The Synaxis of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, Raphael
and all the Bodiless Powers of Heaven
The Seventh Sunday of Luke
All the Angels, according to the Apostle Paul, are ministering spirits, – sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation – (Heb. 1:14). God set them as overseers of every nation and people, and guides to that which is profitable (Deut. 32:8); and while one Angel is appointed to oversee each nation as a whole, one is also appointed to protect each Christian individually. He commands them to guard them that hope on Him, that nothing should harm them, neither should any evil draw nigh to their dwelling (Ps. 90:10-12)
Read more on the Greek Orthodox website.
Thank you for a Good Weekend with Bp. Antoun
Bishop Antoun
Last weekend went very well. Thank you to all who contributed to it. Thank you to our parishioners who came to worship together.
A special thank you goes to our Choir who sang very well. Hierarchical liturgies are not easy to do but last Sunday was superb.
Did you notice too how many children were in attendance? A church with children is a church that is growing.
Pilgrimage to St. Nicholas Monastery with Presention on St. Nektarios
Some parishioners are making a pilgrimage to Saint Nicholas Monastery in Ft Myers on Saturday November 7th. We will depart caravan style from St Peter at 10am and return around 2pm-3pm. There are many unique Holy Relics to venerate.
We will have lunch there and listen to a presentation on Saint Nectarios. There is also a chapel dedicated to Saint Nectarios whose feast day is the following Monday, so anyone interested in healing should make a special effort to join us.
The onsite bookstore has some beautiful Icons available in time for Christmas.
Vist the St. Nicholas Monastery website.
St Nektarios Liturgy and Healing Service Monday, Nov 9 at 7pm.
St. Nektarios is a Saint who heals, especially cancer. His feast day is celebrated on November 9 every year. At 7pm will will celebrate a Divine Liturgy for St. Nektarios. Afterward we will read the healing prayers and offer annointing with holy oil from St. Nektarios’ Monastery in Aegina Greece.
Anyone may receive the prayers and annointing. It is for any kind of distress — physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual. Asking the Saints for intercession is a very powerful therapy that can foster healing of body and soul.
Read about St. Nektarios on the Orthodoxwiki website.
St. Peter’s Helps the Local Poor
At St. Peter’s we take the command from our Lord to help the poor very seriously. We know that at the Last Judgment we will be asked if we feed the hungy and clothed the naked. Matthew 25 warns:
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy[c] angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
“Then they also will answer Him saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:31-44)
Two ways to help are:
Helping the Homeless
Click image to view full size
and also:
Food for the Hungry
As we do ever year, the months approaching Christmas is when we collect foor for neighborhood foodshelves.
Please bring a canned item to Church with you on Sundays. Bins will be set up to collect them.
Cash/check donations work too. Please give your donation to Mary Copeland and notate “Food Donation” on the memo line.
The drive will run through December 29. All donations will be distributed locally.
See more information on the website.
Chior Practice and Orthodoxy 101 Class Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Choir practice begins at 6pm and Orthodoxy 101 at 7pm.
Get the class syllabus and complete information on the website.
Stewardship Letter Mailed
Please don’t forget your pledge for 2016. We need it for responsible planning and operations of the parish.
Wisdom from St. Anthony the Great
St. Anthony said, ‘I saw the snares that the enemy spreads out over the world, and I said groaning, “What can get through from such snares?” Then I heard a voice saying to me, “Humility.”’
– St. Anthony the Great
Upcoming Memorials
Sunday, Nov. 8th, 11-year Memorial for JOHN SPIROPOULOS, father of Joan Simon.
Sunday, Nov. 22nd, 40-day Memorial for MARY SPIROPOULOS, mother of Joan Simon
May her Memory be Eternal.
Remember in Your Prayers
Tony Backos – That his business would be restored quickly.
Soterios Ninos father of Angela Long.
Bonnie Joseph
Bob Smith
Tom and Jean, parents of Patty and Jerry.
How should we pray for the sick? Remember them daily. Say their names and ask God to bestow mercy and grace on them.
Sunday Readings
Epistle
For the Archangels
He makes His angels spirits, and His ministers flames of fire.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews. (2:2-10) Brethren, if the message declared by angels was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard Him, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His own Will.
For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere, “What is man that Thou art mindful of him, or the Son of man, that Thou carest for Him? Thou didst make Him for a little while lower than the angels; Thou hast crowned Him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under His feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to Him, He left nothing outside His control.
As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to Him. But we see Jesus, Who for a little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that He, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the Pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering.
Gospel
For the Seventh Sunday of Luke
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. (8:41-56)
At that time, there came to Jesus a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue; and falling at Jesus’ feet he besought Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As Jesus went, the people pressed round Him. And a woman, who had had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had spent all her living upon physicians, and could not be healed by anyone, came up behind Him, and touched the fringe of His garment; and immediately her flow of blood ceased.
And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched Me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the multitudes surround Thee and press upon Thee! And Thou sayest, ‘Who touched Me?’” But Jesus said, “Someone touched Me; for I perceive that power has gone forth from Me.” And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before Him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed. And Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”
While Jesus was still speaking, a man from the ruler’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she shall be well.” And when Jesus came to the house, He permitted no one to enter with Him, except Peter and James and John, and the father and mother of the child. And all were weeping and bewailing her; but Jesus said, “Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead.
But taking her by the hand Jesus called, saying, “Child, arise.” And her spirit returned, and she got up at once; and Jesus directed that something should be given her to eat. And her parents were amazed; but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.