Parish Life
Welcome to the Parish Life section of Saint Peter Orthodox Church website. This is where we post news, events, photographs and more.
Welcome to the Parish Life section of Saint Peter Orthodox Church website. This is where we post news, events, photographs and more.
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Homily for Tuesday, January 10, 2018
Homily for September 13, 2015
second set of announcements for 9/20
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Homily for August 30, 2015
Homily for August 16, 2015
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Homily for August 16, 2015
8/23 announcements
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Saint Peter Antiochian Orthodox Church
Madison, Mississippi
Thursday, April 28, 2011
5/1 announcements
May 1, 2011
Antipascha or Thomas Sunday
On the Sunday following Easter, we hear the story of Thomas and are reminded of the all-permeating presence of Christ and the faith of those who followed the disciples. Even as walls and doors proved no obstacle to His coming to His followers, so nothing can prevent His presence with us. Even as He commissioned them to be peaceful of themselves and to bear His peace and life to those about them, so He grants us peace for ourselves and those we touch. Even as Thomas turned from his doubt to faith, so let us bow before our Lord and God in acknowledgment and praise. With Thomas and all the faithful who sing in heavenly worship, let us raise our hymn of adoration and life to our risen Saviour.
Acts 5:12-20: Through healing of the sick and the addition of new believers to the Church in Jerusalem we see the power of the Holy Spirit at work with the Apostles.
John 20:19-31: In our gospel reading we hear of the Apostle Thomas' doubt regarding Jesus' resurrection. When our Lord appears to Him he immediately believes; yet, the Lord pronounces a blessing upon those who believe without having seen Him.
Troparion of Thomas Sunday: While the tomb was sealed, thou didst shine forth from it, O Light. While the doors were closed, thou didst come in to thy Disciples, O Christ God, Resurrection of all, renewing in us through them an upright spirit, according to the greatness of thy mercy.
Kontakion of Thomas Sunday: With his anxiously searching right hand, O Christ God, Thomas did probe your life-giving side; for when you did enter, the doors being shut, he shouted with the rest of the Disciples, crying, You are my Lord and my God.
CALENDAR
Sunday, May 1
8:50 a.m. -- Orthros
9:00 a.m. -- Christian Education
10:00 a.m. -- Divine Liturgy
5:30 p.m. -- Youth Group
Monday, May 2 (Athanasios the Great)
Office Closed -- Father John's Day Off
Tuesday, May 3
6:00 a.m. -- Daily Orthros
Wednesday, May 4
5:00 p.m. -- Catechism Class
6:30 p.m. -- Daily Vespers
7:30 p.m. -- Choir Practice
Thursday, May 5
6:00 a.m. -- Daily Orthros
11:30 a.m. -- Men's Lunch at Rooster's
Friday, May 6
6:00 a.m. -- Daily Orthros
Saturday, May 7
5:00 p.m. -- Catechism Class
5:45 p.m. -- Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
Sunday, May 8
8:50 a.m. -- Orthros
9:00 a.m. -- Christian Education
10:00 a.m. -- Divine Liturgy
1:00 p.m. -- Young Adults
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Eucharist Bread …was offered by Algoods for the Divine Liturgy today.
Please be reminded of the following:
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.
Also, at the end of the liturgy, maintain a prayerful disposition during the veneration of the cross as the prayers of thanksgiving after communion are still underway. Please exchange your greetings with each other in the Fellowship Hall during Coffee Hour.
Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour
May 1 Algoods Hendersons
May 8 Katools Algoods
May 15 Schelvers R. Roots
May 22 Morrises Schelvers
May 29 Joneses Pigotts
Please remember the following in your prayers: Fr. Leo, Kh. Be'Be', Stephen and Amy, Justyn and Jeffrey; Steve, Sheryl and Stephen Chamblee; Maria Costas; Amy and Brantley Oliver; Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Sam and Lamia Dabit; David Turner's mother Mary Jean; Fr. Joseph Bittle, Kh. Joanna, their daughter Abigail and the rest of their family.
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#
May 1 Phillip Lasseter Acts 5:12-20 32
May 8 Mildred Morris I John 4:12-19 315
May 15 Kh. Be'Be' Schelver Acts 9:32-42 45
May 22 Tom Willingham Acts 11:19-30 52
May 29 Tom Skirtech Acts 16:16-34 58
Please continue to pray for the health of His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN.
Our condolences go to:
David and Lou Turner and David's mother, Mary Jean, on the death of David's father, Harry Turner during Holy Week.
Steve, Sheryl, Wendy and Stephen Chamblee on the death of Steve's father, General Mac Chamblee, on Pascha morning.
Many thanks go to all those who worked so hard to make our Agape Vespers Feast a success!!
Special thanks go to Christina for heading this up and to Costas and his helpers for the wonderful food!
Wednesday, May 4th is the last day for Early Bird registrations for the upcoming Parish Life Conference to be held in Memphis June 16-19. Because our clergy will be attending the Conference there will be no Daily Vespers on Wednesday June 15th. There will also be no catechism class on Wednesday June 15th or Saturday June 18th. Nor will there be Daily Orthros on Thursday or Friday of that week. However, Father James will be returning on Saturday afternoon. So our regular services will be celebrated on Saturday and Sunday June 18th and 19th.
Calendar Items:
* The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month. This month they will meet at Rooster's in the Fondren area.
* The 2011 Parish Life Conference is being hosted by St. John Orthodox Church in
* Memphis on June 16-19. More information (hotels, etc.) is available through the Archdiocese website at antiochian.org.
* We will be serving a meal at the Stewpot in Jackson on July 9th and November 19th.
* His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN will be here the weekend of May 6, 2012 to help us celebrate our 25th anniversary as a parish. The planning committee is working very hard to make our celebration a memorable one. There will be an evening event at the MS Museum of Art on Friday, May 5th. Other events are being planned and more information will be available in the coming months.
If you are planning to attend the Parish Life Conference in Memphis, please register as soon as possible. St. John needs our registrations as they continue their preparations to host this event.
Remember Early Bird Registration ends May 4th.
Fasting Discipline for May
The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.
Major Commemorations during May
May 2 Athanasios the Great (transfer of relics)
May 8 Apostle John the Theologian
May 10 Apostle Simon the Zealot
May 21 Sts. Constantine and Helen
May 25 The Forerunner (3rd discovery)
If you are the last to leave the building, please make sure that the heating and cooling unit in the Fellowship Hall is turned off.
Antiochian Women's Scholarship: Each year AOCWNA is able to award scholarships, usually in the amount of $500 each, to help women continue their education in order to improve their circumstances and those of their families. In order to be eligible, a woman must be over 25 years of age, a member in good standing and active in her parish, registered in an academic or trade program of study, and demonstrate financial need. The application deadline is May 27, 2011. If you are interested in applying for this scholarship, please see Fr. John for an application.
Lost Items! Are you missing any items?? …most notably 3 sets of keys or a thread-counted bookmark.? These may be claimed in the church office. Please see Kh. Sharon.
Happy Birthdays in May:
May 5 -- Joanna Meadows
-- Dale Cooper
May 7 -- Tiffany Strain (#14!)
May 8 -- Kh. Janet Henderson
May 10 -- Fr. Leo Schelver
May 11 -- Meghan Brock
May 15 -- Tom Skirtech
May 21 -- Jacob Skirtech (#4!)
May 24 -- Daniel Root
-- Paul Katool
May 26 -- David Turner
May 27 -- Luke Habeeb (#6!)
May 30 -- Dn. Terry Algood
May 31 -- Stephen Chamblee
Happy Anniversaries in May:
May 2 -- Samer and Irene N'Ser (1999)
May 12 -- Cliff and Anna Kathryn Stewart (2007)
May 30 -- Tom and Jennifer Skirtech (1977)
Quotable: "The only guest who can make our soul happy is God. And if God is our paramount bliss, it is clear that that which obstructs the way to God must be the greatest evil for us. Such evil is sin."
Archimandrite Seraphim Aleksiev
Worship: Sunday, May 8, 2011 (Sunday of the Holy Myrrh-bearers; Feast of St. John
the Theologian)
Scripture: I John 4:12-19; Mark 15:43-16:8
Celebrant: Father John
Epistle Reader: Mildred Morris
Prosphora: Katools
Coffee Hour: Algoods
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Many Years Amy and Michael
We welcome Amy and Michael into the flock of St. Peter's today! God grant you both many years.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
4/24 announcements
April 24, 2011
Great and Holy PASCHA
"Unique and holy day, King and lord of days, feast of feasts, solemnity of solemnities. . . " Thus we celebrate the Great Feast because of the resurrection of our Lord and begin the season of celebration which lasts through Pentecost. The paschal solemnities (of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday) are joined to the feast of the resurrection to endow the mystery of Christmas and the Incarnation with the fulness of its meaning and are the prerequisite condition for Pentecost. Easter, therefore, is the center, the heart of the Christian Year.
"Come, take light from the Light that has no evening, and glorify Christ, risen from the dead." The Church again represents the Christian mystery in terms of light; this Light, whose birth was marked by the star of Bethlehem, is shining among us with growing intensity; the darkness of Golgotha could not extinguish it. The physical Resurrection of Jesus would be without value to us if the divine light did not shine at the same time among us, within us. But the good news of the Resurrection is that the light brought by the Saviour now completely overcomes the darkness of our sins!
"Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death, and to those in the tomb He has given life!"
Acts 1:1-8: From our reading in Acts we are reminded that following the Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord, the Church would receive the Holy Spirit to empower Her in spreading the eternal gospel to all parts of the Earth.
John 1:1-17: Reading in the Gospel of John we see Jesus Christ as the eternally Begotten Son of The Father with Whom He has always existed. We also see John the Baptist coming to prepare the way for our Lord's ministry.
Paschal Troparion: Christ is risen from the dead; by Death has he trodden death, and upon those in the tombs, hath he bestowed life.
Hypakoe of Easter: They who were with Mary came before the dawn, found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre, and heard the angels say unto them, Why seek ye him as man with the dead, who dwelleth in light eternal? Behold the grave wrappings; make haste and declare to the world that the Lord is risen, and hath caused death to die; for he is the Son of God, the Saviour of mankind.
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 ARejoice@ to the myrrh-bearing women, granting peace to Thine apostles and bestowing resurrection on the fallen.
CALENDAR
Sunday, April 24 (PASCHA)
3:00 Agape Vespers
Monday, April 25 (Apostle and Evangelist Mark)
Office Closed -- Father John's Day Off
No fasting during Bright Week
Tuesday, April 26
6:00 a.m. -- Bright Week Orthros
Wednesday, April 27
NO Catechism Class
6:30 p.m. -- Paschal Vespers
Thursday, April 28
6:00 a.m. -- Bright Week Orthros
Friday, April 29 (Apostle James of Zebedee)
6:00 a.m. -- Bright Week Orthros
Saturday, April 30
NO Catechism Class
5:45 p.m. -- Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
Sunday, May 1
8:50 a.m. -- Orthros
9:00 a.m. -- Christian Education
10:00 a.m. -- Divine Liturgy
5:30 p.m. -- Youth Group
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Dn. Richard Roots for the Vesperal Liturgy of Great and Holy Thursday, by the Hendersons for the Vesperal Liturgy of Great and Holy Saturday and by the Morrises for the Divine Liturgy today.
Please be reminded of the following:
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.
Also, at the end of the liturgy, maintain a prayerful disposition during the veneration of the cross as the prayers of thanksgiving after communion are still underway. Please exchange your greetings with each other in the Fellowship Hall during Coffee Hour.
Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour
April 23 (Sat. p.m.) Morrises T. Skirtechs/Parkers/
PASCHA B. Skirtechs
May 1 Algoods Hendersons
May 8 Katools Algoods
May 15 Schelvers R. Roots
May 22 Morrises Schelvers
May 29 Joneses Pigotts
Please remember the following in your prayers: Fr. Leo, Kh. Be'Be', Stephen and Amy, Justyn and Jeffrey; Amy and Brantley Oliver; Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Sam and Lamia Dabit; David Turner's parents, Harry and Mary Jean; Fr. Joseph Bittle, Kh. Joanna, their daughter Abigail and the rest of their family.
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#
April 23 (Sat. p.m.) Warren Strain Acts 1:1-8 25
May 1 Phillip Lasseter Acts 5:12-20 32
May 8 Mildred Morris I John 4:12-19 315
May 15 Kh. Be'Be' Schelver Acts 9:32-42 45
May 22 Tom Willingham Acts 11:19-30 52
May 29 Tom Skirtech Acts 16:16-34 58
Welcome and Many Years!! to Michael and Amy Surratt who were chrismated this morning.
Please continue to pray for the health of His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN.
Calendar Items:
* The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.
* The 2011 Parish Life Conference is being hosted by St. John Orthodox Church in
Memphis on June 16-19. More information (hotels, etc.) is available through the
Archdiocese website at antiochian.org.
* We will be serving a meal at the Stewpot in Jackson on July 9th and November 19th.
If you are planning to attend the Parish Life Conference in Memphis, please register as soon as possible. St. John needs our registrations as they continue their preparations to host this event.
If you have not yet returned your pledge slip, please do so as soon as possible, either by mail in the enclosed envelope, or by placing your pledge slip in the Tithes box at the back of the nave. We need this information to prepare our budget for the year.
Fasting Discipline for April
During Great Lent the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil) is observed on all days of the week until Pascha (except Palm Sunday on April 17th, when fish, wine and oil are permitted). There is no fasting during the week following Pascha ( Bright Week).
Major Commemorations during April
April 23 Great-martyr George
April 24 PASCHA
April 25 Apostle Mark
April 30 Apostle James of Zebedee
If you are the last to leave the building, please make sure that the heating and cooling unit in the Fellowship Hall is turned off.
Antiochian Women's Scholarship: Each year AOCWNA is able to award scholarships, usually in the amount of $500 each, to help women continue their education in order to improve their circumstances and those of their families. In order to be eligible, a woman must be over 25 years of age, a member in good standing and active in her parish, registered in an academic or trade program of study, and demonstrate financial need. The application deadline is May 27, 2011. If you are interested in applying for this scholarship, please see Fr. John for an application.
Lost Items! Are you missing any items?? …most notably 3 sets of keys or a thread-counted bookmark.? These may be claimed in the church office. Please see Kh. Sharon.
Happy Birthdays in April:
April 6 -- John Wood (#18!)
April 11 -- Brandon Strain (#9!)
Happy Anniversaries in April:
April 12 -- Mike and Cheryl Piggott (#30!)
April 25 -- Jim and Desi Roehner (#62!!)
Quotable: "Dear readers, we are created for God, and only in Him do we find the paramount bliss for which our heart is constantly yearning. Nothing other than God can make our souls happy! Give man everything which he desires. He will enjoy it for a while, but afterwards he will become indifferent to it, because he feels that something else, much more elevated, is missing. Is it not in that way that the child, too, enjoys every new toy until it grows hungry? Then it abandons the toy and looks for food. A certain inextinguishable inner hunger for truth, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit (cf. Rom. 14:17) torments our souls and does not give us peace, even among the best pleasures of life and among the most enviable achievements in the world"
Archimandrite Seraphim Aleksiev
Worship: Sunday, May 1, 2011 (Sunday of St. Thomas; New Sunday)
Scripture: Acts 5:12-20; John 20:19-31
Celebrant: Father John
Epistle Reader: Phillip Lasseter
Prosphora: Algoods
Coffee Hour: Hendersons