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: The writer of Hebrews calls us to consider the faith of those saints of the Old Testament who endured hardships and death and yet still did great things because of their faith.  The Apostle encourages us to lay aside the encumbrances of sin and run with endurance the race that is set before us.

 

Matthew 10:32- 33, 37-38;19:27-30:  In the gospel reading we hear the Lord Jesus teach the meaning of discipleship, and, when asked by Peter, tells him what shall be the reward for those who truly are disciples of His.

 

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 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 the 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.

 

 

Sunday, June 22    (All Saints Sunday; First Sunday after Pentecost)
 8:50 a.m. – Orthros
 10:00 a.m. – Divine Liturgy
 No Youth Group

 

Monday, June 23
 CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED – FATHER JOHN'S DAY OFF

 

Tuesday, June 24
 6:00 a.m. – Festal Orthros
 6:30 p.m. – Choir Practice
  
Wednesday, June 25
 5:00 p.m. – Catechism Class
 6:30 p.m. – Daily Vespers followed by Parish Council Meeting)

 

Thursday, June 26
 6:00 a.m. – Daily Orthros
 NOTE: Ladies Reading Group – Only on 3rd Thursdays
  
Friday, June 27
 6:00 a.m. – Daily Orthros 
        
Saturday, June 28
 5:00 p.m. – Catechism Class 
 6:30 p.m. – Great Vespers

 

Sunday, June 29 (Second Sunday after Pentecost; Sts. Peter and Paul)
 8:50 a.m. – Orthros
 10:00 a.m. – Divine Liturgy
 6:00 p.m. – Young Adults

 

 

 

The Eucharist Bread was offered by Katools for the Divine Liturgy today.

 

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
    Eucharist Bread  Coffee Hour
June 22   Katools   Joneses
June 29   Schelvers   Algoods
July 6    Morrises   Hendersons
July 13    Joneses   Chamblees
July 20    Rebecca Root   Freundts
July 27    Joanna Meadows  Schelvers

 

Please continue to pray for Father Paul and Matushka Sissy Yerger as she continues to recover from back surgery.

 

The final note on our construction loan was $280,000 (which included $16,000 from our original mortgage)!!

 

 * Father James is in Pensacola this week-end, celebrating the Liturgy at St. Andrew's Orthodox Church.

 
 * We are scheduled to serve at the Stewpot on July 5th.  More information will be available as the time approaches.

 

Please supervise your children to avoid spills, ink stains or marks from their writing and drawing on our new chairs.  Thank you for your help with this.

 

Fasting Discipline for June
The traditional fasting continues on Wednesdays and Fridays (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil).  There is no fasting during the week following Pentecost Sunday, June 15th.  The Apostles Fast (the same as the fast on Wednesdays and Fridays) is observed from Monday, June 23rd through June 28th.  The traditional fasting is again observed on Wednesdays and Fridays in July.

 

Major Commemorations During  June
 June 22 Sunday of All Saints
 June 24 Nativity of the Forerunner
 June 29 Sts. Peter and Paul
 June 30 Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles

 

Quotable: "If we try to ignore life, and pray imagining that we are attempting to be contemplatives, it cannot work. Our concerns will carry us away from prayer. But if we realize that the whole of life is a situation in which God has placed us to bring our faith where there is no faith, to bring hope when there is no hope, to bring light—even if it is a very dim light, a spark—where there is only darkness or twilight, to be salt to prevent corruption, to bring a flicker of love where there is lovelessness, then there is no evil or distracting situation into which we cannot enter in a prayerful way. We can say, 'Lord, you have sent me into this twilight and this darkness. Be with me and let me be Your presence'".
    - Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh

 

Weekly Quote: "Some labor and struggle to earn forgiveness, but better than these is the man who forgets the wrongs done to him.  Forgive quickly and you will be abundantly forgiven.  To forget wrongs is to prove oneself truly repentant, but to brood on them and at the same time to imagine one is practicing repentance is to act like the man who is convinced he is running when in fact he is fast asleep."

    - St. John Climacus

 

WORSHIP: Sunday, June 29, 2008 (Second Sunday after Pentecost; Sts. Peter and Paul)

 

 Scripture:  II Corinthians 11:21-33, 12:1-9; Matthew 4:18-23
 Celebrant:  Father John
 Homily:  Father John
 Deacon:  Deacon Terry
 Acolytes:  Stephen Chamblee
 Prosphora:  Schelvers
 Coffee Hour:  Algoods
 Teen Hosts:  TBA