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

 

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman

May 2, 2010

 

Epistle:  Acts  11:19-26, 29-30                                  Gospel:  John 4:5-42                                                 

The Holy Bread for Eucharist is offered by Laura Graham.

 

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                                      May 2 – May 9 (Wed. & Fri. Fast*)  

 

Sunday - Holy Mystery of Matrimony for Caitlyn Manning & Brandon Maas, 5:00 p.m.

 

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.

- Vespers, 5:30 p.m., meal to follow please sign up

- Children’s reading time immediately following Vespers

- Wednesday Teaching, 7:00 p.m.

 

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

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

 

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

- Third Hour, 9:00 a.m

- Stay & Play, downstairs in parish hall

- Sixth Hour, 12:00 p.m.

- AWSJ First Friday Brown Bag Lunch, following Sixth Hour

 

Saturday          - Divine Liturgy for St. John, 9:00 a.m.

- 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 Feast of St. John                                      Saturday, May 8, 9:00 a.m.

 

PRIEST:                       Fr. John                                    HOMILY:        Fr. John

DEACONS:                  Dns. James & Tim                    READER:        Matt Spinolo

HOLY BREAD:           Fran Tylavsky                           ALTAR SERVERS:      Any available

POTLUCK COFFEE HOUR:   Ethan & Claire van Drimmelen, Matt & Lynda Spinolo

 

Divine Liturgy                                                                          Sunday, May 9, 10:00 a.m.

 

PRIEST:                       Fr. John                                    HOMILY:        Fr. John

DEACONS:                  Dns. James & Tim                    READER:        Matt Spinolo

HOLY BREAD:           Meribeth Harvey                       USHER:           John Sneed

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

COFFEE HOUR:          Charlie & Meribeth Harvey, Caleb McGee

WELCOME TEAM:     Clifford McWhorter and David Twombly

 

 

*Fasting Note: With the blessing of the Synod of Antioch, a katalysis for fish, wine and oil is granted for all Wednesdays and Fridays of the Pentecostarion (the period between Pascha and Pentecost).

 

COMMEMORATIONS

 

May 2: Athanasios the Great, patriarch of Alexandria; Martyrs Hesperos, Zoe and their sones Kyriakos and Theodoulos in Attalia; translation of the relics of the holy Passion-bearers Boris and Gleb.

 

May 3: Martyrs Timothy the Reader and his wife Maura of Egypt; Peter, archbishop of Argolis; Ekumenios, bishop of Trikala; Venerable Luke of Mt. Stirion; repose of Venerable Theodosios of the Kiev Caves, founder of Russian Monasticism.

 

May 4: Venerable-martyr Palagia of Tarsus; Athanasios, bishop of Corinth; Venerable Nikephoros the Solitary of Athos.

 

May 5: Great-martyr Irene of Thessalonika; Venerable Euthymios, bishop of Maditos in Thrace.

 

May 6: Righteous Job the long-suffering; Venerable Seraphim of Mount Domvu; translation of the relics of Sabbas, first archbishop of Serbia.

 

May 7: The commemoration of the apparition of the sign of the Cross over Jerusalem (351 AD); Martyr Akakios the centurion at Byzantium; Venerable Kodratos; Venerable Neilos the myrrh-streaming of the Great Lavra on Athos; Venerable Neilos of Sora; Venerable-martyr Pachomios of Athos; repose of Venerable John of Beverly; Priest Alexis, confessor and defender of Orthodoxy in America.

 

May 8: Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian; Venerable Arsenios the Great.

 

May 9: Prophet Isaiah; Martyr Christopher of Lycia; Venerable-martyr Nicholas; translation to Bari of the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker, archbishop of Myra in Lycia.

 

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS            May 2 – May 9

Sunday Acts     11:19-26, 29-30          John    4:5-42

Monday           Acts     12:12-27                      John     8:42-51

Tuesday           Acts     12:25-13:12                 John     8:51-59

Wednesday      Acts     13:13-24                      John     6:5-14

Thursday          Acts     14:20-27                      John     9:39-10:9

Friday              Acts     15:5-34                        John     10:17-28

Saturday           Acts     15:35-41                      John     10:27-38

Sunday Acts     16:16-34                      John    9:1-38

 

 

 

 

 

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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, Dn. Sidney & Sh. Mary Elliott and family, 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), Kim Hilal (pregnant), Gigi Sliger (pregnant), 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), Janet Berry (Joel Berry’s mother), and Lydia Banicescu (Tupelo).

 

ST. JOHN COMMUNITY:

 

Catechumen/Inquirers class will meet on Tuesday, 7:00 p.m.

 

Choir will practice Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.

 

Secret Sisters - There was not enough interest this time to do a round of secret sisters.  We are saving the forms that were turned in and will check again at the end of the summer. 

Annunciation Greek Festival – May 7th & 8th rain or shine at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church on Highland from 11 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.  See the flyer on the Community bulletin board for more information.

 

Lost & Found – We still have a significant number of dishes, baskets, and umbrellas along with other items left at the church on and under the tables in the parish hall. With the church’s growth, we have limited storage space, so please claim your items as soon as possible.

 

Updated Directories – Updated church directories (not the pictorials) are now available in the parish hall.  Be sure to pick one up.  Please remember that these are for personal use only.

 

Future Icons in the church - Several have asked about approved subjects for the remaining icons to be added in the church.  There is a list available in the parish hall containing the individual saints already present in the iconography in the church, as well as those which are “approved” or under consideration.

 

 

Please remember the St. John Food Pantry!  Your donations are always appreciated by those in need.  Currently we have the following needs:

 

Snacks           Canned Meat

Fruit               Boxed Meals

Soup               Peanut Butter

 

 

Upcoming special services:

 

May   8           - 9:00 a.m. -  Feast of St. John, our patron – Divine Liturgy

May 12           - 6:30 p.m. - Divine Liturgy for ASCENSION (which is May 13)

May 22           - 9:00 a.m. - Divine Liturgy for SOULS SATURDAY

May 23           - PENTECOST, regular service times for Sunday

                        - Potluck to Liturgy during Coffee Hour 

               - Vespers for the Kneeling prayers of Pentecost that evening

May 30           - ALL SAINTS regular service times for Sunday

 

*NOTE:  The APOSTLES FAST begins on May 31st.

 

 

                                               

Teen Group Events

Today

May 2 - NO Teen Group

NEXT WEEK

May 9 - Game Night, 5:00 p.m.



 

Upcoming Weddings

 

Caitlyn Manning & Brandon Maas - TODAY

Sandy Powell & Mitch Childress - May 16

Jennifer Criswell & Bill Stanek  - July 18

 

 

 

Parish Life Conference in Jacksonville, FL

June 16-20

 

There is registration information on the Parish Life Conference (PLC) in the parish hall, as well as hotel information and souvenir journal submission forms.

Next year our parish is hosting the conference.  We will need most of our parishioners to be involved in some way to adequately host our diocesan gathering.  Attending this year’s conference is a great way to get prepared to assist for next year.  Consider attending!

 

Prolife Cornerff

A veteran researcher into post-abortion trauma, David Reardon, writes that some abortionists readily admit feelings of guilt.  “I do feel you’re an abnormal person if you could really honestly say that abortion didn’t bother you at all,” said one abortionist he interviewed.  “It goes against all things which are natural.  It’s a termination of life, however you look at it.”                                     ~LifeDate, Lutherans for Life newsletter, Spring, 1998

 

 

Worship & Liturgical Reminders

 

Appropriate dress in the temple

With the approach of summer, there is always a temptation to “dress down.”  We are called to enter the Temple in an attitude of reverence and repentance.  The fashion world is forever “pushing the envelope” with new ways of challenging propriety of dress.  While all of us are tempted to a degree, no one is more tempted than our children.  We need to remember that believers come to worship dressed in appropriate clothing.  Clothing should be modest, for we are called to enter the Temple in an attitude of repentance, and to not cause temptation for others.  Except for young children (infants and toddlers), shorts and T-shirts should be avoided.  Sleeveless shirts or blouses should be avoided by all.  Dresses should not be low cut, front or back, and dresses and skirts should be an appropriate length (longer is better than shorter).  Shirts and blouses should be long enough so that stomachs and lower backs are not exposed.  If you have questions, just ask Fr. John.

 

 

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Today is the movable feast of St. Photini. Her feast days are the fourth Sunday after Pascha and February 26.  She is the patron of several parishioners and 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.

 

Pelagia of Tarsus (5/4) was the daughter of well-known pagans.  Nevertheless, she leaned of Christ and vowed to remain faithful to him and preserve her virginity. The heir of Diocletian desired to marry her but she rebuffed his advances.  She made a secret journey to Bishop Linus to receive baptism by dressing in fine apparel then changing into simple garb and distributing her jewels to her the poor on the way home. She told her servants about her new Lord and upon hearing of this, her suitor realized she was lost to him and took his own life in despair. When she told her mother about her baptism, she tied her up and delivered her to the emperor and denounced her as a Christian to escape his wrath. Diocletian had her burned in a fiery-hot bull. Her bones were taken outside the city by the pagan. Lions guarded them until Bishop Linus cold gather them and give them Christian burial. 

 

Thursday we remember Job (5/6).  As we learned on Holy Friday, he was a fifth generation descendent of Abraham. He is an icon to us of faith and patience in the face of grief, poverty, rejection and bodily suffering. The Book of Job is considered a masterpiece of world literature, and we rejoice in his story because he is a picture of Christ. He is remembered at Pascha as the later verses of the Book record that he will “rise again with those whom the Lord resurrects.”

 

 

 

Antiochian Women of St. John Calendar

 

 

Women’s Teaching

 Thursday, May 6h, 10:00 a.m., Anne Dugan’s home.

 

 

AWSJ First Friday Brown Bag Lunch

Join us May 7thfor lunch following Sixth Hour prayers

 

 

Upcoming Book Club Titles

May 10th, 7:00 p.m.  Sarah Hodges’ front porch

We will be discussing The Help by Kathryn Stockett

 

 

KROGER AND SCHNUCK’S CARDS

 

St. John has signed up to participate in the Kroger Gift Card and Schnucks eScrip Card fundraising programs.  Each time you use your Schnucks card or Kroger Gift Card, St. John will receive a percentage of your purchase.  This is a simple way to help the church while doing an everyday activity!  Here is how the programs work:

 

SCHNUCKS

 

Simply register your existing Schnucks grocery card online or over the phone.  If you do not currently have a Schnucks card, they are available free of charge in the office (see Trish).

 

Group Name:

St. John Orthodox Church – Memphis

Group ID: 500024054

 

Go to:  www.escrip.com and follow the directions

or

Call 1-800-931-6258

 

* St. John will receive up to 3% of your purchases. *

 

 

KROGER

 

The Kroger program works differently than the Schnucks program.  You will need to purchase a $5 Gift Card from Trish in the office.  You would then take the card to Customer Service at any Kroger store and have them load the desired amount (up to $500) onto your card.  You may reload it as often as you like!  You would then use your card to pay for your groceries, prescriptions or gas.

 

St. John will receive up to 5% of the amount you put on your card each time you reload it *

 

 

 

Remember our

"Friends in Need"

Diocesan  Activity

 

 

Our local and diocesan Antiochian women maintain a list of those who cannot participate fully in the life of their parish, or who have a serious illness, and would be encouraged by receiving periodic cards and letters from us. This year, we're expanding participation in this program to include our entire parish of St. John! Misty Duke, is our humanitarian coordinator, and Nicholas Hill has offered to assist however possible. 

 

Nicholas has a real talent for calligraphy and uses it to provide hand-made pieces of encouragement to those whom he writes. Jill Healy also decorates cards that she sends.  As Nicholas said, “You can design and create your own card or just send a note or letter of encouragement.  The only requirement is a sincere desire to reach out to someone in need.  ‘That which comes from the heart reaches the heart.’”  If you have questions, contact Misty or Nicholas.

 

- ALMS-GIVING OPPORTUNITIES –

 

St. John Alms Fund   

St. John Camping Fund

St. John Food Pantry

St. John Seminarian Fund

St. Paul Mission Station

Rachels’ Kids, Inc.

Diocese of Miami and the Southeast Mission Fund

Michael Bittle Fund – Holy Trinity Orthodox Church

        Little Rock, AR

 

 

From the Fathers

 

“We have put the light burden on one side, that is to say, self-accusation, and we have loaded ourselves with a heavy one, that is to say, self-justification.”                                                   ~Abba John the Dwarf 

 

“Let us strive to enter by the narrow gate.  Just as the trees, if they have not stood before the winter's storms cannot bear fruit, so it is with us; this present age is a storm and it is only through many trials and temptations that we can obtain an inheritance in the kingdom of heaven.”

~Amma Theodora

 

“You cannot destroy the passions on your own, but ask God, and He will destroy them, if this is profitable for you.”

~St. Anatoly of Optina

 

“A seed will not grow without earth and water; and a man will not develop without voluntary suffering and divine help.”

~St. Kosmas Aitolos

 

“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