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