This feast is celebrated as one of the most important in the Church Year because it commemorates two events of great significance.  After St. Helen had found at Jerusalem the cross upon which Christ was crucified, she built a Church on Mount Calvary to hold the precious relic.  The Christians held the Holy Cross in such high regard that they soon began to celebrate this feast in honor of the finding of the Cross.
    In the year 614, the Persians invaded the Empire and took Jerusalem, and sent the case containing the Cross back to their country.  For fifteen years the Greek Emperor Heraclius waged war against the Persians, and finally in 629 defeated them, forcing them to make peace, and to restore the Holy Cross to him.  It is said that the case containing the sacred relics was returned to him with the seals still unbroken.  The Relics were replaced in the Church with great rejoicing, and to the original Feast in honor of the finding of the Cross was added another, in honor of its safe return to Jerusalem.
    A special feature of the Church Services on this day, is the procession in which the Cross is borne aloft on a tray of flowers and placed in the midst of the Church; the Priest then elevates it to the four corners of the compass, blessing thrice with it as he does so, and praying that God will protect and preserve the President and the Civil Authorities of our country and the Armed Forces, and guard and guide the Heirarchs and clergy of the Church, and protect and preserve all His faithful people from every evil.

 

I Corinthians 1:18-24:  On this day as we exalt the Cross of Christ we read in St.  Paul's letter to the Corinthians that the word of the cross is the power of God and the means by which we are saved.

John 19:6-35:  In the reading from St.  John's Gospel we read of Jesus' trial before Pilate and of His subsequent crucifixion and death on the cross.

 

Troparion of the Holy Cross:  O Lord, save thy people and bless thine inheritance, granting our believing kings victory over the Barbarians, and by the power of thy Cross preserving thy commonwealth.

 

Kontakion of the Holy Cross:  Do thou, who of thine own good will wast lifted up upon the Cross, O Christ our God, bestow thy bounties upon the new nation which is called by thy Name; make glad in thy might those who lawfully govern, that with them we may led to victory over our adversaries, having in thine aid a weapon of peace and a trophy invincible.

 

 CALENDAR

 

Sunday, September 14  (Elevation of the Precious Cross) 
 8:50 a.m. – Orthros
 9:00 a.m. – Sunday School
 10:00 a.m. – Divine Liturgy
 5:30 p.m. – Youth Group

 

Monday, September 15
 CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED – FATHER JOHN'S DAY OFF

 

Tuesday, September 16
 6:00 a.m. – Daily Orthros
 6:30 p.m. – Choir Practice
  
Wednesday, September 17
 5:00 p.m. – Catechism Class
 6:30 p.m. – Daily Vespers

 

Thursday, September 18
 6:00 a.m. –  Daily Orthros
   – Ladies Fellowship This Week!! (Only on 3rd Thursdays)
 7:00 p.m. – PLC 2009 Planning Committee Meeting at the church
  
Friday, September 19
 6:00 a.m. – Daily Orthros
        
Saturday, September 20
 8:00 a.m. – Breakfast at the Church, followed by Work Day
 6:30 p.m. – Great Vespers

 

Sunday, September 21
 8:50 a.m. – Orthros
 9:00 a.m. – Sunday School
 10:00 a.m. – Divine Liturgy
 6:00 p.m. – Young Adults

 

 

 

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

 

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
                 Eucharist Bread  Coffee Hour
 September 14 Meadows         Joneses
 September 21 Schelvers         R. Roots
 September 28 Morrises          Woods

 

Schedule for Epistle Readers   –  Page numbers refer to the Apostolos (book of the Epistles) located on the front pew.  Please be sure to use this book when you read.
                                Reader       Reading     Page #
September 14 Kh. Sharon Meadows I Corinthians 1:18-24 311
September 21 Tom Willingham Galatians 2:16-20 193
September 2 Walt Wood II Corinthians 4:6-15 163
October 5 Sh. Charlotte Algood II Corinthians 6:1-10 168
October 1 Warren Strain Titus 3:8-15 322
October 1 Mildred Morris II Corinthians 9:6-11 178
October 26 Kh. Be'Be' Schelver II Timothy 2:1-10 328

 

Open House for St. Peter's!!  We will host our Open House to showcase our remodeling on Saturday, October 4th from 3:30 - 5 p.m.  Great vespers will be moved up to 5:15 p.m. on that day in case any of our visitors would like to stay to experience an Orthodox service.  More details will be available soon.

 

A memorial service for Mary Allison Callaway will be held here at St. Peter's on the third week-end of this month.  More information will be forthcoming.

 

The PLC (Parish Life Conference) 2009 Planning Committee will meet this Thursday, September 18th at 7:00 p.m. at the church.

 

Preliminary plans are being made for the Lower MS Valley Deanery's annual teen retreat.  More information will be available at a later date. 

 

Kitchen Maintenance: We have a number of perishable items being left in the kitchen (including condiments, etc., in the refrigerator).  These tend to spoil and often attract insects.  Following any church event (feast, coffee hour, fellowship, etc.), unless specific arrange-ments are made to use left overs very soon, please take them home with you!

 

Ladies of St. Peter:   It's time to pay your annual dues ($20).  Please give  them to Sh. Margaret Root.  Many thanks to Charlotte Wood, Rebecca Root and Sh. Margaret Root who have graciously served as officers.  In January it will be time to elect new officers.  Please think about volunteering for an office.  The next meeting will be Sunday, September 21st with lunch together at Macaroni Grill following Liturgy and Coffee Hour.  Please make plans to come for the fellowship.

 

 
 * The next meeting of the PLC (Parish Life Conference) 2009 Planning Committee will be held at the church Thursday, September 18th at 7:00 p.m.

 
 * The memorial for Mary Allison Callaway will be held during the week-end of September 20-21.

 
 * The Ladies of St. Peter will be meeting for lunch at Macaroni Grill following the Liturgy and Coffee Hour on Sunday, September 21st . 

 
 * The wedding for Laura Algood and Oliver Yeattes will be celebrated here at St. Peter's on Saturday, October 18th .  Please remember them in your prayers as this day approaches.

 
 * Open House to be held at St. Peter's Saturday, October 4th.

  

 * Hay Ride at the Boyd Nicholls Pumpkin Patch in Madison County on Saturday, November 1st.  See Jennifer Skirtech for more information.

 
 * The annual fall Clergy Retreat for the Lower Mississippi Valley Deanery will be held here at St. Peter's on November 5-7.  We will need places for some of the priests to stay, so Father John may be in touch with you about housing them for the retreat.

 
 * St. Peter's will be hosting the Parish Life Conference next year.  The dates for the conference will be June 10-14.  This will a wonderful opportunity to showcase our parish.  More information will be available in the future.

 

A number of videos and audiotapes belonging to the church's library have been checked out and not returned.  Please look through your belongings for any that you may have forgotten about.  We are especially looking for the copy of the presentation that was done by Father Ted Pulcini at the 1994 Parish Life Conference that was hosted here.  Thank you for your assistance in locating these items.

 

Please supervise your children to avoid spills, ink stains or marks from their writing and drawing on our new chairs.  We also ask that you not allow them to stand on the kneelers.  Thank you for your help with this.

Fasting Discipline for September
The traditional fasting (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil)  is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of September; however, a strict fast is observed on September 14th (Elevation of the Precious Cross).

Major Commemorations During  September
 Sept 14 Elevation of the Precious Cross
 Sept 16 Great-martyr Euphemia, the All-praised
 Sept 20 Great-martyr Eustathios and His Family
 Sept 23 Conception of the Forerunner
 Sept 24 Protomartyr Thekla, Equal-to-the-Apostles
 Sept 26 Repose of the Apostle John, the Theologian
 Sept 28 Venerable Chariton

 

Quotable: "A man who has received something from another because of his poverty or his needs has therein his reward, and because he is ashamed when he repays it, he does so in secret.  But it is opposite for the Lord God; He receives in secret, but repays it in the presence of the angels, the archangels, and the righteous."

    - St. Epiphanius of Cyprus

 

    - St. Dorotheos of Gaza

 

 Scripture:  Galatians 2:16-20; Mark 8:34-9:1 (both readings are for the Sunday after the Elevation of the Cross)
 Celebrant:  Father John
 Homily:  Father John
 Deacon:  Deacon Terry
 Epistle Reader: Tom Willingham
 Acolytes:  TBA
 Prosphora:  Schelvers
 Coffee Hour: R. Roots
 Teen Hosts:  TBA