This Sunday concludes the week which includes mid-Pentecost. The scriptures for that day make reference to the great and final feast and the Lord's words concerning fountains of living water and the nourishment of the spirit. The episode of the Samaritan woman at Jacob's Well and Jesus's further description of Himself as living water continue this theme. There are innumerable nuances to the message of this episode, ranging from the allusion to the patriarch Joseph to the faith of those who believe without seeing, but let us concentrate on the woman who comes into the presence of her God. Christ asks service of her, asks her to ignore their traditional enmity, confuses her with parables, confronts her with her sins, and claims to be her Messiah and Lord. She enters the scene with skepticism, but she does not let circumstances blind her, for the words of the man before her ring with unmistakable authority and truth. Whether she wants to or not, she must believe herself to be in the presence of the Son of God; she not only believes, but she quickly bears witness to the others of her town. We join her in her faith, and we, too, partake of the Water of Life.

 

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.

 

John 4:5-42: In Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman we see our Lord's concern with the truth, both in our dealings with others and in our worship of God. We also see that spreading the eternal gospel of the Kingdom is a corporate action and not that of just one or two.

 

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 St. Athanasius: Thou hast shown thyself, O God-inspired Athanasius, as a guide to the Orthodox Faith, a teacher of true worship and purity, O star of the universe and companion of Bishops, O wise one. Through thy light thou hast enlightened all, O harp of the Spirit. Therefore, intercede with Christ God to save our souls.

 

Troparion for mid-Pentecost: In the midst of this Feast, O Saviour, give my thirsty soul to drink of the waters of true worship; for thou didst call out to all, saying, Whosoever is thirsty, let him come unto me and drink. Wherefore, O Christ our God, Fountain of life, glory to thee.

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 Pascha: When Thou didst descend into the grave, O Immortal, Thou didst destroy the power of hades. In victory didst Thou arise, O Christ God, proclaiming "Rejoice" to the myrrh-bearing women, granting peace to Thine apostles and bestowing resurrection on the fallen.

 

 

8:50 a.m.– Orthros

9:00 a.m.– Christian Education

10:00 a.m.– Divine Liturgy

5:30 p.m.– Young Adults

 

Office Closed– Father John's Day Off

 

6:00 a.m.– Daily Orthros of Paschal Season

 

5:00 p.m.– Catechism Class

6:30 p.m.–Daily Vespers of Paschal Season

7:30 p.m.– Choir Practice

 

6:00 a.m.– Daily Orthros of Paschal Season

 

6:00 a.m.– Daily Orthros of Paschal Season

 

5:00 p.m.– Catechism Class

5:45 p.m.– Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers

 

8:50 a.m.– Orthros

9:00 a.m.– Christian Education

10:00 a.m.– Divine Liturgy

5:30 p.m.– Youth Group

 

 

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

 

Please be very careful with the Blessed Bread when you take after communion or at the end of the liturgy. Because this bread has been blessed, we should take care not to let crumbs fall on the floor. Parents, especially, please help your children to choose a small piece and treat it carefully.

 

Please be reminded that Orthros begins at 8:50 a.m. and the Divine Liturgy around 10:00 on Sundays. Habitual late arrivals are a distraction from our worship of the Holy Trinity. One should not partake of communion when arriving after the reading of the Epistle.

 

Please continue to pray for the health of His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN.

 

May 2                                             Meadows                                       POT LUCK meal

May 9                                            Joanna Meadows                           Strains

May 12 (Wed. p.m.)                     D. Roots                                         Charlotte Wood (Feast of the Ascension)

May 16                                          Dansereaus                                   Jones/Stewarts

May 22 (Sat. a.m.)                       Freundts                                         Meadows (Saturday of the Souls)

May 23 (Pentecost)                     Fahmys                                           Kh. Be'Be' Schelver

May 30                                          Bakers                                            R. Roots

　

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.

May 2                                Mildred Morris                 Heb. 13:7-16                               365

May 9                                Sh. Charlotte Algood      Acts 16:16-34                               58

May 12 (Wed. p.m.)        Brenda Baker                  Acts 1:1-12                                    63

May 16                             Tom Willingham               Acts 20:16-18, 28-36                   66

May 22 (Sat. a.m.)          Kh. Sharon Meadows     Acts 28:1-31                                  72

May 23                             Tom Skirtech                    Acts 2:1-11                                    77

May 30                             Walt Wood                        Heb. 11:33 - 12:2                         84

 

Please remember the following in your prayers: The Longa and Dn. Sidney Elliott families from St. John's in Memphis; Fr. Donald Lloyd; Sh. Charlotte Algood, Deacon Terry and their family; Fr. James and Kh. Linda Ellison; Bobby and Sue Webb (Deborah Finley's parents); Tom Skirtech, Amy and Brantley Oliver; Reader Basil's family; Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Jared and Stacy Autrey and their daughter Olivia Kate (St. Ignatius in Franklin).

 

Please pray especially for Lydia Williams, her parents Mindy and Michael, and her grandparents Dn. Terry and Sh. Charlotte. Lydia is back at home in Memphis recovering from her latest surgery.

 

The Esther Elliott Longa Memorial Fund has been established to help pay the medical expenses, which were very significant. If you are interested in participating, make your check out to St. Peter's and specify that it is for her memorial fund on the memo line. We will be sending a check early in May.

 

Our monthly Sunday Pot Luck Meal will not be held the first week in June, due to the festal meals in the weeks at the end of May.

 

Calling everyone (especially Men): We need more help in cleaning up following Coffee Hour and meals at the Church (especially the monthly Pot Luck meals). Since the cooking and set up are usually done by the women, this is a terrific time for the men in our parish to also serve. Please remember that those hosting coffee would always appreciate a little help in setting things back right afterwards. The more hands, the quicker the work.

 

Traditional fasting (no meat, poultry, fish eggs, dairy, wine and oil) is observed on Wednesdays and Fridays of May, apart from the week following the Feast of Pentecost on Sunday, May 23^rd, during which there is no fasting. The Apostle's Fast this year extends from May 31^st until the Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul on Tuesday, June 29^th.

　

May 2     Athanasios the Great (transfer of relics)

May 8     Apostle John the Tehologian

May 10   Apostle Simon the Zealot

May 21   Sts. Constantine and Helen

May 25   The Forerunner (3^rd discovery)

 

*Special Services to be held during the month of May:

          Wednesday, May 12 – Orthros/Divine Liturgy (Feast of Ascension)

          Saturday, May 22 – Orthros/Divine Liturgy (Saturday of the Souls)

 

*We will celebrate the Feast of Pentecost with a picnic (complete with games supervised by Kh. Be'Be') here at the  church on Sunday, May 23^rd. More information will be available at a later date.

 

*As is our custom, we will holding the Kneeling Vespers of Pentecost on Sunday evening, May 23^rd, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

 

*There is no fasting during the week following Pentecost. The Fast of the Apostles will begin Monday, May 31^st.

 

*This year's Parish Life Conference is being hosted by St. George's church in Jacksonville, FL June 16-20. Registration materials are available online.

 

*Our next time to serve a meal at the Stewpot will be on October 30^th .

 

If you are the last to leave the building, please make sure that the heating and cooling unit in the Fellowship Hall is set to the optimum temperature for the building when unoccupied.

　

Quotable:"Pride and vainglory entail every disaster and downfall – grace departs, the heart grows cold, prayer feeble. The mind is distracted, and wrong thoughts set to work. The soul contemplating another life, the heart that has savoured the grace of the Holy Spirit, the mind that has known purity are unwilling to accept the base thoughts that attack. But how is this to be managed?"

    - Archimandrite Zacharias, The Enlargement of the Heart

 

　

Scriptures: Acts 16:16-34; John 9:1-38

Celebrant: Father John

Epistle Reader: Sh. Charlotte Algood

Prosphora: Joanna Meadows

Coffee Hour: Strains