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
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
6/16 announcements
June 16, 2013
Sunday of the Holy Fathers 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 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 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 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, June 16 (Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the First Council of Nicea)
8:50 a.m. -- Orthros
10:00 a.m. -- Divine Liturgy
Monday, June 17
Office Closed -- Father John's Day Off
Tuesday, June 18
6:00 a.m. -- Daily Orthros
Wednesday, June 19
6:30 p.m. -- Daily Vespers
7:30 p.m. -- Choir Practice
Thursday, June 20
NO Daily Orthros
Friday, June 21
NO Daily Orthros
Saturday, June 22 (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 23 (Pentecost)
8:50 a.m. -- Orthros
10:00 a.m. -- Divine Liturgy
6:30 p.m. -- Kneeling Vespers
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Meadows for the Feast of Ascension this past Wednesday evening and by the Davises for the Divine Liturgy this morning.
Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour
June 16 Davis Schelvers and others
June 22 (Sat. a.m.) Yeatts Anastasia Jones
Koliva: Anastasia Jones
June 23 Abraham Algood/Meadows/Volunteers
June 29 (Sat. a.m.) Liturgy for Sts. Peter and Paul cancelled due to Church School
June 30 Basinger Skirtech/Skirtech/Parker
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 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.
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.
Many Thanks!! to Fr. James and Dn. Richard, to Fr. Leo and Dn. Terry and to everyone else who helped complete our construction project. We are very thankful to the Lord that we have been able to add this additional space to our facility!
Father John and his family will be on vacation June 20-24th. Please contact Fr. Leo or Fr. James if you need a priest during his absence.
Calendar Items:
* The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.
Due to the July Fourth holiday, however, they will meet on July 11th next month.
* 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.
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.
Fasting Discipline for June
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 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
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
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: "In the other passage St. Basil refers to the return of the nous into the heart and its ascent to God."
"The latter passage should be interpreted within the context of the former one and in relationship to all of St. Basil's teaching. The nous which is scattered outwards and diffused through the senses into the world is sick, fallen, prodigal. It must return from its diffused state to its union with and in the heart, its natural state, and then be united with God. Illumined by the uncreated Light (the state of theosis), the nous neglects even its nature, and the soul is not preoccupied with clothing and shelter. This does not mean that man does not care about food, etc. But, because man has attained to the state of theoria (vision of God) and theosis, his bodily forces—not those of the soul—are in a state of suspension; in other words, the soul and the nous are not subjugated by the influences of the world and material things. Mani is, of course, concerned about them, yet he is not enslaved by them. Additionally, St. Basil the great clearly states that by this movement of the nous' return within the heart, virtue as a whole is acquired: prudence, bravery, justice, wisdom along with all the other virtues."
Metropolitan HIEROTHEOS, Orthodox Spirituality
Worship: Sunday, June 23, 2013 (Pentecost)
Scripture: Acts 2:1-11; John 7:37-52, 8:12
Celebrant: Father John
Epistle Reader: Mildred Morris
Prosphora: Abraham
Coffee Hour: Algood/Meadows/Volunteers needed for clean-up
