Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
Thanksgiving is one of the few Christian holidays that America celebrates. It goes back to the founding of our country when the early settlers thanked God for their bounty and protection. The history is rich and worth remembering. Fr. George Morelli, a priest in the Antiochian Church wrote an essay explaining these points called, “Thanksgiving, Our National Holy Day” (click title to read the article).
Fr. Thomas Hopko, the retired President of St. Vladimir’s Seminary, recorded a podcast a while back that also discusses how to give thanks to God. You may enjoy listening to it on the St. Peter website.
May you all have a very blessed Thanksgiving!
Bible Study next Tuesday, December 3 at the Longs’s
Bible studies continue next Tuesday, December 3 at Jack and Angela Long’s (get map). We will continue study in the book of Luke.
If you have a friend who would like to attend bring them along!
Next scheduled bible study (after this one) is on Tuesday, December 3 at the home of Jack and Angela Long get map.
Don’t forget to Sign-Up for the Parish Christmas Card
Once again you can help sponsor our St. Peter Parish Christmas card.
This is a great way to offer your best wishes to other members of our parish family and support your church at the same time.
Kindly download and print the form (new window will open) and give it to Mary Copeland or Mary Jarvis at church or mail it to:
St. Peter Orthodox Mission
P.O. Box 110844
Naples, Fl. 34109
Deadline for sign-up is December 15, 2014.
You can also download the sign-up form from the St. Peter website.
Bishop Antoun to Visit St. Peter’s on December 15
His Grace Bishop Antoun will be making his first pastoral visit to St. Peter’s on Sunday, December 17. Plan to come!
He has been looking forward to this visit for quite a while. We will have plenty of time to talk to him, ask him questions, and so forth.
He will arrive on Saturday and meet with the Parish Council on Saturday evening. On Sunday he will preside over the Divine Liturgy.
Afterwards we will have a brunch/luncheon at the hotel where we can get to know our Bishop and he can get to know us.
Signup instructions will be available soon on the website.
Georgian Metropolitan to Visit Naples
Metropolitan Nicholas, an Orthodox Metropolitan from Georgia (the country bordering Turkey and Armenia) will be giving a talk in Naples on December 11 “The Orthodox Church in Georgia after the fall of Communism.” The Georgian Church suffered severe persecution under the Communists. It has nearly 2000 parishes in the 1920’s. Only 50 remained after the Communist era.
The public presentation starts at 7pm at Faith Lutheran Church (get map). Faith Lutheran Church is located Goodletter-Frank Road about 1/2 mile south of Pine Ridge on the south side (a few blocks past the Moorings).
The Orthodox Clergy Association of Southwest Florida is helping with the presentation.
Food Drive Continues
Every year we collect food for the poor in our area. This year we are starting early. Check your pantry and cupboards, but something extra at Publix, and bring it in strarting this Sunday.
We will collect and distribute through Thanksgiving.
Sunday Scripture Readings
Epistle
Ephesians 2:4-10 (23rd Sunday after Pentecost)
O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance.
To you, O Lord, have I cried, O my God.
The Reading is from St. Paul’s Letter to the Epehsians
BRETHREN, God who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the coming ages he might sow the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God—not because of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before hand, that we should walk in them.
Gospel
Matthew 22:2-14 (14th Sunday Matthew)
The Reading of the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew
The Lord spoke this parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a marriage feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast; but they would not come.
Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, Behold I have made ready my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves are killed, and everything is ready; come to the marriage feast.’ But they made light of it and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the thoroughfares, and invite to the marriage feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found. Both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.
“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment; and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.’ For many are called but few are chosen.”