Hour: Lavric/Jimmy Jones

December 8, 2024

Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost

Ephesians 2:14-22: Brethren, Christ is our peace, Who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in His flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that He might create in Himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the Cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. And He came and preached peace to you, who were far off, and peace to those who were near; for through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in Whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in Whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Luke 13:10-17: At that time, Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And there was a woman who had had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years; she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. And when Jesus saw her, He called her and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your infirmity.” And He laid His hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and she praised God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrite! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger, and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” As Jesus said this, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by Him.

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 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 Preparatory for Nativity: Today the Virgin comes unto the cave to give birth in an ineffable manner to the Word before the ages. Rejoice, therefore, O universe, when you hear, and glorify with the angels and the shepherds him who shall appear by his own will as a new babe, being God before the ages.

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, December 8 (Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost)

8:50 a.m. – Orthros

9:00 a.m. – Christian Education

10:00 a.m. – Divine Liturgy (webcast)

12:00 p.m. – Teens’ St. Nicholas Play

– St. Nicholas Tea for Children

Monday, December 9 (Conception of the Thetokos)

Father Herman off

Tuesday, December 10

NO Services

Wednesday, December 11

5:20 p.m. – Catechism Class

6:30 p.m. – Advent Paraklesis

Thursday, December 12 (Spyridon the Wonder-worker)

NO Services

Friday, December 13

NO Services

Saturday, December 14

10:00 a.m. – Ladies meet for Akathist

4:30 p.m. – Choir Practice

5:00 p.m. – Catechism Class

6:00 p.m. – Great Vespers

Sunday, December 15 (Heiromartyr Eleutherios; Forefathers of Christ)

8:50 a.m. – Orthros

9:00 a.m. – Christian Education

10:00 a.m. – Divine Liturgy (webcast)

12:00 p.m. – Santa Lucia celebration during Coffee Hour

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

December 8 R. Root Lockhart/Karam/Snell

December 15 D. Root Algood/Schelver

December 22 Karam Lavric/Jimmy Jones

December 24 (Tues. p.m.) Brock Pigott/Ian Jones

(Nativity of our Lord) Ken Jones/Stewart

Meadows/Brock

December 29 Davis Dansereau/Alaeetawi

December 31 (Tues. p.m.) Baker (Artos) No Meal

(Circumcision of Christ & Feast-day of St. Basil the Great – GV with Litia & Artoklasia)

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#

December 8 Reader Basil Baker Eph. 2:14-22 207

December 15 Katie Miller II Tim. 1:8-18 346

December 22 Mary Martha Ellis Heb. 11:9-10, 32-40 348

December 24 (Tues. p.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows Gal. 4:4-7 351

December 29 Ian Jones Gal. 1:11-19 188

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; Joseph, Amanda and Hunter Hines; Fr. John and Kh. Janet Henderson and their family; Galina Singletary; Emily and Cole Parker; Dane and Stephanie Skirtech.

Parents…please be reminded to monitor your children with the use of Magic Markers on and around the chairs in the Nave so that the chairs aren’t marked on. If younger children do need drawing as a means to keep calm, please use a pencil or colored pencil. Also, as a kind reminder, it is not appropriate during the Divine Services to have children watch some type of electronic device as means to keep them calm. May God give us all who are parents the grace to continue to guide our children always towards the Kingdom of God.

We will again celebrate the Festal Orthros/Divine Liturgy of our Lord’s Nativity on December 24th , beginning at 5:30 p.m. Please make sure to mark this time on your calendars.

Registration for Camp St. Thekla Winter Camp is now open. If your child (must be at least 12 years of age) would like to attend, please see Daniel or Father Herman. The registration information will be emailed to you. Winter Camp this year is February 14-17 and is being held at Woodland Christian Camp in Temple, GA.

SAVE THE DATE! The DOMSE Winter Retreat will be hosted by St. Elias in Atlanta, GA January 31st – February 1st. Registration has not yet opened, but will be emailed out to everyone once it does.

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.

* The Fast of the Nativity began on Friday, November 15th.

* The Advent Paraklesis Service will be prayed on Wednesday evenings December 4th, 11th, and 18th beginning at 6:30 p.m. (in place of Daily Vespers).

* Royal Hours for the Feast of the Nativity will be prayed Tuesday morning, December 24th, beginning at 7:00 a.m.

* Festal Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ will be celebrated on Tuesday evening, December 24th, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

In 2025 the Feast of Theophany will fall on a Monday. We have been given permission to transfer the celebration of the Feastday to Sunday, January 5th instead. We will also have our monthly Pot Luck Meal in conjunction with the Feast that month. We will pray Royal Hours for the Feast on Friday, January 3rd, beginning at 7:00 a.m.

Fasting Discipline for December

The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month. The Fast of the Nativity began on Friday, November 15th.

During this fast there is a katlysis allowing fish, wine and oil (except on Wednesdays and Fridays) through December 10th and wine and oil on December 12, 14-15, and 20-22. The traditional fasting discipline will be observed on December 23-24. There will be no fasting whatsoever

From December 25 through January 5.

Major Commemorations for December

December 9 Conception of the Theotokos

December 12 Spyridon the Wonder-worker

December 13 Herman of Alaska

December 15 Heiromartyr Eleutherios

Forefathers of Christ

December 20 Ignatius of Antioch

December 22 Sunday before the Nativity of Christ

December 25 Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ

December 26 Synaxis of the Theotokos

December 27 Protomartyr Stephen

December 29 Sunday after the Nativity of Christ

Quotable: “God bestows His incessant help upon man in accordance with his plea, for the Gospel says, ‘Ask and it will be given you’. The incessant help that man seeks from God so that he can always defeat the sleepless devil is none other than the sleepless and relentless repetition of the noetic prayer of the heart. When the Almighty Lord bestows this prayer upon man, it is sown in his pure heart just as a falling seed is sown in good and fertile soil, this seed sweetens the intellect, warms the heart, and comforts the soul by divine grace. From then on the soul begins to bear fruit from noetic prayer thirty-fold, then sixty-fold, and finally a hundred-fold.”

-The Watchful Mind; Teachings on the Prayer of the Heart

Worship: Sunday, December 15, 2024 (Hieromartyr Eleutherios; Forefathers of Christ)

Scripture: II Timothy 1:8-18; Luke 14:16-24

Epistle Reader: Reader Basil Baker

Prosphora: D. Root

Coffee Hour: Lockhart/Karam/Snell