September 16, 2012
Sunday after the Elevation of the Cross
Galatians 2:16-20: We hear from St Paul's letter to the Galatians that we are justified by faith in Christ, not by works of the Law; and that we now live our lives by faith in the Son of God.
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: 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 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 Holy Cross: Do thou, who of thine own good will wast lifted up upon the Cross, O Christ our God, bestow thy bounties upon the new nation which is called by thy Name; make glad in thy might those who lawfully govern, that with them we may led to victory over our adversaries, having in thine aid a weapon of peace and a trophy invincible.
CALENDAR
Sunday, September 16 (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 p.m. -- Ladies of St. Peter
1:00 p.m. -- Young Adults
Monday, September 17
Office Closed -- Father John's Day Off
Tuesday, September 18
6:00 a.m. -- Daily Orthros
Wednesday, September 19
6:30 p.m. -- Daily Vespers
7:30 p.m. -- Choir Practice
7:30 p.m. -- Parish Council Meeting
Thursday, September 20
6:00 a.m. -- Daily Orthros
Friday, September 21
6:00 a.m. -- Daily Orthros
Saturday, September 22
5:45 p.m. -- Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
Sunday, September 23 (Sunday after the Elevation of the Cross)
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 Schelvers for the Feast of the Elevation of the Cross this past Thursday and by the Morrises for the Divine Liturgy this morning.
Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour
September 16 Morris Skirtech/Skirtech/Parker
September 23 Jones Strain/Dabit
September 30 Meadows D. Root/Dansereau/Dale Cooper
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 16 Tom Skirtech Gal. 2:16-20 193
September 23 Walt Wood Gal. 4:22-27 314
September 30 Warren Strain II Cor. 6:16-7:1 173
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: Pete and Maria Costas; 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); Fr. Stephen Tewfik; Dn. Howard and Sh. Gail Shannon.
Please continue to pray for the health of His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN.
Please remember Fr. Joseph and Kh. Joanna Bittle, and their daughter Abigail, in your prayers.
Welcome and Many Years! to Michel Root who was baptized yesterday.
Fall Festival/Square Dance: We are planning a Fall Festival with Square Dancing for the month of October. The date will be Saturday, October 27th, beginning at 3:00 p.m. We will not have Ninth Hour Prayers that day and Great Vespers will begin at 6:00 p.m.
The Planning Committee for the City of Madison approved our revised master plan at their monthly meeting this past Monday evening. Our next step will be to submit a detailed site plan for the renovations and additions to the Fellowship Hall. This will be considered at the Planning Committee's next meeting in October. Shortly thereafter we will be able to start the process of construction.
The Northside Sun has interviewed Father John about the renovations here at St. Peter's. Their article will be appearing in the very near future.
Building Fund: As we proceed with the plans for the approval by the City of Madison and Metropolitan PHILIP for our addition/renovation, we are reviewing our Building Fund. We currently have over $150,000 in the fund and are regularly adding to it. The Parish Council has decided to apply cash donations from the Sunday offering to the Building Fund – UNLESS it is specified or otherwise apparent that these are intended as a regular tithe/donation. Of course, other donations by check, etc., specified for the Building Fund are always welcome! So feel free to chip in a little (or lot!) extra as you are able. With God's grace, we look forward to this next phase of our building program and beyond to the next phase of building a new main church building/temple.
Calendar Items:
* The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.
* Fall Festival and Square Dance – Saturday, October 27th, beginning at 3:00 p.m.
* Stewpot schedule (together with Holy Resurrection) – December 29th.
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 14th is also a strict fast day in remembrance of the Elevation of the Holy Cross.
Major Commemorations for 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
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 September:
September 4 -- Ben and Jenna Skirtech (#11!)
September 6 -- Richard and Vickie Curtis (#26!)
September 15 -- Tom and Kathy Willingham (#22!)
September 26 -- Rod and Emily Parker (#8!)
Happy Birthdays in September:
September 3 -- Lee Greene
-- Geraldine Quirk
September 4 -- Fr. John Henderson
September 8 -- Nikki Lasseter
September 9 -- Rebecca Dansereau
September 10 -- Dorin Lavric
September 12 -- Alvin Buckles
September 15 -- Lynda Costas
September 18 -- Carolina Lavric
September 25 -- Rick Carlton
September 30 -- Laura Yeatts
Quotable: "It is probably appropriate to say that the heart is quiet rather than noisy, intuitive rather than deductive, lives entirely in the present, and is, at every moment, accepting the reality God gives in that moment. Moreover, the heart does not seek to distance or dominate anything or anyone by labeling. Rather, it begins with an awareness of its relationship with the rest of creation (and everything and everyone in it), accepting rather than rejecting, finding similarity rather than alienation and likeness rather than difference. It knows no fear, experiences no desire, and never seeks to defend or justify itself. Unlike the mind, the heart never seeks to impose itself. It is patient and undemanding. Little wonder, then, that the mind, always impatient and very demanding, manages to dominate it so thoroughly."
Archimandrite Meletios Webber, Bread and Water, Wine and
Oil: an Orthodox Christian Experience of God
Worship: Sunday, September 23, 2012 (Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost; Conception
of the Forerunner)
Scripture: Galatians 4:22-27; Luke 5:1-11
Celebrant: Father John
Epistle Reader: Walt Tood
Prosphora: Jones
Coffee Hour: Strain/Dabit