Sunday of the Prodigal Son
Martyrs Eutropios, Kleonikos, and Basilikos of Amasea; Hieromartyr Theodoretos of Antioch
The Prodigal Son
The Sunday of the Prodigal Son is the second Sunday of pre-Lent, the weeks of preparation preceding Great Lent. It is the Sunday after the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee and Sunday before Meatfare Sunday. This pre-Lent is the start of the Easter cycle of worship in the Orthodox Church.
On this Sunday in the preparation for Great Lent, Orthodox Christians are read Christ’s parable about God’s loving
forgiveness (Luke 15:11-24). They are to see themselves as being in a foreign country far from the Father’s house and to make the movement of return to God, where we truly belong. The parable gives assurance that the Father will receive them with joy and gladness in their journey through Great Lent, their journey home.
Sermon on the Prodigal Son by Bp. Timothy Ware
When we take one step towards God, He takes 10 steps toward us.
Services and Events This Week
- Sun Feb 25 — SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Feb 27 — PARAKLESIS TO THE THEOTOKOS 8:00am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Feb 28 — EARLY DIVINE LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Sat Mar 02 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
Orthodoxy 101 Class Starting Sunday March 10, 2024
The classes will run every Sunday following Social Hour except for Forgiveness Sunday (March 17). Schedule and syllabus will be handed out at the first class.
We will use Fr. Spyridon Bailey’s “Small Steps into the Kingdom” available from Amazon here.
All catechums are required to attend but the class is open to everyone.
Web Site Fixed — But Please Be Patient Because…
…It still needs some fine tuning. Websites are fickle beasts but we are almost there. The good news is that the calendar is back. One or two weeks and it will be where we want it to be.
Dan Christopulos Speaks Sunday on Orthodox Christian Missions
Dan Christopulos, Development Director for the Orthodox Christian Mission Center will be visiting St. Peter’s this Sunday to tell us about missionary work in different countries.
OCMC Missionaries dedicate anywhere from 3 months to many years of their lives serving and sharing the Orthodox Faith with people of cultures different than their own. Orthodox Mission Teams have helped thousands of Faithful just like you to teach, minister to youth, build schools and churches, offer healthcare and more. There are more than a billion people who have yet to hear the Gospel message. Yet less than 1% of the Orthodox Faithful in the United States are involved in the Church’s mission to share Christ with the rest of world.
Great Vespers Begin at St. Peter’s
Beginning March 2, 2024 we will begin holding Great Vespers on Saturday evening starting at 5:30pm. Vespers usually run about 45 minutes and are the beginning preparation for the Divine Liturgy on Sunday mornings. We fortunately have two couples the will be able to chant.
Make sure to check the calendar weekly in case there are any changes to the schedule.
Church Medical, Safety, and Security Meeting on February 24, 2024
If you are part of the Greeters, Sunday School Team, Food Prep, Medical, and Safety Teams, please attend. All church members are invited to attend.
The team exists to keep members and our Church safe and secure.
The meeting with be held on Saturday February 24 at 1:00pm
2023 Donation Statements Sent Out
This week you should receive your 2023 donation statement, If you do not receive your donation statement by Saturday, please contact Greg Semetis (917) 992-5884 or Ron Franklin (618)-530-5059.
Thank you for your continued support of St. Peter’s.
Bible Bowl Invitation!
All teens are invited to join our Catechism team and study the book of Romans. Actually adults are invited too as we can have an adult team as well.
St. Peter’s teens won 2nd place last year at the Parish Life Conference for the Diocese of Miami and the Southeast.
The competition this year will be held in Georgia, near Atlanta over the weekend of June 13-15. All questions for the competition will be from the book of Romans.
If you are interested in studying Romans, whether you want to travel to the conference in Georgia or just study with the team, please contact Diana Najjar at 317-213-5785 or msdiananajjar@gmail.com. Currently we are studying by zoom, but we plan to meet together when the opportunity arises. Diana is flexible to work with teens at a time that fits their schedule.
Landscape Beautification Fund Goal Reached!
$10,000 is needed to purchase trees and the goal has been reached. Thank you to all who contributed. We will remove the dead and diseased trees, plant new tree along the Hickory Road Border, and clear the grounds on the south side of the rear parking lot. Thank you to Doug Kucera for designing a master plan.
Sign up the the Monthly DOMSE Newsletter on the DOMSE (Diocese of Miami and the Southeast) Website!
Visit the DOMSE Website (scroll to the bottom, fill in the form on the left side) to sign up for "The Light" Newsletter and DOMSE emails.
DOMSE MEN’S RETREAT IN MARCH 2024
Registration extended, only a few places remain.
More information at DOMSE website.
ST. PETER'S GREETERS
MARCH 2024
- Mar 03 — George Tsikatis – Buck Hatcher
- Mar 10 — George Tsikatis – Joe Repya
- Mar 17 — George Tsikatis – Alex and Elanie Hildreth
- Mar 24 — George Tsikatis – Will Schwarz
- Mar 31 — George Tsikatis – Joe Repya
Can you volunteer? Please call Joe Repya 612-270-4443.
SOCIAL HALL ALL STARS
MARCH 2024
TEAM #3 – (Need to appoint a new Team Leader) for March 2024
Mar 03 – Coffee, Bagels and Mixed Fruit*
Mar 10 – Coffee, Donuts and Mixed Fruit*
Mar 17 – Catered Lunch for Theo’s 99th Birthday
Mar 24 – Coffee, Cookies and Mixed Fruit*
Mar 31 – Coffee, Coffee Cake and Mixed Fruit*
APRIL 2024
TEAM #1 – Barbara Dionysopoulas Group for April 2024
April 07 – Coffee, Bagels and Mixed Fruit*
April 14 – Coffee, Donuts and Mixed Fruit*
April 21 – Coffee, Cookies and Mixed Fruit*
April 28 – Coffee, Coffee Cake and Mixed Fruit*
MAY 2024
TEAM #2 Margie Zimmerman Group for May 2024
May 05 – Coffee, Bagels and Mixed Fruit*
May 12 – Coffee, Donuts and Mixed Fruit*
May 19 – Coffee, Cookies and Mixed Fruit*
May 26 – Coffee, Coffee Cake and Mixed Fruit*
For Special Events/Koliva please contact BARBARA SASEN and give her a completed Special Events Form which is found in the lobby of the church.
The Social Hall All Stars are the men and women that make St. Peter's Social Hall happen. Thank you All Stars!
FEBRUARY
- Sun Feb 25 — SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Feb 27 — PARAKLESIS TO THE THEOTOKOS 8:00am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Feb 28 — EARLY DIVINE LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Sat Mar 02 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
MARCH
- Sun Mar 03 — SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Mar 05 — PARAKLESIS TO THE THEOTOKOS 8:00am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Mar 06 — EARLY DIVINE LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Thu-Sat Mar 07-9 — Fr. Hans Out of Town
- Sun Mar 10 — SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Mar 12 — PARAKLESIS TO THE THEOTOKOS 8:00am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Mar 13 — EARLY DIVINE LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Thu-Sat Mar 14-16 — Fr. Hans Out of Town
- SUN Mar 17 — SUNDAY OF FORGIVENESS Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- SUN Mar 17 — Forgiveness Vespers 12:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Mon Mar 18 — LENT BEGINS / CLEAN MONDAY
- Mon Mar 18 — Great Compline with Canon of St. Andrew 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Tue Mar 19 — Great Compline with Canon of St. Andrew 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Wed Mar 20 — Presanctified Liturgy 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Thu Mar 21 — Great Compline with Canon of St. Andrew 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Fri Mar 22 — Salutations First Stanza 6:30pm 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Fri Mar 22 — Men of St. Paisios 7:30pm Social Hall
- Sat Mar 23 — Saturday of the Souls Divine Liturgy 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Sat Mar 23 — Parish Council Meeting 11:00am
- Sat Mar 23 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
Chastise yourself for even the slightest transgression of God’s commandments, not allowing any self-justification. Abbot Nikon Vorobiev
One must make a rule to train the body to endure every kind of outward influence without misfortune: whether from fresh air, water, change of temperature, heat, cold, pain, wounds, and so forth. Whoever has acquired such a habit is the most fortunate of men, capable of the most difficult actions at any time and in any place. The soul in such a man is the full master of the body; it does not postpone, or change, or leave off actions fearing bodily unpleasantness. St. Theophan the Recluse, bishop of Tambov
Firmly purpose in your soul to hate every sin of thought, word, and deed, and when you are tempted to sin resist it valiantly and with a feeling of hatred for it; only beware lest your hatred should turn against the person of your brother who gave occasion for the sin. Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt
Christ helps those who are fighting the good fight that all the Saints embraced in order to subdue the flesh to the spirit. Saint Paisios of Mount Athos
Those seeking perfect gentleness must make every effort to avoid anger not only towards men, but also towards animals and even inanimate objects. St. John Cassian
- Names will remain on the list for three months.
- If you would like to keep them on longer please mention it to Fr. Hans. We will keep the names on the list for as long as the person needs prayers.
- Names will include the person who requested the prayers and the month the name will be removed.
- The permanent list includes friends and members of St. Peter's and others including shut-ins.
Were names dropped that should have remained? Please mention it to Fr. Hans. He will add them back.
Current Prayer List
Rachel (Voss)
Ken John (Eaton)
Diane (Najar)
William (Semeretis)
David (Orfanos)
Maria (Orfanos)
William (Long)
George (Chionis 11-1)
Haley
Lydia
Mark (Chionis 11-1)
Katheryn (Chionis 11-1)
Jacob (Chionis 11-1)
Ken (Chionis 11-1)
Maxim (Koco)
George (Tsikistas 8/1)
George (Mourgis 8/1)
Barbara (Sason 8/1)
Anthony (Breitenbach 6/1)
Arielle (Ghanem 6/1)
Nicholas (Ghanem 6/1)
Christos
Father Demetris
Jamie
Pamela
David
Jessica
Christina (Hildreth)
Georgia and Richard and their unborn child (Chapekis)
Dionysios Chapekis)
Nancy (Forderhase)
Kayla (Palantine)
George (3/23 Chapekis)
Penelope (3/23 Chapekis)
Theodora (3/23)
Victor (3/23)
Les (3/23
Lynn (Hurely 1/23)
Irene and newborn baby (Tsikitas 1/23)
Linda (Pappas 1/23)
Ekaterina (Chapekis 1/23)
Lee (Hurley 1/23)
Emmanuel (Kalousdis 1/23)
Katherine (Dusckas 1/23)
Vassiliki (Diveris 1/23)
Zena Touma (Contorelli 1/23
Lamia Touma (Contorelli 1/23
Matthew (Contorelli 1/23
Emmanuel (Kaloudis 1/23)
Nicholas
Marlene (Tewis 12/22)
Tina (Johnson 12/22)
Nicholas (De Lorenzo 12/22)
Priest Anthony (Karbo 11/22)
Archpriest Dionysius (Valentine 9/12)
Anthony Presbyter (Kerr 10/22)
John Presbyter (Jacobse)
Elain Presbytera (Jacobse)
Constantine(Jacobse)
Chrysoula(Jacobse)
Angel (Ghanem 10/22)
Edgar (Chapekis 9/22)
Evthriki (Jacobse 9/22)
Christos (Johnson 8/22)
Jon Paul (Andrew 8/22)
William (Brubaker 8/22)
Peter (Tewis 8/22)
The People of Ukraine and People of Russia and all those who are suffering in the war
Permanent Prayer List
Michael (Sovjani)
Maria (Sovjani)
Maria (Sovjani)
Maria (Sovjani)
Katerina (Sovjani)
Frederick (Sovjani)
Arsen (Sovjani)
Irene (Diveris)
Katheryn (Tolkkinen)
Markisia (Long)
Angela (Long)
Marina (Long)
Eleni (Long)
Raphaella (Long)
Joanne (Haley)
Corwin (Dusckas)
Corgette (Troutman)
Irina (Irina)
Lidia (Irina)
Sarina (Ghanem)
Debbie (Breitenbach)
Kathy (Breitenbach)
Hope (Isadore)
s
John (Long)
Pantelis (Tsikita)
Marisa (Tsikita)
Barbara (Dionysopoulos)
Patricia (Evanoff)
Gabriel (Mankus)
Baby Dani (Repya)
Despina (Diversis)
Fredericos (Diveris)
Herman (Kerr)
Innocent (Kerr)
Nicholas (Kerr)
Paola (Jacobse)
Gregory (Yankopolos)
Pauline (Poulos)
Sergio (Kazakos)
Fran (Hansen)
Nina (Krotov)
Franklin (Pyrrson)
Demetrios (Kuchera)
Theodosios (Palis)
Theodora (Webb)
Robert (Smith)
Presbytera Rosy (in Pakistan)
James (Hord)
Vassiliki (Kontinos)
Vassiliki (Morekeas)
Vassilike (Hord)
Founders, Members, Benefactors and Friends Departed this Life
John (Hansen)
Anatoly (Kurdsjuk)
Thareni (Brooks)
Milan Evanoff
Jean (Sam)
Eleni (Pearson)
Richard (Pearson)
Fr. Stephanos (Shagoury)
Panagiota (Bea Chionis)
Anthony (Mourgis)
Anthony (Mankus)
Constantine (Houpis)
Constantine (Joseph)
Mary (Jarvis)
Panagiota Margarita (Palis)
Maria (Ninos)
Soterios (Ninos)
George (Ninos)
John (Katsigianopoulos)
George (Chionis)
Mary (Spiropoulos)
Gregory (Pappas)
Angela (Coran K
Eugene (Rust)
Robert (Jarvis)
George (Corey)
Patricia (Cotsones)
Seraphim (Zolio)
Apostolos
How should we pray for the sick? Remember them daily. Say their names (first names are sufficient) and ask God to bestow mercy and grace on them.
Add or remove names and print this list for easy reference during your prayer time on the St. Peter website.
EPISTLE
For Sunday of the Prodigal Son
Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.
The Reading from the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. (6:12-20)
Brethren, all things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything. Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food; but God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two shall become one flesh.” But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him. Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
GOSPEL
For Sunday of the Prodigal Son
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. (15:11-32)
The Lord spoke this parable: “There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that falls to me.’ And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living.
And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have fed on the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.”’
And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to make merry.
Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid that I might make merrywith my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!’