Sunday before the Elevation of the Cross;

Leave-taking of the Nativity of the Theotokos

Galatians 6:11-18:  In the conclusion of his letter to the Galatians, St Paul reminds them that to be cir­cumcised or uncircumcised is not the issue, but rather to be a new creation in Christ Jesus.

John 3:13-17:  In the Gospel of John we hear Jesus speak concerning His purpose for coming into the world:  to save mankind through His death and Resurrection.

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 the Nativity of the Theotokos: Thy nativity, O Theotokos, hath proclaimed joy to the whole universe; for from thee did shine forth the Sun of justice, Christ our God, annulling the curse, and bestowing the everlasting blessing, abolishing death and granting us life everlasting.

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 Nativity of the Theotokos:  By thy holy birth-giving, O pure one, Joachim and Anne were delivered from the reproach of barrenness; and Adam and Eve were delivered from the corruption of death; thy people do celebrate it, having been saved from the stain of iniquity, crying unto thee, The barren doth give birth to the Theotokos, who nourisheth our life.

CALENDAR

Sunday, September 12   (Sunday before the Elevation of the Cross; Leave-taking of the

Nativity of the Theotokos)

            8:50 a.m.         -- Orthros

            10:00 a.m.       -- Divine Liturgy

            12:00 noon      -- Pot Luck Meal

5:30 p.m.         -- Young Adults

Monday, September 13   (Dedication of the Church of the Anastasis)

            Office Closed  -- Father John's Day Off

            6:00 p.m.         -- Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy (simple meal provided afterwards –

                                                NOT a Pot Luck)

Tuesday, September 14   (Elevation of the Precious Cross)

    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.

            NO Daily Orthros

Wednesday, September 15   (Nativity of the Theotokos)

            6:30 p.m.         -- Daily Vespers

            7:30 p.m.         -- Choir Practice

Thursday, September 16    

            6:00 a.m.         -- Daily Orthros

Friday, September 17 

            6:00 a.m.         -- Daily Orthros

Saturday, September 18

            10:30 a.m.       -- Baptism of Andrew Sellers

            5:00 p.m.         -- Catechism Class

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

Sunday, September 19   (Sunday after the Elevation of the Cross)

            8:50 a.m.         -- Orthros

            9:00 a.m.         -- Christian Education

            10:00 a.m.       -- Divine Liturgy

            12:00 noon      -- Ladies of St. Peter

5:30 p.m.         -- Youth Group

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Katools for the Divine Liturgy today.   The Artoklasia Bread was offered by the Hendersons for the Nativity of the Theotokos last Monday evening.

Please be very careful with the Blessed Bread when you take it after communion.  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.

Christian Education will begin on Sunday, September 19^th at 9:00 a.m.  As is his custom, Father John will address the children that morning.  Please make every effort to have your children there on time.

Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:

                                                      Eucharist Bread                   Coffee Hour

         September 12                        Katools                                   Strains (POT LUCK)

         September 13 (Mon. p.m.)    Schelvers                                 Meadows

                  (Elevation of the Holy Cross)

         September 19                        Morrises                                  R. Roots

         September 26                        Joneses                                   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 12              Mildred Morris                   Gal. 6:11-18                    198

September 13 (Mon. p.m.)  Kh. Sharon Meadows I Cor. 1:18-24                 311

September 19              Kh. Be'Be' Schelver           Gal. 16:20                       193

Andrew Sellers will be baptized next Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m.  Please pray for him, his parents and his godparents.

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, Dn. 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 continue to pray for the health of His Grace, bishop ANTOUN.        

Supper Clubs….We will be starting a Supper Club in the near future.  Those who have indicated an interest in participating are presently being formed into groups.  If you would like to be added to a group, please let Christina Katool know as soon as possible.

Calendar Items:

·         Our monthly Pot Luck Meal will be held TODAY.  Please be sure to stay and enjoy the fellowship.

·         The Feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross will be celebrated TOMORROW evening with Orthros and Divine Liturgy, beginning at 6:00 p.m.  A simple meal will be provided afterwards, so there is no need to bring anything.

·         A Fund-raising Auction for the Ladies of St. Peter will be held along with our monthly Pot Luck meal on Sunday, October 3^rd.  Please be sure to bring the items you are donating to the auction to the church by September 26^th.  This way we will all be able to see the things to be auctioned and plan our strategy for bidding on the 3^rd.

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

Fasting Discipline for September

The traditional fasting (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.  September 14^th  is also a strict fast day in remembrance of the Elevation of the Holy Cross.

Major Commemorations During September

         September 16   Euphemia the All-praised

         September 20   Martyr Eustathios and his family

         September 23   Conception of the Forerunner

         September 26   Apostle John the Theologian (repose)

         September 28   Venerable Chariton the Confessor

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:  "When you are sick, you feel weak and feeble, and your face is pale; you are incapable of performing your normal tasks, and people remark how ill you appear.  So you go to the doctor.  What do you want from him?  You say you want some medicine to cure your sickness.  But if the cause of your sickness was cured, and you remained feeble and pale, would you be satisfied?  Of course not.  The truth is, a person goes to the doctor for relief from the symptoms of disease, not disease itself.  The doctor, on the other hand, knows that the symptoms cannot be relieved unless their cause is overcome.  Similarly, when we declare ourselves to be disciples of Christ, we claim that we want him to cure our spiritual and moral disease.  Yet in truth we want him to relieve the symptoms such as misery, discontent, despair, and so on.  Jesus, by contrast, knows that he cannot relieve these symptoms unless he overcomes their deep, inner cause.  And this is where the problems arise.  We do not want our deep-set feelings and attitudes to be changed.  But only when we truly open our souls to the transforming grace of God will the symptoms of spiritual disease begin to disappear."

                                                            St. John Chrysostom

Worship:         Sunday, September 19, 2010 (Sunday after the Elevation of the Cross)

         Scripture:                    Galatians 2:16-20; Mark 8:34-9:1

         Celebrant:                   Father John

         Epistle Reader:            Kh. Be'Be' Schelver

         Prosphora:                  Morrises