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

GREAT AND HOLY PASCHA

April 4, 2010

Epistle: Acts 1:1-8 Gospel: John 1:1-17

The Holy Bread for Eucharist is offered by Reem Mansour.

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 April 4 – April 11 (Bright Week – No Fasting)

Sunday - Agape Vespers – 3:30 p.m.

Corky’s picnic & Egg Hunt to follow.

Monday - Office Closed

Tuesday - Paschal Office, 9:00 a.m.

- Men’s Lunch, 11:45 a.m.

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

Wednesday - Paschal Office, 9:00 a.m.

- Vespers, 5:30 p.m.

Thursday - Paschal Office, 9:00 a.m.

- Divine Liturgy – Life Giving Font, 6:30 p.m. Pizza Party to follow.

Friday - NO HOURS

- Stay & Play, downstairs in parish hall

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

Sunday - Orthros & Church School, 9:00 a.m.

- Divine Liturgy, 10:00 a.m.

Divine Liturgy for the Life Giving Font Thursday, April 8, 6:30 p.m.

PRIEST: Fr. John HOMILY: Fr. John

DEACONS: Dns. James & Charles ALTAR SERVERS: Any who can

HOLY BREAD: Kerry Sneed READER:

COFFEE HOUR: Mitch Childress & Sandy Powell, Anne Katherine Campbell

Divine Liturgy Sunday, April 11, 10:00 a.m.

PRIEST: Fr. John HOMILY: Fr. John

DEACONS: Dns. Tim & Charles READER:

HOLY BREAD: Karen Wells USHER: Matt Spinolo

ALTAR SERVERS: Ethan, J. Morgan, Luke L., Deon, & Pavel

COFFEE HOUR: Billy & Marjo Labonte, Bill Stanek & Jennifer Criswell

WELCOME TEAM: Corinne Elliott & David Twombly

~Liturgy for the Life Giving Font ~

Thursday evening, April 8 at 6:30 p.m. Pizza Party to Follow!

Please be sure to sign the list if you are planning on attending the pizza party so we will know how many pizzas to order.

COMMEMORATIONS

April 4: Venerable George of the Peloponnesos; Martyrs Theodoulos the reader and Agathopodos the deacon of Thessalonika; Venerable Thonas, archbishop of Thessalonika; Isidore, bishop of Seville.

April 5: Martyrs Claudios, Didymos and Diodoros; New-martyr George of New Ephesos; Venerable Theodora of Thessalonika.

April 6: Eutychios, patriarch of Constantinople; Venerable Platonida of Nisibis; Venerable Gregory Byzantios of the Great Lavra on Athos; Venerable-martyr Gennadios of Dionysiou monastery on Athos; the Martyrs of Samothrace; Methodios, archbishop of Moravia and enlightener of the Slavs.

April 7: Martyr Kalliopios of Cilicia; Venerable George, bishop of Mitylene; repose of Tikhon, patriarch of Moscow and Enlightener of North America.

April 8: Apostles Agabos, Rufos, Phlegon, Asynkritos, Herodion and Hermas of the Seventy; Celestine, bishop of Rome.

April 9: Martyr Eupsychois of Cappadocia; Venerable-martyrs Vadim, Raphael, Nicholas and Irene; Venerable Simeon.

April 10: Marytrs Terence and Pompeios of Carthage together with Alexander and their forty companions; New-hieromartyr Gregory V, patriarch of Constantinople; New-martyr Demas of Smyrna.

April 11: Hieromartyr Antypas, bishop of Pergamum; Venerable Tryphainis; Kallinikos of Cernica, bishop of Rimnicului in Romania.

Pray for our catechumens: In Memphis - Maria Cartagena, Maria Brackey, Lisa Martin, Ashley Newton & Sandy Powell. In Tupelo - Shane Davis, Leah Hardy, Adam Clay, Casey & Jessica Hardy (Davis). In Hernando – Donald Estes. In Henning – Bobby Johnson, John Kearney, & Richard McKeal.

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, Joyce Bittle,

Marjo Labonte (pregnant), Mindy Williams (pregnant), Kh. Jeanette (pregnant), Esther Longa, Ann Hicks (Dianna Hildebrand’s mother), Sue Ingram, Charles Ingram, Ted & Patty Greathouse (Shelley Snowden’s parents), June Peeples (Sarah Hodges’ mother), 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), Janet Berry (Joel Berry’s mother), and Lydia Banicescu (Tupelo).

ST. JOHN COMMUNITY:

Catechumen/Inquirers class will meet on Tuesday.

Secret Sisters- We will begin another 2 month session in April. (mid-April to mid June).
Forms can be found in the basket on the piano... Please fill them out and give them to Judy Terry or Corinne Elliott by April 11th. We will start April 18th. If you haven't done this before and are interested, please see Corinne or Judy.

Antiochian Women’s Scholarship – Each year, the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Women of North America are able to award scholarships, usually in the amount of $500 each, to help women continue their education in order to improve their circumstances and those of their families. Applications are due May 14 and can be found in the church office along with additional information on requirements for those interested.

Future Icons in the church – Several have asked about approved (to date) subjects for the remaining icons to be added in the church. Two lists are available and in the parish hall, the first listing the individual saints already present in the iconography in the church. The second list is of those which are “approved” or under consideration.

Coming in April – The Orthodox Christian Translation Society (OCTS), which was initiated from our parish, will make its inaugural public presentation here at St. John on Saturday,

April 17, 2010, following Great Vespers. More details later.

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 are available in the parish hall. For more information visit the website at www.jaxorthodox.org.

Teen Group Events

Today, April 4 – no Teen Group

NEXT WEEK, April 11 -

Mercy Meals

Sincere thanks to everyone who has supplied a meal for our families with new babies and other needs over the past few weeks - it has been much appreciated! If you are able to provide a meal for the Cameron Family, the Gill Family, the Dn Sidney Elliott Family, or the Longa Family, please contact Anna-Sarah Farha at annasarah.farha@gmail.com

Antiochian Women of St. John Calendar

AWSJ First Friday Brown Bag Lunch

April 9 – Join us for lunch following Sixth Hour prayers

Upcoming Book Club Titles

April 12, 7:00 p.m. at Kh. Pamela’s home

We will be discussing The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Women’s Teaching

Thursday, April 15, 10:00 a.m., Anne Dugan’s home.

Upcoming Bridal Showers

Honoring:

Caitlyn Manning – April 11^th following Coffee Hour at the home of Lori O’Brien.

See Kh. Susan if you would like to contribute to the group gift for Caitlyn.

Sandy Powell – April 25^th following Coffee Hour at the Home of Sh. Corinne Elliott.

If you would like to contribute to the group gift for Sandy, please see Corinne.

- ALMS-GIVING OPPORTUNITIES –

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

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Last week we heard the story of St. Mary of Egypt through the words of St. Zosimas whose feast day is April 4. He is not named on our commemoration list but is listed on our wall calendars from the bookstore.

Venerable Joseph the Hymnographer (4/4) is known as “the sweet-voiced nightingale of the Church.” He was a strong defender of the veneration of icons and was sent to Rome to report on the threat of iconoclasm to Pope Leo. During the trip, he was captured and given over to the iconoclasts. After being imprisoned for six years, St. Nicholas of Myra appeared to him and told him to eat a paper scroll on which was written a prayer for God’s intervention. He did so and sang, “How sweet are Thine oracles to my throat,” as he had been instructed by the saint. The chains fell off and he was transported to Constantinople. Years later he composed many hymns and canons to the saints including one to St. Bartholomew who blessed him to write divine music which flowed through his heart. According to the OCA website, “Most of the Canons in the Menaion are St. Joseph’s work. His name may be found in the Ninth Ode as an acrostic. He also composed many of the hymns in the Paraclesis.”

This week we honor two saints who built up the Church through their pens; one officially commemorated and the other honored all through Lent. St. Methodius (4/6), together with his brother St. Cyril , are known as equal to the apostles and enlighteners of the Slavs. They devised a Slavonic alphabet and translated books used in celebrating the divine services and almost the entire Old Testament. They were frequently opposed by the German bishops who insisted the services be done in Latin.

See icons of these men and their stories in St. John Library.

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DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS April 4 – April 11

Sunday Acts 1:1-8 John 1:1-17

Monday Acts 1:12-17, 21-26 John 1:18-28

Tuesday Acts 2:14-21 Luke 24:12-35

Wednesday Acts 2:22-36 John 1:35-51

Thursday Acts 2:38-43 John 3:1-15

Friday Acts 3:1-8 John 2:12-22

Saturday Acts 3:11-16 John 3:22-33

Sunday Acts 5:12-20 John 20:19-31

Join us for the the

PASCHAL FEAST

Following Divine Liturgy

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Paschal Celebration – Brief reminders

Food - Following the Paschal service (early morning of April 4), we will celebrate together in the joy of the Resurrection as we all bring our decorated baskets and favorite foods to share with one another

Clean up - Everyone who is willing to help with the clean-up process following the Paschal celebration is needed and most welcome. When you leave the celebration, please take your food and your dish with you to aid our clean-up. If you wish to leave your dessert for Agape Vespers picnic, then cover and leave on the table in the parish hall or refrigerate if necessary. Please take any other leftovers home with you.

Alcohol consumption - Remember, no alcohol will be served or consumed on Church property by persons under 21 years of age, even with parental consent. This is the law in our state and public institutions must adhere to it. (Obviously the Holy Gifts are an exception to this.) Parents are asked to inform their adult children under 21 of this rule and to supervise their behavior.

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AGAPE VESPERS

(afternoon of April 4 at 3:30 PM)

Following Agape vespers we will have a picnic and egg hunt. The food will be catered by Corky’s featuring: BBQ Spaghetti,

Corn on the Cob Mac ‘n Cheese

Baked Beans Cole Slaw

We ask that you contribute $6.50 per person (if possible), but PLEASE come and eat even if you cannot contribute. Bring your own beverages (in ice chests), lawn chairs, and a dessert to share (if you wish).

The EASTER EGG HUNT following Agape Vespers is for children in the 4^th Grade and under. They should bring a dozen plastic candy-filled eggs per child and a basket for hunting the eggs! Please put eggs in the room next to the kitchen before Vespers. NO HARD-BOILED EGGS, PLEASE, for they will not be hidden. Contact Lynda Spinolo if you have any questions.