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

 

Commemoration of our Fathers Among the Saints

Athanasius and Cyril, Patriarchs of Alexandria

January 18, 2009

Epistle:  Hebrews 13:7-16         Gospel:  Luke 17:12-19

                                                                                                                               

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                          January 18th – January 25th (Wed. & Fri. Fast)

Sunday            - Teen Group – Girls Outing, Cordova Skate & Pizza, 2-5 p.m.

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

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

Tuesday          - Divine Liturgy for Euthymios the Great, 6:00 a.m.

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

                        - Choir Practice, 6:45 p.m.

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

Wednesday     - Third Hour, 9:00 a.m.

                        - Akathist, 5:30 p.m.

                        - Wednesday Dinner, 6:15 p.m. (please be sure to sign-up)

                        - Wednesday Teaching, 7:00 p.m.

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

- Orthros, 9:00 a.m.

                        - Divine Liturgy, 10:00 a.m.  

 

Divine Liturgy for Euthymios the Great                          Tuesday, January 20th, 6:00 a.m.       

PRIEST:                       Fr. John                                    HOMILY:        Fr. John

DEACONS:                 Dns. Charles & Tim                  READER:        Billy Scrantom

HOLY BREAD:           Lynda Spinolo                          ALTAR SERVERS:     Any who can   

COFFEE HOUR:         Kh. Jeanette Myers

 

Schedule for Divine Liturgy                                                    Sunday, January 25th       

PRIEST:                       Fr. Nicholas                                         HOMILY:        Fr. Nicholas

DEACONS:                 Dns. James & Charles                          READER:        Owen White

HOLY BREAD:           Kerry Sneed                                         USHER:           Aaron White

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

COFFEE HOUR:         Matt & Lynda Spinolo, Sue Brownlow

           

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

 

 

COMMEMORATIONS

 

 

January 18: Athanasios and Cyril, patriarchs of Alexandria; Martyr Theodoulis; Maximos, Serbian despot.

 

January 19: Venerable Makarios the Great; Arsenios, bishop of Kerkyra; Venerable Mark Eugenikos, metropolitan of Ephesos, pillar of Orthodoxy.

 

January 20: Venerable Eutymios the Great; New-martyr Zachariah of Moreah.

 

January 21: Venerable Maximos the Confessor, Zosimos and Neophytos; Virgin-martyr Agnes of Rome; Venerable Maxim the Greek.

 

January 22: Apostle Timothy; Venerable-martyr Anastasios the Persian; Venerable Joseph the Sanctified of Crete.

 

January 23: Hieromartyr Clement, bishop of Ancyra; Martyr Agathangelos; Paulinos, bishop of Nola.

 

January 24: Hieromartyr Babylas of Sicily; Venerable Xenia the merciful of Rome; Venerable Philonos, bishop of Karpason; Venerable Neophytos the recluse of Cyprus; Venerable Dionysios of Olympos, abbot of Philotheou monastery on Athos; Hieromartyr Felician, bishop of Folingo in Umbria, Italy; Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg, fool-for-Christ.

 

January 25: Gregory the Theologian, archbishop of Constantinople; Venerable Demetrios; New-martyr Auxentios of Constantinople.

 

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

 

 

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS       January 18 – January 25

Sunday             I Timothy 1:15-17                    Luke 18:35-43

Monday           James 2:14-26                          Mark 10:46-52

Tuesday           James 3:1-10                            Mark 11:11-23

Wednesday      James 3:11-46                          Mark 11:23-26

Thursday          James 4:7-5:9                           Mark 11:27-33

Friday              I Peter1:1-2, 10-12; 2:6-10      Mark 12:1-12

Saturday           I Thessalonians 5:14-23            Luke 17:3-10

Sunday             I Timothy 4:9-15                      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, Jill Healy and Priscilla Neale.

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, Ted & Patty Greathouse (Shelley Snowden’s parents), Laura Greathouse, Reuben & Earlene Snowden (Gene’s parents), Joyce Bittle, and 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

 

 

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.

 

Sons of Thunder – Our next meeting shall be on Monday evening, January 19th at 7:00 p.m. at the home of Mitch Childress, 671 Philadelphia, Memphis. We will continue our discussion on the articles we read, Russia, Putin, and we might even begin to discuss the books themselves. If you have any questions, please contact Caleb McGee, 901-517-8080.

 

Catechumen and Inquirers’ classes restart this week – Billy Scrantom will be teaching as we restart classes for 2009.  Everyone is welcome.  We meet Tuesday’s at 7:00 PM here at the church.  The opening talks begin with “Sources of Truth.” 

 

Divine Liturgy for St. Euthymios –

We will celebrate the liturgy Tuesday morning at 6:00.  Come pray with us.

 

 

 

 

Antiochian Women of St. John’s Calendar

 

~ AWSJ WOMEN’S RETREAT ~ Fr. Stephen Rogers ~

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

IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO SIGN-UP, but please sign-up as soon as possible!!

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 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.

 

~ Book Club ~

February ~ The Purple Mantle

 

~ Women’s Teaching ~

Upcoming Dates ~ February 5th ~ March 12th

 

 

 

Wednesday evening teachings – If you missed last week’s talk on the angelic realm, you missed an excellent talk!  Joshua gave a superb introduction.  He will return to that topic in weeks to come.  Talks for the next two weeks are:

  Wed, Jan. 21 – Fr. Nicholas – Effects of unity/disunity in the Church

  Wed, Jan 28 – Fr. John – More slides on the Holy Land

Come join us on Wednesdays!  Be sure and sign up for dinner!

 

 

Mark your calendars!

The Antiochian Women of St. John are invited to a baby shower

for Melissa White

at the home of Mindy Williams

Sunday, February 8th following coffee hour

Melissa & baby are registered at Target & Babies R Us

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIBRARY LINES – Saturday we honor two Xenias (1/24).  Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg was widowed in her mid twenties.  She was considered a fool for Christ, partially because she dressed as her husband and asked to be called by his name. She gave her inheritance away and roamed the poor sections of the city.  She spent her nights praying in a field outside of town and brought bricks to a new church being built near the Smolensk cemetery. She foresaw events and loved to visit homes with children. Her intercessions are asked for those who are ill and people seeking jobs.

     St. Xenia of Rome left her family home with her two devoted servants to escape an arranged marriage. She   founded a women’s monastery and comforted the poor and bereaved.  Her mentor was St. Euthymius (1/20).  At her death, a shining wreath of stars surrounding a cross appeared and remained until her burial. Her relics brought healing to many.

     See icons of these saints and their stories in our library.

 

St. John Library has more additions to our Patristics section:

Festal Orations by St. Gregory Nazianzus (PAT/GRE)

Wider Than Heaven, a collection of homilies by various saints on Pascha, the Nativity, Theophany and Pentecost (PAT/- - -/MAR)

     These books are temporarily on display on the book cart.

 

 

Teen Group Events

 

TODAY, January 18th  - Girls’ Outing (Skating & Pizza) 2-5 PM

Meet at Cordova Skate, 7970 Club Center Drive, Cordova

 

Sunday, January 25th – No Meeting – Joshua out-of-town

 

Pro-life Corner:    The 33rd Annual Walk For Life, sponsored by Tennessee Citizens for Life, Inc. will be held on TODAY at 1:30 PM, at Central High School auditorium, 306 S. Bellevue.  The Walk commemorates the 36th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe vs Wade decision, legalizing abortion-on-demand.  The featured speaker is Dr. Robert P. N. Shearin, noted pro-life advocate and both a founding Board member and past president of TCCL, Inc.  The Walk is fee of charge and a family event.  All are welcome.

           

 

 

Tithes and contributions for 2008 – Great news!  As a result of many year end contributions, we came very close to our combined projected revenue for Memphis and Tupelo!  Thanks be to God!  We still need to be attentive to making our contributions in a timely manner for the coming year.  Many thanks to all of our faithful who tithe and/or contribute as they have the ability!!

 

 

 

 

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

            Cyberwatch: https://kiosk.memphispolice.org/cyberwatch

 

Keep up with the latest security issues around Midtown - Midtown Security Community - http://www.midtownsecurity.blogspot.com/

 

The new phone numbers for Union Police Station:

Front Desk/Officer on Duty………………………...….636-4631

Kate Sides, Neighborhood Watch Coordinator….……..636-4625

All requests for extra patrols & vacation watches MUST be given to the Officer at the Front Desk.

 

 For all to consider – Life is a journey to the Kingdom of God. As we consider the day that we will cross over from this life to that, we should consider making a bequest in our wills to our parish and/or our Archdiocese. This is easily done and is a great mercy to those who remain here praying in the world. If you have questions, you can call the church office (274-4119) or Ruth Ann Skaff, Director of Planning and Future Development for our Archdiocese (866-765-7001).

 

From the Fathers

 

 

“Walk before God in simplicity, and not in subtleties of the mind.

Simplicity brings faith; but subtle and intricate speculations bring conceit; and conceit brings withdrawal from God.”

St. Isaac of Syria

 

 

“At the Last Judgment the righteous will be recognized only by their humility and their considering themselves worthless,

and not by good deeds, even if they have done them. This is the true attitude.”

Holy New Hieromartyr Barlaam

 

 

“Seek God daily. But seek Him in your heart, not outside it.

And when you find Him, stand with fear and trembling, like the Cherubim and the Seraphim,

for your heart has become a throne of God.

But in order to find God, become humble as dust before the Lord,

for the Lord abhors the proud, whereas He visits those that are humble in heart,

wherefore He says: "To whom will I look, but to him that is meek and humble in heart?

St. Nectarios of Aegina

 

 

“Prayer at Daybreak:  "O Lord eternal, by the power of Thy blessing enable me at all times to speak

and act to Thy glory with a pure spirit, with humility, patience, love, gentleness, peace, courage and wisdom:

aware always of Thy presence.”

Archimandrite Sophrony Sakharov