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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Homily for Tuesday, January 10, 2018
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second set of announcements for 9/20
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Homily for August 16, 2015
8/23 announcements
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Saint Peter Antiochian Orthodox Church
Madison, Mississippi
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
8/3 announcements
August 3, 2014
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
I Corinthians 1:10-17: St. Paul appeals to the Corinthians to put away their divisions and to be joined together in Jesus Christ.
Matthew 14:14-22: In the reading from St Matthew we hear about Jesus' feeding the five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fish. In this miracle we see that Jesus is the Bread of Life.
Troparion of the Resurrection: Thou didst shatter death by thy Cross; thou didst open paradise to the thief; thou didst turn the mourning of the ointment-bearing women into joy, and didst bid thine Apostles proclaim warning that thou hast risen, O Christ, granting the world Great Mercy.
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 Transfiguration: Thou wast transfigured on the mount, and thy Disciples, in so far as they were able, beheld thy glory, O Christ our God; so that, when they should see thee crucified, they would remember that thy suffering was voluntary, and could declare to all the world that thou art truly the effulgent Splendor of the Father.
CALENDAR
Sunday, August 3 (Eighth Sunday after Pentecost)
8:50 a.m. -- Orthros
10:00 a.m. -- Divine Liturgy
Monday, August 4
Office Closed -- Father John's Day Off
6:30 p.m. -- Paraklesis Service
Tuesday, August 5
6:00 a.m. -- Daily Orthros
6:00p.m. -- Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy
Wednesday, August 6 (Feast of the Transfiguration)
6:30 p.m. -- Paraklesis Service
Thursday, August 7
11:30 a.m. -- Men's Lunch
Friday, August 8
6:30 p.m. -- Paraklesis Service
Saturday, August 9
10:00 a.m. -- Ladies meet for Akathist and Lunch
5:45 p.m. -- Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
Sunday, August 10 (Ninth Sunday after Pentecost; Sunday after Transfiguration)
8:50 a.m. -- Orthros
10:00 a.m. -- Divine Liturgy
12:00 p.m. -- Pot Luck Meal
5:00 p.m. -- Young Adults
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Daniel Roots for the Divine Liturgy today.
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.
Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour
August 3 D. Root Ellis/Zouboukos/Fahmy
August 5 (Tues. p.m.) Meadows Elizabeth Root
(Feast of the Transfiguration)
August 10 Abraham POT LUCK MEAL
set-up: Pigott/Brock/Strain
August 14 (Thur. p.m.) Karam Christina Katool
(Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos)
August 17 Fahmy Skirtech/Skirtech/Parker
August 24 Baker D. Root/Dansereau
August 31 Wood Algood/Yeatts/Lasseter
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#
August 3 Warren Strain I Cor. 1:10-17 124
August 5 (Tues. p.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows II Pet. 1:10-19 401
August 10 Mildred Morris I Cor. 3:9-17 130
August 14 (Thur. p.m.) Phillip Lasseter Phil. 2:5-11 403
August 17 Kh. Be'Be' Schelver I Cor. 4:9-16 135
August 24 * Tom Skirtech * I Cor. 9:2-12 141
August 31 * Brenda Baker * Heb. 9:1-7 337
* (Please note that these assignments differ from the Quarterly Schedule)
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;
Walt and Charlotte Wood and their family; Tom and Jennifer Skirtech and their family; Tom and Kathy Willingham; Athena and Anthony Zouboukos and their family.
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.
Continue to pray for Metropolitan Paul (who is also the brother of our Patriarch) and the Syriac Archbishop John of Aleppo who were abducted while on a humanitarian mission in Syria.
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.
Our condolences go to Phillip and Nikki Lasseter (and Titus) on the falling asleep of Phillip's grandfather, Mr. Claude Johnson, this past Tuesday.
Calendar Items:
* The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.
* The Ladies of St. Peter will meet at 10:00 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month to pray the Akathist to the Mother of God, Nurturer of Children. Those who are able will go out for lunch and fellowship afterwards.
* The Fast of the Dormiton began on August 1st and runs through the 15th. As is our custom we will celebrate the Paraklesis Service to the Theotokos on all Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings during the fast, beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, August 1st.
* The Feast of the Transfiguration will be celebrated with Orthros followed by the Divine Liturgy on Tuesday evening, August 5th, beginning at 6:00 p.m.
* We celebrate the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos with Orthos followed by the Divine Liturgy on Thursday evening, August 14th, beginning at 6:00 p.m.
* Fr. John and Kh. Janet will be in New Orleans the week-end of October 3-5 for the memorial of the falling asleep of Fr. Stephen Hardy who was a long-time pastor at St. Basil Orthodox Church.
Young Adults Study Group: The Young Adults agreed this past Sunday evening to begin meeting twice a month. One of these meetings will feature a teaching by Fr. John on various aspects of the Orthodox Christian faith. Topics will include education, ethics and parenting children. The next meeting will be Sunday, August 10th at the church at 5:00 p.m. The second monthly meeting for the Young Adults will be for fellowship. Fr. John and Kh. Janet will host the first fellowship meal at their home at 5:00 p.m. on August 24th. Please try to make childcare arrangements if possible.
Fasting Discipline for August
The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month. From August 1st through 14th (the Dormition Fast), the traditional fasting is observed on all days, except August 6th (the Feast of the Transfiguration) when fish and wine are permitted. After the 15th, the traditional fasting is observed on the remaining Wednesdays and Fridays of the month. August 29th is also a strict fast day in remembrance of the beheading of the Forerunner.
Major Commemorations for August
August 6 Feast of the Transfiguration
August 15 Feast of the Dormition
August 25 Apostles Bartholomew and Titus
August 29 Beheading of the Forerunner
August 31 Deposition of the Belt of the Theotokos
Happy Anniversaries in August:
August 16 -- Rick and Kay Carlton (#39!)
August 17 -- Steve and Sheryl Chamblee (#23!)
August 18 -- Jesse and Sarah Milnor (#12!)
August 25 -- Nimr and Mona Fahmy (#40!)
August 27 -- Alfred and Christina Katool (#26!)
Happy Birthdays in August:
August 4 -- Simeon Root (#5!)
August 7 -- Joseph Katool
August 18 -- Virginia Stewart (#4!)
August 20 -- Suzi Fino
August 24 -- Anastasia Jones
August 26 -- Bob Buchanan
August 27 -- Eli Dabit (#4!)
August 31 -- Elizabeth Root
Suggestions on use of the Cry Room:
-- Please remember you're in liturgy when you're in the cry room.
-- Its main purpose should be a place for parents to take their children if they're being disruptive during liturgy, staying for 5-10 minutes (or until the child is calmed down) and then returning to liturgy.
-- It should not be used as a main sitting area during the liturgy.
-- Children should not be eating snacks or watching electronic devices while in the cry room.
Parents, please supervise your children with food in the Fellowship Hall. We are getting stains on the new carpet (and also the chairs in the nave).
Quotable: "'Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord' (Eph. v. 19).
How should we interpret these words? Do they mean that when you are filled with the Spirit, you should then sing with your mouth and your heart? Or that if you wish to be filled with the Holy Spirit, you should first sing? Is singing with mouth and heart, mentioned by the Apostle, meant to be the consequence of being filled by the Spirit, or the means towards it.
The infusion of the Holy Spirit does not lie within our power. It comes as the Spirit Himself wishes. And when it comes, this infusion will greatly animate the powers of our spirit that the song to God breaks out of itself. Freedom of choice lies only between leaving this song to be sung in the heart alone, or expressing it aloud for all to hear."
The Art of Prayer, compiled by Igumen Chariton of Valamo
Worship: Sunday, August 10, 2014 (Ninth Sunday after Pentecost; Sunday after the
Transfiguration)
Scripture: I Corinthians 3:9-17; Matthew 14:22-34
Celebrant: Father John
Epistle Reader: Mildred Morris
Prosphora: Abraham
Coffee Hour: POT LUCK MEAL
(set-up: Pigott/Brock/Strain)
Thursday, July 24, 2014
7/27 announcements
July 27, 2014
Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
Great-martyr Panteleimon
II Timothy 2:1-10: Through the example of the soldier, athlete and farmer, St. Paul reminds us that faithful ministry requires discipline, obedience, self-denial and struggle.
Matthew 9:27-35: The Lord Jesus again demonstrates His mercy by healing two blind men and casting out a demon from a man possessed. We see that the Lord has compassion for all those who are oppressed by sin, death and Satan.
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 Great-martyr and Unmercenary Healer Panteleimon: O holy prizewinner and healer Panteleimon, intercede with the merciful God that He will grant our souls forgiveness of sins.
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 Transfiguration: Thou wast transfigured on the mount, and thy Disciples, in so far as they were able, beheld thy glory, O Christ our God; so that, when they should see thee crucified, they would remember that thy suffering was voluntary, and could declare to all the world that thou art truly the effulgent Splendor of the Father.
CALENDAR
Sunday, July 27 (Seventh Sunday after Pentecost; Great-martyr Panteleimon)
8:50 a.m. -- Orthros
10:00 a.m. -- Divine Liturgy
5:00 p.m. -- Young Adults
Monday, July 28
Office Closed -- Father John's Day Off
Tuesday, July 29
6:00 a.m. -- Daily Orthros
Wednesday, July 30
6:30 p.m. -- Daily Vespers
7:30 p.m. -- Choir Practice
Thursday, July 31
Friday, August 1 (Procession of the Holy Cross)
[FAST OF THE DORMITON BEGINS]
6:30 p.m. -- Paraklesis Service
Saturday, August 2
5:45 p.m. -- Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
Sunday, August 3 (Eighth Sunday after Pentecost)
8:50 a.m. -- Orthros
10:00 a.m. -- Divine Liturgy
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Davises for the Divine Liturgy today.
Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour
July 27 Davis Karam/Stewart/Henderson
August 3 D. Root Ellis/Zouboukos/Fahmy
August 5 (Tues. p.m.) Meadows Elizabeth Root
(Feast of the Transfiguration)
August 10 Abraham POT LUCK MEAL
set-up: Pigott/Brock/Strain
August 14 (Thur. p.m.) Karam Christina Katool
(Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos)
August 17 Fahmy Skirtech/Skirtech/Parker
August 24 Baker D. Root/Dansereau
August 31 Wood Algood/Yeatts/Lasseter
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#
July 27 Sh. Charlotte Algood II Tim. 2:1-10 328
August 3 Warren Strain I Cor. 1:10-17 124
August 5 (Tues. p.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows II Pet. 1:10-19 401
August 10 Mildred Morris I Cor. 3:9-17 130
August 14 (Thur. p.m.) Phillip Lasseter Phil. 2:5-11 403
August 17 Kh. Be'Be' Schelver I Cor. 4:9-16 135
August 24 * Tom Skirtech * I Cor. 9:2-12 141
August 31 * Brenda Baker * Heb. 9:1-7 337
* (Please note that these assignments differ from the Quarterly Schedule)
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;
Walt and Charlotte Wood and their family; Tom and Jennifer Skirtech and their family; Tom and Kathy Willingham; Athena and Anthony Zouboukos and their family.
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.
Continue to pray for Metropolitan Paul (who is also the brother of our Patriarch) and the Syriac Archbishop John of Aleppo who were abducted while on a humanitarian mission in Syria.
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.
Calendar Items:
* The Men of the parish meet for lunch and fellowship on the first Thursday of the month.
* The Ladies of St. Peter will meet at 10:00 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month to pray the Akathist to the Mother of God, Nurturer of Children. Those who are able will go out for lunch and fellowship afterwards.
* The Fast of the Dormiton begins on August 1st and runs through the 15th. As is our custom we will celebrate the Paraklesis Service to the Theotokos on all Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings during the fast, beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, August 1st.
* The Feast of the Transfiguration will be celebrated with Orthros followed by the Divine Liturgy on Tuesday evening, August 5th, beginning at 6:00 p.m.
* We celebrate the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos with Orthos followed by the Divine Liturgy on Thursday evening, August 14th, beginning at 6:00 p.m.
* Fr. John and Kh. Janet will be in New Orleans the week-end of October 3-5 for the memorial of the falling asleep of Fr. Stephen Hardy who was a long-time pastor at St. Basil Orthodox Church.
Young Adults Study Group: The Young Adults will meet once a month on Sunday evening from 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. (time will be strictly adhered to) for a meal, fellowship and teaching. The date for next meeting is, Sunday, August 17th. Please let Father John know by text or e-mail if you will be there, so that plans may be made for the meal.
Fasting Discipline for July/August
The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) is observed on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the month. From August 1st through 14th (the Dormition Fast), the traditional fasting is observed on all days, except August 6th (the Feast of the Transfiguration) when fish and wine are permitted. After the 15th, the traditional fasting is observed on the remaining Wednesdays and Fridays of the month. August 29th is also a strict fast day in remembrance of the beheading of the Forerunner.
Major Commemorations for July/August
July 27 Great-martyr Panteleimon
August 1 Procession of the Holy Cross
August 6 Feast of the Transfiguration
August 15 Feast of the Dormition
August 25 Apostles Bartholomew and Titus
August 29 Beheading of the Forerunner
August 31 Deposition of the Belt of the Theotokos
Happy Anniversaries in July/August:
July 30 -- Clyde and Mary Ellis (#20!)
August 16 -- Rick and Kay Carlton (#39!)
August 17 -- Steve and Sheryl Chamblee (#23!)
August 18 -- Jesse and Sarah Milnor (#12!)
August 25 -- Nimr and Mona Fahmy (#40!)
August 27 -- Alfred and Christina Katool (#26!)
Happy Birthdays in August:
August 4 -- Simeon Root (#5!)
August 7 -- Joseph Katool
August 18 -- Virginia Stewart (#4!)
August 20 -- Suzi Fino
August 24 -- Anastasia Jones
August 26 -- Bob Buchanan
August 27 -- Eli Dabit (#4!)
August 31 -- Elizabeth Root
Suggestions on use of the Cry Room:
-- Please remember you're in liturgy when you're in the cry room.
-- Its main purpose should be a place for parents to take their children if they're being disruptive during liturgy, staying for 5-10 minutes (or until the child is calmed down) and then returning to liturgy.
-- It should not be used as a main sitting area during the liturgy.
-- Children should not be eating snacks or watching electronic devices while in the cry room.
Parents, please supervise your children with food in the Fellowship Hall. We are getting stains on the new carpet (and also the chairs in the nave).
Quotable: "The achievement of passionlessness and sanctity—in other words, of Christian perfection—is impossible without acquiring inner prayer. All the Fathers agree on this.
The path of true prayer becomes incomparably more narrow when the ascetic struggler begins to enter upon it through the activity of the inner man. But when he enters this narrow path and feels how right, saving, and necessary this way is, and when he comes to love his work in the inner cell, then he will also come to love the narrowness of his exterior life because it serves as a cloister and treasury of inner activity."
The Art of Prayer, compiled by Igumen Chariton of Valamo
Worship: Sunday, August 3, 2014 (Eighth Sunday after Pentecost)
Scripture: I Corinthians 1:10-17; Matthew 14:14-22
Celebrant: Father John
Epistle Reader: Warren Strain
Prosphora: D. Root
Coffee Hour: Ellis/Zouboukos/Fahmy