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 of Orthodoxy

March 8, 2009

Epistle:  Hebrews 11:24-26, 32-12:2     Gospel:  John 1:43-51

                                                                                                                               

The Holy Bread for Eucharist is offered this morning by Margie Yarbro.

 

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                                    March 8th – March 15th (The Great Fast)

Sunday            - Great Vespers – Forty Martyrs of Sebaste, 6:30 p.m.

            - No Teen Group or Young Adult Group

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

            - Great Compline, 6:30 p.m.

            - Clergy Meeting, 7:30 p.m.

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

            - Men’s Lunch, 11:45 a.m.

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

Wednesday     - Third Hour, 9:00 a.m.

            - Presanctified Liturgy, 6:30 p.m. Lenten meal to follow ~ please sign-up

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

                        - Women’s Teaching at the home of Anne Dugan, 10:00 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.

            - Akathist, 6:30 p.m.

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

Sunday            - Orthros, 9:00 a.m.

                        - Church School, 9:00 a.m.

                        - Divine Liturgy, 10:00 a.m.  

 

Schedule for Presanctified Liturgy                                                Wednesday, March 11th

PRIEST:           Fr. Nicholas                             DEACON:                   Dn. James

READER:        Owen White                             LENTEN MEAL:         Kerry Sneed

 

Schedule of Divine Liturgy                                                                     Sunday, March 15th

PRIEST:                       Fr. Basil                                   HOMILY:        Fr. Basil

DEACONS:                 Dns. Charles & Tim                  READER:        Caleb McGee

HOLY BREAD:           Christi Yadron                          TUPELO:         Fr. Nicholas

ALTAR SERVERS:     Joshua, J. Morgan, Alex, Benji

COFFEE HOUR:         Kim Boone, Charlie & Meribeth Harvey

 

 

Dates to remember:

            March 25 – Feast of the Annunciation                May 28 – Ascension

            April 12 – Palm Sunday                                     June 7 – Pentecost

            April 19 – PASCHA                                         June 10-14 – Parish Life Conference

                                   

 

 

 

COMMEMORATIONS

 

 

March 8: Theophylaktos, bishop of Nicomedia; Apostle Hermas of the Seventy.

 

March 9: The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste.

 

March 10: Kodratos of Corinth and his five companions; Anastasia the patrician of Alexandria; New-martyr Michael of Thessalonika.

 

March 11: Sophronios, patriarch of Jerusalem; Martyrs Thallos and Trophimos; Venerable George of Sinai; Theodora the empress; repose of Euthymios, bishop of Novgorod.

 

March 12: Venerable Theophanes the Confessor of Sigriane; Gregory the Dialogist, pope of Rome; Venerable Simeon the New Theologian; Righteous Phineas.

 

March 13: The translation of the relics of Nikephoros, patriarch of Constantinople; Poplias and Marios the bishops.

 

March 14: Venerable Benedict of Nursia; Euschemenos, bishop of Lampsakos.

 

March 15: Martyr Agapios of Palestine and those with him; Apostle Aristoboulos of the Seventy, first bishop of Britain; New-martyrs Manuel of Crete and Parthenios.

 

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

 

 

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS       March 8 – March 15

           

            Sunday                         Hebrews 11:24-26, 32-12:2         John 1:43-51

            Monday                        Genesis 3:21-4:7                        Proverbs 3:34-4:22

            Tuesday                        Genesis 4:8-15                           Proverbs 5:1-15

            Wednesday                   Genesis 4:16-26                         Proverbs 5:15-6:4

            Thursday                      Genesis 5:1-24                           Proverbs 6:3-20

            Friday                           Genesis 5:32-6:8                        Proverbs 6:20-7:1

            Saturday                       Hebrews 3:12-16                       Mark 1:35-44

            Sunday                         Hebrews 1:10-2:3                      Mark 2:1-12

 

 

 

- ALMS-GIVING –

St. John Alms Fund                            St. John Camping Fund

St. John Food Pantry             St. John Seminarian Fund

Diocese of Miami and the Southeast Mission Fund

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

St. Paul Mission Station – Tupelo, MS

 

 

 

Pray for our catechumens:  In Memphis - Maria Cartagena, Maria Brackey, Lisa Martin, Barbara McWilliams, Jill Healy, Priscilla Neale and Misty Duke. In Tupelo - Shane Davis, Justin & Brandy Williams, Leah Hardy, Adam Clay, Casey & Jessica Hardy (Davis) and Justin Stevens. In Hernando – Donald Estes.

 

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, Melissa White (pregnant), Ann Hicks (Dianna Hildebrand’s mother), Sue Ingram, Charles Ingram, 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).

 

ST. JOHN COMMUNITY:

 

Catechumen and Inquirers’ classes – We will meet this week at our regular time, 7 p.m..

 

A REVISED SCHEDULE of Lenten services is in the parish hall.

 

Sons of Thunder (Men’s Book Club) – The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 19th at 7:00 p.m. at the home of Dn. James Elliott, 1666 Beard Place, Memphis. Please bring something (Lenten food and/or drink) to share. For the Life of the World by Fr. Alexander Schmemann is our next reading selection. If you would like to know more, or have any questions, please contact Caleb McGee.

 

Colonel Mike Fuller of the Memphis Police Department left a number of handouts about personal safety, crime prevention, and other topics following his presentation Wednesday night.  They are in the room next to the kitchen and free for your taking.

 

LENTEN MEAL – There will be a Lenten meal after Presanctified Liturgy this Wednesday. Please contact the church office if you plan to attend. 274-4119.

 

 

Upcoming memorials on March 15:

Sidney Kraker – 20 years (father of Kim Boone and Terry Harter)

Henty Kraker – 19 years (grandmother of Kim Boone and Terry Harter)

 

Special Calendar Note:  We will pray Great Vespers tonight

at 6:30 PM for the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste.

 

 

 

 

 

Antiochian Women of St. John’s Calendar

 

~ Women’s Teaching ~   

This Thursday! March 12th at 10:00 a.m.

At the home of Anne Dugan

 

AWSJ Sweets & Cheesy Treats Sale Success!

We were able to raise $681.50 to send to Al Kafa’at Foundation in Beirut, Lebanon. Thank you to all the ladies who donated items to be sold last Sunday

and all of those who purchased goodies!!

 

 

Worship and liturgical reminders:

            Great Lent is often called the school of repentance.  It is customary that all Orthodox Christians make their confession during this period (as well as other times during the years as needed and suggested by their confessor).  The “Little Red Prayer Book” has a very nice guide to help one prepare.  We also have a second, and equally profitable, booklet for the examination of conscience as one prepares.  Copies are in the parish hall with the other Lenten material.  Please take one as you desire.

 

Recent Decision by the Patriarchal Synod of Antioch – Many of our parishioners were absent last Sunday (March 1) due to the inclement weather when the recent decision of the Synod was read, along with our Metropolitan’s cover letter and my personal letter to our Bishop ANTOUN expressing my distress.  Our archdiocese website at http://www.antiochian.org/ has the decision, Metropolitan PHILIP’s cover letter, as well as two additional items from the Metropolitan, one in answer to some of the questions that have been raised.  As of Friday, March 6, 2009, I have yet to hear from Bp. ANTOUN, although I am hopeful that he will respond.                     - Fr. John

 

STAMO LATTO SCHOLARSHIP – We are happy to announce the 2009 Stamo Latto Scholarship for senior and talented junior high school women.  All documents should be received by St. John Orthodox Church by May 1, 2009.  Applications can be viewed on and downloaded from St. John Orthodox Church's website (see below). Academic scholarships will again range from $500-$1000+, depending on qualifications and competition. http://www.stjohnmemphis.org/lattoscholarship.html

Teen Group Events

 

Next Sunday, March 15th – Meeting for Seniors, 5PM

 

LIBRARY LINES Three times this week we sang portions of the canon of St. Andrew of Crete. First Fruits of Prayer (SPR/PRA/MAT) by Frederica Mathewes-Green is a forty-day journey through this beautiful, great hymn of repentance.  Each portion of the canon is printed with accompanying Scripture references and commentary. The book begins with a general introduction and historical background of the canon. I highly recommend it for catechumens and “old-timers” alike. You will find this book along with the others mentioned here on the display cart.

            You know what we do on the Sunday of Orthodoxy, but do you know why?  Our tradition dates back to events in the 8th century.  Visit St. John Library and read about the Iconoclast controversy in these books:  Bible and Church History by Fr. Thomas Hopko (CAT/GEN/HOP) and The Oecumenical Synods of the Orthodox Church (HIS/THO) by Fr. James Thornton and Ecclesiasticus II by Protopresbyter George Dragas (CAT/GEN/DRA). They are on the display cart.

            Most martyrs are commemorated individually; however, there are several groups who are remembered not only on their feast days, but throughout the year. The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste are commemorated March 9.   They were a band of soldiers who were distinguished for bravery. During the reign of Licinius in 313, they were imprisoned for refusing to sacrifice to idols. As punishment they were cast into a lake during severely cold weather. A warm bath-house was erected on the shore to tempt them. One of the band could not withstand the cold and ran on shore. As a great light hovered over them and crowns appeared over their heads, one of the guards joined them in the water and asked God to add him to their number, making him worthy to suffer with them.  They were then led out of the lake and their legs were broken. Their bodies were burned and the bones tossed into the lake. Three days later they appeared to the bishop and told him to gather their remains at night and bury them with honor. These men are just one example to us of Christians sharing in each others’ suffering with love.  These men are mentioned in every marriage service, the Paraklesis to the Mother of God and other services of our Church.

 

Pro-life Corner:   “Abortion kills not only unborn children; it destroys constitutional order and the common good, which is assured only when the life of every human being is legally protected.”    - Cardinal Francis George of Chicago

 

 

Lenten Alms-Giving – St. John Food Pantry

 

For the remaining weeks of the Great Fast we have an opportunity to add to the food pantry. There is a bucket just outside the food pantry door in which to leave these specific items:

Week 1 – Sunday, March 15th – Jars of Peanut Butter & Boxes of Crackers

Week 2 – Sunday, March 22nd – Canned Goods - Soup, Chili, Meat & Beans

Week 3 – Sunday, March 29th – Cans of Fruit and Individual Serving Fruit/Applesauce

Week 4 – Sunday, April 5th – Toiletry Items – Toilet Paper, Lotion, Soap

Week 5 – Sunday, April 20th – Rice, Beans, Pasta & Boxed Meals

 

 

SUMMER CAMPS - Registration for Camp St. Thekla is now open; applications are being accepted. While there should be enough space this year, you should send in your applications as soon as possible. There are two sessions this year, and when you send in your applications may determine which week your child/children are able to go. The information for camp, as well as the forms, can be found here: http://www.campstthekla.org.

            Remember, Joshua is the head counselor for Camp St. Thekla.  Additionally, applications are now being received for summer camping at Antiochian Village as well as our other camps.  Remember:  DO NOT LET MONEY ISSUES KEEP YOU FROM REGISTERING YOUR CHILDREN!  Besides scholarships given by the Order of St. Ignatius, we have parish funds set aside for camping attendance.  Simply let Joshua or Fr. John know if your child needs financial assistance.  The earlier you register the better, for the camps do fill up. 

 

 

 

St. John Chrysostom on the benefits and importance for Christians of Scripture Reading:  For as the rich in money can bear fines and damages, so he that is rich in the doctrines of (Christian) philosophy will bear not poverty only, but all calamities also easily, more easily than that (rich) one.” (Hom. IX  On Colossians)

 

 

 

We continue to be very blessed as a parish to support St. Paul Skete and Mother Nektaria by our financial gifts, prayers, and offerings of physical help.  Additionally, we provide a small measure of support to St. Barbara Monastery and Mother Victoria.  On the other side of this sheet is a very nice encouragement for the Lenten season from Mother Victoria.   

 

From the Fathers

“In the man who only theorizes about faith, there is a great deal of room for the demon. But in the man who gives himself to sincere prayer and fasting, there is only the narrowest space for the demon, and he must flee from such a man.”              - St. Nikolai Velimirovich

 

“Fasting is wonderful because it tramples our sins like a dirty weed, while it cultivates and raises truth like a flower.”       - St. John Chrysostom

 

“What toil we must endure, what fatigue, while we are attempting to climb hills and the summits of mountains! What, that we may ascend to heaven! If you consider the promised reward, what you endure is less. Immortality is given to the one who perseveres; everlasting life is offered; the Lord promises His Kingdom.”

- St. Cyprian 

 

“From kindness, people see things entirely different.”                 - St. Ambrose of Optina 

 

“Falling and rising, repenting and being humbled is better than not falling, not repenting and not being humbled: from the battle we learn skill.”

- St. Macarius of Optina

 

 “A good work is not accomplished easily, but everything comes with labor and patience.”         - St. Moses of Optina