(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
Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee
Sunday
after the Presentation of our Lord in the
Epistle: II Timothy 3:10-15 Gospel: Luke 18:10-14
The Holy Bread for Eucharist is offered this morning by Mindy Williams.
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 – Bible Bowl,
-
Young Adult Group at Fr. John & Kh.
Pamela’s home,
Monday - First
Hour,
Tuesday - Third Hour,
- Men’s Lunch,
- Choir Practice,
- Clergy Meeting,
- Catechumen/Inquirer’s
Class,
Wednesday - Third
Hour,
- Vespers,
-
Wednesday Dinner,
-
Wednesday Teaching,
-
Parish Council,
Thursday - Third
Hour,
Friday - First Hour,
-
Third Hour,
-
Stay & Play Group will meet in the fellowship hall after third hour.
-
Sixth Hour,
Saturday - Ninth Hour and Great Vespers,
Baptism of
Elijah Andrew Brackey to follow Vespers
Sunday -
- Orthros,
- Divine Liturgy,
Schedule
for Divine Liturgy Sunday, February 15th
PRIEST: Fr.
John HOMILY: Fr. John
DEACONS: Dns. Tim
& James READER: Caleb McGee
HOLY BREAD: Karen Wells USHER:
John McGee
ALTAR SERVERS: Ethan, J. Morgan, Luke L., Deon
COFFEE HOUR: Chris & Anna-Sarah Farha,
Mitchell Childress
Wednesday evening teachings – If you missed last week’s talk on the angelic
realm, you missed an excellent talk!
Wednesday, February 11 –
Wednesday, February 18 – Colonel Mike
Fuller, Memphis Police Department
Come join us on
Wednesdays! Be sure and sign up for
dinner!
COMMEMORATIONS
February 8: Great-martyr Theodore the General (“Stratelates”); Prophet Zachariah; Sabbas
II, archbishop of
February 9: Martyr Nikephoros of
Antioch; Hieromartyrs Markellos,
bishop of
February 10: Hieromartyr Haralampos the wonder-worker, bishop of Magnesia; Venerable
Zenon.
February 11: Hieromartyr Blaise, bishop of Sebaste;
Theodora the empress; New-martyr George of Serbia; Vsevolod,
prince and wonder-worker of Pskov;
Venerable Demetrios of Prilutsk.
February 12: Meletios, archbishop of
February 13: Venerable Martinian of
Palestine; Apostles and Martyrs Aquila and Priscilla; Eulogios,
patriarch of Alexandria; Venerable Simeon (Nemanja)
the myrrh-streaming, prince of Serbia and founder of Hilandar
monastery on Athos.
February 14: Auxentios the priest of
Bithynia; Venerable Abraham, Maron of Syria and
Damian; New-martyrs Nicholas of Corinth and George of Mitylene;
repose of Venerable Cyril, equal-to-the-Apostles and teacher of the Slavs;
Venerable Isaac the Recluse of the Kiev Caves.
February 15: Apostle Onesimos of the
Seventy; Venerable Eusebios of
**For reading material on the
saints for this week, visit the display in the church library.
DAILY SCRIPTURE
Sunday II Timothy 3:10-15 Luke 18:10-14
Monday II Peter 1:20-2:9 Mark 13:9-13
Tuesday II Peter 2:9-22 John 15:17-16:2
Wednesday II Peter 3:1-10 Mark 13:24-31
Thursday I John 1:8-2:6 Mark 13:31-14:2
Friday I John 2:7-17 Mark 14:3-9
Saturday II Timothy 3:1-9 Luke 20:46-21:4
Sunday I Corinthians 6:12-20 Luke 15:11-32
Pray for our catechumens: In
Please remember in your
prayers: His
-
ALMS-GIVING –
Diocese of
Michael Bittle Fund – Holy Trinity
Orthodox Church –
Catechumen and Inquirers’ classes – Everyone is welcome.
We meet Tuesday’s at
New Directories – Well, it has come to that time when my directory is full of post-its
showing me all the corrections and additions that need to be made. So I ask
that you each check your directories to be sure your information is current and
please let me know if there is anything that I need to correct or add. Contact
me as soon as possible at the church office, 274-4119 or meribeth@stjohnmemphis.org. Thank
you. Meribeth
Upcoming baptism – Remember all in your
prayers:
Elijah Andrew Brackey – February 14 – Godparents Chris and
Sons of
Thunder – The next meeting is
scheduled for Monday, February 16th at
Antiochian Women of St. John’s Calendar
TODAY – The Antiochian Women of St. John are invited to
a baby shower for
at the home of Minday Williams
following coffee hour (apprx.
~ Women’s Teaching ~
Upcoming Dates ~ March 12th
Parish Life Conference – This year’s conference will be in
Parish Life Conference in
FOOD PANTRY – Lately, we have had an increasing amount of
requests for help from our food pantry. Please consider picking up some extra
items the next time you are grocery-shopping. The best items for the pantry are
crackers, small jars of peanut butter, ready-to-eat soup, canned vegetables,
meat & fruit. We also like to include in some bags toiletry items:
full-size bars of soap, lotion, tooth brushes, toothpaste & individually
wrapped toilet paper.
Pro-life Corner: “We can’t reduce abortions by promoting abortion. We cannot reduce abortions by invalidating the very laws that have been shown to reduce abortions. We cannot reduce abortions by insisting that every program supporting women in childbirth and child care must also support abortion. No one who sponsors or supports legislation like FOCA can credibly claim to be part of a good faith discussion on how to reduce abortions. Therefore, I urge all members of Congress to pledge their opposition to FOCA and other legislation designed to promote abortion.”
- (Roman
Catholic) Cardinal Justin Rigali of
LIBRARY
LINES – Monday of this week we commemorate the translation of
the relics of St. Innocent of
A
more readable explanation is given in The Pearl by Whelton. (CAT/GEN/WHE) Chapter VI gives us his answers
to questions frequently asked by Protestants, or former ones like many of
us. His concise answer concerning relics
begins on page 139. Kallistos Ware connects this
practice with the theology of the body in The Orthodox Church (CAT/GEN/WAR).
See chapter 11. See also Holy Relics by T. L. Frazier (CAT/SPEC/FRA)
Today
we honor the Prophet Zachariah(2/8). He was sometimes called the sickle-seer
because had a vision in which he saw a sickle flying in the air and destroying
evil doers. He prophesied very specific events in the life of Christ, including
the Triumphal Entry, the piercing of his side and the darkening of the sun at
the crucifixion.
See
icons of these saints and their hagiographies in St. John Library.
Teen Group Events
TODAY,
February 8th – for Seniors - Movie
“Fireproof”
at
Next
Sunday, February 15th – Bible Bowl,
Great Lent approaches – Great Lent begins on March 2. It will be here before we know it! Today, February 8, is the Sunday of the
Publican and the Pharisee, and the week following is fast-free. We should begin to prepare ourselves even now
for the spiritual journey ahead!
Service times in Great Lent. The schedule of specific
services and times will be available in the coming weeks. Please notice that the service times will, in
general, be 30 minutes earlier than in the past. This parallels our earlier vespers service
schedule of the last several months. Pay
close attention to the new starting times when you get your schedule.
Remember –
The opening service of Great Lent is Forgiveness Vespers on the evening of
March 1, which is followed by the Rite of Forgiveness. Begin today to prepare yourselves for that
very important and powerful service which begins our annual school of
repentance.
Worship
and liturgical reminders
FASTING IN THE SEASON OF
THE TRIODION – While the
hymnography of the Church reminds us of the primary importance of keeping the
spiritual aspect of the Great Fast, it also counsels us to keep
the physical aspect -- reducing our consumption of food and drink and abstaining
from certain categories. During the week following the Sunday of the
Publican and Pharisee there is katalysis for all things,
meaning that there is no fasting on any day of the week. During the week
following the Sunday of the Prodigal Son we observe the
traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, eggs, cheese, milk or
other dairy products, fish, wine and olive oil) on Wednesday and
Friday. During the week following Judgment (or Meatfare)
Sunday we abstain from meat and poultry; note however that there is katalysis for
eggs, cheese, milk and other dairy products, fish, wine and oil on all
days of that week. From the first day of the Great Fast, known as
Pure Monday, the day following Forgiveness (or Cheesefare) Sunday, we observe the traditional
fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, eggs, cheese, milk or other dairy
products, fish, wine and olive oil) on weekdays through Great and Holy
Friday, while on Saturdays and Sundays there is katalysis
for wine and olive oil; EXCEPTIONS on Annunciation (March 25th) and
Palm Sunday there is katalysis for fish, wine and oil; on
Great and Holy Thursday there is katalysis for wine and oil; on Great
and Holy Saturday, if we eat anything at all, we observe the traditional
fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, eggs, cheese, milk or other dairy
products, fish, and olive oil) with katalysis for wine. We
break the Lenten Fast only following the Paschal Orthros and Divine
Liturgy.
Note, also, that on the first day of
the Great Fast, Pure Monday, it is a good practice, and kept by many, to make
that a day of abstinence. In keeping
with ancient practices, some are abstinent on more days of the first week, as
well, as outlined in Metropolitan KALLISTOS’s
article. Be sure and seek counsel from
one of the priests if you have any questions.
Handouts for Great Lent -
There are copies of a number of handouts downstairs
for your taking:
Comments
on the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
The
Lenten Prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian
Reflections
on the Akathist Hymn
The
Sundays of Great Lent
Daily
Scriptural Reading, entitled “Spiritual Calendar”
The
prayer of repentance used at Forgiveness Vespers
The
schedule of services for the Great Fast through Bright week
“The
Rules of Fasting” - by Bp KALLISTOS
“The
Four Canonical Fasting Seasons” – by Bp BASIL
Fasting
Guidelines – Some nice comments on fasting
From
the Fathers
“Let
us bear all things thankfully, be it poverty, be it disease, be it anything
else whatever; for He alone knows the things expedient for us.” -
“The battleground of the
spiritual struggle is, first and foremost, man's own heart; but 'the heart is
deep.' The real life of the
“The demons are
sleepless and immaterial, death is at hand, and I am weak. Lord, help me;
do not let Thy creature perish, for Thou carest
for me in my misery.” -
St. Peter of
“This is the mark
of
“Guard your mind from evil
thoughts concerning your neighbors, knowing that the demons put them there,
aiming to blind you to your own sins and prevent you from directing yourself
toward God.” -
Venerable Elias the Egyptian