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

Orthodoxy Sunday

February 21, 2010

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

The Holy Bread for Eucharist is offered this morning by Christy Yadron.

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 February 21 – February 28 (The Great Fast)

Sunday - Vespers, 4:30 p.m.

- Teen Group, Meeting with all Teens after Vespers

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

- Great Compline, 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.

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.

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

- Paraklesis, 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.

- Divine Liturgy, 10:00 a.m.

- Annual Parish Business Meeting during Coffee Hour

- Vespers, 4:30 p.m.

- Teen Group, Bible Bowl Practice

Divine Liturgy Sunday, Feb. 28, 10:00 a.m.

PRIEST: Fr. John HOMILY: Fr. John

DEACONS: Dns. James & Charles READER: John Cameron

HOLY BREAD: Kerry Sneed USHER: John Sneed

ALTAR SERVERS: Caleb, Luke S., Alex, Jake, & Joe

COFFEE HOUR: Matt & Lynda Spinolo, John Cameron

WELCOME TEAM: Gary Karnaghon & Sarah Hodges

Teen Group Events

Today, February 21 – Meeting with all Teens

NEXT WEEK, February 28 – Bible Bowl practice

COMMEMORATIONS

February 21: Venerable Timothy of Symbola; Eustathios, archbishop of Antioch; Zachariah, patriarch of Jerusalem; George, bishop of Amastris.

February 22: The uncovering of the relics of the Martyrs at the gate of Eugenios in Constantinople; Martyr Anthusa.

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 Syria; Martyr Alexander of Markianopolis.

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).

- 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, Jennifer Criswell, Michael Grossman, David Corbett, Sandy Powell, and Keith & Sarah Parker. 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, Elizabeth Cameron (pregnant), Amy Gill (pregnant), Esther Longa (pregnant), Marjo Labonte (pregnant), Mindy Williams (pregnant), Kh. Jeanette (pregnant), Ann Hicks (Dianna Hildebrand’s mother), Sue Ingram, Charles Ingram, Ted & Patty Greathouse (Shelley Snowden’s parents), June Peeples (Sarah Hodges’ mother), Joyce Bittle, Allen Sudduth (Paul’s father), Elmo Thompson (Kh. Martha’s father), David Williams (Jill Healy’s son-in-law), Erin Williams (Jill Healy’s daughter, pregnant), Will Parham (Christine Scrantom’s brother-in-law) Rose Marton (Mary Ann Coccaro), and Janet Berry (Joel Berry’s mother).

ST. JOHN COMMUNITY:

Catechumen/Inquirers class will meet Tuesday.

CD’s for Lent Available in the Bookstore - If you have never listened to Orthodox CDs for Lent, please consider these titles, which are all in English and located in the bookstore. An excellent choice in Byzantine style of Lenten chant is Gates of Repentance.   A Russian chant style by St Vladimir Seminary Choir entitled Presanctified Liturgy is available as well.  St Vladimir has 3 other offerings of music: Chant, Vigil and Rejoice (hymns about the Theotokos).  Consider purchasing a CD to listen to in your car as you drive around town!

Summer Camp - Schedules for summer camp are now available! See the flyers downstairs or visit CampStThekla.org  or antiochian.org/camps for more information.

Parents, if you have a teen that wants to attend summer camp but there is need of financial assistance, please let Fr. Nicholas know as soon as possible. The Order of St. Ignatius donates funds each year to financially assist teens in attending camp.  The parish also has a fund for camping to provide funds for those in need. NO ONE should refrain from sending their children to camp because of financial needs! We can find the funds needed!

TEEN GROUP - This Sunday we will be meeting at the Church at 4:30-7:00 pm.  This is a meeting for ALL teens. Vespers will be at 4:30 and at 5 pm we will have some snacks and drinks before holding elections for officers.  We will also discuss the Parish Life Conference in Jacksonville FL, Camp St. Thekla, and plans for the summer.  This will be an important meeting for all teens to attend.

Parish Life Conference 2010 – The Parish Life Conference, hosted by St. George – Jacksonville, will be held June 16-20 at the Jacksonville Marriott in Jacksonville, FL. Registration forms, as well as, Souvenir Journal Order forms are available in the parish hall. For more information visit the website at www.jaxorthodox.org.

Soup Kitchen – As a parish, we will again serve on Sunday, March 14 at the soup kitchen at First Presbyterian Church on Third Street. This is an excellent way to give alms during the Fast. Come join us as we serve those less fortunate than we.

Lenten Meals following Presanctified Liturgy–please remember to sign up

This week’s meal will be offered by Nancy McGee and Sh. Corinne Elliott.

Lentil Rice Stew Corn Chowder

Hot Fruit Casserole Homemade bread

Dessert

If you (or a group of your friends) are interested in providing a Lenten Meal after Presanctified Liturgy on March 3, please contact Trish in the office at 274-4119 or tratliff@stjohnmemphis.org However, if you would like to simply provide a dessert for any of the Lenten meals, that is always welcome as well.

ggg Worship & Liturgical Reminder ggg

On fasting for the Presanctified liturgies, and small children – (Repeated from last year) A EUCHARISTIC FAST (meaning the period we abstain from all food and drink and certain activities in preparation for receiving Holy Communion) begins the preceding midnight for both a morning and an evening reception (or, for those of a weak constitution preparing for an evening reception, following a light breakfast or even a light lunch on the day of reception, whichever is blessed by one's father confessor) and it ends with the reception of the Holy Eucharist.

Regarding reception of communion at the Presanctified liturgies – Remember, the Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is a penitential service.  Its character is not a “celebration” as are the liturgies of Ss. John Chrysostom and Basil.  The Holy Mysteries are served as a nourishment and a strengthening for those who are seriously keeping the fast.  Consequently, it is not “necessary” that every child receive in those services, since most small children are not keeping the fast.  If you have questions, let me know. ~ Fr John

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, February 28 – Jars of Peanut Butter & Boxes of Crackers

Week 2 – Sunday, March 7 – Canned Goods - Soup, Chili, Meat & Beans

Week 3 – Sunday, March 14 – Cans of Fruit and Individual Serving Fruit/Applesauce

Week 4 – Sunday, March 21 – Toiletry Items – Toilet Paper, Lotion, Soap, toothbrushes

Week 5 – Sunday, March 28 – Rice, Beans, Pasta & Boxed Meals

SAVE THE DATE for a BABY SHOWER!!!

Come help us celebrate with a baby shower honoring Esther Longa.

The shower will be held at the home of Sh. Corinne Elliott,

on MARCH 7^th after Coffee Hour.

***We will have more information next week regarding the group gift

and where Esther and the baby are registered.***

ggg Pro Life Cornerggg

“Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but (rather) to use any violence to get what they want. That is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion.”

aa LIBRARY LINES aa

We honor two Samaritan women saints this week and one the next, St. Photini(2/26) and St. Eudokia(3/1).  St. Photini is a patron of several at St. John as is known to all of us as the woman to whom Christ asked water at Jacob’s well. She is commemorated with her two sons, five sisters, St. Sebastian, and Domnina, the daughter of Nero. When St. Photini learned that her sons and Sebastian had been arrested by Nero, she and her sisters journeyed to Rome and lived under the supervision of Domnina who was then converted by them.   The emperor subjected Photini, her family and all the converts to cruel torments and then imprisoned them for three years. They were then flayed, one was torn apart and some beheaded. St. Photini was thrown down a well and gave her life to God. Look for her icon and those of others commemorated this week in St. John Library.

As we pray the canon of St. Andrew of Crete throughout Great Lent, we will encounter many Old and New Testament characters who are models of repentance and rebellion against God. Some are very familiar to us and many are not. First Fruits of Prayer: A Forty-Day Journey Through the Canon of St. Andrew by Frederica Mathews-Green is a very thorough commentary on this beautiful prayer. She divides it into forty chapters with Scripture references on each person mentioned and pertinent points for consideration. This book is on the display cart in the library as well as in the bookstore.

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS February 21 – February 28

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

Antiochian Women of St. John Calendar

AWSJ First Friday Brown Bag Lunch

March 5 – Join us for lunch following Sixth Hour prayers

Women’s Book Club and Women’s Craft Club

We will resume meeting after Lent

Women’s Teaching

Thursday, March 11, 10:00 a.m., Anne Dugan’s home.

From the Fathers

“When we strive with diligent sobriety to keep watch over our rational faculties, to control and correct them, how else can we succeed in this task except by collecting our mind, which is dispersed abroad through the senses, and bringing it back into the world within, into the heart itself, which is the storehouse of all our thoughts?”

~St. Gregory Palamas

“Whether you pray with brethren or alone, try to pray not simply as a routine, but with conscious awareness of your prayer. Conscious awareness of prayer is concentration accompanied by reverence, compunction and distress of soul as it confesses its sin with inward sorrow.”

~Evagrius Ponticus

“I consider no other labor as difficult as prayer. When we are ready to pray, our spiritual enemies interfere. They understand it is only by making it difficult for us to pray that they can harm us. Other things will meet with success if we keep at it, but laboring at prayer is a war that will continue until we die.”

~Abba Agathon