Parish Life

Welcome to the Parish Life section of Saint Peter Orthodox Church website. This is where we post news, events, photographs and more.

Previous Posts
5/26 announcements
5/19 announcements
5/12 announcements
5/5 announcements
4/28 announcements
4/21 announcements
4/14 announcements
4/7 announcements
3/31 announcements
3/24 announcements
Archives
November 2005
December 2005
January 2006
February 2006
March 2006
July 2006
August 2006
October 2006
February 2007
March 2007
August 2007
September 2007
November 2007
December 2007
January 2008
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
July 2008
August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
December 2008
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
May 2009
June 2009
July 2009
August 2009
September 2009
October 2009
November 2009
December 2009
January 2010
February 2010
March 2010
April 2010
May 2010
June 2010
July 2010
August 2010
September 2010
October 2010
November 2010
January 2011
February 2011
March 2011
April 2011
May 2011
June 2011
July 2011
August 2011
September 2011
October 2011
November 2011
December 2011
January 2012
February 2012
March 2012
April 2012
May 2012
June 2012
July 2012
August 2012
September 2012
October 2012
November 2012
December 2012
January 2013
February 2013
March 2013
April 2013
May 2013
June 2013
July 2013
August 2013
September 2013
October 2013
November 2013
December 2013
January 2014
February 2014
March 2014
April 2014
May 2014
June 2014
July 2014
August 2014
September 2014
October 2014
November 2014
December 2014
January 2015
February 2015
March 2015
April 2015
May 2015
June 2015
July 2015
August 2015
September 2015
December 2017
Saint Peter Antiochian Orthodox Church
Madison, Mississippi
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
6/2 announcements
June 2, 2013
Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
 
    This Sunday concludes the week which includes mid-Pentecost.  The scriptures for that day make reference to the great and final feast and the Lord's words concerning fountains of living water and the nourishment of the spirit.  The episode of the Samaritan woman at Jacob's Well and Jesus's further description of Himself as living water continue this theme.  There are innumerable nuances to the message of this episode, ranging from the allusion to the patriarch Joseph to the faith of those who believe without seeing, but let us concentrate on the woman who comes into the presence of her God.  Christ asks service of her, asks her to ignore their traditional enmity, confuses her with parables, confronts her with her sins, and claims to be her Messiah and Lord.  She enters the scene with skepticism, but she does not let circumstances blind her, for the words of the man before her ring with unmistakable authority and truth.  Whether she wants to or not, she must believe herself to be in the presence of the Son of God; she not only believes, but she quickly bears witness to the others of her town.  We join her in her faith, and we, too, partake of the Water of Life.
 
Acts 11:19-30:  Reading in Acts, we see the establishment of the first predominately Gentile church in Antioch under the leading of Barnabas and Saul.
 
John 4:5-42:  In Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman we see our Lord's concern with the truth, both in our dealings with others and in our worship of God.  We also see that spreading the eternal gospel of the Kingdom is a corporate action and not that of just one or two.

Troparion of the Resurrection:  Having learned the joyful message of the Resurrection from the angel, the women Disciples cast from them their parental condemnation, and proudly broke the news to the Disciples, saying, Death has been spoiled.  Christ God is risen, granting the world Great Mercy.
 
Troparion for mid-Pentecost:  In the midst of this Feast, O Saviour, give my thirsty soul to drink of the waters of true worship; for thou didst call out to all, saying, Whosoever is thirsty, let him come unto me and drink.  Wherefore, O Christ our God, Fountain of life, 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 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, June 2   (Sunday of the Samaritan Woman)
            8:50 a.m.         -- Orthros
            9:00 a.m.         -- Christian Education 
            10:00 a.m.       -- Divine Liturgy
 
Monday, June 3   
            Office Closed -- Father John's Day Off
           
Tuesday, June 4   (Metrophanes of Constantinople)
            6:00 a.m.         -- Festal Orthros
           
Wednesday, June 5    
            6:30 p.m.         -- Great Vespers
            7:30 p.m.         -- Choir Practice
 
Thursday, June 6
            NO Daily Orthros
            11:30 a.m.       -- Men's Lunch
           
Friday, June 7    
            NO Daily Orthros
 
Saturday, June 8   (Theodore the General) 
            5:45 p.m.         -- Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
           
Sunday, June 9   (Sunday of the Blindman)
            8:50 a.m.         -- Orthros
            10:00 a.m.       -- Divine Liturgy
            5:30 p.m.         -- Young Adults
           
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Morrises for the Divine Liturgy this morning. 
 
 Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
                                    Eucharist Bread                     Coffee Hour
June 2                          Morris                                      TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED
June 9                          Jones                                                   DUE TO CONSTRUCTION
June 12 (Wed. p.m.)  Meadows
June 16                        Davis
June 22 (Sat. a.m.)     Yeatts                                       Koliva:  Anastasia Jones
June 23                       Abraham
June 29 (Sat. a.m.)     Liturgy for Sts. Peter and Paul cancelled due to Church School
June 30                        Basinger
 
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#
June 2                              Walt Wood                          Acts 11:19-30                 52
June 9                              Sh. Charlotte Algood         Acts 16:16-34                 58
June 12 (Wed. p.m.)       Kh. Sharon Meadows        Acts 1:1-12                     63
June 16                            Warren Strain                       Acts 20:16-18, 28-36     66
June 22 (Sat. a.m.)          Phillip Lasseter                    Acts 28:4-31                   72
June 23                            Mildred Morris                    Acts 2:1-11                     77
June 29 (Sat. a.m.)          Liturgy for Sts. Peter and Paul cancelled due to Church School
June 30                             Kh. Be'Be' Schelver            I Cor. 4:9-16                   130
 
Please remember Fr. Joseph and Kh. Joanna Bittle, and their daughter Abigail, in your prayers. 
 
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;Fr. Alexander Atty, the Dean of St. Thikon's who is battling cancer.

Please remember Charles and Vivian Hadad in your prayers.  They are members of Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church and have been dear friends of St. Peter's for many years.  Both are experiencing issues with their health and Vivian is currently hospitalized.
 
Continue to pray for Metropolitan Paul (who is also the brother of our Patriarch) and the Syriac Archbishop John of Aleppo who were abducted recently while on a humanitarian mission in Syria.
 
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 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.
 
Congratulations!!             …to Dorin and Carolina on the news of an upcoming addition to their family!
                                         
                                          …to Fr. James and Kh. Sharon (and of course to Amanda and     Joseph!) on the news that they will be grandparents in January!
 
Calendar Items:
*    The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.
*    The Paschal season will come to a close with Paschal Vespers for the Leave-taking of Pascha on Tuesday evening, June 11th, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
*    We will celebrate the Feast of the Ascension with Orthros and Divine Liturgy on Wednesday evening, June 12th, beginning at 6:00 p.m. 
*    Parish Life Conference in New Orleans – June 12-16th.
*    We will celebrate Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy for Saturday of the Souls on Saturday morning, June 22nd, beginning at 9:00 a.m.
*    The Feast of Pentecost will be celebrated on June 23rd.  As is the usual custom in our parish, the Kneeling Vespers will be held that Sunday evening, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
*    Vacation Church School will be held June 27-29, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
*    There will be no liturgy this year for Sts. Peter and Paul due to Vacation Church School.
 
Fasting Discipline for June
The 12th the traditional fasting (no meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, wine or oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month until the Feast of Pentecost.  There is no fasting of any kind during the week following Pentecost (June 24-28th).  Due to the lateness of Pentecost this year, there will be no fast of the Apostles.
 
Major Commemorations for June
June 2                    Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
June 4                    Metrophanes of Constantinople
June 8                    Theodore the General (transfer of relics)
June 9                    Sunday of the Blindman
June 11                  Apostles Bartholomew and Barnabas
June 13                  Feast of the Ascension
June 16                  Sunday of the Holy Fathers of Nicea
June 22                  Saturday of the Souls
June 23                  Pentecost
June 24                  Nativity of the Forerunner
June 29                  Chief Apostles Peter and Paul
June 30                  Sunday of All Saints
                              Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles
 
Vacation Church School …The Christian Education department will hold a Vacation Church School June 27-29 from 8:30-12:30 each day.  The curriculum will be "Ark of our Salvation – Feast Days of the Theotokos."  Parents, please be sure to mark your calendars now.
 
Happy Birthdays in June:
         June 1                    --    Fr. James Meadows
         June 5                    --    George Wood
         June 6                    --    Michel Root (2012)
         June 12                  --    Ellie Yeatts (1998)
         June 13                  --    Lou Turner
         June 17                  --    Sh. Margaret Root
         June 21                  --    Sandra Strain
         June 22                  --    Isabelle Goss (2010)
         June 29                  --    Jennifer Skirtech
         June 30                  --    Jeffrey Bassinger
 
Parish Life Conference 2013:  This year St. Basil Orthodox Church in Metairie, LA will be hosting the Parish Life Conference for our Diocese on June 12-16.  His Grace, Bishop JOHN Abdallah will be the speaker.  There will also be a special presentation by Fr. Philip Rogers on keeping our children in the Orthodox Christian Church.  Parents are especially encouraged to hear his presentation.  Please mark your calendars now and make plans to attend.
 
Happy Anniversaries in June:
         June 8                    --    Nader and Lily Dabit (2008)
         June 10                  --    Dorin and Carolina Lavric (2011)
         June 14                  --    Ken and Anastasia Jones (1970)
                                       --    Saliba and Lamia Dabit (1964)
         June 22                  --    Fr. Leo and Kh. Be'Be' Schelver (1974)
         June 31                  --    Denis and Tatiana Lavric (2010)
 
Quotable:      "'And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.' (Rom. 5,5)

                       The nous , on the other hand, is the energy of the soul.  According to the Fathers, the nous is also called the eye of the soul.  Its natural place is to be found within the heart; to be united with the essence of the soul and to experience the unceasing memory of God.  Its movement goes contrary to nature when it is enslaved by the creatures of God and the passions.  Orthodox tradition makes a distinction between nous and reason.

                       Reason is a function in the brain whereas the nous operates out of and is united with the heart in its natural state.  In the saintly person, who is the manifestation and bearer of Orthodox spirituality, reason works and is conscious of the surrounding world while the nous is within the heart, praying unceasingly.  The separation of the nous from reason constitutes the state of a spiritually healthy person, and this is the goal of Orthodox spirituality."

                                    Metropolitan HIEROTHEOS, Orthodox Spirituality
 
 
Worship:         Sunday, June 9, 2013 (Sunday of the Blindman)
 
         Scripture:                                Acts 16:16-34; John 9:1-38
         Celebrant:                               Father John
         Epistle Reader:                       Sh. Charlotte Algood
         Prosphora:                              Jones
         Coffee Hour:                          Temporarily Suspended due to Construction                                          
posted by Daniel Root at 10:23 AM Parish Life
 


(c) 2005 ~ Saint Peter Antiochian Orthodox Church ~ Madison, MS ~ 601.856.3894
Login