January 27, 2013
Thirty-first Sunday after Pentecost
Translation of the Relics of St. John Chrysostom
Hebrews 7:26-28; 8:1-2: We read in Hebrews that priests of the New Covenant serve as representatives of the Great High Priest, Jesus Christ.
Luke 18:35-43: In our reading from Luke we see the Lord's mercy toward those who have faith as He restores the sight of a blind man on the road to Jericho.
Troparion of the Resurrection: The stone being sealed by the Jews, and thy pure body being guarded by the soldiers, thou didst arise on the third day, O Saviour, granting life to the world. Wherefore, the heavenly powers acclaimed thee, O Giver of life, crying, Glory to thy Resurrection, O Christ! Glory to thy kingdom! Glory to thy gracious providence, O only Lover of mankind.
Troparion of St. John Chrysostom: Grace shining forth from thy mouth like a beacon hath illumined the universe, and disclosed to the world treasures of uncovetousness, and shown us the heights of humility; but whilst instructing us by thy words, O Father John Chrysostom, intercede with the Word, Christ God, to save our souls.
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 Presentation: Thou, O Christ God, who by your Birth, didst sanctify the Virgin's womb, and as is meet, didst bless Simeon's arms, and didst also come to save us, preserve thy fold in wars, and confirm them whom thou didst love; for thou alone art the Lover of mankind.
CALENDAR
Sunday, January 27 (Thirty-first Sunday after Pentecost)
8:50 a.m. -- Orthros
9:00 a.m. -- Christian Education
10:00 a.m. -- Divine Liturgy
5:30 p.m. -- Youth Group
Monday, January 28
Office Closed -- Father John's Day Off
Tuesday, January 29
6:00 a.m. -- Daily Orthros
Wednesday, January 30 (The Three Hierarchs)
6:30 p.m. -- Daily Vespers
7:30 p.m. -- Parish Council Meeting
7:30 p.m. -- Choir Practice
Thursday, January 31 (Cyros and John the Unmercenary Healers)
6:00 a.m. -- Daily Orthros
Friday, February 1
6:00 a.m. -- Daily Orthros
Saturday, February 2 (Presentation of our Lord in the Temple)
9:00 a.m. -- Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy
5:45 p.m. -- Ninth Hour Prayers followed by Great Vespers
Sunday, February 3 (Thirty-second Sunday after Pentecost; Sunday after
the Presentation)
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 the Freundts for the Divine Liturgy this morning.
Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour
January 27 Freundt Henderson/Baker/Lockhart
February 2 (Sat. a.m.) Fahmy D. Roots
(Feast of the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple)
February 3 Baker Algood/Bassinger/Yeatts
February 10 Wood POT LUCK MEAL
set-up: Jones/Stewart/Habeeb
February 17 R. Root Morris/Katool/Willingham
February 24 Henderson Meadows/Lasseter/Greene
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#
January 27 Warren Strain Heb. 7:26-8:2 334
February 2 (Sat. a.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows Heb. 7:7-17 371
February 3 Mildred Morris I Tim. 4:9-15 252
February 10 Phillip Lasseter II Tim. 2:1-10 328
February 17 Tom Willingham II Cor. 6:16-18, 7:1 173
February 24 Tom Skirtech II Cor. 4:6-15 163
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 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: Steve, Sheryl and Stephen Chamblee; Amy and Brantley Oliver; Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Sam and Lamia Dabit and Sammie; Georgia Buchanan, George Johns (Georgia's grandson) and his family; Mary Greene (Lee and Kh. Sharon's sister); Fr. Stephen Tewfik; Sh. Gail Shannon; Dn. Sidney and Sh. Mary Elliot.
Many thanks for your prayers on behalf of Jenna Skirtech and Kh. Sharon. Both are doing better.
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.
House Blessings! A sign-up sheet is available in the Fellowship Hall to sign up for your house blessing. Please schedule these as soon as possible. Everyone should have their home blessed. However, the responsibility for scheduling lies with individuals and not Father John. No house blessings will be done once Great Lent starts (March 18th this year).
Pledge Letters were mailed earlier this month. Please fill these out and return them to office as soon as possible. Your pledges make it possible to plan a budget for the coming fiscal year.
Directory Update: Jeff and Anca Bassinger have a new address and Anca has a new phone number:
113 Estes Street
Flora, MS 39071
Anca's cell (662) 607-6647
new mailing address:
P.O. Box 592
Flora, MS 39071
Ancient Faith Radio: Ian Jones recently gave a talk at the St. Ambrose Society (a student pro-life group at St. Vladimir's Seminary). It is available on Ancient Faith Radio at the following link: http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/svsvoices/st. ambrose society
Calendar Items:
* The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.
* Deanery Youth Retreat is scheduled for February 15-17, 2013. More details later.
The Deanery Youth Retreat is scheduled for February 15-17, 2013. Sister Magdalene from the Monastery of St. John in England will be the speaker. Sister Magdalene will also be speaking at St. Peter's for two evenings around the time of the retreat. More details will be available at a later date. But be sure to mark your calendars now for the retreat and Sister Magdalene's talks!!
Fasting Discipline for January/February
The traditional fasting discipline(no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine or oil) is observed on the remaining Wednesdays and Fridays of the month.
Major Commemorations for January/February
January 30 The Three Hierarchs
January 31 Cyros and John the Unmercenary Healers
February 2 Presentation of our Lord in the Temple
February 3 Simeon the God-receiver
February 10 Hieromartyr Haralampos
February 11 Blaise, Bishop of Sebaste
February 24 The Forerunner (1st and 2nd Discoveries)
Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee
Coffee Hour guidelines have been posted on the refrigerator in the kitchen. These list the items to be set out for Fasting and Non-fasting Coffee Hours along with guidelines for setting out the food and for storage afterwards. Please be sure that the power switch on the dishwasher is turned off when you are through with clean-up.
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 February:
February 7 --- Ben and Meghan Brock (#4!)
-- Jeffrey and Anca Bassinger (#4!)
February 18 -- David and Lou Turner (#7!)
February 21 -- Michael and Amy Surratt (#15!)
February 25 -- Daniel and Elizabeth Root (#7!)
Happy Birthdays in January/February:
January 30 -- Chris Dansereau
February 5 -- Andrei Anicescu
February 11 -- Cassie Freundt
-- Zoe Freundt
-- Demetrius Zouboukos
February 13 -- Clyde Ellis
February 15 -- Mary Guy Lockhart
February 17 -- Anthony Zouboukos
February 18 -- Tom Willingham
February 22 -- Kh. Sharon Meadows
February 24 -- Nimr Fahmy
February 28 -- Cole Parker (#8!)
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.
Quotable: "Faith is the path on which an encounter takes place between us and God. It is God who takes the first step: he fully and unconditionally believes in us and gives us a sign, an awareness of his presence. We hear the mysterious call of God, and our first step towards an encounter with him is a response to this call. God may call us openly or in secret, overtly or covertly. But it is difficult for us to believe in him if we do not first heed this call."
The Mystery of Faith by Metropolitan HILARION Alfeyev
Worship: Sunday, February 3, 2013 (Thirty-second Sunday after Pentecost; Sunday
after the Presentation)
Scripture: I Timothy 4:9-15; Luke 19:1-10
Celebrant: Father John
Epistle Reader: Mildred Morris
Prosphora: Baker
Coffee Hour: Algood/Bassinger/Yeatts