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, 6:00 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

Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Commemoration of the Holy and Glorious Prophet Elijah the Thesbite

July 20, 2008

Epistle: James 5:10-20 Gospel: Matthew 8:28-34, 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 July 20^th - July 27^th (Wed. & Fri. Fast)

Sunday - Teen Group, Pool Party

- Young Adult Group , 7:00 p.m.

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

- AWSJ – Potluck Dinner at the church, 6:30 p.m.

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

- Choir Practice, 6:45 p.m.

- Catechumen/Inquirer’s Class, 7:00 p.m.

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

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

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

- Men’s Lunch, 12:00 p.m.

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

- Third Hour, 9:00 a.m.

- Stay & Play Group, following third hour in the fellowship hall

- Sixth Hour, 12:00 p.m.

Saturday - Ninth Hour and Great Vespers, 5:50 p.m.

Sunday - Orthros, 9:00 a.m.

- Divine Liturgy, 10:00 a.m.

Schedule for Divine Liturgy Sunday, July 27^th

PRIEST: Fr. John HOMILY: Fr. John

DEACONS: Dns. James & Charles READER: Caleb McGee

HOLY BREAD: Reem Mansour USHER: Aaron White

ALTAR SERVERS: Caleb, J. Morgan, Misha, Joe

COFFEE HOUR: Fran Tylavsky, McKelroys

COFFEE HOUR SCHEDULE – The schedule for coffee hour for the months of July, August & September is in the parish hall. Please take a moment to sign-up to serve.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

July 28^th – August 1^st – VCS – Icon: Windows to Heaven

Please register your children. There are forms in the fellowship hall.

Monday, July 28^th – St. John Potluck Pool Party – 7:00 p.m. at Rhodes Pool

Remember – The Dormition Fast approaches. The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, wine and oil) is observed during the fast which lasts from August 1st through 14th (with katalysis for wine and oil on Saturdays and Sundays, and for fish, wine and oil on the Transfiguration [August 6th]).

COMMEMORATIONS

July 20: Prophet Elijah (Elias); Righteous Iliya Chavchavadze of Georgia.

July 21: Venerable Simeon of Homs, fool-for-Christ; John and Parthenios, bishop of Radovizlios; Venerable Arta; Martyr Victor of Marseilles.

July 22: Mary Magdalene, myrrh-bearer and equal-to-the-Apostles; Virgin-martyr Markella of Chios.

July 23: Hieromartyrs Phocas and Apollonios; Hieromartyr Apollinaris, bishop of Ravenna; Prophet Ezekiel.

July 24: Great-martyr Christina of Tyre; New-martyrs Athanasios of Ikia and Theophilos of Zakynthos; Athenagoras the Confessor; Passion-bearers Boris (Roman) and Gleb (David).

July 25: The Dormition of Righteous Anna, the mother of the Theotokos. Olympias, the deaconess of Constantinople; Venerable Eupraxia of Tabenna; Four Martyrs of Lyons; Venerable Makarios of Zheltovodsk and Unzha.

July 26: Venerable Virgin-martyr Paraskeva of Rome; Hieromartyr Hermolaos of Nicomedia; Venerable Gerontios, first settler of St. Anne skete on Athos; Moses the Hungarian; Sabbas III, archbishop of Serbia; Priest Jabob, enlightener of the peoples of Alaska.

July 27: Great-martyr and healer Panteleimon; New-martyr Christodoulos; Clement of Ochrid, bishop of greater Macedonia; Angelar, Gorazd, Nahum and Sabbas, disciples of Cyril and Methodios.

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS July 20 – July 27

Sunday Romans 10:1-9 Matthew 8:28-9:1

Monday Romans 16:17-24 Matthew 13:10-23

Tuesday I Corinthians 1:1-9 Matthew 13:24-30

Wednesday I Corinthians 2:9-3:8 Matthew 13:31-36

Thursday I Corinthians 3:18-23 Matthew 13:36-43

Friday I Corinthians 4:5-8 Matthew 13:44-54

Saturday Romans 9:1-5 Matthew 9:18-26

Sunday Romans 12:6-24 Matthew 9:1-8

Pray for our catechumens: In Memphis - James Pritchard, Leland & Courtney Murphree (Mary Charlotte), Gary & Cindy Karnaghon, Sue Brownlow, Larry Ichniowski, and Kinney Graham. In Tupelo - Shane Davis, Justin & Tifphanie Franks (Paris), Justin & Brandy Williams, Leah Hardy and Adam Clay.

Please remember in your prayers: His Eminence, Metropolitan PHILIP, His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN, Archimandrite Roman Braga, Rev. Fr. Mikhail & the faithful of Spaso-Pargolovo (St. Petersburg), Buddy Taylor, Margaret Layman, Chris Hodges, Jonathan Cushman, Jason Cushman, Judy Smith (Julie Sanderlin’s mother), Shirley Gore (Judy Terry’s mother), Stephen Wright, Linda Starr (friend of Mary Ann Coccaro), Effie Johnson (Kh. Susan’s mother), Mary Clark, Claire van Drimmelen (pregnant), Beauvais George (pregnant), Joy White (pregnant), Jodi Yzaguirre (pregnant), Alicia Stickle (pregnant), Andrew Alissandratos, Ann Hicks (Dianna Hildebrand’s mother), Sue Ingram, Alexandra Dense.

- ALMS-GIVING -

FOOD PANTRY - Please remember that we give items from the food pantry to a few specific families all year long and this is a wonderful way to give alms all throughout the year. We will continue to keep a bin just outside the parish hall for collection of these items.

HANDS-ON ALMS-GIVING OPPORTUNITIES - Rachel’s Kids – Interested in tutoring one on one, or donating food, drinks or paper serving items? Tuesday nights - Contact Lynda Spinolo.

OTHER CONTINUING ALMS-GIVING OPPORTUNITIES

Diocese of Miami and the Southeast Mission Fund

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

St. Barbara Monastery – for the benefit of Sister Thekla (Anne Marie Harrison)

Project Mexico – www.projectmexico.org

Change in wording for the Anaphora -- You may have noticed that, in the Anaphora, we sing "It is fitting and right...." but the priest expounds, "It is meet and right...."  This is a discrepancy we have been intending to correct for a long time.  At my suggestion, we will begin singing "It is meet and right" instead of "It is fitting and right."  The choir has rehearsed this change; it fits very well and is completely natural with the setting we sing.  -Fr. John Troy

Antiochian Women of St. John’s Calendar

**New Event!! - AWSJ – Potluck Dinner**

TOMORROW! Monday, July 21^st in St. John Parish Hall at 6:30 p.m.

Bring a dish to share ~ Iced Tea & Coffee will be provided

Secret Sister Potluck Dinner ~ Thursday, July 31^st, 6:30 p.m.

Find out who your secret sister is! Potluck dinner at

Sh. Corinne Elliott’s home.

AWSJ – Bi-monthly Business Meeting

Upcoming dates ~ August 3^rd

Women’s Teaching

Upcoming Dates ~ Thursday, August 7^th, 10:00 a.m. at the home of Anne Dugan

Upcoming Book Club Dates:

We will not meet in August

Monday, September 8^th – Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry

Monday, October 6^th - Diary of a Country Priest by George Bernanos

Monday, November 3^rd – The Bishop’s Mantle

In the Fellowship Hall - There are two copies of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America’s annual financial report available for you to review. Please do not remove them from the fellowship hall.

Congratulations! Nathan & Jodi Elliott are now the parents of a baby boy, Andrew Elijah. He was born on July 5^th, weighing 8lb. 10oz and was 20.5 inches long.

Many years Andrew!

Fr John travel - July 21-25 Antiochian Village Clergy symposium

LIBRARY LINES – Three of the saints we commemorate this week are honored in two very special children’s books in St. John Library. A Child’s Paradise of Saints by the nun Nectaria McLees tells us about Sts. Mary Magdalene (7/22) and Panteleimon.(7/27) The accounts are a couple of pages each and are accompanied by beautiful, icon-styled illustrations. The picture of St. Mary Magdalene shows her offering a red egg to Caesar.

The Story of Mary the Mother of God by Dorrie Papademetriou is a beautifully illustrated book for young children. The first half of the short book is devoted to Sts. Anna and Joachim, their desire for a child and the early life of the Theotokos.

A hint to readers: As do the best children’s books, these will appeal to adults as much as children!

On the 24th we commemorate Sts.Boris and Gleb. These men were sons of Prince Vladimir the Great (7/15) who were murdered by their brothers who sought the throne.

These saints with strange sounding names to our English ears are in a category called Passion-bearers. They are not ascetics, hierarchs, martyrs, but innocent men and women, unwilling to die, who renounce violence and humbly submit to suffering and death with the unresisting spirit of Christ.

See icons and the stories of these saints in St. John Library.

Meyers’ Contact Information – Please contact the church office if you would like their information. Also, Dn. Nicolai’s ordination is today. Photos of his ordination will be posted at www.antiochianladiocese.org/pastevents.htm at the beginning of this week.

Please remember John Sneed and his parents in your prayers. His brother Chuck, who had suffered for many years with deteriorating health, passed away this last week. May God grant Chuck peace and his family comfort!

Teen Group Events

Today - Sunday, July 20^th – Pool Party!

Next week – July 27^th - Movie