Christ is Risen!
The Fifth Sunday After Pascha
The Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
Apostles Andronikos and Junia of the Seventy;
Athanasios the New, bishop of Christianopolis;
Eudoxia, princess of Moscow
Photini of Samaria
The holy and glorious Great-martyr Photine of Samaria (also Photini or Svetlana), Equal-to-the-Apostles, encountered Christ at the well of Jacob. Tradition relates that the Apostles baptized her with the name “Photine” meaning “enlightened one.” Her feast days are celebrated on February 26 with those who suffered with her (Greek tradition), March 20 (Slavic tradition), and the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman.
Life
The Gospel of John (4:5-42) relates the encounter of Photine, the Samaritan woman, with Christ at Jacob’s well. She repented after a very gentle and wise conversation with Christ and went and told her townspeople that she had met the Christ. For this, she is sometimes claimed as the first to proclaim the Gospel of Christ.
She converted her five sisters (Ss. Anatole, Photo, Photis, Paraskeve, and Kyriake) and her two sons (St. Photinos, formerly known as Victor, and St. Joses). They all became tireless evangelists for Christ.
After the Apostles Paul and Peter were martyred, St. Photine and her family left their homeland of Sychar, in Samaria, to travel to Carthage to proclaim the Gospel of Christ there.
In 66 AD, under the persecutions of Emperor Nero, they all achieved the crown of martyrdom, along with the Duke St. Sebastianos, the close friend of St. Photinos.
Read more on the OrthodoxWiki website.
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Bishop NICHOLAS Offers a Weekly Live Stream
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His Grace Bishop NICHOLAS offers a LIVE STREAM talk with questions and answers to everyone in the Diocese of Miami and the Southeast every Sunday at 3:00pm ET.
You will be able to send questions directly to Bishop NICHOLAS via chat during the live stream. A recording of the live stream will be posted to the DOMSE BAND group. You must join the newly formed Domse band group to join in.
Open this invite link below on your iPhone, Android, or desktop: https://band.us/@domse
If you have BAND already, you will be able to simply join the group. If you do not have BAND, you will be able to download the application and join the group.
Sharing the Light
Fr. Hans received requests about sharing the light, the flame from the Paschal Candle, that many people like to bring home.
Since we can’t meet, Fr. Hans will keep votive candles lit with the light from the Paschal Candle. He will keep them burning until we resume the services at the Church. If you would like to take the Paschal light home after the parish is opened, you will be able to get them from these candles.
So this is what we will do. On the first Sunday after opening, Fr. Hans will anoint everyone with Holy Oil after the Divine Liturgy with oil he has saved from the Holy Unction service last year. Then we will go to the Social Hall and have a celebratory meal. On the way out you can light a candle to bring the Holy Light home and bless your homes.
God bless all the good people of St. Peter’s. God is with you. Stay faithful to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and to each other.
Christ is Risen!
Interfaith Charities is Ramping Up and the Shelves are Bare
Interfaith Charities gave out all their available food during the coronavirus pandemic. The shelves are bare and they are asking local churches and business for help in feeding the poor in the south Lee County area (where St. Peter’s is located).
They need:
- Cereal
- Peanut butter
- Soups
- Canned vegetable (any and all)
- Rice
- Beans
- Staples (any and all)
St. Peter partners with Interfaith Charities as part of our service to the larger community. You can find out more on the Interfaith Charities website.
The Parish Life Conference is Going Virtual!
The Parish Life Conference scheduled for June in Memphis, TN was cancelled because of the virus. It is going virtual instead! Click the image (or here) to see the schedule and sign up!
Please Don’t Forget to Fulfill Your Pledge and Donations
We received some last minute donations in March and exceeded our March budget goal. We were able to cover our February shortfall as a result. Thank you very much for all who contributed for your care and stewardship of St. Peter’s. We should all draw great encouragement from this. A complete financial tally is found below.
Please keep current with your pledge. The financial health and stability of our parish requires us to do our part.
You can mail your check to:
St. Peter Orthodox Church
24850 Old 41 RD Suite 6
Bonita Springs, FL 34135
You can also donate online (scroll to bottom of page):
Pledge & Income Report – April 2020
Donations received in April: $16,163.00
Amount of money needed to cover expenses: $18,121.00
BEHIND: $2,000.00
Thank you very much for your support of St. Peter’s. Please give generously so we can catch up with our $2,000 shortfall.
You can fill out a pledge form on the St. Peter website.
Calendar At A Glance
Live Streamed Services This Week
UPDATE: St. Peter Live Stream is now available on the St. Peter website (as well as Facebook). Click go to the website, “Watch Live Stream” and wait for the service to begin.
To Live Stream a service on FACEBOOK: Go to the St. Peter Facebook page. Scroll down to “posts” (use the navigation bar on the left). You do not need a Facebook account to view.
May
- May May 17 — Orthros 8:30am / Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- May May 24 — Orthros 8:30am / Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- May May 31 — Orthros 8:30am / Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
Wisdom From The Elders
It is not enough to simply make your confession to the Spiritual Father; you must also truly repent of what you have done. Elder Paisios of Mount Athos
Every day you should try to plant in your soul something spiritual which will eject something worldly and sinful. Gradually, the old self will be disclaimed, and you will be able to move freely in the spiritual realm. Replace the sinful images in your mind with holy ones. Replace songs with hymns, worldly magazines with spiritual books. Elder Paisios of Mount Athos
Look to the end of every involuntary suffering and you will find in it removal of sins. St. Mark the Ascetic
If you want the Lord to be merciful to you, always repent, be merciful to the suffering, and comfort them. “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7). Archbishop Seraphim (Sobolev) of Bogucharsk
Prayer is food for the soul. Do not starve the soul, it is better to let the body go hungry. Do not judge anyone, forgive everyone. Consider yourself worse than everyone in the world and you will be saved. As much as possible, be more quiet. St. Joseph of Optina
For God to help, one must have a desire to struggle. And when we say a desire to struggle, we mean that one must be willing to make some effort to overcome his particular weakness. If God sees even a little true will, He provides abundant help for man, He sends His Grace in great abundance. Elder Paisios of Mount Athos
Remember in Your Prayers
The Prayer List has been revamped. To bring order to the list we will do the following:
- Names will remain on the list for two 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 (Resets June 1)
Francis (Copeland 7/20)
Dimitrios (Copeland 7/20)
Patricia (Copeland 7/20)
Dennis (Dusckas 7/20)
Barbara (Dusckas 7/20)
James (Dusckas 7/20)
Connie (Dusckas 7/20)
Jerry (Zafiris 7/20)
Harry James (Zafiris 7/20)
Irene (Tsikitas 6/20)
Dimtrios (Jacobse 6/20)
George (Elpida 6/20)
Pantellis (Anna T 6/20)
Angelo/Evangelos (Constan 6/20)
Christine (Kanellos 6/20)
Edna (Mitchell 6/20)
Pauline (Jacobse 6/20)
Eleni (6/20)
Elizabeth (6/20)
Priest Benjamin (6/20)
Louis (Repya 6/20)
Iakavos (Diveris 6/20)
Heriklia (Diveris 6/20)
Macy James (6/20)
Joan (Breitenbach 6/20)
Mary (Rauch 6/20)
Diomidis (Kanellos 6/20)
Anastasia (Constan 6/20)
Ben (Ben 6/20)
Thomas (Ben 6/20)
Irene (Diveris 6/20)
Vasiliki (Diveris 6/20)
Efrosini (Diveris 6/20)
Bud (Repya)
Scott (Repya 6/20)
Permanent Prayer List
Theodora (Webb)
Helen (Rogers)
Robert (Smith)
Robert (Jarvis)
Mary (Jarvis)
Presbytera Rosy (in Pakistan)
James (Hord)
Ann (Rellis)
Vassiliki (Kontinos)
Vassiliki (Morekeas)
Friends and Benefactors Departed this Life
John (Hansen)
Anatoly (Kurdsjuk)
Thareni (Brooks)
Jean (Sam)
Eleni (Pearson)
Richard (Pearson)
Fr. Stephanos (Sigoury)
Panagiota (Bea Chionis)
Anthony (Mourgis)
Constantine (Houpis)
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
How great are Thy works, O Lord! In wisdom hast Thou made them all.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
The Reading from the Acts of the Saintly and Pure Apostles. (11:19-30)
In those days, the Disciples, who were scattered because of the persecution that aroseover Stephen, traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the Word to none except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, upon coming to Antioch, spoke to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number that believed turned to the Lord.
News of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad; and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose; for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a large company was added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church, and taught a large company of people; and in Antioch the Disciples were for the first time called Christians.
Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world; and this took place in the days of Claudius. And the Disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brethren who lived in Judea; and they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. John. (4:5-42)
At that time, Jesus came to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and so Jesus, wearied as He was with his journey, sat down beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” For His Disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to Him, “How is it that Thou, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and Who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
The woman said to Him, “Sir, Thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep; where do you get that living water? Art Thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, and his sons, and his cattle?” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst forever; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
The woman said to Him, “Sir,give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.” Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered Him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and he whom you now have is not your husband; this you said truly.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that Thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain; and Thou sayest that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.”
Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming [He Who is called Christ]; when He comes, He will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I Who speak to you am He.”
Just then His Disciples came. They marveled that He was talking with a woman, but none said, “What dost Thou wish?” or, “Why art Thou talking with her?” So the woman left her water jar, and went away into the city, and said to the people, “Come, see a man Who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the city and were coming to Him.
Meanwhile the Disciples besought Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” So the Disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him food?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me,and to accomplish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see how the fields are already white for harvest. He who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor; others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”
Many Samaritans from that city believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony, “He said to me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to Him, they asked Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His words. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves,and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”