Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Ninth Sunday of Luke
After-feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos
Amphilokios, bishop of Iconium; Gregory, bishop of Agrigentum
The Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple, also called The Presentation, is one of the Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church, celebrated on November 21. Among those Orthodox Christians who use the “Old” (Julian) calendar as their Church calendar, the date of this feast corresponds to December 4 in the secular calendar.
According to Tradition, the Theotokos was taken – presented – by her parents Joachim and Anna into the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem as a young girl, where she lived and served as a Temple virgin until her betrothal to St. Joseph. One of the earliest sources of this tradition is the non-canonical Protoevangelion of James, also called the Infancy Gospel of James.
Mary was solemnly received by the temple community which was headed by the priest Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist. She was led to the holy place to become herself the “holy of holies” of God, the living sanctuary and temple of the Divine child who was to be born in her. The Church also sees this feast as a feast which marks the end of the physical temple in Jerusalem as the dwelling place of God.
Source: Orthodoxwiki
Services and Events This Week
- SUN Nov 16 — SUNDAY LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Nov 19 — Lenten Fast Begins
- Wed Nov 19 — EARLY MORNING LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Thu Nov 20 — DIVINE LITURGY ENTRANCE OF THE THEOTOKOS INTO THE TEMPLE 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Fri Nov 21 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Nov 22 — CANCELLED Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
Pot Luck Social Hall this Sunday Followed by Stewardship Presentation
Bring a favorite dish to Church this Sunday for our monthly Social Hall Potluck. Drop it off in the Social Hall before Divine Liturgy. Everyone enjoys Pot Luck Sunday.
We will also offer a short presentation on Stewardship that looks at the financial needs of the parish our obligation to support it. Ron Franklin, Parish Council President, Subdeacon Joseph Brubaker, and Fr. Hans will offer a short talk outlining our needs and responsibilities going into 2026.
Sprucing up the Breeze Way
Have you noticed the new arbor and plantings in the breeze way? We are improving this long neglected area to make it beautiful. Fresh soil has been added, new flowers and other plants are planted, and a drip watering system has been installed. It doesn’t look like much now but in a few months it will be beautiful.
A very special thank you to those who made this possible: Georgia Katsigianopoulos, Glo Franklin, Barbara Sasen, and the Blank family.
Need a Place to Go on Thanksgiving?
Why not join us at Church? Plan on coming Thursday November 27 at 1:00pm for a great dinner with other parishioners and friends with no place to go. Fr. Hans will be (he’s stranded because Presbytera will be in Chicago) and would love to welcome you!
If you would like to come please sign up in the social hall or call Georgia at church. Plan on bringing a side dish. Turkey and everything else is provided.
Metropolitan Saba Speaks on the Thousands of Converts Entering the Orthodox Church
Orthodox Christianity is experiencing explosive growth in America. We see it in our own parish. Met. Saba, Metropolitan of the Antiochian Church in America, addressed the Council of Orthodox Bishops recently about this change. You will find it illumination and helpful in what it means for Orthodoxy in America.
Met. Saba said:
For centuries, the New World has drawn successive waves of migration. In most of the twentieth century, there was a modest Orthodox presence that remained largely confined to Orthodox communities across North America, especially in the big cities. Orthodox immigrants established their churches in the midst of their residential clusters and preserved their faith as best they could at that time. With the organization of church life in North America, the expansion of immigration after the Second World War, and the birth of new generations within American culture, Orthodoxy came to be known as an Eastern Church—a church of immigrants and ethnic communities: “Greeks,” “Slavs,” “Syrians,” etc.—rather than by their apostolic faith.
The growth of the conversion movement, for various reasons, contributed to making Orthodoxy a known religion in North America; indeed, it is now witnessing accelerated growth—some have even called it a flood. To put it mildly, we were no longer, as my predecessor Metropolitan Philip, of thrice-blessed memory once called us, “the best kept secret in America.”
Read the entire article or view the video on the Antiochian Orthodox website.
Updating Our Church Directory
We are updating our church directory for 2026. If you would like to be included in the directory, please see Alexis Johnson. The directory will include your photo, email and phone number only. We will ask for your address to update the church records for mailings only.
Photos can be taken on one of the following Sundays: November 30, December 7 and 21.
You can opt to update the current directory photo or have an updated photo added.
Christmas Fast Begins on November 15
On November 15, we begin, with God’s help, the forty-day “Nativity Fast in preparation for the “Feast of the Nativity of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ” on December 25.
The Nativity Fast is divided into two periods. The first period is November 15 through December 19 when the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, wine and oil) is observed with katalysis (relaxation) for wine and oil on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and for fish, wine and oil on Saturdays and Sundays.
The second period is December 20 through 24 when the traditional fasting discipline (“strict fast”: no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, wine and oil) is observed with katalysis (relaxation) for wine and oil only on Saturday and Sunday.
Just starting out? While fasting is not optional for Orthodox Christians, consider easing into to. Start the fast by observing the Wednesday and Friday fast with no meat. Next year try extending that into more days. Start with no meat, and then extend into no meat and dairy and so forth. We fast to the measure of our ability and it may take some training, like a runner working out to run a race.If you have questions, talk to Fr. Hans
Remember to Keep Up With Your Pledge
The bills are the same in the summer as they are in the winter so please do not fall behind on you pledge.
Support always dips in support but our obligations remain the same. Your consistent support is necessary keep our parish on firm and responsible financial footing.
When You Give to the Good Samaritan Mercy Fund, You Fulfill the Law of Christ
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ (Galations 6:2)
St. Paul teaches us that God’s law, to love God and neighbor, is fulfilled when we bear one another’s burdens. The Good Samaritan Mercy fund helps us do that by helping parishioners who because of catastrophic circumstances face problems that we can help them with. This year is proving greater than past years so any donation you can make to our fund enables us to carry those burdens of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
All support is local, within our parish. Donations are approved by Fr. Hans and Ron Franklin our Parish Council President. Donations remain confidential.
St. John Chrysostom says those who can give receive their abundance from God in order to give. When we give from our abundance a double blessing occurs — one to the recipient in need, and another to him who gives.
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.
St. Peter Greeters
Please note: Volunteers to serve as greeters are needed for December. Please contact Joe Repya if you can serve.
TBA
Can you volunteer? Please call Joe Repya 612-270-4443.
SOCIAL HALL ALL STARS
SUNDAY COFFEE HOURS – FALL MONTHS 2025
Please note: A fruit bowl, veggie or hummus tray may be added to a week’s menu.
- November 2025 – Sunday Coffee Hours – Team #2 – Margie Zimmerman Group
- Sunday, November 2 – Coffee and bagels
- Sunday, November 9 – Coffee and muffins
- Sunday, November 16 – Coffee and donuts
- Sunday, November 23 – Coffee and coffee cake
- Sunday, November 30 – Coffee and muffins
- December 2025 – Sunday Coffee Hours – Team #3
- Sunday, December 7 – Coffee and bagels
- Sunday, December 14 – Coffee and donuts
- Sunday, December 21 – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, December 28 – Pot Luck
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!
NOVEMBER
- SUN Nov 16 — SUNDAY LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Nov 19 — Lenten Fast Begins
- Wed Nov 19 — EARLY MORNING LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Thu Nov 20 — DIVINE LITURGY ENTRANCE OF THE THEOTOKOS INTO THE TEMPLE 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Fri Nov 21 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Nov 22 — CANCELLED Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Nov 23 — SUNDAY LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Nov 25 — DIVINE LITURGY ST KATHERINE THE GREAT MARTYR 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Nov 24 — EARLY MORNING LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Thu Nov 25 — Thanksgiving Day Dinner 1:00pm
- Fri Nov 26 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Nov 27 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Nov 30 — SUNDAY LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Dec 02 — DIVINE LITURGY ST KATHERINE THE GREAT MARTYR 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Dec 03 — EARLY MORNING LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Thu Dec 04 — DIVINE LITURGY ST BARBARA ST JOHM 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Dec 05 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Dec 06 — DIVINE LITURGY ST NICHOLAS 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Sat Dec 06 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
Wisdom From The Elders
The more a person labors to cleanse himself of all sin by the purification of thoughts, feelings, sinful and even empty desires; the more he forces himself to constant, pure, mindful, heartfelt and reverent prayer, the weaker the sorrows become and the more easily he is able to endure them. Abbot Nikon Vorobiev
If you try to keep the rules of fasting and cannot do so because of ill health, then with contrition of heart you should give thanks to Him who cares for all and judges all. St. John of Karpathos
We have no life of our own; our life has been given to us as a gift…. As individuals, however, we have been given free will to choose. If we had no free will, we would be like animals and we would not have to answer for our actions. We must live the way God intended us to, having given us the gift of free will. We use our rational minds to discern right from wrong. We have God’s judgment in us—our conscience. Every judge in the world can be bribed, but the judgment of God, our conscience, cannot be bribed. It can only be renewed through repentance. Elder Thaddeus(Strabulovich) of Vitovnica
Trust in the intercession of the Mother of God, of the angels and saints, is a form of Christian hope. They are powerful in intercession for us, both by the grace of Christ and their own virtues. Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt
Accept scornful criticism rather than words of praise; for a flatterer ‘is no different from one who curses’ (Prov. 27:14. LXX). St. John of Karpathos
Imagining that he loves God, the proud person loves only himself and his emotional sensations, which he prizes above genuine faithfulness and devotion to God. Archbishop Averky (Taushev)
Current Prayer List
Donna Eardley (Pateras)
Jack Eardley (Pateras)
Efstrathios Papadopoulos (Pateras)
Vera Pateras Stathes (Pateras)
Maureen (Breitenbach)
Doug (Kucera)
Katrina (Marianthi)
Katherina (Sovjani)
Arsen (Sovjani)
Arion (Sovjani)
David (Sovjani)
Joe (Repya)
Bp. Nicholas
Mary Teresa (Dusckas)
Adam (Krotov)
Ariyon (Sovjani)
Diana (Veraj)
Arjan (Veraj)
Thoma (Sovjani)
Lucia
Ioannes
Stratton (Leopold)
Mary (Copeland)
Robert (Tewis)
Gene (Forderhase)
Ruth (Mudd)
Barbara (Duskas)
Maria (Duskas)
Rachel (Voss)
Ken John (Eaton)
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)
Arielle (Ghanem 6/1)
Nicholas (Ghanem 6/1)
Christos
Father Demetris
Jamie
Pamela
David
Jessica
Christina (Hildreth)
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)
Archpriest Dionysius (Valentine 9/12)
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
Kh. Denise (Breitenbach)
Fr. Patrick (Breitenbach)
Bonnie Joseph
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)
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)
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
Raymond (Zeena)
Vassilike (Hord)
Helen (Mitchell)
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.
Sunday Readings
EPISTLE
For the Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
The Lord will give strength to His people.
Ascribe to the Lord, O sons of God, ascribe to the Lord honor and glory.
The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians. (2:14-22)
Brethren, Christ is our peace, Who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing
wall of hostility, by abolishing in His flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that He might create in Himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the Cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. And He came and preached peace to you, who were far off, and peace to those who were near; for through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in Whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in Whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
GOSPEL
For the Ninth Sunday of Luke
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. (12:16-21)
The Lord spoke this parable: “The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” As He said this, Jesus called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
