(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
Second
Sunday of the Great Fast
St. Gregory Palamas
Epistle: Hebrews 1:10-2:3 Gospel: Mark 2:1-12
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
Sunday - Lenten Vespers,
- Teen Group, Meeting for Seniors,
Monday - First
Hour,
-
Great Compline,
Tuesday - Third Hour,
- Men’s Lunch,
- Catechumen/Inquirer’s Class,
Wednesday - Third Hour,
- Presanctified
Liturgy,
Thursday - Third Hour,
- Sons of Thunder, Men’s Book Club at the
home of Dn. James,
Friday -
First Hour,
-
Third Hour,
-
Stay & Play Group will meet in the fellowship hall after third hour.
-
Sixth Hour,
-
Akathist,
Saturday -
AWSJ Saturday Akathist – Prayers for
the departed,
Followed by
Lenten breakfast potluck.
-
Ninth Hour and Great Vespers,
Sunday - Orthros,
-
-
Divine Liturgy,
Schedule for
Presanctified Liturgy
Wednesday, March 18th
PRIEST: Fr. Basil DEACON: Dn. Charles
READER: Billy Scrantom LENTEN MEAL: Patty Harants
Schedule
of Divine Liturgy Sunday, March 22nd
PRIEST: Fr.
Nicholas HOMILY:
Fr. Nicholas
DEACONS: Dns. James & Charles READER:
HOLY BREAD:
ALTAR SERVERS: Caleb, Luke S., Misha,
Joe
COFFEE HOUR: Charlie &
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 15: Martyr Agapios of
Palestine and those with him; Apostle Aristoboulos of
the Seventy, first bishop of
March 16: Martyr Sabinos of Egypt;
Venerable Christodoulos the wonderworker of
March 17: Venerable Alexios the “Man
of God;” Theosteriktos the Confessor; Patrick, bishop of Armagh and enlightener of
March 18: Cyril, patriarch of
March 19: Martyrs Chrysanthos, Daria, Jason, Mauros and Diodoros of Rome; Martyr Pancharios
of Nicomedia; New-martyr Demetrios of Constantinople;
Venerable Innocent of Komel.
March 20: The holy fathers slain at the monastery of Mar Sabbas; New-martyr Myron of Crete.
March 21: Venerable-confessor James the New, bishop of
March 22: Hieromartyr Basil of
**For reading material on the
saints for this week, visit the display in the church library.
DAILY SCRIPTURE
Sunday Hebrews
Monday Genesis 6:9-22 Proverbs 8:1-21
Tuesday Genesis 7:1-5 Proverbs
Wednesday Genesis 7:6-9 Proverbs
Thursday Genesis
Friday Genesis 8:4-22 Proverbs
Saturday Hebrews 10:32-38 Mark 2:14-17
Sunday Hebrews
-
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 – We will meet this week at our regular time,
A REVISED SCHEDULE of Lenten services is
in the parish hall.
Sons of
Thunder (Men’s Book Club) – The next
meeting is scheduled for this Thursday,
March 19th at
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 by Tuesday morning if you plan to
attend. 274-4119 or meribeth@stjohnmemphis.org
Memorials Today:
Sidney Kraker – 20 years (father of
Henty Kraker – 19 years
(grandmother of
ENROLLMENT TODAY –
Antiochian Women of St. John’s Calendar
Saturday,
March 21 at
Afterward we will have
breakfast together. Please bring a fasting breakfast item to share.
There will be a short
We will meet in the room next to the kitchen.
Worship and liturgical reminders:
Remember that it is customary for all Orthodox
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
Lenten Alms-Giving –
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
**Don’t worry if you missed getting a bulletin last week or
just forgot to bring peanut butter & crackers today….we will accept any
item for the food pantry at any time. Thank you!
FOOD FOR HUNGRY PEOPLE – There are Food for Hungry People coin collection boxes
available in the parish hall for you to take home and collect loose change.
“If a man shuts his ears to
the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.” Proverbs 21:13
LIBRARY
LINES – What do St. Patrick (3/17)
and St. Nicholas (12/6) have in common?
They are both Orthodox saints who are recognized in the popular culture
with secular celebrations. Read about
St. Patrick in Saints of the British Isles and Apostles of Medieval
Who’s
the other saint we commemorate on St. Patrick’s Day? Read about him in St.
Alexis, The Man of God HAG/ALE/HOL
St.
Nikolai Velimorvich (3/18) is a “modern" church
father. His wisdom is recorded in the following books by and about him.
Treasury of Serbian Othodox
Spirituality PAT/VEL
Struggle for Faith PAT/VEL
Mystery and Meaning of the
Serbian Patericon
by Fr. Francis Rogich HAG/- - -/ROG
Grace for Grace: the Psalter and the Holy Fathers REF/PAT/COM/MAN
The Bible and the Holy Fathers PAT/COM/MAN
Orthodox Christian Journey CAT/GEN/DUA
Teen Group Events
Today,
Sunday, March 15th – Meeting for Seniors,
Next
Sunday, March 22nd – Meeting for Middlers,
Pro-life Corner: At the paraklesis service we read from the
Gospel of Luke which includes the following:
“Now Mary arose . . . and went into the hill country . . . and entered
the house of Zacharias, and greeted
If we
had no other information than this, it would be enough to reveal to us that the
taking of life in the womb is wrong and a great sin – the Baptist, from the
womb, expresses his joy over the presence of his Lord who has just entered the
room. This is truly a great wonder and
mystery which heralds the beginning of our salvation!
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,
Also, our southeast regional summer camp is Camp St.
Thekla. We will again have many of our
children attending this year. As the
camping program develops, a concurrent effort to strengthen its foundation
financially is being made. Enclosed is a
flyer providing an opportunity to contribute to the camp.
This can be done either on a one-time or periodic basis. Consider if you would like to be a supporter.
We continue to be very
blessed as a parish to support St.
Recent Decision by the Patriarchal Synod
of
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.
Many of our parishioners were absent
on Sunday, March 1 due to the inclement weather when I read the decision, the
Metropolitan’s cover letter, and my personal letter to our (former diocesan)
From
the Fathers
“Blessed is the one who has cleansed himself of every
stain of sins, so that with boldness he may receive into his own house the King
of glory, our Lord Jesus Christ.” - St Ephraim the Syrian
“If a king wanted to take possession of his enemy's city,
he would begin by cutting off the water and the food and so his enemies, dying
of hunger, would submit to him. It is the same with the passions of the flesh:
if a man goes about fasting and hungry the enemies of his soul grow weak.” - Abba John the Dwarf
“Let no man seek his own, but every man another's (I Cor.
“If you want to cure your soul, you need four things. The
first is to forgive your enemies. The second is to confess thoroughly. The
third is to blame yourself. The fourth is to resolve to sin no more. If we wish
to be saved, we must always blame ourselves and not attribute our wrong acts to
others. And God, who is most compassionate, will forgive us.” -
St. Kosmas Aitolos