ST. JOHN ORTHODOX CHURCH

 

1663 TUTWILER AVENUE

MEMPHIS, TN 38107

(901) 274-4119

www.stjohnmemphis.org

 

V. Rev. Fr. John Troy Mashburn, Jr.                                   Rev. Fr. Nicholas Meyers

Pastor                                                                          Assistant Pastor

 

    V. Rev. Fr. Basil Cushman                                                Rev. Fr. Donald Berge

Associate Pastor                                                                     Attached

 

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

 

Sunday after the Nativity of Christ and Commemoration of Joseph the Betrothed, David the Prophet and King, and James the Brother of the Lord

December 28, 2008

Epistle:  Galatians 1:11-19         Gospel:  Matthew 2:13-23

                                                                                                                               

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                   December 28th – January 4th (No fasting this week)

Sunday            - Teen Group – Movie Night

                        - No Young Adult Group

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

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

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

- No Choir Practice or Catechumen/Inquirer’s Class

Wednesday     - Third Hour, 9:00 a.m.

                        - Great Vespers for the Feast of St. Basil, 7:00 p.m.

                                    There will be a finger food potluck to follow

Thursday        - OFFICE CLOSED

Friday             - OFFICE CLOSED

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

Sunday            - Church School, 9:00 a.m.

- Orthros, 9:00 a.m.

                        - Divine Liturgy, 10:00 a.m.  

 

Schedule for Divine Liturgy                                                      Sunday, January 4th       

PRIEST:                       Fr. Basil                                               HOMILY:        Fr. Basil

DEACONS:                 Dns. Charles & James                          READER:        John McGee

HOLY BREAD:           Kh. Pamela Mashburn                          USHER:           Matt Spinolo

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

COFFEE HOUR:         Michael & Mindy Williams, Caleb McGee

 

Welcome Team – Mark your calendars! There will be a Welcome Team meeting in the nave on Monday, January 26th at 7:00 p.m.                     

 

Fr John will be taking vacation time from Christmas through January 3.

 

Beginning in January – We have typically done vespers on Wednesday evenings.  In January, we initiate some variation in our mid-week prayers.  In general, we will pray:

            First Wednesday – Lesser blessing of the water (except for January, since the Great

                        Blessing of the Water will have been done the day before)

            Second and Fourth Wednesday – Vespers

            Third Wednesday – a selected Akathist

This will give us some variation and introduce these services to our parishioners.

 

COMMEMORATIONS

 

December 28: The twenty thousand martyrs of Nicomedia; Hieromartyr Glykerion; Venerable Simon the myrrh-streaming, founder of Simonopetra monastery on Athos.

 

December 29: The fourteen thousand infants slain by Herod in Bethlehem; George, bishop of Nicomedia; Venerabler Markellos of the monastery of the “Unsleeping Ones”; commemoration of all Orthodox Christians who died from hunger, thirst, the sword and freezing.

 

December 30: Virgin-martyr Anysia of Thessalonika; Martyr Philetairos of Nicomedia; Venerable Leon; Venerable-martyr Gideon of Karakallou monastery on Athos; Makarios, Metropolitan of Moscow.

 

December 31: Venerable Melania the younger of Rome; Hieromartyr Zotikos the friend of orphans; Venerable Theophylact of Ochrid.

 

January 1: The Circumcision in the flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia; New-martyr Peter of the Peloponnesos.

 

January 2: Sylvester, Pope of Rome; Cosmas, archbishop of Constantinople; Hieromartyr Theogenes of Parium; Martyrs Sergios and Theopistos; New-martyr Zorzis; Venerable Theodote and Neilos; Repose of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov; Righteous Juliana the Merciful, of Lazarevsk.

 

January 3: Martyr Gordios of Cappadocia; Prophet Malachi; Venerable Thomaidos; Venerable Genevieve of Paris.

 

January 4: The synaxis of the Seventy Holy Apostles; Venerable Theoktistos of Sicily; Venerable-martyrs Euthymios and his twelve companions of Vatopedi monastery on Athos; Venerable-martyr Onouphrios the deacon of Hilandar monastery on Athos; Eustathios, archbishop of Serbia.

 

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

 

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS       December 28 – January 4

Sunday             Galatians 1:11-19                                 Matthew 2:13-23

Monday           Hebrews 3:5-11, 17-19                        Mark 10:46-52

Tuesday           Hebrews 4:1-13                                   Mark 11:11-13

Wednesday      Hebrews 5:11-6:8                                Mark 11:23-26

Thursday          Hebrews 7:1-6                                     Mark 11:27-33

Friday              Hebrews 7:18-25                                 Mark 12:1-12

Saturday           Ephesians 2:11-13                                Luke 17:3-10

Sunday             Colossians 3:12-16                               Luke 19:1-10

 

Pray for our catechumens:  In Memphis - James Pritchard, Leland & Courtney Murphree (Mary Charlotte), Maria Cartagena, Maria Brackey, Lisa Martin, Barbara McWilliams, and Jill Healy.

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 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, 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, Alicia Stickle (pregnant), Melissa White (pregnant), Ann Hicks (Dianna Hildebrand’s mother), Sue Ingram, Alexandra Dense, Polly Scrantom (Billy’s mother), Ted & Patty Greathouse (Shelley Snowden’s parents), Laura Greathouse, Reuben & Earlene Snowden (Gene’s parents), Joyce Bittle, David Williams (Jill Healy’s son-in-law).

 

 

- ALMS-GIVING –

 

St. John Alms Fund

St. John Camping Fund

St. John Food Pantry

Diocese of Miami and the Southeast Mission Fund

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

St. Paul Mission Station – Tupelo, MS

 

 

Great Vespers for the Feast of St. Basil

Wednesday, December 31st 7:00 p.m.

There will be a finger food potluck following Vespers – please bring something to share.

 

Upcoming special services:

  • January 1st, is the feast of ST BASIL THE GREAT .  We will pray Great Vespers on the evening of Wednesday, December 31st.   At the conclusion of Great Vespers, we will pray the Service of Supplication on the First Day of the New Year.

 

  • January 6th, is the Great Feast of Theophany.  We will serve the Great Vesperal Divine Liturgy of St Basil the Great on January 5 at 9:00 AM, followed by the First Great Sanctification of Water.  Tuesday morning, January 6, we will serve Festal Orthros and the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom (Liturgy beginning at 9:00 AM), followed by the Second Great Sanctification of Water.

 

 

 

Antiochian Women of St. John’s Calendar

 

 

~ Book Club ~

The AWSJ Book Club will not meet in December but will resume in January.

January ~ at Kh. Pamela Mashburn’s home ~ The Hiding Place by Corrie TenBoom

February ~ The Purple Mantle

 

~ Women’s Teaching ~

Upcoming Dates ~ January 8th ~ February 5th ~ March 12th

 

AWSJ WOMEN’S RETREAT ~ Fr. Stephen Rogers

Friday & Saturday, January 30th~31st, 2009

We are privileged to have Ft. Stephen Rogers of St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in Franklin, TN speak to us January 30th & 31st. His topic for the weekend is “Rediscovering the Divine Liturgy. If you are able to come, please fill out the registration form as soon as possible and return it to Meribeth in the church office. You can find the retreat flyers with the registration form on the table in the parish hall.

 

 

Choir Relocation – Over the years we have gone back and forth regarding the best location for our choir – in the balcony or on the floor of the nave.  There are many factors to consider, and I suspect that I have heard most of them.  The most important one is this – which location best serves our worship of God.  With the counsel of the clergy, I have agreed that we will relocate the choir to the floor of the nave.  While it will necessitate some physical rearrangement in the nave, we believe that the positives will outweigh any initial or lasting inconveniences.  In taking their traditional location in the church, the choir will be better able to lead our worship music, and the rest of our parishioners should find it easier to participate in the music.  God be with you all!  

 

 

Teen Group Events

 

TODAY -  Sunday, December 28th – Movie Outing

 

 

Theophany House Blessings – Be sure and sign up in the parish hall for times and days that are possible times for one of the priests to bless your home.

 

LIBRARY LINES – On the bulletin board this week you will see icons and the stories of two groups of unnamed martyrs, the Holy Innocents slain by Herod and the 20,000 martyrs of Nicomedia(12/28).  We also remember all Orthodox Christians who died from hunger, thirst, the sword and freezing.  It should give us great hope and comfort to know that our Holy Mother Church remembers those numerous ones who were so insignificant in the world’s eyes that their names were never recorded.

Last week we commemorated the synaxis of the Theotokos (12/16). This week our synaxis honors the Seventy, men who Christ appointed to travel two by two to the cities He would visit.  Some of them, Sts. Mark and Luke the Evangelists, Timothy, Barnabas and Prochorus, are familiar to us; most are not.  They all have their own feast days, but the Church commemorates them all together this week on Friday.

Saturday we remember the Prophet Malachi(1/3).  He is called the “seal of the prophets” because he is the last of the Old Testament prophets.  He had the appearance of an angel and one was his companion and reiterated his prophecies. He confronted problems of intermarriage between Jews and pagans and infidelity with their Hebrew wives. This and the negligent offering of tithes were signs of weakening devotion to family and God.  He prophesied the coming of the Forerunner and Christ, and also the Last Judgment.

St John Library has new books to start off your New Year reading. These books are in the display cart.  See the bulletin board for icons of saints we commemorate this week.

New titles in St. John Libarary:

Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture Ps. 1-50   (REF/SCR/COM)

Behold Your God  CD   (HYM/PRO)

A Cloud of Wintesses by Bishop Demetri Khoury    (HAG/- - -/KHO)

The Divine Liturgy by Cappella Romana CD   (CAT/SAC/CAP)

On the Saints/sermons by ST. Gregory Palamas   (PAT/GRE)

The Saving Work of Christ/sermons by St. Gregory Palamas   (PAT/GRE)

 

 

St. John Orthodox Church is invited to witness

the Holy Mystery of Matrimony of

Gigi Snowden & Chase Sliger

 

Sunday, January 11, 2009 at 3:00 p.m.

There will be a reception following in the parish hall

 

From the Fathers

“Man is not only reason but also heart. The powers of these two centers, mutually assisting one another, render man perfect and teach him what he could never learn through reason alone. If reason teaches about the natural world, the heart teaches us about the supernatural world . . . Man is perfect when he has developed both his heart and his intellect.”                                                                                                        - St. Nectarios of Aegina

 

“Prayer is a ladder leading up to God; for there is nothing more powerful than prayer. There is no sin which cannot be forgiven by means of prayers, and there is no sentence of punishment which it cannot undo.”                              - The Syrian Fathers, anonymous

 

“It is up to us to add labors to labors in order to 'go from strength to strength'(Ps. 83:7), and to come 'to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ'(Eph. 4:13), so that the words of the Lord may be fulfilled in us: 'But they who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall grow wings like eagles; and they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint' (Isa. 40:31).  Only then will our present joy (which now visits us little and briefly) appear in all its fullness; and no one will take it from us, for we shall be filled to over-flowing with inexplicable heavenly delights.”            - St. Seraphim of Sarov