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

 

12th Sunday after Pentecost

August 30, 2009

 

Epistle:  I Corinthians 15:1-11              Gospel: Matthew 19:16-26

                                                                                                                               

The Holy Bread for Eucharist is offered this morning by Sarah Hodges.

 

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 30-September 6  (Wed. , & Fri. Fast)

Sunday            - Teen Group – Meeting with Seniors    

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

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

            - Men’s Lunch, 11:45 a.m.

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

            - Choir, 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday     - Third Hour, 9:00 a.m.

            - Great Vespers, 5:30 p.m.

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

            - Wed. Teaching, 7:00 p.m. – Continuing series on pornography

Thursday        - Third Hour, 9:00 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.

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

Sunday            - Orthros, 9:00 a.m.

- Divine Liturgy, 10:00 a.m.

 

 

 

 

Divine Liturgy                                                           Sunday, September 6, 10:00 a.m.

PRIEST:                       Fr. Nicholas                             HOMILY:        Fr. Nicholas

DEACONS:                 Dns. Charles & James              READER:        Mickey Hodges

HOLY BREAD:           Sarah Hodges                           USHER:           John Sneed

ALTAR SERVERS:     Ethan, Luke S., Luke L., Joe

COFFEE HOUR:         Billy and Marjo Labonte; Caitlyn Manning

 

 

Upcoming Baptism:

Brook Elizabeth White, September 19

 

Upcoming Weddings:

Barbara McWilliams & Mikael Santana, September 6

Joyce King & Michael Grossman, November 1

 

Upcoming Memorials:

Kitty Gilliland, September 6

 

Upcoming Chrismations:

Jill Healy & Priscilla Neale, September 20

 

COMMEMORATIONS

 

Aug. 30: Alexander, Paul the New, and John, Patriarchs of Constantinople; Martyrs Phantinos of Calabria and Januarios; Repose of Venerable Alexander of Svir; translation of the relics of Alexander Nevsky, prince of Novgorod; Cyril and Makarios, patriarchs of Serbia.

 

Aug. 31: The commemoration of the placing of the Belt of the Theotokos in the Church of the Virgin in Halkoprateia-Constantinople.

 

Sept. 1: The beginning of the Indiction or the ecclesiastical New Year.  Forty Virgin-martyrs and Ammon the deacon; Venerable Simeon the Stylite and his mother Martha; Venerable Euanthia; Righteous Joshua, son of Nun; Meletios the New of Greece; Venerable Nicholas of Crete; New-martyr Angelis of Constantinople.

 

Sept. 2:  Martyr Mamas and his parents, Martyrs Theodotos and Rufina; John the Faster, patriarch of Constantinople.

 

Sept. 3: Hieromartyr Anthimos of Nicomedia; Martyr Chariton; New-martyr Polydoros of Cyprus; Venerable Theoktistos, fellow-faster with Euthymios the Great; Phoebe the deaconess; uncovering of the relics of Nektarios of Pentapolis, the wonder-worker; Ionikios I, patriarch of Serbia.

 

Sept. 4:  Hieromartyr Babylas of Antioch; Prophet Moses the God-seer; Martyrs Jerusalem, Sekendos, Sekendios and Kegouros in Sleppo; Martyr Hermione, daughter of the Apostle Philip the deacon; uncovering of the relics of Joasaph, bishop of Belgorod; Venerable Anthimos the New; New-hieromartyr Gorazd, bishop of Bohemia and Moravia-Silesia.

 

Sept. 5: Prophet Zachariah and Elizabeth, parents of the Forerunner; Obadiah, bishop of Persia; martyrdom of the Holy Passion-bearer Gleb.

 

Sept. 6: The commemoration of the miracle of the Archangel Michael in Colossae; Martyrs Eudoxios, Andronikos and Kalodote.

 

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

 

 

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS                            August 30 – September 6  

            Sunday                         1 Cor 15:1-11                            Matthew  19:16-26

            Monday                        2 Cor 8:7-15                              Mark       3:6-12

            Tuesday                        2 Cor 8:16-9:5                           Mark        3:13-19                    

Wednesday                   2 Cor 9:12-10:7                          Mark        3:20-27

            Thursday                      2 Cor 10:7-18                            Mark        3:28-35

            Friday                           2 Cor 11:5-21                            Mark        4:1-9

            Saturday                       1 Cor 2:6-9                                Matthew  22:15-22

            Sunday                         1 Cor 16:13-24                          Matthew  21:33-42

 

 

- 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, Jill Healy, Priscilla Neale, Rod & Trisha Ratliff (Jake & Cailyn), Nathan Powell, Ashley Newton, Jennifer Criswell, and Michael Grossman. In Tupelo - Shane Davis, Justin & Brandy Williams, Leah Hardy, Adam Clay, Casey & Jessica Hardy (Davis). In Hernando – Donald Estes. In Henning – Bobby Johnson.

 

Please remember in your prayers: His Eminence, Metropolitan PHILIP, His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN, 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), Elizabeth Cameron (pregnant), Amy Gill (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), Brendan Healy (Jill’s son), David Williams (Jill Healy’s son-in-law), 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.

 

Choir will meet Tuesday evening at 7:00

 

 

New Parish council members – Michael Elliot and Lynda Spinolo have agreed to serve on the parish council for the next two years.  They will serve with Fr. John, Paul Parham (business manager), Fr. Don Berge (Clergy representative, Marjo Labonte, and Owen White.  Many thanks again to Lori O’Brien and John Cameron for their excellent service to our parish.

 

Updated Church Directories – Updated church directories are now available in the parish hall.  Be sure to pick one up.  Please remember that these are for personal use only.

 

2009 Parish Business Meeting notes can also be found in the parish hall for your review.  Please take a look as there are many opportunities listed available for us to volunteer to help the parish.

 

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

 

Sons of Thunder – Our next meeting will be on September 20th at 7:00 p.m. at the home of Mitch Childress.  While there is no specific book title to read, all attendees should read a literary work of their choosing by Wendell Berry.  Our discussion will center on the worldview found in Wendell’s poetry, fiction, and essays.  As usual, we will have a potluck meal, so all who attend should bring some food to share.

 

 

Community bulletin board – there is always new information going up – including which items are currently needed for the food pantry (currently canned meat & fruit).

 

Antiochian Women of St. John Calendar

 

   Please remember to sign up for AWSJ positions for the upcoming year.

The list can be found on the bulletin board.

 

Women’s Teaching

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

September 10th & October 8th

 

Women’s Book Club

The book club will meet on Monday, September 14, 7:00 p.m. at

the home of Kh. Pamela Mashburn. 

We will be discussing A Place of Healing for the Soul:  Patmos by Peter France

 

Secret Sisters

Forms for Secret Sisters are in the basket on the piano.  Please take one, fill it out and return to Corinne Elliott or Judy Terry by Sunday, Sept. 6th if you would like to participate in Secret Sisters this fall.  We will give gifts for two months and have our ending dinner on Thursday, November 12th before the Nativity Fast begins.  If you have any questions, please talk to Judy or Corinne.

 

 

 

 


Orthodox Women in the Healing Ministries

16th Annual Conference

October 2-4, 2009

 

Holy Dormition Monastery

Rives Junction, Michigan

 

Fr. Hans Jacobse:  “Secular vs. Sacred”

 Contemporary Issues in Light of the Church’s Teachings

 

OWHM provides support to Orthodox women who are in the medical and healing professions through a yearly conference which includes time for prayer, rest and reflection, opportunities for networking, and lectures given by outstanding speakers.  Friday’s lecture is for women only and Saturday lectures are open to both men & women from any walk of life.  Please see flier on the bulletin board downstairs for more information.

 

 

 


LIBRARY LINES

 

Tuesday is the beginning of the Liturgical New Year!  And we begin this week by commemorating the parents of the Forerunner, Moses the God-seer and an Old Testament hero, Joshua.  There is even an icon for the Indiction.  The church calendar is so important that there are Old Calendarists and New Calendarists who sadly cannot agree on which one to use.  Actually the liturgical year is a concept that is much deeper than that of a device to mark time.  Read about the significance of the church year in The Year of Grace of the Lord written by a monk of the Eastern Church.  See also The Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Greece and The Church Year from the Celebration of Faith series for an explanation of the history and development of our calendar.

 

Hardly a week goes by that we don’t commemorate the uncovering or translation of a saint’s relics. This week we remember it twice, St. Nektarios (9/3) on Wednesday and St. Joasaph (9/4) on Thursday. So, what’s so important about it? The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (HIS/CRO) donates a page to this practice explaining that it is 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.

 

We are blessed to have relics of several saints at St. John.  Library Lines will feature them in a future bulletin.

 

 

 

 

 

Teen Group Events

 

TODAY, August 30 – Meeting with Seniors

 

Next Sunday, September 6 – Meeting with Middlers

 

 

 

 

Pro-Life Corner

 

Remember – Copies of a petition are in the parish hall where you can sign, adding your name to others requesting that our local legislators cut off the flow of health department funds to the local Planned Parenthood office.