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

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

Commemoration of the Great Martyr Panteleimon

July 27, 2008

Epistle: Romans 12:6-24 Gospel: Matthew 9:1-8

The Holy Bread for Eucharist is offered this morning by Reem Mansour.

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 27^th–August 3^rd (7/30 & Dormition Fast begins on August 1^st)

Sunday - No Teen Group

- No Young Adult Group

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

- Potluck Pool Party, 7:00 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, August 3^rd

PRIEST: Fr. John HOMILY: Fr. John

DEACONS: Dns. James & Charles READER: John Cameron

HOLY BREAD: Kh. Pamela Mashburn USHER: John McGee

ALTAR SERVERS: Matthew, Luke S., Alex Deon

COFFEE HOUR: Kim & George Hilal

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 – Icons: 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 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.

July 28: Prochoros, Nikanor, Timon and Parmenoas, deacons and Apostles of the Seventy; Venerable Paul, founder of Xeropotamou and St. Paul monasteries on Athos; Venerable Irene Chrysovalantou; Pitirim, bishop of Tambov.

July 29: Martyrs Kallinikos of Gangra in Asia Minor and Theodota of Bithynia; Theodosios the pious emperor; Constantine, patriarch of Constantinople; Lupos the Confessor, bishop of Troyes.

July 30: Apostles Silas, Silvanos (Silouan), Crescens, Epenetos and Andronikos of the Seventy; Hieromartyr Valentine, bishop of Terni in Italy; John the Warrior; uncovering of the relics of Venerable Herman of Solovsky; Venerable Angelina of Serbia.

July 31: Righteous Eudokimos of Cappadocia; Righteous Joseph of Arimathea; Germanos, bishop of Auxerre.

Aug. 1: The Procession of the Cross. The seven Maccabean youths, their mother Solomonia and Eleazar their teacher, martyrs; Venerable-martyr Elessa of Kythera.

Aug. 2: The translation of the relics of the Proto-martyr Stephen the Archdeacon; Venerable Photeini; New-martyr Theodore; Blessed Basil the fool-for-Christ, wonder-worker of Moscow.

Aug. 3: Venerable Isaac, Dalmatos and Faustus of the Dalmaton monastery; Venerable Theoklites and Theodora; Salome the myrrh-bearer; Venerable Anthony the Roman, wonder-worker of Novgorod.

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS July 27 – August 3

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

Monday I Corinthians 5:9-6:11 Matthew 13:54-58

Tuesday I Corinthians 6:20-7:12 Matthew 14:1-13

Wednesday I Corinthians 7:12-24 Matthew 14:35-15:11

Thursday I Corinthians 7:24-35 Matthew 15:12-21

Friday I Corinthians 7:35-8:7 Matthew 15:29-31

Saturday Romans 12:1-3 Matthew 10:37-11:1

Sunday Romans 15:1-7 Matthew 9:27-35

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

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

Find out who your secret sister is! Potluck dinner ~ EVERYONE is invited!

Sh. Corinne Elliott’s home.

AWSJ – Bi-monthly Business Meeting

Next Sunday ~ 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 a few new items in the parish hall:

- Flyer for the Orthodox Conference on Missions and Evangelism

- The 2008 Tikonaire – The yearbook from St. Tikhon’s Seminary & Monastery

- There are also a few note of thanks on the bulletin board.

- Copies of the AGAIN magazine – available to take home

Meyers’ Contact Information – If you would like their information, please contact the church office.

Dn. Nicolai’s ordination was last Sunday. Photos of his ordination are posted at www.antiochianladiocese.org/pastevents.htm.

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

LIBRARY LINES – Today we honor the Great martyr and Unmercenary Panteleimon whose icon was recently added the nave. He studied medicine under a famous physician, and his skill brought him to the attention of the emperor and a band of Christians who taught him about Christ. He was baptized and healed all who came to him in the name of Jesus. Since he did not charge them for his services, many pagan physicians lost patients to him. Out of jealousy they conspired to tell the emperor that he was healing Christian prisoners. When he cured a paralytic in front of the emperor, he ordered the healed man executed and subjected Panteleimon to many tortures. Witnesses to his tortures were converted and finally the saint was beheaded.

Monday we commemorate the icon “Directress” painted by St. Luke. It has traveled to many places, and there have been at least 2 exact copies made of it. It has lead Russian soldiers to victory and has healed wounded and sick soldiers. The Hodigitra (She who leads the way) icon is one of the most important holy objects of the Russian Orthodox Church, and believers have received grace from it throughout history.

Thursday is the feast day of St. Joseph of Arimathea, the noble Joseph of our Paschal hymns. Most of us know very little of his life after the Crucifixion. Tradition tells us that he accompanied Mary Magdalene, Lazarus and Phillip on a missionary journey through Gaul. Phillip sent him north to Britain with some other disciples. He had traveled there many years earlier in connection with his lead and tin business. As they approached what is now Glastonbury, the saint thrust his staff made with the Crown of Thorns into the ground. It took root, and every year the flowering hawthorn blooms at Christmas time. His deep devotion to Christ and inspiring events in his life has drawn two St. John parishioners to choose him as their patron.

See these men’s icons and the stories of their lives in St. John Library.

Teen Group Events

Today - Sunday, July 27^th – No Meeting

Next Week – Sunday, August 3^rd – Ask Abouna

Website information from Mickey Hodges: We are currently beginning the process of redoing the St. John website to make it more user-friendly and parishioner-friendly. It may take a while to make that happen. In the meantime, please send any requests for additions or changes in the current website to Mickey Hodges. In the meantime, we'll try to keep information as current as possible. Thanks for your patience.

Bon Voyage Potluck Picnic

Please join us as we show

Matthew, Hannah and Peter Snowden

how much we love them before they leave for

Pennsylvania and St. Tikhon's Seminary!

When: TODAY from 4:30- 6:30

Where: Ethan and Claire van Drimmelen's backyard

***Please bring an appetizer-type dish to share with the group. Drinks will be provided. Also, feel free to bring any outdoor activity that your kids would enjoy, like a soccer ball, etc.

VACATION CHURCH SCHOOL

BEGINS TOMORROW!!!

This Week – Monday–Friday - 9:00 a.m. to Noon

ICONS: Windows to Heaven - The Gospel in Color

Learn about iconography, praying with icons and

even mount one of your own!

All children entering kindergarten through 6^th grade this fall are welcome.

ST. JOHN

POTLUCK POOL PARTY

At Rhodes Pool

TOMORROW!!!

Monday, July 28^th

7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Bring your burgers, hot dogs & other grillables,

your drinks and something to share.

(grill & paper products will be provided)

LAST ONE OF THE SUMMER

DON’T MISS IT!!!