Romans 8:28-39: St. Paul reminds us that it is not ultimately for men nor for anything in this life that we endure suffering, but for the sake of the King of Glory.  For those who love God, the Scriptures and experience bear witness: all things work together for good.

 

Matthew 15:21-28:  In the passage from Matthew we see our Lord demonstrate His mercy by healing the daughter of a Canaanite woman.

 

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 Martyr Tryphon:  Thy Martyr, O Lord, in his courageous contest for Thee received as the prize the crown of incorruption and life from Thee, our immortal God.  For since he possessed Thy strength, he cast down the tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons' strengthless presumption.  O Christ our God, by his prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful.

 

Troparion of the Forefeast of the Presentation: The Heavens' choir looked down from the vaults of the Heavens and gazing on the earth, they beheld with amazement the First-born of all creation brought forth as a suckling babe to the Temple by a pure and virginal mother; and with us, they now do sing a hymn for the Forefeast, astonished and full of awe.

 

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 Presentation: Thou, O Christ God, who by your Birth, didst sanctify the Virgin's womb, and as is meet, didst bless Simeon's arms, and didst also come to save us, preserve thy fold in wars, and confirm them whom thou didst love; for thou alone art the Lover of mankind.

 

 

 

Sunday, February 1
 8:50 a.m. – Orthros
 9:00 a.m. – Sunday School
 10:00 a.m. – Divine Liturgy
 5:30 p.m. – Youth Group 

 

Monday, February 2 (Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple)
    Many years before the coming of Christ there lived a very pious and saintly man called Simeon.  He was one of the most intelligent Jewish scholars of his day.  Simeon prayed for the day that the Saviour would come and deliver all Israel (and the world) from sin.  One evening while kneeling in prayer, Simeon heard the voice of God saying to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  Holy Tradition tells us that Simeon waited many long years.  Some Holy Fathers inform us that Simeon was over 150 years old when the Promise of God was fulfilled. The Holy Scriptures tell us that 40 days after the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ  the Virgin Mary brought the Christ Child to the Temple for Presentation.  It was a law that the first born son of a family should be offered to God and His service, as soon as a period of purification was past.  It was here that Simeon waited patiently that day, as he had done for so many years.  The Spirit of the Lord brought him to the baby Jesus.  Simeon took the infant Child in his trembling hands and recited the following beautiful prayer which is recited in the Orthodox Church every evening during Vesper services:
 "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word. 
 For mine eyes have seen Thy Salvation which thou hast prepared before the
 face of all peoples.  A Light to enlighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of
 thy people Israel."
    Thus the promise to the aged Simeon was finally fulfilled.  The next day Simeon died in peace, thankful to Almighty God that he was honored to see the coming of Christ.
    This custom has continued down to our own day for both male and female children, and every mother who brings her new-born child to Church on the fortieth day is remembering the Great Feast of the Presentation of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple.   

 

 CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED – FATHER JOHN'S DAY OFF
 6:00 a.m. – Festal Orthros (Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple)

 

Tuesday, February 3
 6:00 a.m. – Daily Orthros
 6:30 p.m. – Choir Practice
  
Wednesday, February 4
 5:00 p.m. – Catechism Class
 6:30 p.m. – Daily Vespers

 

Thursday, February 5
 6:00 a.m. – Daily Orthros
  
Friday, February 6
 6:00 a.m. – Daily Orthros
        
Saturday, February 7
 Pigott/Brock Wedding – 4:00 p.m.
 NO Great Vespers

 

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

 

 

 

Please remember the following in your prayers: Mona Fahmy, Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family, Deborah and Paul Finley, Effie Johnson (Kh. Susan Cushman's mother) and the Cushman family (St. John's in Memphis)

 

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
             Eucharist Bread      Coffee Hour
February 1      Meadows         Meadows
February 8      Bakers             Freundts
February 15    Woods             Schelvers
February 22     R. Roots          Fahmys

 

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 #
February 1  Kh. Sharon Meadows    Rom.8:28-39     304
February 8  Brenda Baker               II Tim. 3:10-15   258
February 15  Tom Willingham          I Cor. 6:12-20    265
February 22  Walt Wood                 I Cor. 8:8-9:2     273

 

Help needed for PLC 2009 Souvenir Journal!!   The PLC committee is starting to sell ads for the souvenir journal for the Parish Life Conference and we need your help! Our goal is to sell $20,000 of ads by May 1. Please consider talking to your employer about donating for a corporate ad, and if you have any suggestions of businesses to go to or people to talk to, please let Anna Kathryn know.

 

House Blessings!  A sign-up sheet is available to sign up for your house blessing.  Please schedule these as soon as possible.  Everyone should have their house blessed.  However, the responsibility for scheduling lies with individuals and not Father John.  No house blessings will be done once Great Lent starts (March 1st this year).

 

The forms for camping scholarships (to the Village and Camp St. Thekla) have arrived.  We have $700 to be divided among as many as 7 campers.  The deadline for scholarship application is March 1st, and this is a strict deadline.  If you are interested in camping scholarships, please see Father John ASAP.  We have also received the applications for this year's camp.  They are located in the foyer.

 

Valentine's Fund-raiser: The Ladies of St. Peter are having a valentine's fund-raiser to raise money our AOCWNA project.  The Ladies will be raffling off a bracelet and earring set designed by Jaqui Katool of J. Paige Design.  The raffle will last February 1-8 and tickets will be $5.

 

Those hosting Coffee Hour or feasts MUST be sure to place fresh trash bags in the trash cans when cleaning up afterwards.  If this is not done, items get thrown into the empty trash cans and then dumped as is into the cans outside.  The trash people will NOT pick up loose trash from the cans and have even dumped it out in the past.  This means that Father John has to pick these items up by hand and bag them!  Please help us with this!!

 

Pledge letters have been mailed.  Please fill these out and return them in the self-addressed envelope as soon as possible.  This information will help the Parish Council to establish a working budget for the fiscal year 2009.

 

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.

 

The Lower MS Valley Deanery's annual teen retreat will be held the week-end of February 20-22, 2009 at John W. Kyle State Park.  Joel Finley, the Youth Director at St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in Franklin, will handling registration.  More details will be available at a later date.

 

 
 * The Feast of the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple will be celebrated with Festal Orthros tomorrow morning at 6:00 a.m.  We will NOT celebrate Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia on this evening as previously announced.

 
 * The next meeting for the PLC 2009 Planning Committee will Thursday, February 19th at 7:00 p.m.

 
 * Annual Teen Retreat for the Lower MS Valley Deanery – February 20-22, 2009 at John W. Kyle State Park.

 
 * 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.

 

Fasting Discipline for February:
   The traditional fasting (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month until Monday, February 9th.  The week following the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee (February 8th) is a fast-free week.  Sunday, February 22nd is Judgment Sunday (Meat Fare Sunday), the last day until Pascha that meat poultry, and fish are permitted.  But during the following week, beginning Monday, February 23rd, dairy products (milk, cheese, eggs, etc.) are permitted, even on Wednesday and Friday.  March 1st is Forgiveness Sunday (Sunday of Cheese Fare), the last day until Pascha that cheese, dairy and wine (some also include oil) are permitted.  Monday, March 2nd, is Clean Monday, the first day of Great Lent when the traditional fasting discipline is observed on all days of the week until Pascha (except Annunciation on March 25th and Palm Sunday on April 12th, when fish, wine and oil are permitted).
   On days when the Holy Eucharist will be received at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, no food or drink should be taken until after the Liturgy.

 

    Major Commemorations During February
 February 2  Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple
 February 3  Righteous Simeon the God-Receiver
 February 8  Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee
 February 10  Hieromartyr Haralampos
 February 15  Sunday of the Prodigal Son
 February 21  Saturday of the Souls
 February 22  Sunday of Meat Fare
 February 24  1st and 2nd Discoveries of the Head of the Forerunner
 March 1  Sunday of Cheese Fare (Forgiveness Sunday)
 March 2  Clean Monday (First Date of Great Lent)

 

Quotable: "Now that the virgin has conceived in the womb and borne to us a child ... not the chine of the curse is broken.  Death came through Eve, but life has come to us through Mary.  And thus the gift of virginity has been bestowed most richly upon women, seeing that it has had its beginning from a woman."

    - St. Jerome

 

Weekly Quote:  "The person who listens to Christ fills himself with light; and if he imitates Christ, he reclaims himself."

    - St. Thalassios the Libyan

 

 Scripture:  II Timothy 3:10-15; Luke 18:10-14 (both readings are for the Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican)
 Celebrant:  Father John
 Homily:  Father John
 Deacon:  Deacon Richard
 Epistle Reader  Brenda Baker
 Acolytes:  TBA
 Prosphora:  Bakers
 Coffee Hour:  Freundts
 Teen Hosts:  TBA

 

 

 

Sunday, January 25, 2009
St Gregory the Theologian
     

Hebrews 7:26-28; 8:1-2:  We read in Hebrews that priests of the New Covenant serve as representatives of the Great High Priest, Jesus Christ.

 

Luke 19:1-10:   In the story of Zaccheus we are reminded of why the Only-begotten Son of the Father became incarnate:  to save mankind from our sin and its consequences.

 

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 our Holy Father, Gregory the Theologian: The shepherd's pipe of thy theology conquered the trumpets of the philosophers; for since thou didst search out the depths of the Spirit, beauty of speech was added to thee.  But intercede with Christ God, O Father Gregory, that our souls be saved.

 

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 Presentation: Thou, O Christ God, who by your Birth, didst sanctify the Virgin's womb, and as is meet, didst bless Simeon's arms, and didst also come to save us, preserve thy fold in wars, and confirm them whom thou didst love; for thou alone art the Lover of mankind.

 

 

 

Sunday, January 25   (Gregory the Theologian)
 8:50 a.m. – Orthros
 9:00 a.m. – Sunday School
 10:00 a.m. – Divine Liturgy
 5:30 p.m. – Youth Group

 

Monday, January 26
 CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED – FATHER JOHN'S DAY OFF

 

Tuesday, January 27   (John Chrysostom)
 6:00 a.m. – Festal Orthros
 6:30 p.m. – Choir Practice
  
Wednesday, January 28
 5:00 p.m. – Catechism Class
 6:30 p.m. – Daily Vespers followed by Parish Council Meeting

 

Thursday, January 29
 6:00 a.m. – Daily Orthros
  
Friday, January 30   (The Three Hierarchs)
 6:00 a.m. – Festal Orthros
        
Saturday, January 31   (Cyros and John the Unmercenary Healers)
 6:30 p.m. – Great Vespers

 

Sunday, February 1
 8:50 a.m. – Orthros
 9:00 a.m. – Sunday School
 10:00 a.m. – Divine Liturgy
 NO Great Vespers with Litia and Artiklosia (instead we will celebrate Festal Orthros
    for the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple -
   Monday at 6:00 a.m.)

 

 

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

 

Please remember the following in your prayers: Mona Fahmy, Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family, Deborah and Paul Finley, Effie Johnson (Kh. Susan Cushman's mother) and the Cushman family (St. John's in Memphis)

 

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
                 Eucharist Bread      Coffee Hour
January 25         Fahmys             Chamblees
February 1         Meadows           Meadows
February 8         Bakers              Freundts
February 15       Woods              Schelvers
February 22       R. Roots            Fahmys

 

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 #
January 25  Kh. Be'Be' Schelver Heb. 7:26-8:2 334
February 1  Kh. Sharon Meadows Heb. 13:7-16 365
February 8  Brenda Baker  II Tim. 3:10-15 258
February 15  Tom Willingham  I Cor. 6:12-20 265
February 22  Walt Wood  I Cor. 8:8-9:2 273

 

Help needed for PLC 2009 Souvenir Journal!!   The PLC committee is starting to sell ads for the souvenir journal for the Parish Life Conference and we need your help! Our goal is to sell $20,000 of ads by May 1. Please consider talking to your employer about donating for a corporate ad, and if you have any suggestions of businesses to go to or people to talk to, please let Anna Kathryn know.

 

New Officers for Ladies of St. Peter: Christina Katool and Sh. Charlotte Algood will take over as the new Co-presidents and Sandy Strain will begin serving as Treasurer.  Many thanks to Charlotte Wood, Rebecca Root and Sh. Margaret Root for their faithful service over the past years!!

 

House Blessings!  A sign-up sheet is available to sign up for your house blessing.  Please schedule these as soon as possible.  Everyone should have their house blessed.  However, the responsibility for scheduling lies with individuals and not Father John.  No house blessings will be done once Great Lent starts (March 1st this year).

 

The forms for camping scholarships (to the Village and Camp St. Thekla) have arrived.  We have $700 to be divided among as many as 7 campers.  The deadline for scholarship application is March 1st, and this is a strict deadline.  If you are interested in camping scholarships, please see Father John ASAP.  We will let interested parents know as soon as information about camp registration has been received.

Those hosting Coffee Hour or feasts MUST be sure to place fresh trash bags in the trash cans when cleaning up afterwards.  If this is not done, items get thrown into the empty trash cans and then dumped as is into the cans outside.  The trash people will NOT pick up loose trash from the cans and have even dumped it out in the past.  This means that Father John has to pick these items up by hand and bag them!  Please help us with this!!

 

Pledge letters have been mailed.  Please fill these out and return them in the self-addressed envelope as soon as possible.  This information will help the Parish Council to establish a working budget for the fiscal year 2009.

 

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.

 

 
 * The Feast of the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple will be celebrated with Festal Orthros on Monday, February 2nd, at 6:00 a.m.  We will NOT celebrate Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia on Sunday evening as previously announced.

 
 * The next meeting for the PLC 2009 Planning Committee will Thursday, February 19th at 7:00 p.m.

 
 * Annual Teen Retreat for the Lower MS Valley Deanery – February 20-22, 2009 at John W. Kyle State Park.

 
 * 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.

 

The Lower MS Valley Deanery's annual teen retreat will be held the week-end of February 20-22, 2009 at John W. Kyle State Park.  Joel Finley, the Youth Director at St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in Franklin, will handling registration.  More details will be available at a later date.

 

Fasting Discipline for January
The traditional fasting (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil) is observed on Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.

 

Major Commemorations During January
 Jan 25  St. Gregory the Theologian
 Jan 27  St. John Chrysostom
 Jan 30  Three Hierarchs
 Jan 3  Unmercenaries Cyros and John

 

Quotable: "So in order that we may not destroy the grace we have received, but preserve it to the end and depart this life in possession of the treasure, there is need of something human, of endeavor on our part...  It is neither reasonable nor usual for us to merely be content with having received life....Rather we must see the means of preserving it."

    - St. Nicholas Cabasilas

 

Weekly Quote:  "The English word "repentance" has a rather sorry history. Although it is often used to translate the Greek word metanoia, it carries some negative connotations that the Greek word does not, including mental images of people wallowing in the guilt and self-torment that seem to be favored by certain Western writers. The Greek word, on the other hand, is a very positive one, and denotes a progressive and positive change of attitude on the part of the person concerned. It implies a change of mind, or a change of outlook, and its impetus is entirely forward-looking. In this sense, repentance may (but need not) include the dimension of sadness over past sins, but when it does so, it is in the context of reforming one's outlook in order to avoid making the same mistakes again in the future. Taking steps in a different direction, seeing the world with new eyes, starting over ... these are the important features of repentance. "
    - Fr. Meletios Webber, Steps of Transformation 

 

 Scripture:  Hebrews 13:7-16 (St. Tryphon); Matthew 15:21-28
 Celebrant:  Father John
 Homily:  Father John
 Deacon:  Deacon Terry
 Epistle Reader  Kh. Sharon Meadows
 Acolytes:  TBA
 Prosphora:  Meadows
 Coffee Hour:  Meadows
 Teen Hosts:  TBA

 

 

Sunday, January 18, 2009
Saints Athanasius and Cyril of Alexadria
     

 

Hebrews 13:7-16:  St Paul encourages us in his letter to the Hebrews, reminding us of the unchanging nature of Jesus Christ, Who has sanctified us through His own blood.

 

Luke 17:12-19:  In the reading from St Luke we see the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ as He   heals ten lepers, only one of whom thanks the Lord for being healed.

 

Troparion of the Resurrection:  When Mary stood at thy grave looking for thy sacred body, angelic powers shone above thy revered tomb, and the soldiers who were to keep guard became as dead men.  Thou led hades captive and wast not tempted thereby.  Thou didst meet the Virgin and didst give life to the world;  O thou who art risen from the dead!  O Lord, glory to thee.

 

Troparion of Sts. Athanasius and Cyril: Shining forth with works of Orthodoxy, ye quenched every false belief and teaching and became trophy-bearers and conquerors.  And since ye made all things rich with true piety, greatly adorning the Church with magnificence, Athanasius and Cyril, ye both have worthily found Christ God, Who doth grant great mercy unto all.

 

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 Presentation: Thou, O Christ God, who by your Birth, didst sanctify the Virgin's womb, and as is meet, didst bless Simeon's arms, and didst also come to save us, preserve thy fold in wars, and confirm them whom thou didst love; for thou alone art the Lover of mankind.

 

 

Sunday, January 18  (Sts. Athanasius and Cyril of Alexandria)
 8:50 a.m. – Orthros
 9:00 a.m. – Sunday School
 10:00 a.m. – Divine Liturgy
 6:00 p.m. – Young Adults

 

Monday, January 19
 CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED – FATHER JOHN'S DAY OFF

 

Tuesday, January 20   (Euthymios the Great)
 6:00 a.m. – Festal Orthros
 6:30 p.m. – Choir Practice
  
Wednesday, January 21
 5:00 p.m. – Catechism Class
 6:30 p.m. – Daily Vespers

 

Thursday, January 22
 NO Daily Orthros
  
Friday, January 23
 NO Daily Orthros
        
Saturday, January 24
 6:30 p.m. – Great Vespers

 

Sunday, January 25   (Gregory the Theologian)
 8:50 a.m. – Orthros
 9:00 a.m. – Sunday School
 10:00 a.m. – Divine Liturgy
 5:30 p.m. – Youth Group

 

 

 

The Eucharist Bread was offered by the Daniel Roots for the feast of the Veneration of the Chains of St. Peter this past Thursday evening and by the Freundts for the Divine Liturgy today.

 

Please remember the following in your prayers: Mona Fahmy, Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family, Deborah and Paul Finley, Effie Johnson (Kh. Susan Cushman's mother) and the Cushman family (St. John's in Memphis)

 

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
                 Eucharist Bread      Coffee Hour
January 18     Freundts                 Hendersons
January 25     Fahmys                  Chamblees
February 1     Meadows                Meadows
February 1(Sunday evening) Meadows (artoklasia bread)
 Feast of the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple
February 8     Bakers                    Freundts
February 15   Woods                    Schelvers
February 22   R. Roots                  Fahmys

 

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 #
January 18  Mildred Morris  Heb. 13:7-16 365
January 25  Kh. Be'Be' Schelver Heb. 7:26-8:2 334
February 1  Kh. Sharon Meadows Heb. 13:7-16 365
February 8  Brenda Baker  II Tim. 3:10-15 258
February 15  Tom Willingham  I Cor. 6:12-20 265
February 22  Walt Wood  I Cor. 8:8-9:2 273

 

Help needed for PLC 2009 Souvenir Journal!!   The PLC committee is starting to sell ads for the souvenir journal for the Parish Life Conference and we need your help! Our goal is to sell $20,000 of ads by May 1. Please consider talking to your employer about donating for a corporate ad, and if you have any suggestions of businesses to go to or people to talk to, please let Anna Kathryn know.

 

New Officers for Ladies of St. Peter: Christina Katool and Sh. Charlotte Algood will take over as the new Co-presidents and Sandy Strain will begin serving as Treasurer.  Many thanks to Charlotte Wood, Rebecca Root and Sh. Margaret Root for their faithful service over the past years!!

 

House Blessings!  A sign-up sheet is available to sign up for your house blessing.  Please schedule these as soon as possible.  Everyone should have their house blessed.  However, the responsibility for scheduling lies with individuals and not Father John.  No house blessings will be done once Great Lent starts (March 1st this year).

 

Memphis Ladies Retreat: St. John's Orthodox Church in Memphis will hold its annual women's retreat on the week-end of January 30-31.  This year's speaker will be Father Stephen Rogers, the pastor of St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in Franklin, TN.  His topic will be "Rediscovering the Divine Liturgy."  The cost of the retreat will be $35 with meals and $15 without meals.  The deadline for registration is TODAY.  There are registration forms available in the foyer (and an e-mail address if you need it for registering today).

 

The forms for camping scholarships (to the Village and Camp St. Thekla) have arrived.  We have $700 to be divided among as many as 7 campers.  The deadline for scholarship application is March 1st, and this is a strict deadline.  If you are interested in camping scholarships, please see Father John ASAP.  We will let interested parents know as soon as information about camp registration has been received.

 

Those hosting Coffee Hour or feasts MUST be sure to place fresh trash bags in the trash cans when cleaning up afterwards.  If this is not done, items get thrown into the empty trash cans and then dumped as is into the cans outside.  The trash people will NOT pick up loose trash from the cans and have even dumped it out in the past.  This means that Father John has to pick these items up by hand and bag them!  Please help us with this!!

 

Pledge letters have been mailed.  Please fill these out and return them in the self-addressed envelope as soon as possible.  This information will help the Parish Council to establish a working budget for the fiscal year 2009.

 

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.

 

 
 * Father John, Charlotte Wood and Kh. Sharon Meadows will be attending the Mid-Winter Delegates Meeting in Pensacola from January 23-25.

 
 * The Feast of the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple will be celebrated with Great Vespers with Litia and Artoklasia on Sunday evening, February 1st, at 6:30 p.m.

 
 * The next meeting for the PLC 2009 Planning Committee will Thursday, February 19th at 7:00 p.m.

 
 * Annual Teen Retreat for the Lower MS Valley Deanery – February 20-22, 2009 at John W. Kyle State Park.

 
 * 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.

 

The Lower MS Valley Deanery's annual teen retreat will be held the week-end of February 20-22, 2009 at John W. Kyle State Park.  Joel Finley, the Youth Director at St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in Franklin, will handling registration.  More details will be available at a later date.

 

Fasting Discipline for January
The traditional fasting (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil) is observed on Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.

 

Major Commemorations During January
 Jan 18  Ss Athanasios and Cyril of Alexandria
 Jan 20  Venerable Euthymios the Great
 Jan 25  St. Gregory the Theologian
 Jan 27  St. John Chrysostom
 Jan 30  Three Hierarchs
 Jan 3  Unmercenaries Cyros and John

  
Quotable: "Humility is as it were a treasure that cannot be stolen, which is formed in the mind that bears a conviction that only by the power of grace received from Christ are there any good qualities to be shown in oneself – that is, truth, meekness, and righteousness."
    - St. Symeon the New Theologian

 

Weekly Quote:  "The person who listens to Christ fills himself with light; and if he imitates Christ, he reclaims himself."
    - St. Thalassios the Libyan:

 

 

 Scripture:  Hebrews 7:26-8:2 (St. Gregory the Theologian); Luke 19:1-10
 Celebrant:  Father John
 Homily:  Father John
 Deacon:  Deacon Richard
 Epistle Reader  Kh. Be'be' Schelver
 Acolytes:  TBA
 Prosphora:  Fahmys
 Coffee Hour:  Chamblees
 Teen Hosts:  TBA

 

 

 

 

II Timothy 4:5-8:  St Paul encourages Timothy to persevere in his calling, knowing that our perseverance in the battle before us will be rewarded with the crown of righteousness.

 

Mark 1:1-8: From the Gospel of St Mark we hear how John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus' public ministry by calling for the people to repent from their sins and be baptized.

 

Troparion of the Resurrection:  Having learned the joyful message of the Resurrection from the angel, the women Disciples cast from them their parental condemnation, and proudly broke the news to the Disciples, saying, Death has been spoiled.  Christ God is risen, granting the world Great Mercy.

 

Troparion of Sunday before Epiphany:  Make ready, O Zebulon, and prepare, O Naphtali, and thou, River Jordan, cease thy flow and receive with joy the Master coming to be baptized.  And thou, Adam, rejoice with the first mother, and hide not yourselves as ye did of old in paradise; for having seen you naked, he appeared to clothe you with the first robe.  Yea, Christ hath appeared desiring to renew the whole creation.

 

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 Sunday before Epiphany:  Today hath the Lord appeared in the courses of the Jordan, crying to John and saying, Be not dismayed at my baptism; for I have verily come to save Adam, the first to be created.

 

 

 

Sunday, January 4   (Sunday Before Theophany)
 8:50 a.m. – Orthros
 9:00 a.m. – Sunday School
 10:00 a.m. – Divine Liturgy
 5:30 p.m. – Youth Group

 

Monday, January 5
 CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED – FATHER JOHN'S DAY OFF
 6:00 a.m – Royal Hours for Theophany
 6:00 p.m. – Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy

 

Tuesday, January 6   (Feast of Theophany)
    This Feast Day is one of the greatest days of the Christian year.  In English, we are accustomed to hearing this Feast Day called "Epiphany," a word which means "manifestation" or "appearance."  On this day, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River by St. John the Baptist (he is called "the Baptist" because he baptized Christ).  Epiphany is also called "Theophany" which means "God shows Himself to us."  The importance of this Feast Day lies in the fact that for the first time the Holy Trinity was revealed for all mankind to know and believe (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit).  When Jesus Christ was baptized in the River Jordan, a voice was heard from the heavens above saying, "This is my Son in whom I am well pleased."  The Father whose voice was heard from the heavens was God.  The white dove was the symbol of the Holy Spirit which descended upon Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  Thus, we have the Holy Trinity being revealed to all that day, almost 2000 years ago.  This is why we call this day the day of illumination (light) and manifestation (appearance).  Th Holy Trinity made its appearance, and we have been illuminated by this wonderful truth and blessing.  On this day we have the traditional blessing of the waters.  Since the waters of the Jordan were blessed in the presence of Jesus Christ, it is a source of Divine Grace and blessing, and we bless ourselves and our homes with the waters of the "Sanctification Service" which is held during the Epiphany Services.
    Epiphany Day is a day of illumination and sanctification.  Let us pledge ourselves to a greater participation in the sacramental life of the Church of Christ.  When the Priest blesses our homes, let us all pray that the blessing of the Epiphany Season be with us throughout the year and may our homes be sanctified with our prayers, Christian living and spiritual direction in our lifetime.

 

 NO Daily Orthros
  
Wednesday, January 7
 6:30 p.m. – Daily Vespers

 

Thursday, January 8
 6:00 a.m. – Daily Orthros

 

Friday, January 9
 6:00 a.m. – Daily Orthros
        
Saturday, January 10
 6:30 p.m. – Great Vespers

 

Sunday, January 11   (Sunday After Theophany)
 8:50 a.m. – Orthros
 9:00 a.m. – Sunday School
 10:00 a.m. – Divine Liturgy
 3:30 p.m. – Annual Blessing of the Waters at Ross Barnett Reservoir followed
     by a meal at Cock of the Walk
 6:00 p.m. – Young Adults

 

 

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

 

Please remember the following in your prayers: Mona Fahmy (recovering from an appendectomy), Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family, Deborah and Paul Finley, Effie Johnson (Kh. Susan Cushman's mother) and the Cushman family (St. John's in Memphis)

 

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
                 Eucharist Bread      Coffee Hour
January 4     Joanna Meadows     Woods
January 5 (Mon Evening) Joneses
  (Feast of Theophany)
January 11     Milnors                  Algoods
January 15 (Thurs Evening) D. Roots 
  (Veneration of the Chains of St. Peter)
January 18     Freundts               Hendersons
January 25     Fahmys                Chamblees

 

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 #
January 4  Walt Wood  II Tim. 4:5-8 354
January 5  Sh. Charlotte Algood Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7 361
January 11  Warren Strain  Eph. 4:7-13 364
January 15  Kh. Sharon Meadows Acts 12:1-11 50
January 18  Mildred Morris  Heb. 13:7-16 365
January 25  Kh. Be'Be' Schelver Heb. 7:26-8:2 334

 

 

Those hosting Coffee Hour or feasts MUST be sure to place fresh trash bags in the trash cans when cleaning up afterwards.  If this is not done, items get thrown into the empty trash cans and then dumped as is into the cans outside.  The trash people will NOT pick up loose trash from the cans and have even dumped it out in the past.  This means that Father John has to pick these items up by hand and bag them!  Please help us with this!!

 

Pledge letters have been mailed  Please fill these out and return them in the self-addressed envelope as soon as possible.  This information will help the Parish Council to establish a working budget for the fiscal year 2009.

 

New Officers for Ladies of St. Peter: Christina Katool and Sh. Charlotte Algood will take over as the new Co-presidents and Sandy Strain will begin serving as Treasurer.  Many thanks to Charlotte Wood, Rebecca Root and Sh. Margaret Root for their faithful service over the past years!!

 

 
  *  The feast of Theophany will be celebrated with Orthros and Divine Liturgy tomorrow evening, January 5th , beginning at 6:00 p.m.  We will have the annual Blessing of the Waters at the Ross Barnett Reservoir on Sunday afternoon January 11th at 3:30 p.m.  Those who would like to stay afterwards are going to Cock of the Walk for a meal.  Please make plans to attend.

 
 * The feast of the Chains of St. Peter (our patronal feast) will be celebrated with Orthros and Divine Liturgy on Thursday evening, January 15th beginning at 6:00 p.m.

 
 * Father John, Charlotte Wood and Kh. Sharon Meadows will be attending the Mid-Winter Delegates Meeting in Pensacola from January 23-25.

 
 * Annual Teen Retreat for the Lower MS Valley Deanery – February 20-22, 2009 at John W. Kyle State Park.

 
 * 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.

 

The Lower MS Valley Deanery's annual teen retreat will be held the week-end of February 20-22, 2009 at John W. Kyle State Park.  Joel Finley, the Youth Director at St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in Franklin, will handling registration.  More details will be available at a later date.

 

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 January
The forefeast of Theophany (January 5th) is observed as a strict fast day.  The traditional fasting (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil) is observed on Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.

 

Major Commemorations During January
 Jan 1  Circumcision of Our Lord; St. Basil the Great and the New Year
 Jan 5  Forefeast of Theophany
 Jan 6  Theophany
 Jan 7  Synaxis of the Forerunner
 Jan 11  Venerable Theodosios the Head of Monasteries
 Jan 16  Veneration of the Chains of St. Peter
 Jan 18  Ss Athanasios and Cyril of Alexandria
 Jan 20  Venerable Euthymios the Great
 Jan 25  St. Gregory the Theologian
 Jan 27  St. John Chrysostom
 Jan 30  Three Hierarchs
 Jan 3  Unmercenaries Cyros and John

 

Quotable: "The Word was not hedged in by His body, nor did His presence in the body prevent His being present elsewhere as well.  When He moved His body, He did not cease also to direct the universe by His mind and Might.  No.  The marvelous truth is, that being the Word, so far from being Himself contained by anything, He actually contained all things Himself.  In creation He is present everywhere, yet is distinct in being fro it; ordering, directing, giving life to all, containing all, yet is He Himself the Uncontained, existing solely in His Father."  

    - St. Athanasius, On the Incarnation

 

 

WORSHIP: Sunday, January 11, 2008 (Sunday after Theophany)

 

 Scripture:  Ephesians 4:7-13; Matthew 4:12-17
 Celebrant:  Father John
 Homily:  Father James
 Deacon:  Deacon Terry
 Epistle Reader  Warren Strain
 Acolytes:  TBA
 Prosphora:  Milnors
 Coffee Hour:  Algoods
 Teen Hosts:  TBA