(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
Third
Sunday of the Triodion ~ Sunday of the Last Judgment
Epistle: I Corinthians 8:8-9:2 Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46
The Holy Bread for Eucharist is offered this morning by
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
February 22nd
– March 1st (Fasting from meat – all other
categories permitted)
Sunday - No Teen Group – Deanery Retreat
-
No Young Adult Group
Monday - First
Hour,
Tuesday - Third Hour,
- Men’s Lunch,
- Choir Practice,
- Catechumen/Inquirer’s
Class,
Wednesday - Third
Hour,
- Vespers,
-
Wednesday Dinner,
-
Wednesday Teaching,
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,
Sunday -
- Orthros,
- Divine Liturgy,
Schedule
of Divine Liturgy Sunday, March 1st
PRIEST: Fr.
John HOMILY: Fr. John
DEACONS: Dns. James
& Charles READER:
HOLY BREAD:
ALTAR SERVERS: Caleb, Luke S., Misha,
Joe
COFFEE HOUR: George & Kim Hilal, Mitch
Childress
Wednesday evening teachings – This coming Wednesday Colonel Mike Fuller will come
speak to us about security and how we can keep ourselves protected here and at
home. Beginning the following week, we
will suspend the Wednesday Teachings until after Pascha. The meals will
continue, following the Liturgy of Presanctified gifts which will begin at
Come join us to pray.
Be sure and sign up for dinner!
COMMEMORATIONS
February 22: The uncovering of the relics of the Martyrs at the
gate of Eugenios in
February 23: Hieromartyr Polycarp,
bishop of Smyrna; Martyr Polychronios; Venerable Gorgonia; Venerable Damian and Venerable-martyr Damian of Philotheou monastery on Athos.
February 24: The first and second discoveries of the honorable
head of the Forerunner.
February 25: Tarasios, archbishop of Constantinople;
Hieromartyrs Reginos,
bishop of Skopelos, and Markellos,
bishop of Apamea in
February 26: Prophyrios, bishop of
Gaza; Great-martyr Photeini the Samaritan Woman and
those with her; Martyr Theoklitos and those with him;
New-martyr John of Constantinople.
February 27: Venerable Prokopios the
Confessor of Decapolis; Martyrs Galasios of
Heliopolis and Nisios; New-martyr Elias.
February 28: Venerable Basil the Confessor, companion of Prokopios of Decapolis; Hieromartyr
Proterios, patriarch of Alexandria; Apostles Nympha and Euvoulos; New-martyr Kyranna. Venerable
John Cassian the Roman (in non-leap years).
March 1: Venerable-martyr Eudokia
of Heliopolis; Venerable Domnina of Syria; Martyrs Markellos and Anthony of Pamphylia;
Venerable Agapios of Vatopedi
monastery on Athos; Venerable David of Wales, bishop of Menevia.
**For reading material on the
saints for this week, visit the display in the church library.
DAILY SCRIPTURE
Sunday I Corinthians 8:8-9:2 Matthew 25:31-46
Monday III John 1:1-15 Luke
Tuesday Jude 1:1-10 Matthew 11:2-15
Wednesday Joel
Thursday Jude
Friday Zechariah 8:7-14
Saturday Romans
Sunday Romans
-
ALMS-GIVING –
Diocese of
Michael Bittle
Fund – Holy Trinity Orthodox Church –
Pray for our catechumens: In
Please remember in your
prayers: His
Catechumen and Inquirers’ classes – Everyone is welcome.
We meet Tuesday’s at
Sons of
Thunder (Men’s Book Club) – The next
meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 9th at
The
club’s focus is to read a wide range of literature, especially pieces we would
not normally read. The Sons of Thunder
try to meet once a month at either an attendee’s home, or some other place. The attendees usually partake of food and
drink at the start of the gathering, before eventually settling down to discuss
the agreed upon reading.
If you would like to know more, or have any questions,
please contact Caleb McGee.
MEN NEEDED -- If you are a man and you can read music,
please
see
New Church Directories - Updated church directories are now available in the
fellowship hall. Please be sure to pick one up. Please remember that these
directories are for personal use only.
– Meribeth
Fr John is
in
Antiochian Women of St. John’s Calendar
~ Secret Sisters Dinner ~ Thursday, February 26th
at
at Sh.
Corinne Elliott’s home
This is a potluck
dinner that all women are invited to attend. Secret Sisters will
announce who they’ve been giving
gifts to and encouraging for the past several months.
We ask however that
babies that are mobile not be brought; it is fine if they are still an “arm
baby”.
~
Mark your calendars!
Friday, March 6th is our next First Friday Lunch. We will pray sixth
hour at
~ Women’s Teaching ~
Upcoming Dates ~ March 12th
Each year the
Antiochian Women are charged by Metropolitan PHILIP with a special fundraising
focus. This year, our call is to raise funds to support the Al Kafa’at Foundation in
Today
the
A REVISED SCHEDULE of Lenten services is downstairs. Some of the service times have changed which make it
easier for the largest number of people to attend weekly services. Great Compline and the Presanctified
liturgies are returning to
Great Lent approaches – Great
Lent begins on March 2. It will be here
before we know it! Today, February 22,
is the Sunday of the Last Judgment, and during the week following we fast from
meat, however there is a katalysis for eggs, cheese,
milk and other dairy products, fish, wine and oil on all days of this week. We should begin to prepare ourselves even now
for the spiritual journey ahead!
St. John
Chrysostom on the benefits and importance for
Lenten CDs – We
have a couple of nice CDs in the bookstore
that would be wonderful accompaniments to your Lenten journey. One is
Russian-style music for the Presanctified Liturgy from St. Vladimir’s and the
other is Byzantine-style as is chanted on Wednesday evenings. There are also Pascha
CDs and other music fitting to listen to during Lent. If you have any questions
regarding the CDs or are looking for recommendations, please feel free to
contact Sh. Corinne Elliott.
LIBRARY
LINES – We honor two Samaritan
women saints this week and next, St. Photini(2/26) and St. Eudokia(3/1). St. Photini is a
patron of several at
Looking
for food for your soul? St. John Library
has the following books on Great Lent and Holy Week. These and others are displayed around the
book shelves of the circulating section as well as on the display cart.
Arena, The by Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov SPR/LIV/BRI
Christ in the Old Testament by Fr. Thomas Hopko
KID/HOP
Esther’s Easter Dress by Katherine Fafarakis KID/FAF
Great Lent by Alexander Schmemann CAT/SAC/SCH
Great Week and Pascha in the Greek Orthodox
Church by Alkiviadis Calivas CAT/SAC/CAL
Ladder of Divine Ascent by
Lenten Spring, The by Thomas Hopko CAT/SPEC/HOP
Manual of Confession, A by
St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite PAT/NIK
Path to Confession, The by
Tito Collinder
SPR/LIV/COL
Road To Pascha:
Selections from the Easter Letters of St. Athanasius, The PAT/ATH
Spiritual Meadow of John Moschos HAG/MOS/WOR
Spirituality, Vol. iv of The Orthodox Faith
series by Thomas Hopko CAT/GEN/HOP
Way of the Ascetics by
Tito Collinder
SPR/LIV/
Teen Group Events
No
Teen Group Today – Deanery Teen Retreat
No
meeting next week – Forgiveness Vespers
Dates to remember:
March 1 – Forgiveness vespers in evening April 19 –
PASCHA
March 8 – Sunday services at Annunciation May 28 – Ascension
March 25 – Feast of the Annunciation June
7 – Pentecost
April 12 – Palm Sunday June
10-14 – Parish Life Conference
FASTING IN THE SEASON OF THE TRIODION
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 available downstairs:
“The Rules of Fasting” - by Bp KALLISTOS Fasting Guidelines
The Lenten Prayer of St.
Ephraim the Syrian
Reflections on the Akathist
Hymn
Daily Scriptural Reading,
entitled “Spiritual Calendar”
The Sundays of Great Lent
The prayer of repentance used
at Forgiveness Vespers
“The Four Canonical Fasting
Seasons” – by Bp BASIL
Comments on the Liturgy of
the Presanctified Gifts
PRO-LIFE
CORNER – Alveda King, Niece of Dr. King, Urges Obama
to Oppose Abortion – Alveda King and a group of
pro-life leaders in the black community are sending a message to Obama to oppose abortion. “African Americans like many
Americans are pro-life… We are one human race and it’s time to stand up for the
truth. It’s time to stand up for life, liberty and family,” declares a
statement the group released. “We need to let Barack Obama know that our children’s lives are more important
than the money and political support of the abortion lobby… This nation was
founded upon life, liberty, and justice for
all,” the statement continues. The group led by Alveda
King is sending their statement as an “open letter” to President Obama, members of Congress, state legislators and other
officials.
ON FASTING – Periodically the question has been raised concerning
when a fast begins and ends. First, please be aware that
there are two distinct types of fasts: an Ascetical Fast and a
Eucharistic Fast. An ASCETICAL FAST (meaning a
day or season when we abstain from certain foods, drinks and
activities) begins at the
Worship and liturgical reminders:
The
Kiss of peace – Anciently, all
churches practiced this in the liturgy, but it fell into disuse except between
members of the clergy within the altar.
There were reasons for this. Originally,
only the faithful were present in the Eucharistic portion of the liturgy. The kiss of peace would have be just that, a
physical kiss expressing unity in belief and practice, peace, and
reconciliation between the all those present.
Also, men and women would have been on separate sides of the nave, and
the exchange would have been between men only and women only. With the addition of non communicants and the
intermingling of genders, the practice waned to avoid any opportunity for
scandal.
His Eminence, Metropolitan PHILIP, has blessed our
churches to practice the kiss of peace, but it must be done appropriately and
with a minimum of disruption, if at all.
To that end, I suggest that you simply lightly embrace the person next
to you IF you know them well enough,
exchanging the greeting and response, “Christ is in our midst – He is and ever
shall be.” (Seasonal greetings change.)
If the individual next to you is a visitor or unfamiliar, it might be
more appropriate to simply take one another’s hand and exchange the
greeting. In any event, it should be
done quickly to minimize disruption, and there is no need to greet any others
than those next to you.
Most important, remember you are saying to all present
when you exchange the greeting with one that you are at peace with all.
Fr John Troy
From
the Fathers
“Do not grieve if you do not
at once receive from God that which you ask. He wishes to benefit you still
more by making you persist longer in your patient prayer before Him. For what
can be higher than to address one's converse to God and be in communion with
Him?” - St Nilus
of Mt Sinai
“The evil one cannot
comprehend the joy we receive from the spiritual life; for this reason he
is jealous of us, he envies us and sets traps for us, and we become
grieved and fall. We must struggle, because without struggles we do not
obtain virtues.” - Elder Ieronymos of
“No matter what misfortune
might befall you, no matter what unpleasantness might occur, say "I will
endure this for Jesus Christ's sake!" Just say that, and you will feel
better, for the Name of Jesus Christ is powerful. Before It,
all difficulties abate, and demons disappear. Your annoyance and faintness of
heart will abate when you repeat His most sweet Name. Lord, grant unto me to
see my transgressions. Lord, grant unto me patience,
magnanimity, and meekness.” - St.
Antony of Optina
“What keeps grace in the soul
more than anything else? Humility! What makes it withdraw more than anything
else? Feelings of pride, a high opinion of oneself, self-reliance! Grace
departs as soon as it senses this evil stench of inner pride. “We grow cold
within when our heart is distracted, when it cleaves to something other than
God, worrying about different things, getting angry and blaming someone – when
we are discontented and pander to the flesh, wallowing in luxury and wandering
thoughts. Guard against these things, and the coldness will diminish.” - St. Theophan
the Recluse