Bible Study Tuesday at 7pm at the Hansens Bible studiy resumes this Tuesday, February 19 at John and Frieda Hansen’s home starting and 7pm (get map). We will continue our study of the book of John. Mark you calendars and bring your questions. If you have a friend who would like to attend bring them along! Visit to Anatole and Linda Kurdsjuk Yesterday about 15 people went to visit Anatole and … [Read more...]

Quotations from St. John of Kronstadt St. John was a Russian Orthodox priest who lived from 1829-1908. He is much loved because of his practical wisdom especially concerning prayer. "Prayer for others is very beneficial to the man himself who prays; it purifies the heart, strengthens faith and hope in God, and arouses love for God and our neighbor." "There is nothing impossible unto those who … [Read more...]

Atheism and Christianity Many people debate atheism and Christianity. The dividing line always crystallizes around the question: What can we really know to be true and real? The atheist says that all a person can really be sure about is what can be measured. In other words, if you can't put something into a test tube or look at it under a microscope or measure it in some other way, then it not … [Read more...]

The Prayer of the Heart We all know about the Jesus Prayer: Lord Jesus Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner. What we forget sometimes is how powerful this prayer really is. It's a great to jump start prayer. There are times we know we should pray but we forget, or sometimes it is even hard to do. The Jesus Prayer helps us with that. It is kind of like exercise. It is hard to get back into … [Read more...]

Progress in the Relocation Fund 2013 promises to be a good year for St. Peter's. Our plan is to raise $50,000 to find a more permanent location. We want to make sure we can meet our expenses for at least one year given the poor economy and the financial pressures this places on all of us. So far we have raised over $40,000. This is very good news. We thank everyone who has contributed and … [Read more...]

Christmas Eve Liturgy on December 24, 2012 We will celebrate Christmas Liturgy on December 24 (Christmas Eve) with our sister parish St. Paul Antiochian Church (get map). Orthros/Matins begins at 6:30pm and Divine Liturgy at 7:30pm. Make sure to come. The only way to properly understand Christmas is to enter into the presence of Him who was born on that important day over 2,000 years ago. The … [Read more...]

St. Peter Christmas Pot Luck — Wednesday, December 19 at 6pm. Mark your calendar! Mark you calendars for the St. Peter Christmas Pot Luck on Wednesday evening, December 19. It begins at 6pm. It will be held at the community room of Dr. Zanos Grekos' neighborhood. Directions will be sent in a separate email. Come join the fellowship! A gentle reminder that since we are in a fasting period … [Read more...]

Patriarch Ignatius — May His Memory Be Eternal Patriarch Ignatius, the head of the Antiochian Orthodox Church located in Damascus, Syria passed away this week. The Antiochian Church Archdiocese distributed this biography: His Beatitude Patriarch Ignatius IV (Hazim) of Antioch and All the East was born in 1920 in the village of Muharda, near the city of Hama Syria. In 1936, he moved to … [Read more...]

General Assembly This Sunday Please plan on attending Church this Sunday. Following the Divine Liturgy we will hold our first General Assembly meeting. We will offer reports on our progress this past year. We will also discuss moving to a new location. The Parish Council has incorporated many of the suggestions and ideas voiced several weeks ago about the future of St. Peter's and will offer … [Read more...]

The Upcoming Election Every time election season rolls around I think about the American Founding Fathers. It is almost a miracle that men of their caliber and foresight emerged in what was really a backwater outpost to craft the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. Did you know that all the refugee movements of the last century were directed to American shores? Or that America … [Read more...]

Bible Study Starts for 2013 We will begin our 2013 bible studies on Thursday, November 1, 15, and 29. We chose Thursday because we could not find a home that could host on Tuesdays. We will meet at the home of Jack and Angela Long at 204 Cheshire Way, Naples, FL 34110 (in the Audubon neighborhood, entrance on Vanderbilt Drive) -- get map. Spread the word and invite your friends! Rummage Sale … [Read more...]

Keeping our Minds Clear When pressures mount, as they do for most of us these days, it is very important to keep our minds clear. Difficulties, especially when they portend an uncertain future, can be difficult to bear. We pray, try to trust in God, but often are afflicted by worry, anxiety, and fear. Often we try to do the right thing, but it just does not seem like anything is changing. If we … [Read more...]

St. Peter Rummage Sale Hang on to those treasures sitting out in the garage! St. Peter's is holding its annual rummage sale. When? Saturday 10am - 4pm on October 13, 20, and 27. Sunday 12pm - 3pm on October 14 and 21. Where? The Sunshine Shopping Center, about 1/2 mile east of 41 on Bonita Beach Road on the north side of the street (get map). The space will be near Zorba's Restaurant. Look … [Read more...]

We Live in a Great Country Watching the Republican Convention this week (I've always watched both conventions since I was very young), I always leave thankful that I am an American. Reasonable people can reasonably disagree about many things — including who they will vote for, but that we can disagree and still elect a new leader is something to be grateful for. Russell Kirk, a brilliant … [Read more...]

Summer is Winding Down... ...and there is not much news to report. This summer however has been good for St. Peter's. Attendance was better than it has every been, and the core — our self-identity — has strengthened. As we rely on the Lord for His leading we are developing into a Church where we care and pray for each other. As long as this remains our priority, our chief reason for … [Read more...]

The Dormition of the Theotokos The Dormition of the the Theotokos According to Orthodox Tradition, Mary died like all humanity, "falling asleep," so to speak, as the name of the feast indicates. She died as all people die, not "voluntarily" as her Son, but by the necessity of her mortal human nature which is indivisibly bound up with the corruption of this world. The feast was added to the Roman … [Read more...]

A Tip about Prayer in Times of Trouble Prayer is a deep mystery. We don't really understand how it works, yet we know that it does. Sometimes it works in very powerful ways. Sometimes it is hard to pray, especially when we are overcome with trouble and filled with fear and anxiety. We try to pray but can't. I call that kind of prayer "wrestling with an elephant." How do we break the grip of … [Read more...]

The Theotokos, the Virgin Mary, was “blessed amongst women,” and she was chosen “to bear the Savior of our souls.” Orthodox Christians consider her to be the Queen of all the saints and angels. Knowing that she is eternally present at the throne of God interceding for mankind, we pray for her love, guidance, and protection. Every year the Orthodox Church sets aside the first fourteen days of … [Read more...]