(901)
274-4119
www.stjohnmemphis.org
V.
Rev.
Pastor
Assistant Pastor
V. Rev. Fr. Basil Cushman Rev.
Fr. Donald Berge
Associate
Pastor
Attached
GREAT
VESPERS ORTHROS and
Saturday,
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of
“…the
Disciples were called Christians first in
Twentieth
Sunday after Pentecost
Epistle: Galatians 1:11-19 Gospel: Luke 16:19-31
The Holy Bread for Eucharist is offered this morning by Sue &
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
Sunday - Teen Group – Meeting with Middlers at church,
- Young
Adult Group, at Fr. John & Kh. Pamela’s home,
Monday - First
Hour,
Tuesday - Third Hour,
- Men’s Lunch,
- No
Choir Practice
- Catechumen/Inquirer’s
Class,
Wednesday - Third
Hour,
- Vespers,
-
Wednesday Dinner,
-
Wednesday Teaching,
Thursday - Third
Hour,
- OCF will meet at the
Barth House,
Friday - No First Hour
- Third Hour,
- Stay & Play Group will meet in the
fellowship hall after third hour.
- Sixth Hour,
-
after sixth hour
- Teen Group – Lock-In at the church,
Saturday - Ninth Hour and Great Vespers,
Sunday -
- Orthros,
- Divine Liturgy,
Schedule
for Divine Liturgy Sunday, November 9th
PRIEST: Fr.
John HOMILY: Fr. John
DEACONS: Dns.
Tim & Charles READER:
HOLY BREAD:
ALTAR SERVERS:
COFFEE HOUR: Karen Bell &
WELCOME
TEAM – Next
meeting date - November 10th at
COMMEMORATIONS
Nov. 2: Martyrs Akindinos, Pegasios, Aphthonios, Elpidophoros and Anempodistos of
Nov. 3: Martyrs Akepsimas the bishop, Joseph the priest and Aeithalas the deacon of
Nov. 4: Venerable Ioanikios the Great; Hieromartyrs
Nicander the bishop of
Nov. 5: Martyrs Galaktion and Epistima of Homs;
Apostles Hermas, Linos, Gaios, Patrobas and Philogos of the Seventy; Hieromartyr
Pamphilos; Jonah, bishop of
Nov. 6: Paul the
Confessor, archbishop of Constantinople; Venerable Luke of Sicily; Paul the fool-for-Christ;
Martyr Nicander; Venerable Barlaam
of Khutyn; Herman, bishop of Kazan.
Nov. 7: Martyrs Thessalonkia in Amphipolis and
Alexander of Thessalonika; the Thirty-three Martyrs
of Melitene; Venerable Lazarus the wonder-worker of
Magnesia; Venerable Gregory; Venerable Cyril of Novoezersk.
Nov. 8: The synaxis
of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel and all the bodiless powers of heaven.
Nov. 9: Martyrs Onesiphoros and Porphyrios of Ephesos; Venerable Matrona of
Constantinople; Theoktista of Lesvos; Simeon the
Translator (Metaphrastes); Venerable Euthymios and Neophytos, founders
of Docheiariou monastery on Athos; Nektarios of Pentapolis, the
wonder-worker.
**For reading material on the
saints for this week, visit the display in the church library.
DAILY
SCRIPTURE
Sunday Galatians 1:11-19 Luke 16:19-31
Monday Philippians 4:10-23 Luke 11:29-33
Tuesday Colossians 1:1-2, 7-11 Luke
11:34-41
Wednesday Colossians 1:18-23 Luke 11:42-46
Thursday Colossians 1:24-29 Luke 11:47-12:1
Friday Colossians 2:1-7 Luke 12:2-12
Saturday II Corinthians 3:12-18 Luke 9:1-6
Sunday Galatians 2:16-20 Luke 8:41-56
Pray for our catechumens: In
In Tupelo - Shane Davis, Justin & Tifphanie Franks (Paris), Justin & Brandy Williams,
Leah Hardy, Adam Clay, Casey & Jessica Hardy (Davis) and Justin Stevens.
Please remember in your
prayers: His
- 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.
OTHER CONTINUING ALMS-GIVING
OPPORTUNITIES
Diocese of
Michael Bittle Fund – Holy Trinity
Orthodox Church –
Wednesday nights – We will continue our new Wednesday night
schedule this week. The revised schedule
for Wednesdays will be as follows:
Vespers
Dinner
Teaching
This Wednesday,
Antiochian Women of St. John’s Calendar
Upcoming Book Club Dates ~ Monday, November 3rd
– The Bishop’s Mantle
Meeting at
First Friday Lunch ~ Friday, November 7th ~
We will meet in the
fellowship hall after sixth hour prayer. Please bring your lunch and join us
for a wonderful time of fellowship. Drinks will be provided
Upcoming Bridal Shower for Gigi Snowden ~ Sunday, November 9th
Women’s Teaching ~ Upcoming Dates: November
13 ~ December 4
Mark Your Calendars! ~ Saturday, November 22nd at
The women have purposed to meet quarterly to
pray an Akathist. This last quarter of the year we will meet on November 22nd
at
SAVE
THE DATE ~ Friday & Saturday, January 30th~31st, 2009
Apartment for Rent - At the beginning of November, the first-level
apartment in the duplex next door will be available for rent. It has two
bedrooms, an office and one bathroom. If you are interested or have any
questions, please contact the church office.
New catechumens! - Today we will enroll Barbara McWilliams and Jill Healy as catechumens before the
liturgy. Many years, Barbara and Jill!
Coffee hour – In our effort to meet as many needs and
desires as possible regarding coffee hour, we are still working on coffee hour
changes. Even though we have been
requesting input from everyone who wished to supply it, it is possible a small
questionnaire may be sent to all parishioners to get your thoughts. If so, I hope that you will take the time to
respond.
LIBRARY
LINES – Saturday we commemorate the synaxis of the archangels
(11/8). Synaxis means a coming together for a specific purpose. Liturgically, it usually describes an
assembly to honor someone connected with an event that has just been
celebrated. This feast day is in November because we honor nine ranks of angels
and this is the ninth month after March, when the New Year began in ancient
times. We commemorate them on the eighth
because the Dread Day of Judgment is referred to as the Eighth Day when “the
Son of Man shall come in His Glory and all the holy Angels with Him.” Matthew
25:31. See the St. John Library bulletin board for an icon of the angels and a
brief explanation of their ranks and names and traditions of the archangels.
GOOD LIBRARY
MANNERS: Please do not put library books, tapes, CDs
or DVDs back on the shelves. This applies to ones you have looked at and decided
not to check out as well as returned items. Recently several new, music CDs
have been placed on the wrong shelves and other parishioners have been unable
to find them. Unwanted and returned items need to be placed on the second shelf
of the circulation cart.
OCF –
Orthodox
Will meet at the Barth House at
Any questions contact Ethan vanDrimmelen -
901.517.8520
Fr. John and Fr. Nicholas will be in
Bulletin Boards –
Remember to check the bulletin boards!!
Herschal Philips, Jud
Philips father, and Jonathan, Mary, Michael and Patrick Philips grandfather
(all former parishioners of
Teen Group Events TODAY,
Sunday, November 2nd – Meeting with Middlers Friday,
November 7th – LOCK-IN overnight at church,
Mark your calendars!
Sunday, November 9th after coffee hour
The Women of
are invited
to a
Bridal Shower
for Gigi
Snowden
at the home
of Fran Tylavsky
Gigi & Chase are registered at Bed, Bath & Beyond
If you are interested in participating in the group gift,
please contact
Personal and Home Security
The
following are “Good Practices” as distributed in Evergreen
Historic District Association’s weekly email:
·
Program 545-COPS (545-2677) into your cell phone.
·
Look up and down the alleys every day as you walk, bike or drive by - immediately report suspicious activity to the police.
·
Don’t leave intriguing items visible in your car. Stow it, don't show it!
·
Lock your doors when you are in your yard.
·
Discourage walk-up workers by never hiring them – Hire folks recommended by
your neighbors.
·
Use porch and other outdoor lights at night. Lights on motion detectors can
help with security AND save energy.
·
Don’t look like a victim. Keep your head up, be alert, make
eye contact.
·
Close blinds where possible so would-be burglars can’t see potential loot.
·
Report street lights that are not working properly- http://www.mlgw.com/SubView.php?key=res_streetlight
THE FOOD PANTRY
IS IN NEED OF RESTOCKING
We have lots of soup,
canned pasta and green beans. We need canned items such as meat, vegetables,
fruit and juice, crackers in sleeves, toilet paper (in individual rolls or
small packages).
This year we'll be
assembling Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets for a small group of individuals
and families in need. As in prior years, we'll post a list of the needed items on
the AWOSJ bulletin board so you can sign up for what you and your family would
like to contribute. If the slots fill fast for Thanksgiving, remember that you'll
have an opportunity to give for the Christmas baskets. The AWOSJ will meet on
Saturday, November 22nd from
Pro-life Corner -
“Abortion
kills an unborn, developing human life.
It is always gravely evil, and so are the evasions employed to justify
it. Catholics (and we might add,
Orthodox – Fr John) who make excuses for it – whether they’re famous or not –
fool only themselves and abuse the fidelity of those Catholics who do sincerely
seek to follow the Gospel and live their Catholic faith.” -
Roman Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput,
And regarding those who have aborted or
caused such – As Orthodox
Punctuality Revisited
At the end of June,
I included an item in the announcements entitled “An Open Letter . . .” which
was written by a layman in another parish and addressed arriving late for the
Divine Liturgy. Additionally, I made a
point during announcements at the conclusion of the liturgy for all to read the
piece. While I believe the intent of the
article was sincere, some of the specifics were not words or thoughts that I
would have used or expressed, and it was a mistake on my part to use that
article to encourage more punctual behavior in our parish. For those of you
whose peace in the Lord was tried by my including it, please forgive me. There were much better ways to address the
topic. One gentle admonition (thanks for
your gentleness) suggested to me was that I should encourage our people by
giving the obvious, and maybe-not-so-obvious, reasons for our being on time.
From the outset, it is not my opinion that a parishioner should stay home if he is going
to be late. I have tried to say over and
over, particularly for the longer Lenten services, “come for what you can.”
Obviously, the Divine Liturgy has a higher standing than all the other
services, but even there I encourage everyone to get here if you can, even if
you come late. In fact, on a few
occasions I have even counseled some to come late or to leave quickly at the
end because of specific pastoral issues.
Just remember that the degree of lateness may appropriately inhibit the
receipt of the Holy Gifts. But, please
know that all the services of the Church, and most especially the liturgy, are
healing for us, even when we miss a portion.
There are obvious reasons for being on time. We incarnate our respect for our Creator as
we begin our corporate worship together.
We give honor and respect to those around us. We receive God’s mercy that comes with every
prayer and hymn we hear or sing, including those at the beginning of the
Liturgy. We experience reinforcement of
the reality of our corporate journey with our fellow
To
think on the maybe-not-so-obvious reasons, let’s first consider what the
Liturgy is. It is our corporate offering
of worship to the Holy Trinity. We
gather to make a most remarkable journey to the Throne of God. Having individually prepared ourselves by our
prayers, our fasts, our confessions, we are now together giving ourselves to
the One True God. We are offering
ourselves – together! Every word of the
Liturgy has its purpose, and the opening “Amen” is itself very important, for
it signals our voluntary determination to make this journey once again with those
who have also prepared themselves to meet God in this wondrous way! Each prayer, hymn, and movement is part of
our journey, and continues our preparation for the next step. Ultimately we are led to be witnesses of
another miracle of God within our midst, the transformation of bread and wine
into the very Body and Blood of the Incarnate Son of God. We need each of those preparatory steps, for
we live in a fallen world which dirties every part of us. The words, prayers, hymns, smells, and
movements of each section of the Liturgy have a part to play in preparing us to
witness, and we hope to partake of, this greatest of the Mysteries. When we arrive late, we deprive ourselves of
the great benefits and preparation that come from those portions of the Liturgy
which we have missed.
For families with children, there are additional
considerations. Our children are taught
most powerfully by what we do, and much less so by
what we say. Our words of instruction
are much more effective if they are paralleled and supported by what we
actually do in our lives. Being punctual helps to teach our children that the Divine Liturgy
is, in fact, the most important activity of our week. It also teaches them that the beginning is
important. As with most activities we do
repetitively, other activities in our lives are affected. If we are punctual here, we have an easier
time being punctual elsewhere. Being
punctual teaches our children to value the practice of being on time, and that
will serve them well in any and every endeavor they undertake.
All of this being said, I well understand there are times
when it is a necessity that we come after the liturgy begins. Things happen that are out of our control,
and in the case of families, the larger the family, the more often that may be
the case. My hope is that each of us,
married and unmarried, families with and without children, will more and more
sense the blessing of participating in the entire liturgy, while at the same time
knowing that God’s love and mercy are great and He sees our struggles, whatever
they may be. In the end, He just wants
us, and our greatest struggle is to shape our every desire to want Him as
well. God’s grace and love to you all!!
From the Fathers
“Blessed the one who always
keeps the memory of God in himself; he will be wholly like an Angel from heaven
upon earth, ministering to the Lord with fear and love.” - St. Ephraim the Syrian
“But if a person is
constantly mindful of God, he will rejoice: as the psalmist says, ‘I remembered
God, and I rejoiced’ (Psalms 77:3). For when the intellect is gladdened by the
remembrance of God, then it forgets the afflictions of this world, places its
hope in Him, and is no longer troubled or anxious.” - St. Peter of Damaskos
“The paradox is this: that
mindfulness of death liberates man from the fear of death, and leads him to see
all things from the perspective of the love of God.” -
Archimandrite Zacharias
“Without the cross man would
be in danger of considering this world the ultimate reality. Without the cross he would no longer see the
world as God's gift.” - Dumitru Staniloae
“Every adversity and
affliction, if not accompanied by patience, produces double torment, for a
man's patience casts off his distress, while faintness of heart is the mother
of anguish. Patience is the mother of
consolation and is a certain strength which is usually born of largeness of
heart. It is hard for a man to find this
strength in his tribulations without a gift from God, received through his
ardent pursuit of prayer and the outpouring of his tears.” - St Isaac of