ST. JOHN ORTHODOX CHURCH

 

1663 TUTWILER AVENUE

MEMPHIS, TN 38107

(901) 274-4119

www.stjohnmemphis.org

 

V. Rev. Fr. Basil Cushman               V. Rev. Fr. John Troy Mashburn, Jr.                  Rev. Fr. Donald Berge

                                                                             Assistant Pastor                                             Pastor                                               

 

GREAT VESPERS                       ORTHROS and CHURCH SCHOOL    DIVINE LITURGY

Saturday, 7:00 p.m.                                    Sunday, 9:00 a.m.                      Sunday, 10:00 a.m.

 

Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America

“…the Disciples were called Christians first in Antioch!”

Acts 11:26

 

 

Sunday of the Adoration of the Cross

3rd Sunday of the Great Fast

March 11, 2007

Epistle: Heb 4:14 – 5:6                       Gospel: Mark 8:34 – 9:1

 

                                                                                               

The Holy Bread for Eucharist is offered this morning by Laura Graham.

 

Welcome to all those visiting St. John Orthodox Church.  We are honored by your presence.  It is our sincere desire that your participation today in the Divine Liturgy will draw you closer to Christ and His Church.

 

If you are from a non-Orthodox background you may see new things such as icons, incense, the sign of the cross, the veneration of saints, and a great deal of standing.  These can be perplexing to the uninitiated eye.  Rest assured that everything we do has a solid biblical foundation and a long history among Christian people.  Please feel free to participate where you feel comfortable, and feel equally as free only to observe when you prefer.

 

The Orthodox Church understands the Eucharist, or Lord’s supper, to be – among other things – the paramount expression of Christian unity.  While it is our deepest hope that Christendom will one day fulfill Christ’s desire for true unity among all those who claim His name (John 17:21), the unfortunate reality of our day is that the various segments of Christendom are not unified with the historic Orthodox faith.  Since participation in the Eucharist expresses a unity with all the dogma and practice of the Orthodox Church, non-Orthodox guests do not receive Holy Communion.  The Holy Eucharist is reserved for those members of the Orthodox Church who have prepared themselves by prayer, fasting, and recent confession.  All visitors and unprepared Orthodox are invited to partake of the blessed bread as they come forward to venerate the cross at the end of the Liturgy.  Thank you for your understanding.

 

ST. JOHN CALENDAR                                        March 11– March 18 (Great Fast)

Sunday            - Teen Group – Bowling Outing

                        - No Young Adults

Monday          - First Hour, 6:45 a.m.

                        - Great Compline, 6:30 p.m.                                                    

Tuesday          - Third Hour, 9:00 a.m.

                        - Inquirer’s class, 7:00 p.m.

- Parish Council Meeting, 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday     - Third Hour, 9:00 a.m.

                        - Presanctified Liturgy, 6:30 p.m. with Lenten meal to follow

            Thursday        - Third Hour, 9:00 a.m.

                                    - Men’s Lunch, 11:45 a.m.

            Friday             - First Hour, 6:45 a.m.; Third Hour, 9:00 a.m.; Sixth Hour, noon

                                    - Little Compline/Akathist, 7:00 p.m.

            Saturday         - Ninth Hour and Great Vespers, 6:50 p.m.

Sunday            - Orthros& Church School, 8:55 a.m.

- Divine Liturgy, 10:00 a.m

                                   

 

Schedule for Presanctified Liturgy                          ____       ___  Wednesday, March 14

PRIEST:                       Fr. John  

DEACON:                   Charles

READER:                    John McGee

USHER:                       Matt Spinolo

 

 

Schedule for Vespers, Orthros & Divine Liturgy                                  Sunday, March 18

PRIEST:                       Fr. Basil

HOMILY:                    Fr. Basil

DEACONS:                 James & Tim

ALTAR SERVERS:     Ethan, J. Morgan, Luke L., Adam

HOLY BREAD:           The Hodges Family

READER:                    Betsy Larker

USHER:                       John McGee

COFFEE HOUR:         Billy & Marjo Labonte, Gene & Shelley Snowden, Gigi Snowden

 

Mark Your Calendar

Little Compline with the Great Canon, March 21, 6:30 p.m.

Great Feast of Annunciation, March 25

Sunday of Palms – April 1

PASCHA – April 8

 

COMMEMORATIONS*

March 11: Sophronios, patriarch of Jerusalem; Martyrs Thallos and Trophimos; Venerable George of Sinai; Theodora the empress; repose of Euthymios, bishop of Novgorod.

 

March 12: Venerable Theophanes the Confessor of Sigriane; Gregory the Dialogist, pope of Rome; Venerable Simeon the New Theologian; Righteous Phineas.

 

March 13: The translation of the relics of Nikephoros, patriarch of Constantinople; Poplias and Marios the bishops.

 

March 14: Venerable Benedict of Nursia; Euschemenos, bishop of Lampsakos.

 

March 15: Martyr Agapios of Palestine and those with him; Apostle Aristoboulos of the Seventy, first bishop of Britain; New-martyrs Manuel of Crete and Parthenios.

 

March 16: Martyr Sabinos of Egypt; Venerable Christodoulos the wonderworker of Patmos.

 

March 17: Venerable Alexios the “Man of God;  Theosteriktos the Confessor; Patrick, bishop of Armagh and enlightener of Ireland; Venerable Makarios of Kalyazin.

 

March 18: Cyril, patriarch of Jerusalem; Martyrs Trophymos and Eu Eukarpos of Nicomedia and those with them; Nikoai (Velimirovic), bishop of Zica in Serbia.

 

*For reading material on the saints for this week, visit the display in the church library.

 

 

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS      March 11 – March 18

Sunday                         Heb 4:14-5:6                            Mark 8:34-9:1

Monday                       Gen 8:21-9:7                            Prov 11:19-12:6

Tuesday                       Gen 9:8-17                               Prov 12:8-22

Wednesday                  Gen 9:18-10:1                          Prov 12:23-13:9

Thursday                      Gen 10:32-11:9                        Prov 13:19-14:6

Friday                          Gen 12:1-17                             Prov 14:15-26

Saturday                       Heb 6:9-12                              Mark 7:31-37

Sunday                         Heb 6:13-20                            Mark 9:17-31

 

Pray for our catechumens:

Larry & Susanne, Tucie, and Aslan Koenig, James Pritchard, Murphy & Beauvais George, Shane Davis, Tina & Claire McKelvey, Dianna Hildebrand, Amy Clithero, Jeremy Gill, Jason & Shea Guntharp.

 

Please remember in your prayers: His Eminence, Metropolitan PHILIP, His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN, Archimandrite Roman Braga, Archpriest Basil, Rev. Fr. Mikhail & the faithful of Spaso-Pargolovo (St. Petersburg), Priest Matthew, Buddy Taylor, Alexandra Klimkowski, Kathy Deaton, Margaret Layman, Urania Alissandratos, the Baskind family, Chris Hodges, Jonathan Cushman, Jason Cushman, Rick Yadron, Judy Smith (Julie Sanderlin’s mother), Andrew Alissandratos, Shirley Gore (Judy Perkins’ mother),  Charles Ingram, Mary Clark, Stephen Wright, Reuben & Earlene Snowden (Gene’s parents),  Melanie Stanek, Linda Starr (friend of Mary Ann Coccaro), Ann Walker (Claire van Drimmelen’s mother), Damon Boiles, Sr., Effie Johnson (Kh. Susan’s mother), Burleigh Lyons (Buddy’s father), Joyce King, Joy White, Kh. Johanna Bittle, Elizabeth Cameron, Shea Guntharp.

 

Worship and liturgical reminders and explanations:

Our Church Fathers were strong proponents of frequent communion.  They were also strong proponents of proper preparation to receive the Holy Mysteries.  Included in this bulletin is a piece by the Holy Elder Cleopa on such preparation.

 

Handouts for Great Lent! –There are copies of a number of handouts downstairs for your taking, including the following:

 

            Comments on the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

            The Lenten Prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian

            Reflections on the Akathist Hymn

            The Sundays of Great Lent

            Daily Scriptural Reading, entitled “Spiritual Calendar”

            The prayer of repentance used at Forgiveness Vespers

            Previous handouts still in the hall:

            The schedule of services for the Great Fast through Bright week

            “The Rules of Fasting” - by Bp KALLISTOS

            “The Four Canonical Fasting Seasons” – by Bp BASIL

            Fasting Guidelines – Some nice comments on fasting

 

Pro-life Corner - Proponents of the legalization of abortion on demand and pro-abortion historians have put forward the notion that abortion was not a crime at common law before the 19th century.  Joseph Dellapenna, in his book Dispelling the Myths of Abortion History, responded with the fact that there were many prosecutions of abortion in ecclesiastical and lay courts in the 15th and 16th centuries.  Records indicate that abortion was a felony regardless of consent or lack or consent (more frequent) by the woman.

 

In the Bookstore - We have many CDs in the bookstore that are Lenten and Pascha related.  Please take some time to look them over as they can provide a wonderful enhancement to your Lenten journey.

 

 

 

ST. JOHN WOMEN’S CALENDAR

March 15 (Thursday) – Women’s Teaching at Urania’s, 10:00 a.m.

April 16 (Monday) Book Club – Reading Lolita in Tehran, by Azar Nafisi

Book club meetings are on Monday nights at the home of Urania Alissandratos, from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

 

Remember Food for Hungry – Collection boxes are in the parish hall for you to take and use during Great Lent.  As Lent is a time to increase our alms giving as well as our prayer, this program is a great way to involve yourself and your children.  See Metropolitan PHILIP’s letter elsewhere in the announcements.

 

Alms Giving Opportunities:

The Alms Fund – used for a variety of uses throughout the year.

Food for Hungry People – add to the food pantry

Diocese of Miami and the Southeast Mission Fund

Michael Bittle Fund – Holy Trinity Orthodox Church – Little Rock, AR

 

There is an addition to the Alms Giving Opportunities this week.  As most of you know, Fr. Joseph and Kh. Johanna’s son Michael was born premature and has had numerous medical issues since.  The parish, Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, established a “Michael Bittle Fund” to assist with the many medical bills not completely covered by their insurance.  Just note on your check if you wish to contribute alms

 

From the Fathers—

Abba Pambo asked Abba Anthony, “What ought I to do?” and the old man said to him, “Do not trust in your own righteousness, do not worry about the past, but control your tongue and your stomach.”                                                                  -  Sayings of St. Anthony of Egypt (d. 356)

 

“Sin is one thing but instinctive reaction or passion is another. These are our reactions: pride, anger, sexual indulgence, hate, greed, and so on. The corresponding sins are the gratification of these passions: when a man acts and brings into corporeal reality those works which were suggested to him by his desires. It is impossible to exist without desires arising, but not to give way to them is by no means impossible.”                                                                  - St. Dorotheos of Gaza

 

“You should know that you have been greatly benefited when you have suffered deeply because of some insult or indignity; for by means of the indignity self-esteem has been driven out of you.”                                                                                                  -  St. Maximos the Confessor

 

In The Bookstore - We have many CDs in the bookstore that are Lenten and Pascha related.  Please take some time to look them over as they can provide a wonderful enhancement to your Lenten journey.

 

Camping news – Many of you have already taken steps to register for camp or serve as counselors or counselors-in-training.  Regarding Camp St. Tekla, Fr. John has camper registration forms as well as applications for staff, CIT, and volunteer positions if you need them.

 

Parish Life Conference – Information for the Parish Life Conference (June 20-24, 2007), for our diocese is in the parish hall, including 1) Hotel information, 2) Registration information, 3) Conference schedule of events, 4) Souvenir journal submission forms.  Hotel information is also included in these announcements.  In addition, a personalized Web site for Diocese has been created for making hotel reservations.  Guests can access the site to learn more about the event and to book, modify, of cancel a reservation from January 25, 2007 to June 24, 2007.  The website link is http://www.starwoodmeeting.com/StarGroupsWeb/res?id=0701255902&key=BE91F.

 

 

On the Bulletin Board –

  • Share in a Journey of Faith – A poster listing OCMC’s mission trips for 2007.
  • Letter from Fr. David Ogan - Fellowship of St. Silas – Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry

 

From the St. John Library – What do St. Patrick and St. Nicholas have in common?  They are both Orthodox Saints who are recognized in popular culture with secular celebrations.  Read about St. Patrick in Saints of the British Isles and Apostles of Medieval Europe.  There’s much more to his life than chasing snakes out of Ireland.  These books are on the display cart in the library.

Also, please note the following new books in the St. John Library:

Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, John 1 -10 (REF)

Antioch, Incarnational Theology & Ministry, edited by Joseph Allen and Michel Najim

The Brothers Karamazov (fiction) by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

The Byzantine Rite by Robert Taft (REF)

The Byzantine-Slav Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

The Exiles of the Cebenna by John Neale

First and Second Corinthians, Straight From the Heart by Lawrence Farley

The Gospel Commentary (from St. John Chrysostom) (REF)

The Great Synaxaristes of the Orthodox Church for April and May (REF)

 

 

Teen Group Events

 

This Sunday, March 11thBowling after Liturgy

 

Next Sunday, March 18thMeeting @ church, 5 P.M.

 

Teen Catechism

 

Next meeting, tomorrow evening

March 12th , 7 P.M. at the Spinolos