Christ is Risen! Truly He has Risen!
The First Sunday after Pascha
Sunday of Thomas the Apostle
Hieromartyr Simeon, Bishop of Jerusalem and the kinsman of the Lord;
John the Confessor, Abbot of the Monastery of the Chaste
The Sunday of Thomas the Apostle
Though the doors were shut at the dwelling where the disciples were gathered for fear of the Jews on the evening of the Sunday after the Passover, our Saviour wondrously entered and stood in their midst, and greeted them with His customary words, “Peace be unto you.” Then He showed unto them His hands and feet and side; furthermore, in their presence, He took some fish and a honeycomb and ate before them, and thus assured them of His bodily Resurrection.
But Thomas, who was not then present with the others, did not believe their testimony concerning Christ’s Resurrection, but said in a decisive manner, “Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
Wherefore after eight days, that is, on this day, when the disciples were again gathered together and Thomas was with them, the Lord Jesus came while the doors were shut, as He did formerly. Standing in their midst, He said, “Peace be unto you”; then He said to Thomas, “Bring hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and bring hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side: and be not unbelieving, but believing.”
And Thomas, beholding and examining carefully the hands and side of the Master, cried out with faith, “My Lord and my God.” Thus he clearly proclaimed the two natures – human and divine – of the God-man (Luke 24:36-49; John 20:19-29).
Read more on the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese website.
Services and Events This Week
- Sun Apr 20 — Agape Vespers / Reading of Gospel in different languages 12:00pm LIVE STREAM
- Fri Apr 26 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Apr 27 — Great Vespers 5:30pm
Women’s Book Club Meets on Fridays at 11:00am
We are reading “Thinking Orthodox”, by, Dr Eugenia (Jeannie) Constantinou. The book can be purchased on-line at Ancient Faith Store.
All women are welcome and encouraged to attend. Coffee will be served. We can’t wait to gather together!
Saint Peter’s Hurricane Response Planning
Beginning on Sunday, May 4th, and running the Sundays of May 11, and May 18, in the church social hall our security team will be asking everyone to participate in planning for the 2025 Hurricane season.
The safety of our parishioners is our upmost concern. The best way to deal with adverse weather is to have a solid plan ahead of the emergency. Your security team at Saint Peters needs everyone to help and participate in the following efforts:
- We must identify all parishioners who reside in Evacuation Zones A and B.
- We must identify Safe Houses of parishioners in Evacuation Zones C and D and E, who are willing to take in those from Evacuation Zones A and B during the emergency timeframe.
- We need to team those who will evacuate, to those who will provide shelter prior to a storm’s arrival.
- A transportation plan will be developed to get parishioners to the plans shelter.
- If required, emergency food and water will be distributed by the security team.
- We will establish a telephonic notification chart to allow the security team to periodically check on the parishioners status at the Safe Houses.
A finalized plan will be distributed prior to the beginning of the 2025 Hurricane Season beginning June 1, 2025. Joe Repya will coordinate and requests volunteers willing to assist in the planning and execution of our hurricane plan.
We Need Donations for the Good Samaritan Fund
These are very difficult times for some of our parishioners. We need to replenish the Good Samaritan Fund to be able to help them. Can you donate? Please write a check and note “Good Samaritan Fund” in the memo box. If you would like to donate cash please put it in envelope marked “Good Samaritan Fund.”
When you bless a neighbor in need, you bless God.
Pledge and Income Report — March 2025
Contributions received in March were $42,443
The amount of money needed to cover expenses: $33,785.
For this month we are ahead by $8,658.
Year-to-date, we are ahead by $7,028.
If you have not already done so, please complete a 2025 pledge form. Your pledge will play a vital role in helping us meet our 2025 budget goals and will support ourpreparations for refinancing our mortgage in March 2026.
St. Peter Orthodox Church
7470 Hickory Drive
Fort Myers FL 33967
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ST. PETER’S GREETERS
Please note: Volunteers to serve as greeters are needed for December. Please contact Joe Repya if you can serve.
APRIL
- April 6 — Al Joseph – Loana Dumitru
- April 13 — Barb Zeena – Vicki Matie
- April 20 — Gabrial Voss – Ray Locklear
- April 27 — Tina Kuchera – Doug Kuchera
Can you volunteer? Please call Joe Repya 612-270-4443.
SOCIAL HALL ALL STARS
SUNDAY COFFEE HOURS – 2025
Please note: A fruit bowl, veggie or hummus tray may be added to a week’s menu.
- April 2025 – Sunday Coffee Hours – Team #1 – Barb Dionysopoulos Group
- Sunday, April 6 – Coffee and bagels
- Sunday, April 13 – Palm Sunday – Coffee and muffins
- Sunday, April 20 – Pascha – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, April 27 – Coffee and donuts
- May 2025 – Sunday Coffee Hours – Team #2 – Margie Zimmerman Group
- Sunday, May 4 – Coffee and bagels
- Sunday, May 11 – Coffee and muffins
- Sunday, May 18 – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, May 25 – Coffee and donuts
For Special Events/Koliva please contact BARBARA SASEN and give her a completed Special Events Form which is found in the lobby of the church.
The Social Hall All Stars are the men and women that make St. Peter’s Social Hall happen. Thank you All Stars!
APRIL
- Sun Apr 20 — Agape Vespers / Reading of Gospel in different languages 12:00pm LIVE STREAM
- Fri Apr 25 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Apr 26 — Great Vespers 5:30pm
- SUN Apr 27 — SUNDAY OF ST THOMAS – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Apr 30 — Early Morning Liturgy
- Fri May 2 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat May 3 — Great Vespers 5:30pm
MAY
- SUN May 4 — SUNDAY LITURGY – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed May 7 — Early Morning Liturgy
- Fri May 9 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat May 10 — Great Vespers 5:30pm
I believe that Thou wilt come to judge the living and the dead, and all will stand in order, old and young, lords and princes, priests and virgins. Where shall I find myself? Therefore, I cry: Lord, I really am worth nothing, only You can save me. Abbot Nikon Vorobiev
The Lord is always waiting for us to unite ourselves with Him in love; but instead, we drift further and further away from Him. We know that there can be no life without love. This means that there is no life without God, for God is Love. But His love is not according to the understanding of the world. The love that the world gives us consists of suffering and enslavement, because the spirits of evil interfere with it. Elder Thaddeus
Thus humility should be the first concern of those who are fighting the presumption of the devil, for as we advance it will be a sure guide to all the paths of virtue. St. Diadochus, bishop of Photike in Epirus
A man whose heart is clouded by a storm of thoughts and conquered by passions does not know shame before men, nor does he fear God. Venerable Ephraim the Syrian
We must pray with faith for every matter and we must have patience, and God will speak. Because when man prays with faith, God is in a sense obligated by virtue of our faith to fulfil our request. For this reason, when we ask for something from God, let us never be in doubt and we shall be heard. Saint Paisios of Mount Athos
Current Prayer List
Adam (Krotov)
Ariyon (Sovjani)
Diana (Veraj)
Arjan (Veraj)
Thoma (Sovjani)
Lucia
Ioannes
Freida (Hansen)
Stratton (Leopold)
Mary (Copeland)
Robert (Tewis)
Gene (Forderhase)
Ruth (Mudd)
Barbara (Duskas)
Doug S (Duskas)
Marc C. (Duskas)
Rachel (Voss)
Ken John (Eaton)
William (Semeretis)
David (Orfanos)
Maria (Orfanos)
William (Long)
George (Chionis 11-1)
Haley
Lydia
Mark (Chionis 11-1)
Katheryn (Chionis 11-1)
Jacob (Chionis 11-1)
Ken (Chionis 11-1)
Maxim (Koco)
George (Tsikistas 8/1)
George (Mourgis 8/1)
Barbara (Sason 8/1)
Anthony (Breitenbach 6/1)
Arielle (Ghanem 6/1)
Nicholas (Ghanem 6/1)
Christos
Father Demetris
Jamie
Pamela
David
Jessica
Christina (Hildreth)
Dionysios Chapekis)
Nancy (Forderhase)
Kayla (Palantine)
George (3/23 Chapekis)
Penelope (3/23 Chapekis)
Theodora (3/23)
Victor (3/23)
Les (3/23
Lynn (Hurely 1/23)
Irene and newborn baby (Tsikitas 1/23)
Linda (Pappas 1/23)
Ekaterina (Chapekis 1/23)
Lee (Hurley 1/23)
Emmanuel (Kalousdis 1/23)
Katherine (Dusckas 1/23)
Vassiliki (Diveris 1/23)
Zena Touma (Contorelli 1/23
Lamia Touma (Contorelli 1/23
Matthew (Contorelli 1/23
Emmanuel (Kaloudis 1/23)
Nicholas
Marlene (Tewis 12/22)
Tina (Johnson 12/22)
Nicholas (De Lorenzo 12/22)
Archpriest Dionysius (Valentine 9/12)
John Presbyter (Jacobse)
Elain Presbytera (Jacobse)
Constantine(Jacobse)
Chrysoula(Jacobse)
Angel (Ghanem 10/22)
Edgar (Chapekis 9/22)
Evthriki (Jacobse 9/22)
Christos (Johnson 8/22)
Jon Paul (Andrew 8/22)
William (Brubaker 8/22)
Peter (Tewis 8/22)
The People of Ukraine and People of Russia and all those who are suffering in the war
Permanent Prayer List
Kh. Denise (Breitenbach)
Fr. Patrick (Breitenbach)
Bonnie Joseph
Michael (Sovjani)
Maria (Sovjani)
Maria (Sovjani)
Maria (Sovjani)
Katerina (Sovjani)
Frederick (Sovjani)
Arsen (Sovjani)
Irene (Diveris)
Katheryn (Tolkkinen)
Markisia (Long)
Angela (Long)
Marina (Long)
Eleni (Long)
Raphaella (Long)
Joanne (Haley)
Corwin (Dusckas)
Corgette (Troutman)
Irina (Irina)
Lidia (Irina)
Sarina (Ghanem)
Debbie (Breitenbach)
Kathy (Breitenbach)
Hope (Isadore)
s
John (Long)
Pantelis (Tsikita)
Marisa (Tsikita)
Barbara (Dionysopoulos)
Patricia (Evanoff)
Gabriel (Mankus)
Baby Dani (Repya)
Despina (Diversis)
Fredericos (Diveris)
Herman (Kerr)
Innocent (Kerr)
Nicholas (Kerr)
Paola (Jacobse)
Gregory (Yankopolos)
Pauline (Poulos)
Sergio (Kazakos)
Fran (Hansen)
Nina (Krotov)
Franklin (Pyrrson)
Demetrios (Kuchera)
Theodosios (Palis)
Theodora (Webb)
Robert (Smith)
Presbytera Rosy (in Pakistan)
James (Hord)
Vassiliki (Kontinos)
Vassiliki (Morekeas)
Vassilike (Hord)
Founders, Members, Benefactors and Friends Departed this Life
John (Hansen)
Anatoly (Kurdsjuk)
Thareni (Brooks)
Milan Evanoff
Jean (Sam)
Eleni (Pearson)
Richard (Pearson)
Fr. Stephanos (Shagoury)
Panagiota (Bea Chionis)
Anthony (Mourgis)
Anthony (Mankus)
Constantine (Houpis)
Constantine (Joseph)
Mary (Jarvis)
Panagiota Margarita (Palis)
Maria (Ninos)
Soterios (Ninos)
George (Ninos)
John (Katsigianopoulos)
George (Chionis)
Mary (Spiropoulos)
Gregory (Pappas)
Angela (Coran K
Eugene (Rust)
Robert (Jarvis)
George (Corey)
Patricia (Cotsones)
Seraphim (Zolio)
Apostolos
Raymond
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
Great is the Lord, and great is His power. Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good.
The Reading from the Acts of the Saintly and Pure Apostles. (5:12-20)
In those days, many signs and wonders were done among the people by the hands of the Apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high honor. And more than ever believers were added to the Lord,multitudes both of men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and pallets, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them.The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed. But the high priest rose up and all who were with him, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and filled with jealousy they arrested the Apostles and put them in the common prison. But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out and said, “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.”
GOSPEL
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. John. (20:19-31)
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the Disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the Disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other Disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails,and place my hand in His side, I will not believe.” Eight days later, His Disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, “Peace be with you.” Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing.” Thomas answered Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the Disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His Name.