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

 

Ninth  Sunday after Pentecost

August 9, 2009

Epistle:  I Corinthians 3: 9-17               Gospel: Matthew 14:22-34

                                                                                                                               

The Holy Bread for Eucharist is offered this morning by Sue Ingram.

 

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                                 August 9 –16 (Dormition Fast through August 14)

Sunday            - AWSJ meeting during coffee hour

                        - Meeting with Seniors

                        - Sons of Thunder, 7:00 p.m.

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

                        - Paraklesis, 6:30 p.m.

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

            - Men’s Lunch, 11:45 a.m.

            - Catechumen & Inquirers Class, 7:00 p.m.

            - Choir this week

Wednesday     - Third Hour, 9:00 a.m.

            - Paraklesis, 5:30 p.m.

            - Wednesday Dinner, 6:15 p.m. Please be sure to sign-up.

            - Wed. Teaching, 7:00 p.m.

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

                        - Women’s Teaching, 10:00 a.m.

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

                        - Third Hour, 9:00 a.m.

                        - Stay & Play group will meet after Third Hour in the fellowship hall.

                        - Paraklesis, 12:00 p.m.

                        - Great Vespers, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday         - Divine Liturgy for the Dormition of the Mother of God, 9:00 a.m.

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

Sunday            - Orthros, 9:00 a.m.

                        - Divine Liturgy, 10:00 a.m.

 

 

Divine Liturgy for the Dormition                                     Saturday, August 15, 9:00 a.m.

PRIEST:                       Fr. John                                    HOMILY:        Fr. John

DEACONS:                 Dns. Tim & James                    READER:        Billy Scrantom

HOLY BREAD:           Karen Wells

ALTAR SERVERS:     Any who can

COFFEE HOUR:         Nawar & Reem Mansour, Michael & Mindy Williams

 

Divine Liturgy                                                                       Sunday, August 16, 10:00 a.m.

PRIEST:                       Fr. John                                    HOMILY:        Fr. John

DEACONS:                 Dns. Charles & Tim                  READER:        Matt Spinolo

HOLY BREAD:           Ellie Moore                              USHER:           John McGee

ALTAR SERVERS:     Caleb, J. Morgan, Alex, Deon

COFFEE HOUR:         Matt & Lynda Spinolo, Sue Brownlow

 

 

COMMEMORATIONS

 

Aug. 9:  Apostle Matthias; translation of the relics of Venerable Herman of Alaska, wonder-worker of America.

 

Aug. 10:  Martyr and Archdeacon Laurence of Rome; Hieromartyr Sixtus, bishop of Rome.

 

Aug. 11: Martyr and Archdeacon Euplos of Catania; Niphon, patriarch of Constantinople; commemoration of the miracle of Spyridon the wonder-worker of Kerkyra; New-martyrs Anastasios and Demetrios.

 

Aug. 12: Martyrs Photios and Anikytos of Nicomedia.

 

Aug. 13: Maximos the Confessor; Eudokia and Irene (Xenia) the empresses; Venerable Dositheos; repose of Tikhon, bishop of Voronezh and wonder-worker of Zadonsk; uncovering of the relics of Maximos of Moscow, fool-for-Christ.

 

Aug. 14: Prophet Micah; New-martyr Simeon of Trebizond; translation of the relics of Venerable Theodosios of the Kiev Caves.

 

Aug. 15: The Dormition of the Theotokos.

 

Aug. 16: The commemoration of the icon-not-made-by-hands of our Lord in Edessa.  Martyrs Diomedes the physician of Tarsus in Cilicia and Alkiviades; Venerable Gerasimos the New Ascetic of Kephalencia; Timothy, bishop of Epiros; New-martyrs Nikodemos of Meteora and Apostolos (Stamatios) of St. Laurence; the New-martyrs of Megaris.

 

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

 

 

 

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS               August 9 – August 16

            Sunday                         I Cor 3: 9-17                             Matthew  14:22-34

            Monday                        I Cor 15:12-19                           Matthew  21:18-22

            Tuesday                        I Cor 15:29-38                           Matthew  21:23-27

            Wednesday                   I Cor 16:4-12                             Matthew  21:28-32

            Thursday                      2 Cor 1:1-7                                Matthew  21:43-46

            Friday                           2 Cor 1:12-20                            Matthew  22:23-33

            Saturday                       Romans 15:30-33                       Matthew  17:24-18:4

            Sunday                         I Cor 4:9-16                              Matthew  17:14-23

 

 

- ALMS-GIVING –

St. John Alms Fund   

St. John Camping Fund

St. John Food Pantry

St. John Seminarian Fund

St. Paul Mission Station, Tupelo

Rachels’ Kids, Inc.

Diocese of Miami and the Southeast Mission Fund

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

 

 

 

 

Pray for our catechumens:  In Memphis - Maria Cartagena, Maria Brackey, Lisa Martin, Barbara McWilliams, Jill Healy, Priscilla Neale, David Twombly, Rod & Trisha Ratliff (Jake & Cailyn), Nathan Powell, Ashley Newton, and Jennifer Criswell. In Tupelo - Shane Davis, Justin & Brandy Williams, Leah Hardy, Adam Clay, Casey & Jessica Hardy (Davis) and Justin Stevens. In Hernando – Donald Estes. In Henning – Bobby Johnson.

 

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),  Effie Johnson (Kh. Susan’s mother), Mary Clark, Hannah Snowden (pregnant), Shanna Massouh (pregnant), Kh. Johanna Bittle (pregnant), Ann Hicks (Dianna Hildebrand’s mother), Sue Ingram, Charles Ingram, Ted & Patty Greathouse (Shelley Snowden’s parents), Laura Greathouse, Earlene Snowden (Gene’s mother), Joyce Bittle, Allen Sudduth (Paul’s father), Helen Robbins (Sheila Sudduth’s mother), Paul Sudduth, Brendan Healy (Jill’s son), and Eliot Twombly (David’s nephew).

 

 

ST. JOHN COMMUNITY:

 

Catechumen and Inquirers’ class will meet this week on Tuesday evening at 7:00 p.m.

 

 

Sons of Thunder - After a great discussion of Charlie Wilson's War, it was decided to meet again sooner than normal to honor one of our founders, Matthew Snowden.  Since he will be returning to seminary August 17th we will meet tonight at 7:00 p.m. at Dn. James' house and will be reading "the Art of the Commonplace, the Agrarian Essays of Wendell Berry". As usual plan to bring something to eat along with your brilliant company

 

Prison Ministry – Volunteers are needed for the Prison Ministry for the next 6-8 weeks on Thursdays.  This will be a full day commitment.  There are long or short term opportunities available.  Please see Fr. Nicholas for details. 

 

Book Sale - Hardy Thames left a set of books behind that he is interested in selling. It is a thirty-eight volume set of the writings of the Fathers (Ante-Nicene, Nicene and Post-Nicene). It is in good condition, but is missing one volume. It normally retails for $300, but Hardy is selling it for only $100. If you are interested in the volumes, please see Joshua.

Upcoming Weddings:

Barbara McWilliams & Mikael Santana on September 6

 

Upcoming Chrismations:

David Twombly – August 16

Barbara McWilliams – August 16

 

 

 

Antiochian Women of St. John’s Calendar

 

   AWSJ meeting ~ August 9th  

We will have a brief meeting in the room next to the kitchen during coffee hour. We will have an important discussion regarding AWSJ positions sign-up for the coming year.

 

Women’s Teaching

We meet at the home of Anne Dugan at 10 a.m. on the following Thursdays

Upcoming dates: August 13, September 10th & October 8th

 

Celebrate with Barbara!

Sunday, August 16th after coffee hour the AWSJ are invited to the home of

Anne Dugan to celebrate

Barbara’s Chrismation and upcoming marriage to Mikael Santana.

 

 

 

LIBRARY LINES – St. Matthias (8/9) is sometimes thought of as an extra apostle, a last

minute fill-in. We remember that he was chosen “by lot” so he may seem like one who was chosen by chance. But, we know that there are no coincidences in the Kingdom of God.  Unlike many of the

Twelve who were uneducated, common men, St. Matthias studied under the hand of holy Symeon, the God-receiver. 

 

Three days this week we commemorate the translation or uncovering of the relics of saints.  So what's so important about it? The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (HIS/CRO) donates a page to the practice of honoring relics.  Interestingly enough, it is a wide spread event, even practiced in Buddhism and is “based on the natural instinct of men to treat with reverence what is left of the dead they loved.”  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 most 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)

 

The Prophet Micah's relics were uncovered in the fourth century A. D. through a revelation to a bishop. The prophet was a contemporary of the Prophet Isaiah.  Micah (8/14) gave us the prophecy that Bethlehem would be the birthplace of the Savior.

 

Remember – The Dormition Fast.  The traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, wine and oil) is observed during the fast which lasts from August 1st through 14th (with katalysis for wine and oil on Saturdays and Sundays).

 

 

Great Vespers for Dormition – We will have a very full great vespers Friday night for the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos.  We will sing the lamentations verses as well as serve Litia and Artoklasia.  Come pray with us!!!

 

 

Parish Business Meeting – We will meet for our parish business meeting following the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, August 23.

 

 

Parish Council Recommendations – Each year we have two parish council members cycle-off the council, and two new ones take their place.  The council is made up of seven members, two of whom serve ex-officio, the pastor (Fr. John) and the business manager (Paul Parham).  A third member is selected by the clergy from their ranks. The other four are appointed by the pastor with the counsel of the clergy and the recommendations of the laity.  In the parish hall are forms for you to make your recommendations.  Please recommend three people, in order of your preference. It is important for everyone to give his input.  The more participation we have, the more we can be in tune with the will of God.  Departing members of the council are Lori O’Brien and John Cameron. Thank you Lori and John! Remaining on the council will be Fr. John, Paul, Owen White, and Marjo Labonte.

 

 

Teen Group Events

 

TODAY, August 9, Meeting with Seniors

 

Next Sunday, August 16, Bowling

 

 

Dinner Clubs – Don’t miss out on the FUN!  All current groups are encouraged to meet one last time before the end of August. Dinner clubs are groups of 6-8 St. John people who meet together for a meal once every two months for a year. The focus is on fellowship, not food. This is a great way to meet and get to know people and develop a sense of community.  Those who want to commit to be in a new dinner club starting in September, please see the sign-up sheet in the fellowship hall.  If you are interested in a group that will meet with children, please mark it on the sign-up sheet.  The deadline for signing-up is Sunday, August 23rd. Any questions or comments please call or email Sh. Margaret McKelroy .

 

 

Dear Fr. John and St. John Parishioners:

 

Thank you all for your hospitality this past Sunday.  It was so wonderful to see old friends and to meet new ones.

 

God willing, on  my return from the field I will be able to return to TN and speak with everyone again about this new and exiting ministry in Tanzania.

 

Please, I humbly ask for your God pleasing prayers for my team (James, Michael, Felice, and Charita) and for myself.

 

I will keep everyone updated through my newsletters and a blog.

I will make sure Fr. John knows about the links to these.  Thank you all again for your support!

 

In Christ’s Everlasting Love,

 

Katie Wilcoxson

 

 

 

Celebrate with Barbara!

 

Sunday, August 16th after coffee hour

 

the AWSJ are invited to the home of

 

Anne Dugan,

 

to celebrate

 

Barbara’s Chrismation and upcoming

 

marriage to Mikael Santana.

 

 

 

If you would like any further information, please contact

Anne Dugan.

 

 

 

 

 

We have recently received some good donations to the food pantry. However, at the moment we are low on crackers, peanut butter and canned fruit. Please consider giving alms in this way.

 

 

 

Remember the community bulletin board – there is always new information going up – most recently sale items. 

 

 

Celebrate with Barbara!

 

Sunday, August 16th after coffee hour

 

the AWSJ are invited to the home of

 

Anne Dugan, to celebrate

 

Barbara’s Chrismation and upcoming

 

marriage to Mikael Santana.

 

 

 

If you would like any further information, please contact

Anne Dugan.

 

 

 

 

 

We have recently received some good donations to the food pantry. However, at the moment we are low on crackers, peanut butter and canned fruit. Please consider giving alms in this way.

 

 

 

Remember the community bulletin board – there is always new information going up – most recently sale items.