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

 

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

August 17, 2008

Epistle:  I Corinthians 3:9-17                Gospel: Matthew 14:22-34

                                                                                               

The Holy Bread for Eucharist is offered this morning by Ellie Moore.

 

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                                      August 17th – August 24th (Wed. & Fri. Fast)

Sunday            - Teen Group – Meet at church, 5:00 p.m.

- Young Adult Group at Fr. John & Kh. Pamela’s home, 7:00 p.m.

Monday          - First Hour, 6:45 a.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.

- Vespers, 6:00 p.m.

- Wednesday Dinner, 6:45 p.m. (be sure to sign-up!)

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

                        - Men’s Lunch, 12:00 p.m.

                        - Men’s Dinner at Central BBQ on Summer Ave, 6:30 p.m.

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

                        - Third Hour, 9:00 a.m.

                        - Stay & Play Group, will meet in the fellowship hall after third hour

                        - 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 24th  

PRIEST:                       Fr. John                                    HOMILY:                    Fr. John

DEACONS:                 Dns. James & Tim                    READER:                    Matt Spinolo

HOLY BREAD:           Lynda Spinolo                          USHER:                       Aaron White

ALTAR SERVERS:     Luke S., Alex, Deon

COFFEE HOUR:         Mickey & Sarah Hodges, Mary Ann Coccaro

 

Wednesday Night Service and Meal

We continue our Wednesday night meals this Wednesday.  You will need to sign up on Sunday or call the office Monday and let us know how many in your family will plan to eat. The cost is $3.50.  Vespers begins that evening at 6:00 pm, and we plan to eat between 6:45 and 7:00.  Come pray and eat with us!!   

 

Mark your calendars – Life Chain, October 5, from 2:00 – 3:00 PM.

 

Pro-life Corner - “You shall love your neighbor more than your own life.  You shall not slay the child by abortion.  You shall not kill that which has been generated.”                              Epistle of Barnabas, First Century

 

COMMEMORATIONS

 

Aug. 17: Venerable Myron of Kyzikos, Eutychios, Eutychian, and Kassiane; Martyrs Thyrsos, Cyprian and Juliana; Venerable Alypios the iconographer of the Kiev Caves; Theodoretos of Solovky, enlightener of the Lapps.

 

Aug. 18: Martyrs Floros and Lauros of Illyria; Venerable Sophronios of St. Anne skete on Athos; Venerable Barnabas and Christopher of Mt. Mela; new-martyr Demetrios; Venerable Arsenios the New of Paros; repose of Venerable John of Rila.

 

Aug. 19: Martyr Andrew the General (“Stratelates”); Venerable Theophanes of Docheiariou monastery on Athos.

 

Aug. 20: Prophet Samuel; Martyrs Heliodoros of Persia and Photeini of Blachernae.

 

Aug. 21: Apostle Thaddeus of the Seventy; Martyrs Bassa, Theognios, Agapios, and Pistos of Edessa; Venerable Abraham of Smolensk and his disciple, Venerable Ephraim.

 

Aug. 22: Martyr Agathonikos of Nicomedia and those with him.

 

Aug. 23: Martyr Loupos; Hieromartyr Irenaios, bishop of Lyons; Venerable Nicholas and Dionysios of Olympos.

 

Aug. 24: Hieromartyr Eutychos, disciple of John the Theologian; New-hieromartyr Cosmas Aitolos, equal-to-the-Apostles and evangelizer of southern Albania; Dionysios the wonder-worker, bishop of Zakynthos; Venerable Gerasimos of Kephallenia; translation of the relics of Peter the wonder-worker, metropolitan of Moscow.

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

 

 

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS       August 17 – August 24

Sunday             I Corinthians 3:9-17                  Matthew 14:22-34

Monday           I Corinthians 15:12-19              Matthew 21:18-22

Tuesday           I Corinthians 15:29-38              Matthew 21:23-27

Wednesday      I Corinthians 16:4-12                Matthew 21:28-32

Thursday          II Corinthians 1:1-7                  Matthew 21:43-46

Friday              II Corinthians 1:12-20              Matthew 22:23-33

Saturday           Romans 15:30-33                     Matthew 17:24-18:4

Sunday             I Corinthians 4:9-16                  Matthew 17:14-23

 

                       

 

 

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, 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

Project Mexico – www.projectmexico.org

St. Paul Mission Station – Tupelo, MS

 

 

Candles - There are now six-day candles available for purchase in the narthex in addition to the beeswax candles. They are in purple glass sleeves and are available to be offered before the icons along the side of the church. Once the six-day candle has burned out the glass sleeve will be refilled and available again in the narthex for future offerings.

 

Upcoming Memorials:          

Today - Andy Alissandratos                 October 12 – Urania Alissandratos

 

“I gave in, and admitted that God was God.” ~ C. S. Lewis

 

 

 

Antiochian Women of St. John’s Calendar

 

 

Upcoming Book Club Dates:

We will not meet in August

Monday, September 8th – Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry

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

Monday, November 3rd – The Bishop’s Mantle

 

Women’s Teaching Dates:

10:00 a.m. on the following Thursdays at the home of Anne Dugan:

September 4  ~  October 2  ~  November 13  ~  December 4

 

 

New email address – Fr. Nicholas’ email address is now frnmeyers@gmail.com

 

LIBRARY LINES – Today we commemorate an early Russian iconographer, St. Alypius (8/17). Some of his icons were glorified by miracles and tradition says when he was ill, an angel painted an icon of the Dormition for him. It’s known as the Sven Icon commemorated also on this date.

The Prophet Samuel’s life (8/20) has many parallels to that of the Theotokos. Like her, he was born from a “barren” woman.  His mother, Hannah, prayed fervently for children, and God answered her request. She took Samuel to live in the temple when he was weaned.  Her prayer of thanksgiving to God is recorded in I Samuel 2:1-10.  The next chapter shows us the beautiful story of God calling the young child. He thought Eli, the high priest, was calling him. This happened three times, and Eli realized that the Lord was calling him.  He told Samuel to reply, “Speak Lord, for your servant listens.”  Samuel went on to be a great prophet, and anointed Saul and David as kings of Israel. 

See the icons and accounts of these holy men in the St. John Library display.

 

Today is the last day to submit your parish council recommendations.   In the parish hall are forms for you to submit your names.  Please recommend three people, in order of your preference.  Two new members will be joining the council in September.  Remaining on the council will be Fr. John, Paul, Dn. James, Lori O’Brien and John Cameron.

 

 

New Phone Directory – There will be a new church directory printed at the beginning of September. Please look over your entry in the current directory and send any changes to me at meribeth@stjohnmemphis.org.        - Meribeth

 

Dinner Clubs – Don’t miss out on the FUN!  Dinner clubs are groups of 6-8 St. John people who meet together for a meal once every two months for a year. The focus is on fellowship, not food. This is a great way to meet and get to know people and develop a sense of community.  Those who want to commit to be in a new dinner club starting in September, please see the sign-up sheet in the fellowship hall.  If you are interested in a group that will meet with children, please mark it on the sign-up sheet.  The deadline for signing-up is today!

           

 

Teen Group Events

 

 TODAY – Sunday, August 17th – Meeting at Church, 5:00 p.m.

Election for Magistrates – ALL TEENS PLEASE ATTEND!

 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


From Sue Ingram - Charles and I would like to thank the many caring people for their help and concern during my recent hospitalization and illness.  We appreciate the visits, the gifts and cards, the meals, but especially all your prayers.   I humbly ask you to continue to pray for me and my family while I undergo radiation and chemotherapy.   Love,  Sue

 

 

Father John and Father Nicholas are celebrating the Divine Liturgy in Tueplo today.