The Twelfth Sunday of Luke
Venerable Euthymios the Great
New-martyr Zachariah of Morea
Who was Venerable Euthymios the Great?
Euthymius was born during the reign of king Gratian in 377 A.D. He came from Melitine in Armenia (now Makatya, Turkey), and was the son of pious and faithful parents called Paul and Dionysia.
Though Euthymius’ mother was barren, his parents prayed fervently to God to grant them a child. Then they had a vision: they heard the voice of an angel who told them to be cheerful because with the child’s birth every heresy was going to be abolished and universal peace was going to be granted to the Church of God. For this reason this saint was called Euthymius (meaning good cheer).
When the saint’s father died, his mother offered him to Eutrojos, bishop of Melitine, by whom he was counted with the order of clerics. Because he was intelligent in his studies and surpassed all men in virtue and asceticism, he was forced to be ordained a priest and to look after the holy hermitages and monasteries. When he was twenty-nine years old, he went to Jerusalem and lived with St. Theoktistos in a cave on the mountain. While he was there, St. Euthymius liberated many men from the terrible chains of disease.
[…]
When Euthymius was ninety-six years old (in A.D. 473), he departed to the Lord. He had established religious communities throughout Palestine.
Source: OrthodoxWiki.
House and Business Blessings for 2019
Fr. Hans has started house and business blessings.
You can schedule your blessing by:
- Filling in the form on the website
- Texting Fr. Hans at 239-248-4775 (leave a few good dates and times and your address – Fr. Hans will confirm)
- Talking to Fr. Hans at Social Hall
- Emailing the Church
Phone calls are fine too but only as a last resort please.
Please a several available dates ready. The schedule fills up fast but Fr. Hans will make every possible accommodation to meet it.
New classes and bible studies are starting!
Cathechumen/New Member class started on Monday, January 14 at 7:00pm. Catechumens are required to attend but anyone seeking a better understanding of the Orthodox faith is encouraged to attend as well.
General and Mens Bible studies on alternating Wednesdays beginning on Wednesday, January 16. The Mens Study will not begin until February 6 because Fr. Hans will be out of town on January 23 attending the Miami Diocese Retreat in Atlanta.
St. Demetrios Brotherhood meetings (for young men) moved to Thursdays beginning January 17.
Our Stewardship to St. Peter’s: The Tree Must Bear Fruit
Please return your Stewardship Support of St. Peter’s for 2019.
We are responsible to increase what God has given us. In the Parable of the Talents, the master gave his servants talents that they are expected to nurture and grow. This is a responsibility we cannot avoid.
The Church is both a place where the increase begins on the inside of us, and to which we much give some our increase. This too is a responsibility we must take on.
A contribution form will be included in the letter you receive. Our goal this year is $200,000. We must meet this goal to avoid using our reserves. If we spend our reserves, we will not be able to obtain a mortgage to buy or build when the time comes to do so (and it will come sooner than later).
All of us may have to squeeze a bit to meet this goal. But if give, the Church flourishes and that flourishing spills over into our lives as well and the lives of our families.
We must increase what we have been given by God.
Mark Your Calendar!
NAMI Walk on February 26, 2019
The walk will start around 8:30am or 9:00am in the morning with a light breakfast before the walk. Water and energy drinks and coffee fresh fruit offered during the walk. A light lunch will be provided after the walk with some entertainment
If anyone would like to join Bill and Mary’s Copeland’s team please contact us in church or call 239-498-1331.
We are asking our church family to support NAMI financially with a small contribution to help fund local activities for the mentally challenged individuals that live in Collier and Lee County.
St. Valentine’s Day Potluck & Dance on Saturday Evening February 26, 2019
Join us for a St. Valentine Day potluck and dance on Saturday, February 16, 2019 starting at 5:00pm. More information coming.
Please Help on Church Directory Updates
A lot of work has been done behind the scenes updating our record keeping, parish lists, and financial tracking.
One area that has been improved is record keeping of our members.
To bring everything up to date we need current information. Please fill in the form on the website, fill in a paper form at Church, or complete the stewardship form you will be receiving shortly.
You can fill in the form on the website here.
Calendar At A Glance
JANUARY
- Saturday, January 12 — New Years Lamb and Chicken Dinner Celebration at 5:00pm
- Sunday, January 13 — Cutting of the Vassilopita following Divine Liturgy
- Monday, January 14 — Catechumen/New Member Class at 7:00pm
- Wednesday, January 16 — Community Bible Study at 7:00pm
- Thursday, January 17 — St. Demetrios Brotherhood at 7:00pm (NOTE DAY CHANGE)
- Monday, January 21 — Catechumen/New Member Class at 7:00pm
- Wednesday, January 16 — Community Bible Study at 7:00pm
- Thursday, January 17 — St. Demetrios Brotherhood at 7:00pm
- January 22-26, 2019 — Fr. Hans attends Miami Diocese Winter Retreat in Atlanta
- Wednesday, January 23 — CANCELLED Mens Bible Study at 7:00pm
- Thursday, January 24 — CANCELLED St. Demetrios Brotherhood at 7:00pm
- Monday, January 28 — Catechumen/New Member Class at 7:00pm
- Wednesday, January 30 — Community Bible Study at 7:00pm
- Thursday, January 31 — St. Demetrios Brotherhood at 7:00pm
FEBRUARY
- Saturday, February 2 — 9:30am Divine Liturgy Presentation of Christ in the Temple
- Monday, February 4 — Catechumen/New Member Class at 7:00pm
- Wednesday, February 6 — Mens Bible Study at 7:00pm
- Thursday, February 7 — St. Demetrios Brotherhood at 7:00pm
- Monday, February 11 — Catechumen/New Member Class at 7:00pm
- Wednesday, February 14 — Community Bible Study at 7:00pm
- Thursday, February 14 — St. Demetrios Brotherhood at 7:00pm
- Monday, February 18 — Catechumen/New Member Class at 7:00pm
- Wednesday, February 20 — Mens Bible Study at 7:00pm
- Thursday, February 21 — St. Demetrios Brotherhood at 7:00pm
- Monday, February 25 — Catechumen/New Member Class at 7:00pm
- Wednesday, February 27 — Community Bible Study at 7:00pm
- Thursday, February 28 — St. Demetrios Brotherhood at 7:00pm
Wisdom From The Elders
A guilty conscience is so burdensome that it punishes itself without a judge, and wishes for covering, and yet is bare before God. St. Ambrose of Milan
One cannot love God if one has unkind feelings for even a single human being. Abbot Nikon Vorobiev
Among the virtues there is not only an ontological order, but also a chronological one. The first among them is faith. Venerable Justin of Chelije in Serbia
A man who is growing cold towards God begins first of all to flee attending church. At first he tries to come to services later, and then he ceases altogether to visit God’s temple…Here in the skete we even make the rounds of the cells on feast days, so that no one evades church services. Elder Barsanuphius of Optina
The Christian today — not unlike Christians of other eras, but in ways that are continually “updated” as society carries on — is not told simply that he must not fight the passions, that he must not battle the devil: he is told that the passions are unreal, that the devil does not exist. He is told that ascesis is unnatural, that spiritual warfare is delusional. He is told that judgment is oppressive and the desire to become something defined by another (even God!) is psychologically unhealthy. He is told that to believe in the Church’s tradition is a simplistic, pietistic adherence to the past; that he had better “think for himself.” Bishop Irenei Steenberg
Remember in Your Prayers
Athanasia
Alexandra
Constantina
Maryanne (E)
Ron (E)
Tim
Robert (J)
Mary (J)
Helen (Rogers)
Doug Spencer
Kathy Spencer
Kathy D
Andreas
Sofia Tešanovic
Paul
Dennis H. and Family
Victor Evan
Ann
James
Vasiliki
Efstratia
Alexandra
Nikos
Georgia
Ioannis
Costandino
Jeffrey
Vaso
Dave
Dimitri – Presbyter
Vassiliki
Octavio
Tom
Carl
Rena
Nikolay (5 year old boy in Bulgaria whose parents asked us to pray)
David
Eva K.
Rosie
Kathryn
Jeremy
Constantine
Robert
Jane
Theodora
David
Gina
Micheal
Haralambos
Lillian
Presbytera Rosy
Valentina
Eva W.
Barbara
Angela
Carol Ann
Matthew
Chrysostom
Tim
Pat
Christina
Maria Louise
Maximos
Marian
Photini
Nicholas
Sarah
Constantine Houpis
Anna Marie Smith Baker
Ron Chromulak
Beverly Chromulak
Katerina
Mary Kassis
Baby Maximus
Christine
Maria
Annette Star
Claire Livaditis
Eva Chandilles
Baby Dani
Scott Nedoff
James Hord
Tom
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 St. Euthymios
The saints shall be joyful in glory.
Sing unto the Lord a new song.
The Reading from the Second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. (4:6-15)
Brethren, it is the God Who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” Who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.
While we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we too believe, and so we speak, knowing that He Who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into His presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
Gospel
For the Twelfth Sunday of Luke
The reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. (17:12-19)
At that time, as Jesus entered a village, He was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When He saw them He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving Him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus said, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”
