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
Homily for September 13, 2015
second set of announcements for 9/20
9/13 announcements
9/6 announcements
Homily for August 30, 2015
Homily for August 16, 2015
8/30 announcements
Homily for August 16, 2015
8/23 announcements
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Saint Peter Antiochian Orthodox Church
Madison, Mississippi
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
8/31 announcements
August 31, 2014
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
Hebrews 9:11-14: In our reading from Hebrews, we hear the Apostle tell us that when Christ entered the heavenly Holy of Holies through His own blood, He obtained for us eternal redemption for our sins.
Matthew 19:16-26: St Matthew describes Jesus' encounter with the rich young ruler. In this
incident we learn that spirituality is not founded only on keeping the law, but on giving mercy to others and denial of oneself.
Troparion of the Resurrection: Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad; for the Lord hath done a mighty act with his own arm. He hath trampled down death and become the First-born from the dead. He hath delivered us from the depths of hades, granting the world the Great Mercy.
Troparion of the Commemoration: Thou hast bestowed upon thy city, O ever-virgin Theotokos and shelter of mankind, the robe and the belt of thy pure body, as a secure mantle, which by thy seedless birth-giving have remained without corruption; for by thee are nature and time regenerated. Wherefore, we implore thee to grant thy city safety and our souls the 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 Commemoration: O pure Virgin, the Church joyously celebrates the placing of thy divine belt and cries out to thee in supplication: Save us all from powerful enemies, crush the arrogance of unbelievers, and direct our lives to the doing of the divine will of the Lord.
CALENDAR
Sunday, August 31 (Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost)
8:50 a.m. -- Orthros
10:00 a.m. -- Divine Liturgy
Monday, September 1 (Indiction of the Ecclesiastical Year)
Office Closed -- Father John's Day Off
Tuesday, September 2
6:00 a.m. -- Daily Orthros
Wednesday, September 3
6:30 p.m. -- Daily Vespers
7:30 p.m. -- Choir Practice
Thursday, September 4
11:30 a.m. -- Men's Lunch
Friday, September 5
Saturday, September 6 (Miracle of the Archangel Michael)
5:45 p.m. -- Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
Sunday, September 7 (Sunday before the Elevation of the Holy Cross)
8:50 a.m. -- Orthros
9:00 a.m. -- Christian Education
10:00 a.m. -- Divine Liturgy
5:00 p.m. -- Young Adults
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Woods for the Divine Liturgy today.
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.
Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour
August 31 Wood Ellis/Zouboukos
September 7 R. Root R. Root/Abraham/Habeeb
September 8 (Mon a.m.) Henderson Kh. Sharon Meadows
(Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos)
September 14 Algood POT LUCK MEAL [Lenten dishes]
set-up: Schelver/Lavric/Turner
September 21 Katool Henderson/Baker/Lockhart
September 28 Schelver Karam/Stewart/ Meadows
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 31 * Kh. Sharon Meadows * Heb. 9:1-7 337
September 7 * David Turner * Gal. 6:11-18 198
September 8 * (Mon. a.m.) Tom Willingham * Phil. 2:5-11 307-308
(Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos)
September 14 * Walt Wood * I Cor. 1:18-24 311-312
September 21 * Sh. Charlotte Algood * Gal. 2:16-20 193
September 28 * Warren Strain * II Cor. 6:1-10 168
* (Please note that these assignments differ from the Quarterly Schedule)
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.
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 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.
We welcome Preston and Brittany Salisbury and their children, Micah (3) and Noah (2) into the fellowship of St. Peter's. They come to us from Christ the Savior Orthodox Church (OCA) in McComb, MS. Preston is employed at Hinds Community College as the Assistant Librarian in Raymond. May God grant them Many Years!
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.
* We will celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos with Divine Liturgy (only) on Monday morning, September 8th, beginning at 6:00 a.m.
* The Feast of the Elevation falls on a Sunday this year. So we will celebrate the feast with a Pot Luck Meal following the Divine Liturgy on September 14th. Please be aware that this feastday is also a day of fasting and bring a Lenten dish for the meal.
* 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.
* We will be serving a meal at the Stewpot Ministries on Saturday, October 25th in conjunction with members of Holy Resurrection and Holy Trinity/St. John the Theologian Orthodox Churches. St. Peter will be providing casseroles for the meal. We will also be serving a meal with them on Saturday, November 29th.
* Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon will be speaking at Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in Clinton on November 4-6th. His topic will be Christ in the Old Testament.
Young Adults Study Group: The Young Adults agreed 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, September 7th for teaching.
Lower Mississippi Valley Teen Retreat: The Teen Retreat will be February 13-15, 2015 at Roosevelt State Park. The speaker for the retreat will be Heiromonk Benedict (Josuah Armitage). His topic will be "Dealing with Doubts about God." We are very excited to have Fr. Benedict come to address this important topic with our teens! Be sure to mark your calendars now.
Fasting Discipline for September
The traditional fasting (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or 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 August/September
August 31 Deposition of the Belt of the Theotokos
September 1 Indiction of the Ecclesiastical Year
September 6 Miracle of the Archangel Michael
September 8 Nativity of the Theotokos
September 9 Righteous Joachim and Anna
September 13 Dedication of the Church of the Anastasis
September 14 Elevation of the Holy Cross
September 23 Conception of the Forerunner
September 24 Proto-martyr Thekla
September 26 Apostle John the Theologian (repose)
September 28 Venerable Chariton
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).
Happy Birthdays in August/September:
August 31 -- Elizabeth Root
September 1 -- Adelina Lavric (#2!)
September 3 -- Lee Greene
-- Hannah Strange (#8!)
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 17 -- Jeffrey Schelver
September 18 -- Carolina Lavric
September 25 -- Rick Carlton
September 30 -- Laura Yeatts
Happy Anniversaries in September:
September 4 -- Ben and Jenna Skirtech (#13!)
September 15 -- Tom and Kathy Willingham (#24!)
September 26 -- Rod and Emily Parker (#10!)
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.
Quotable: "The thanksgiving of the receiver incites the giver to give greater gifts than the first. He that returns no thanks in small matters is a dissembler and dishonest in greater ones also. If a man is ill and he recognizes his ailment, his healing will be easy. If he confesses his pain, he draws nigh its cure. There are many pangs for the unyielding heart, and the patient who resists his physician amplifies his torment. There is no unpardonable sin, save the unrepented one. Nor does any gift remain without thanksgiving. The fool's portion is small in his eyes."
St. Isaac the Syrian
Worship: Sunday, September 7, 2014 (Sunday before the Elevation of the Holy Cross;
the Prefeast of the Nativity of the Theotokos)
Scripture: Gal. 6:11-18; John 3:13-17
Celebrant: Father John
Epistle Reader: David Turner
Prosphora: R. Root
Coffee Hour: R. Root/Abraham/Habeeb
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
8/24 announcements
August 24, 2014
Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
I Corinthians 9:2-12: In our reading from I Corinthians, we hear St Paul respond to those in who questioned his apostleship and his lifestyle as such.
Matthew 18:23-35: The Lord Jesus uses a parable to teach that forgiveness is an action to be performed by all who follow Him as well as a gift to be received from God.
Troparion of the Resurrection: When thou, O immortal Life, didst humble thyself unto death, then didst thou destroy death by the brightness of thy Godhead; and when thou didst raise the bowels of the earth, then all the heavenly powers exclaimed, O Christ, thou art the Giver of life! Glory to thee, O our God!
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 Nativity of the Theotokos: By thy holy birth-giving, O pure one, Joachim and Anne were delivered from the reproach of barrenness; and Adam and Eve were delivered from the corruption of death; thy people do celebrate it, having been saved from the stain of iniquity, crying unto thee, The barren doth give birth to the Theotokos, who nourisheth our life.
CALENDAR
Sunday, August 24 (Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost)
8:50 a.m. -- Orthros
10:00 a.m. -- Divine Liturgy
5:00 p.m. -- Young Adults
Monday, August 25 (Apostles Bartholomew and Titus)
Office Closed -- Father John's Day Off
Tuesday, August 26
6:00 a.m. -- Daily Orthros
11:30 a.m. -- Ladies Lunch
Wednesday, August 27
6:30 p.m. -- Daily Vespers
7:30 p.m. -- Choir Practice
7:30 p.m. -- Parish Council Meeting
Thursday, August 28
Friday, August 29 (Beheading of the Forerunner)
Saturday, August 30
5:45 p.m. -- Ninth Hour followed by Great Vespers
Sunday, August 31 (Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost)
8:50 a.m. -- Orthros
10:00 a.m. -- Divine Liturgy
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Bakers for the Divine Liturgy today.
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.
Eucharist Bread and Coffee Hour Schedule:
Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour
August 24 Baker D. Root/Dansereau
August 31 Wood Ellis/Zouboukos
September 7 R. Root R. Root/Abraham/Habeeb
September 8 (Mon a.m.) Henderson Kh. Sharon Meadows
(Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos)
September 14 Algood POT LUCK MEAL [Lenten dishes]
set-up: Schelver/Lavric/Turner
September 21 Katool Henderson/Baker/Lockhart
September 28 Schelver Karam/Stewart/ Meadows
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 24 * Tom Skirtech * I Cor. 9:2-12 141
August 31 * Kh. Sharon Meadows * Heb. 9:1-7 337
September 7 * David Turner * Gal. 6:11-18 198
September 8 * (Mon. a.m.) Tom Willingham * Phil. 2:5-11 307-308
(Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos)
September 14 * Walt Wood * I Cor. 1:18-24 311-312
September 21 * Sh. Charlotte Algood * Gal. 2:16-20 193
September 28 * Warren Strain * II Cor. 6:1-10 168
* (Please note that these assignments differ from the Quarterly Schedule)
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 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 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.
* 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.
* We will be serving a meal at the Stewpot Ministries on Saturday, October 25th in conjunction with members of Holy Resurrection and Holy Trinity/St. John the Theologian Orthodox Churches. St. Peter will be providing casseroles for the meal. We will also be serving a meal with them on Saturday, November 29th.
* Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon will be speaking at Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in Clinton on November 4-6th. His topic will be Christ in the Old Testament.
Young Adults Study Group: The Young Adults agreed 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 24th 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.
Lower Mississippi Valley Teen Retreat: The Teen Retreat will be February 13-15, 2015 at Roosevelt State Park. The speaker for the retreat will be Heiromonk Benedict (Josuah Armitage). His topic will be "Dealing with Doubts about God." We are very excited to have Fr. Benedict come to address this important topic with our teens! Be sure to mark your calendars now.
Fasting Discipline for August
After the 15th, the traditional fasting (no meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine or oil) 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 25 Apostles Bartholomew and Titus
August 29 Beheading of the Forerunner
August 31 Deposition of the Belt of the Theotokos
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).
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.
Quotable: "But let us remember that this effect is conditional on their use being accompanied by purification of the heart. St. John Chrysostom enjoins this, guided by the teaching of St. Paul himself, and also says that the songs must primarily be spiritual, and sung not only by the tongue but also by the heart.
Therefore, in order that the singing of Church songs may lead us on to be filled by the Spirit, the Apostle is insistent that the songs should be spiritual. By this it should be understood that they must be not only spiritual in content but moved by the Spirit: they must themselves be the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and be poured forth by hearts that are filled with Him. Without this they will not lead to our possession by the Spirit. This is according to the law whereby the singer is given that which has been put into the song."
The Art of Prayer, compiled by Igumen Chariton of Valamo
Worship: Sunday, August 31, 2014 (Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost)
Scripture: Hebrews 9:1-7; Matthew 19:16-26
Celebrant: Father John
Epistle Reader: Kh. Sharon Meadows
Prosphora: Wood
Coffee Hour: Ellis/Zouboukos