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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Saint Peter Antiochian Orthodox Church
Madison, Mississippi
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
3/18 announcements
March 18, 2012
Third Sunday of Lent
Adoration of the Holy Cross
In the middle of Lent, the church sets before us the Cross of Christ. On two other occasions during the year, September 14 and August 1, the cross is presented for our remembrance and veneration. Both these feasts link the Adoration of the Cross to historic events. However, the remembrance of the cross on the third Sunday in Lent prepares us for the commemoration of the crucifixion which is soon to follow in Holy Week, and at the same time, it reminds us that the whole of Lent is a period when we are crucified with Christ. The dominant note on this Sunday, as on the two Sundays preceding, is one of joy and triumph. No separation is made between Christ's death and His resurrection, but the cross is regarded as an emblem of victory on Calvary as seen in light of the Empty Tomb.
Hebrews 4:14-5:6: After describing the all-seeing power of Jesus Christ, the writer of Hebrews reveals Him as the great high priest who perfectly identifies with us in our weakness.
Mark 8:34-9:1: In our reading from the gospel of Mark we hear our Lord tell His disciples that self-denial is required for true spirituality.
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 Holy Cross: O Lord, save thy people and bless thine inheritance, granting our believing kings victory over the Barbarians, and by the power of thy Cross preserving thy commonwealth.
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 Sundays of Lent: To thee the champion leader, I thy servant offer thanks for victory, O Theotokos, thou who hast delivered me form terror. As thou hast power invincible, free me from every danger that I may cry unto thee: Rejoice, O bride without bridegroom.
CALENDAR
Sunday, March 18 (Adoration of the Cross; 3rd Sunday of Lent)
8:50 a.m. -- Orthros
9:00 a.m. -- Christian Education
10:00 a.m. -- Divine Liturgy
1:00 p.m. -- Young Adults
Monday, March 19
Office Closed -- Father John's Day Off
Tuesday, March 20
NO Lenten Orthros
Wednesday, March 21
5:00 p.m. -- Catechism Class
6:30 p.m. -- Presanctified Liturgy followed by Lenten Meal
Thursday, March 22
6:00 a.m. -- Lenten Orthros
Friday, March 23
6:00 a.m. -- Lenten Orthros
6:30 p.m. -- Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos
Saturday, March 24
7:30 a.m. -- Bible Study with Breakfast
5:45 p.m. -- Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
Sunday, March 25 (Feast of the Annunciation; 4th Sunday of Lent)
8:50 a.m. -- Orthros
9:00 a.m. -- Christian Education
10:00 a.m. -- Divine Liturgy
12:00 p.m. -- Ladies of St. Peter Fundraising Luncheon and Auction
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Bakers 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
March 18 Wood Ellis/Zouboukos
March 25 R. Root POT LUCK MEAL
(Set-up: R. Root/Jones/Pigott/Basinger)
April 1 Henderson Henderson/Schelver
April 7 (Sat. a.m.) Algood Algood
April 8 Katool Meadows/Joanna/Freundt
April 12 (Thurs. a.m.) Schelver Meadows
April 14 (Sat. a.m.) Morris Cooper
April 14 (Sat. p.m.) Jones Jones/Chamblee/?
April 22 Meadows Meadows/Lasseter
April 29 Joanna Meadows Ellis/Zouboukos
Please be reminded that the Sacristy/Vestry which is adjacent to and behind the altar in our church is considered by the Orthodox Church to be part of the Sanctuary (Altar area) and should not be entered without the blessing of the priest for a specific purpose. If you need to speak with a member of the clergy while they are in the Sanctuary, please ask them to come to you in the nave.
March is Ladies Month. This is a time set aside to honor the women in our Archdiocese for their work for the good of others. During the month, our ladies will be reading the Epistle and partaking of communion first at the Divine Liturgy.
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#
March 18 Brenda Baker Heb. 4:14-5:6 285
March 25 Sh. Charlotte Algood Heb. 2:11-18 376
April 1 Tom Willingham Heb. 9:11-14 290
April 7 (Sat. a.m.) Brenda Baker Heb. 12:28-13:8 291
April 8 Tom Skirtech Phil. 4:4-9 294
April 12 (Thurs. a.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows I Cor. 11:23-32 295
April 14 (Sat. a.m.) Sh. Charlotte Algood Rom. 6:3-11 300-301
April 14 (Sat. p.m.) Walt Wood Acts 1:1-8 25
April 22 Warren Strain Acts 5:12-20 32
April 29 Mildred Morris Acts 6:1-7 38
Please remember Fr. Joseph and Kh. Joanna Bittle and their daughter Abigail in your prayers.
Please continue to pray for the health of His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN.
Please remember the following in your prayers: Maria Costas; Amy and Michael Surratt and Amy's family; Tom and Jennifer Skirtech and Jennifer's mother, Jessamine Hinkson; Warren and Sandi Strain and their family; Fr. Leo, Kh. Be'Be', Stephen and Amy, Justyn and Jeffrey; Steve, Sheryl and Stephen Chamblee; Amy and Brantley Oliver; Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Sam and Lamia Dabit; David Turner's mother Mary Jean; Georgia Buchanan, George Johns (Georgia's grandson) and his family; Dorin and Carolina Lavric and Victor (Carolina's brother); Mary Greene (Lee and Kh. Sharon's sister); Joanna Meadows and Jay Davis (as they prepare for their wedding).
Fr. John and Kh. Janet are in Wilmore, Kentucky this weekend for the baptism of their grandson, Lucas Henderson. Please keep them all in your prayers. They will be returning tomorrow. If you need a priest during this time, please contact Fr. Leo or Fr. James.
Confessions: Please go ahead and schedule your confessions so we do not have so many people trying to fit it in just before Holy Week. No confessions will be heard after Great and Holy Wednesday.
When you host Coffee Hour or the meal for a Feast please make sure that the oven, warmer, and coffee maker are turned off afterwards. On several occasions in the past, the cleaning ladies have found the oven still on when they came in to clean later during the week.
Breakfast and Bible Study: we are continuing to meet every 2-3 weeks for Bible Study on Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m. with breakfast. This is open to all who are interested. Be sure to come and enjoy the fellowship.
Calendar Items:
* The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.
* As is our parish custom, we will celebrate the Presanctified Liturgy on Wednesday evenings and the Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos on Friday evenings during the time of the fast.
* The Ladies of St. Peter will hold their annual fund-raising lunch and auction next Sunday morning, March 25th.
* We will hold our annual catfish dinner on Palm Sunday, April 8th following the Divine Liturgy. Meals will be all-you-can-eat catfish, hushpuppies, cole slaw and French fries. Cost of the meal will be $9 for adults and children 12 and over, and $6 for children 5-11. There is a sign-up sheet in the fellowship hall. Please be sure to sign it if your family will be participating in the meal.
* 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 Saturday, May 6th. Other events are being planned and more information will be available in the coming months.
* Stewpot schedule (together with Holy Resurrection) – July 21st and December 29th.
Fasting Discipline for March
The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil) is observed on all days of the week until Pascha (except Annunciation on March 25th and Palm Sunday on April 8th, when fish, wine and oil are permitted).
Major Commemorations for March
March 18 3rd Sunday of Lent; Adoration of the Cross
March 25 Feast of the Annunciation
4th Sunday of Lent; St. John Climacus
March 26 Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel
Please be sure to turn in your pledge letters as soon as possible. If you did not receive one in the recent weeks, please let Kh. Sharon know.
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.
Happy Anniversaries in March:
March 10 -- Fr. James and Kh. Sharon Meadows (#39!)
March 13 -- Warren and Sandra Strain (#18!)
March 15 -- Dn. Richard and Sh. Margaret Root (#37!)
March 27 -- Sam and Anne Habeeb (#8!)
Happy Birthdays in March:
March 3 -- Kay Carlton
March 6 -- Amy Surratt
March 9 -- Ian Jones
March 12 -- Alexa Zouboukos (#17!)
March 15 -- Emma Freundt
March 17 -- Cliff Stewart
March 20 -- Charlotte Wood
March 24 -- Brenden Skirtech (#8!)
March 26 -- Katherine Habeeb (#4!)
March 29 -- Sophie Dansereau (#1!)
March 30 -- Aidan Milnor (#6!)
Quotable: "To the world at large, it would appear obvious that the mind is the dominant force in a human being, even to the point of identifying itself as the entire person. However, the teachers of Orthodoxy generally indicate that this is not the case, or at least not the whole case. As a result of the Fall, a definite and definable split has taken place between the body and the 'person' (however that is experienced), and a vast abyss divides the heart and the mind. For the Orthodox writers, far from being the answer to all problems, the mind of man is the place where most of our trouble starts, and the path towards sanctity entails recovering the sense of intellect not in the head but in the heart. There, at the center of the life of the individual, is the point where he or she meets and communes with God. In its fallen state, the heart is weak and powerless, but nevertheless, it remains the most powerful spiritual element among all the parts of the human personality
Through prayer and participation in the Mysteries of the Church, the human person receives the opportunity to start healing, and the grave division between head and heart diminishes. In God's time, the healing progresses to a point where the heart and mind are reunited, and the original unfallen state of both is restored—now not merely in the original light of Eden, but in the transfigured light of the Kingdom of heaven. This is the Orthodox understanding of salvation."
Archimandrite. Meletios Webber, Bread and Water, Wine and
Oil: an Orthodox Christian Experience of God
Worship: Sunday, March 25, 2012 (Feast of the Annunciation; 4th Sunday of Lent)
Scripture: Hebrews 2:11-18; Luke 1:24-38
Celebrant: Father John
Epistle Reader: Sh. Charlotte Algood
Prosphora: R. Root
Coffee Hour: Fundraising Luncheon
(Set-up: Sh. Margaret, Anastasia, Cheryl Pigott, Anca)
