May 27, 2012
Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the First Council of Nicea
Today is the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of Nicea. This day commemorates the Holy Fathers who sat in council at Nicea, the first of the ecumenical councils. Through them we see the commitment to the immutable truth of God for all the faithful, especially those who lead in the faith. The men of this council bear special note by the significance of their creed, for it is the fundamental statement of orthodox Christology and an enduring guide to our faith. The events of the ascension and the scriptures of this day emphasize to us the nature and action of Christ, and the history of these fathers puts us in mind of the work of the Holy Spirit in the church, work proclaimed by the glorious events which we now anticipate in the preparation for Pentecost.
Acts 20:16-18,28-36: In the reading from Acts, we hear St Paul speak to the elders of the church at Ephesus, encouraging them to follow his example in their shepherding, and bidding them his final farewell as he approached his imprisonment at Rome.
John 17:1-13: In the passage from John, Jesus prays for His disciples, that they would be united as one and kept from evil.
Troparion of the Resurrection: When Mary stood at thy grave looking for thy sacred body, angelic powers shone above thy revered tomb, and the soldiers who were to keep guard became as dead men. Thou led hades captive and wast not tempted thereby. Thou didst meet the Virgin and didst give life to the world; O thou who art risen from the dead! O Lord, glory to thee.
Troparion of the Ascension: Thou hast ascended in glory, O Christ our God, and gladdened thy disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit, having become confident of the blessing. Verily, thou art the Son of God, and Deliverer of the world.
Troparion of the Holy Fathers: Thou, O Christ, art our God of exceeding praise who didst establish our holy Fathers as luminous stars upon earth, and through them didst guide us unto the true Faith, O most merciful One, 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 the Ascension: When thou didst fulfill thy dispensation for our sakes, uniting the terrestrials with the celestials, thou didst ascend in glory, O Christ our God, inseparable in space, but constant without separation, and crying unto thy beloved, I am with you, and no one shall be against you.
CALENDAR
Sunday, May 27 (Sunday of the Holy Fathers of Nicea)
8:50 a.m. -- Orthros
10:00 a.m. -- Divine Liturgy
12:00 p.m. -- Coffee Hour and Baby Shower for Lasseters
5:30 p.m. -- Youth Group
Monday, May 28
Office Closed -- Father John's Day Off
Tuesday, May 29
6:00 a.m. -- Daily Orthros
Wednesday, May 30
5:00 p.m. -- Catechism Class
6:30 p.m. -- Daily Orthros followed by Parish Council Meeting
Thursday, May 31
6:00 a.m. -- Daily Orthros
Friday, June 1 (Justyn Martyr)
6:00 a.m. -- Festal Orthros
Saturday, June 2 (Saturday of the Souls)
9:00 a.m. -- Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy
5:45 p.m. -- Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
Sunday, June 3 (Pentecost)
8:50 a.m. -- Orthros
10:00 a.m. -- Divine Liturgy
12:00 p.m. -- Pot Luck Meal
6:30 p.m. -- Kneeling Vespers
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Bakers for the Feast of the Ascension this past Wednesday and by the Fahmys for the Divine Liturgy today.
Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour
May 27 Fahmy R. Root/Algood
June 2 (Sat. a.m.) R. Root Dansereau/Cooper
(Koliva: Abraham)
June 3 Henderson Schelver/Henderson
June 10 Algood Meadows/Lasseter
June 17 Katool Ellis/Zouboukos
June 24 Schelver Fahmy/Pigott
June 28 (Thurs. p.m.) Morris
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 27 Tom Skirtech Acts 20:16-18, 28-36 66
June 2 (Sat. a.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows Acts 28:4-31 72
June 3 Walt Wood Acts 2:1-11 76
June 10 Sh. Charlotte Algood Heb. 11:33-12:2 84
June 17 Warren Strain Rom. 2:10-16 90
June 24 Mildred Morris Rom. 13:11-14:1-4 279
(reading is for the Forerunner)
June 28 (Thurs. p.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows II Cor. 11:21-33; 12:1-9 389
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.
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.
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 and Sammie; 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 start their married life together); Fr. Stephen Tewfik; Dn. Howard Shannon.
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.
Baby Shower: Today we will have a "Coffee Hour/Baby Shower" in honor of Nikki and Phillip Lasseter following the liturgy. The hostesses are Lynda Costas, Sh. Margaret Root, Anastasia Jones, Sh. Charlotte Algood, and Kh. Be'Be' Schelver. Come and help us celebrate a new addition to our church!
Pentecost Feast: Next Sunday, June 3rd, is the Feast of Pentecost. We will have a "directed pot luck." with Kh. Janet Henderson and Kh. Be'Be' Schelver as the hostesses in charge. There is a sign-up sheet posted on the bulletin board in the fellowship hall. Please make an effort to sign up for this and plan to attend this joyous occasion.
Calendar Items:
* The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.
* On Saturday morning, June 2nd we will have Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy for Saturday of the Souls, beginning at 9:00 a.m.
* Pentecost is Sunday, June 3rd. We will have a meal following the Divine Liturgy. Kneeling Vespers will be held that evening, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
* There will be no fasting during the week following Pentecost. The Fast of the Apostles will begin Monday, June 11th and run through June 28th.
* Father John will be attending the Parish Life Conference June 13-17 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Kh. Sharon will be representing our Ladies.
* Stewpot schedule (together with Holy Resurrection) – July 21st and December 29th.
Fasting Discipline for May/June
The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month. There will be no fasting during the week following Pentecost (June 3rd). The traditional fasting discipline is again observed on all days during the Fast of the Apostles (June 11-28).
Major Commemorations for May/June
June 1 Justyn Martyr
June 2 Saturday of the Souls
June 3 Penetcost
June 4 Metrophanes of Constantinople
June 8 Theodore the General (transfer of relics)
June 10 Sunday of All Saints
June 11 Apostles Bartholomew and Barnabas
June 24 Nativity of th Forerunner
June 29 Chief Apostles Peter and Paul
June 30 Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles
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.
Happy Anniversaries in May/June:
May 30 -- Tom and Jennifer Skirtech (#35!)
June 8 -- Nader and Lily Dabit (#4!)
June 10 -- Dorin and Carolina Lavric (#1!)
June 14 -- Ken and Anastasia Jones (#42!)
-- Saliba and Lamia Dabit (#48!)
June 22 -- Fr. Leo and Kh. Be'Be' Schelver (#38!)
June 31 -- Denis and Tatiana Lavric (#2!)
Happy Birthdays in May/June:
May 27 -- Luke Habeeb (#7!)
May 30 -- Dn. Terry Algood
May 31 -- Stephen Chamblee
June 1 -- Fr. James Meadows
June 5 -- George Wood
June 12 -- Ellie Yeatts (#14!)
June 13 -- Lou Turner
June 17 -- Sh. Margaret Root
June 21 -- Sandra Strain
June 29 -- Jennifer Skirtech
Quotable: "It is not until we learn to quiet our thoughts that there is even the possibility of learning to use our hearts. Apart from everything else, the mind uses noise constantly to reassure itself of its own existence. The language of the heart, on the other hand, is silence. Here I am not referring to an empty silence, one that is simply waiting for something to happen. Rather, I refer to the overflowing silence, the silence that is the heart's means of communication, a full and profound experience of being, and a deep awareness of God."
Archimandrite Meletios Webber, Bread and Water, Wine and Oil: an Orthodox Christian Experience of God
Worship: Sunday, June 3, 2012 (Feat of Pentecost)
Scripture: Acts 2:1-11; John 7:37-52, 8:12
Celebrant: Father John
Epistle Reader: Walt Wood
Prosphora: Henderson
Coffee Hour: POT LUCK MEAL
(Set-up:Schelver/Henderson)