The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
The Sixth Sunday of Matthew
Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon and Parmenas,Deacons and Apostles of the Seventy; Venerable Paul, founder of Xeropotamou and St. Paul monasteries on Athos; Venerable Irene Chrysovalantou; Pitirim, Bishop of Tambov
Who were Sts. Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon and Parmenas?
Saints Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon and Parmenas, Apostles of the Seventy were among the first deacons in the Church of Christ.
In the Acts of the Holy Apostles (6:1-6) it is said that the twelve Apostles chose seven men: Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicholas, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, and appointed them to serve as deacons.
They are commemorated together on July 28, although they died at various times and in various places.
At first, St Prochorus accompanied the holy Apostle Peter, who made him bishop in the city of Nicomedia. After the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, Prochorus was a companion and coworker of the holy Apostle John the Theologian and was banished with him to the island of Patmos. There he wrote down the Book of Revelation concerning the final fate of the world. Upon returning to Nicomedia, St Prochorus converted pagans to Christ in the city of Antioch, where he suffered martyrdom.
Source: Antiochian Archdiocese website.
Fr. Hans Our Town Monday, July 22 to Friday, July 26, 2018
He will be attending the Antiochian Convention in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Tuition for Young Organist Mihail Strezev
Many of you know Mihail (we call him Michael). You see him coming into church late on Sundays. He comes late because he makes his living playing the organ for other churches on Sundays. On weekday liturgies you see him come in on time.
Mihail has a very interesting story that you can read on his God Fund Me page. He won the Green Card Lottery in his home country of Moldavia, came to Naples, was invited to play a new organ at a concert and it turned out one of the American Grand Master organ players heard his playing and invited him to attend the Eastman School of Music to become his student.
Mihail found St. Peter’s through Jeremiah and Irina. They were having coffee one day and bumped into Mihail. He was struggling a bit (a stranger in a strange land at the time) and invited him to St. Peter’s. He came and has been a member of our congregation ever since. He comes from an Orthodox family and his devout mother probably thanks the Lord every day he found St. Peter’s.
Mihail is raising money for his tuition. Tuition each year for his two year program costs $39,000. He received a $22,000 scholarship. He also needs to raise another $15,000 for living expenses for the year although he is going to try and make it on $10,000. This leaves $27,000 yet to be raised. If he does well the first year, his second year will be paid. This shows that Eastman definitely sees he has talent.
It’s remarkable for us to witness as well. It takes a lot of courage and fortitude to come into a strange country and move forward to establish your talents and gifts. It shows America is still a place of opportunity for those who have the resolve and discipline to make something of themselves. Mihail is one of those people.
We need to pray that somehow Mihail’s goal of raising the money will be reached somehow. Prayer works, but we have to do our part as well, just as Mihail is doing his. If you can help please do. If you know of others resources please let Mihail know about that too. You can help him on his Go Fund Me page.
Click the image below to hear him play.
Dormition Fast and Akathist Hymns begin (August 1-15, 2018)
August 1 starts the Dormition period in our Orthodox Church. We fast (abstain from meat and dairy as much as possible) from August 1 to August 15. At St. Peter’s the fast ends after the Dormition Liturgy on the evening of August 14.
Most weekdays we will sing an Akathist to the Theotokos starting at 6:00pm. These are very powerful prayers and you will notice a focusing in your life if you participate in them.
On the evening of August 14, 2018 we will celebrate the Dormition of the Theotokos with a Divine Liturgy at 6:30pm.
What is the Dormition of the Theotokos?
The Holy Scriptures tell us that when our Lord was dying on the Cross, He saw His mother and His disciple John and said to the Virgin Mary, “Woman, behold your son!” and to John, “Behold your mother!” (John 19:25-27). From that hour, the Apostle took care of the Theotokos in his own home.
Along with the biblical reference in Acts 1:14 that confirms that the Virgin Mary was with the Holy Apostles on the day of Pentecost, the tradition of the Church holds that she remained in the home of the Apostle John in Jerusalem, continuing a ministry in word and deed.
At the time of her death, the disciples of our Lord who were preaching throughout the world returned to Jerusalem to see the Theotokos. Except for the Apostle Thomas, all of them including the Apostle Paul were gathered together at her bedside. At the moment of her death, Jesus Christ himself descended and carried her soul into heaven.
Following her repose, the body of the Theotokos was taken in procession and laid in a tomb near the Garden of Gethsemane. When the Apostle Thomas arrived three days after her repose and desired to see her body, the tomb was found to be empty. The bodily assumption of the Theotokos was confirmed by the message of an angel and by her appearance to the Apostles.
Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese website.
Pledge Report – July 2019
In order to meet our operating Budget goal for 2019 we need to take in $16,777.00 each month.
In June we took in $9741.00 in total donations. Our monthly goal is $16777.00 leaving us $7036.00 short for June.
Please pledge in order to meet our goal. Pledge forms are available on the table in the narthex.
Bible Studies
Bible Studies have been cancelled for the summer. We will resume in September.
Calendar At A Glance
JULY
- Monday-Saturday, July 22-26 — Fr. Hans Out of Town Attending Antiochian Convention
- Thursday Jul 25 — CANCELLED St. Demetrios Brotherhood at 7:00pm (Fr. Hans out of town
AUGUST
-
Thursday Aug 1 — CANCELLED St. Demetrios Brotherhood at 7:00pm
- Thu Aug 1 — Paraklesis Service 6pm
- Fri Aug 2 — Paraklesis Service 6pm
- Mon Aug 5 — Transfiguration Liturgy 6:30pm
- Tue Aug 6 — Paraklesis Service 6pm
- Wed Aug 7 — Paraklesis Service 6pm
- Thu Aug 8 — Paraklesis Service 6pm
- Fri Aug 9 — Paraklesis Service 6pm
- Mon Aug 12 — Paraklesis Service 6pm
- Tue Aug 13 — Paraklesis Service 6pm
- Wed Aug 14 — Dormition Liturgy 6:30pm
Wisdom From The Elders
Men throughout all their earthly life see everything but Christ, the life-giver; this is why they have no spiritual life, this is why they are given to every passion : unbelief, want of faith, covetousness, envy, hatred, ambition, the pleasures or eating and drinking. St. John of Kronstadt
Spiritual vigilance or sobriety is a spiritual art which completely delivers a man, with the help of God, from sinful actions and passionate thoughts and words when fervently practiced for a considerable time. It is silence of the heart; it is guarding of the mind; it is attention to oneself without any other thought which always, incessantly and unceasingly calls upon Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and God… St. Hesychius of Jerusalem
We are all in deception. The knowledge of this is the greatest preventative against deception. It is the greatest deception to acknowledge oneself to be free of deception. St. Ignatius Brianchaninov
O relatives and close ones of the dead! Do for them what is needful for them and within your power. Use your money not for outward adornment of the coffin and grave, but in order to help those in need, in memory of your close ones who have died, for churches, where prayers for them are offered. Show mercy to the dead, take care of their souls. St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco
The drunkard, the fornicator, the proud – he will receive God’s mercy. But he who does not want to forgive, to excuse, to justify conciously, intentionally … that person closes himself to eternal life before God, and even more so in the present life. He is turned away and not heard. Elder Sampson of Russia
Christ leads us out of separation from God, away from a “self” defined by our will and passions, into a new life that is the work of His hands, the fruit of His will, the created glory of His eternal, unending and glorious life.
Bishop Irenei Steenberg
Remember in Your Prayers
Richard
Christine
Nina (Kovalev)
Hugh (Jacquie)
Violet (Jacquie Mom)
Tammie (Jacquie friend)
Connie
Baby Luke
George
Priest Kyprianos
Presvytera Charlotte
Savannah (Jonson)
Bud
Silvana
Nicole
Evan
Megan
Bill R.
Pat R.
Aglaia
George
Hieromonk Serapion
Priest Kyprianos
Presvytera Charlotte
Bryan, Carolina, their unborn baby
Athanasia
Alexandra
Constantina
Maryanne (E)
Ron (E)
Tim
Robert (J)
Mary (J)
Patricia
Gregory
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
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
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 the FifthSunday after Pentecost
Thou, O Lord, wilt preserve us and keep us from this generation.
Save me, O Lord, for the Godly man hath disappeared.
The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans. (12:6-14)
Brethren, having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; he who teaches, in his teaching; he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who contributes, in liberality; he who gives aid, with zeal; he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with brotherly affection; out do one another in showing honor. Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, and serve the Lord. Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
Gospel
For Sixth Sunday of Matthew
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (9:1-8)
At that time, Jesus got into a boat, crossed over and came to His own city. And behold, they brought to Him a paralytic, lying on his bed; and when Jesus saw their faith He said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier,to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He then said to the paralytic—“Rise, take up your bed and go home.” And he rose and went home. When the crowds saw it, they marveled, and they glorified God, Who had given such authority to men.
