Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

Eleventh Sunday of Matthew
Prophet Zachariah, father of the Forerunner

Obadiah, bishop of Persia; martyrdom of the Holy Passion-bearer Gleb

 

Prophet Zachariah, father of the Forerunner

 

Zechariah was slaughtered just like a lamb,
Within the Temple for the Lamb of God.
On the fifth Zechariah was slaughtered on the ground of the Temple.

Zechariah the levite and his wife Elizabeth were of the lineage of Aaron, and according to Luke the Evangelist: “Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old” (Lk. 1:8).

When Zechariah was serving as high priest on the day of Atonement, he went to the Temple in Jerusalem to burn incense before the Holy of Holies. It was at that time that the Archangel Gabriel appeared before him standing at the right side of the altar of incense, and shining with a brilliant light the Angel told him that his prayers and that of his wife Elizabeth had been heard, and in their old age they were to give birth to a son, who was to be called John. “He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb,” the Angel announced, “and will go before the Lord to prepare the people for Him” (Lk. 1:15,17). However, Zechariah doubted the words of the Angel, and for this he was struck silent until the birth of the Forerunner, in order to teach him to not doubt the divine promises that surpass the order of nature.

On the day of the child’s birth, Zechariah regained his speech after writing the name “John” on a tablet, to indicate the child’s name. He then intoned a prophetic canticle:

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us — to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.

Read the entire history on the Mystagogy website.

 

Services This Week

• Aug 16 – Sep 1 — Fr. Hans on Vacation – No weekday services this week

Services Next Week

• Sun Sep 05 — SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
• Mon Sep 06 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 9:30am LIVE STREAM
• Wed Sep 08 — Divine Liturgy Nativity of the Theotokos LIVE STREAM
• Thu Sep 09 — St. Peter Community Fellowship Luncheon
• Fri Sep 10 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 9:30am LIVE STREAM

Fr. Hans returns late on September 1, 2021.

 

Diocese of Miami (DOMSE) Fall Retreat

Interested in attending? See Fr. Hans.

 

 

Monthly Fellowship Luncheons Are Back!

Monthly Fellowship Luncheons with be held on the SECOND THURSDAY of every month at 12:00pm noon starting on Thursday, September 9, 2021.

MENU

• Pastichio
• salad
• bread and butter
• coffee and dessert

• You must sign up by Sunday, September 5th so that we know how many people to prepare for. The Luncheons are sponsored by Barbara and Costa Dionysopoulos. A small donation of $10 per person is requested to cover the cost of the meal. All additional proceeds will be donated to the building fund. Bon Appetito…Kalee Oraxie!
• The sign-up sheet will be in the Social Hall.
• Bon Appetito…Kalee Oraxie!

But Wait! There’s More! Announcing St. Peter’s “Kafenio” (Coffee Cafe)!

Join us for some Greek coffee and dessert beginning on Thursday, September 23, 2021 from 3:00pm-5:00pm. The Kafenio is open on the fourth Thursday of every month.

Barbara and Costa Dionysopoulos invite you to attend our first ever “Kafenio” for some Greek coffee, “Parea” (company) and sweets.

Once again, we ask that you to SIGN UP on or before Sunday, September 19th so that we knowhow many people to prepare for. A small donation is requested to cover the cost of coffee and desserts. All additional proceeds will be donated to the building fund.

If you would like to help make Greek Coffee or donate a dessert to the Kafenio as well, please call Barbara Dionysopoulos ahead of time at 239-826-1655 so that she can coordinate it with what will hopefully be a monthly event.

Cafe of Life Ministry Update

God has given us the greatest sacrifice — his only Son. In doing so, he left us with a true example of what it means to give. He asks us to sacrifice as an act of worship before Him. And, when we obey He will bless us. So please be especially generous and mail or give your tax deductible donations to Father Hans.

Thank you, God bless and IC XC NI KA!

Pledge & Income Report – July 2021

Donations received in July: $17,468.
Amount of money needed to cover expenses: $22,760.21.
We are behind by $5,292.

These numbers reflect the operating costs of the the Hickory Drive property.

Please note:Summer months are always lean and in July we fell behind by $5,292. Please remember to send in your pledge so we can make up the deficit and keep St. Peter’s on a secure financial footing.

St. Peter Orthodox Church
7470 Hickory Drive
Fort Myers, FL 33967

You can also donate online:

The Social Hall All Stars are the men and women that make social hall happen. Thank you All Stars!

September 1 to September 30

1. TBA

Procedures for Hospitality

1. On most Sundays we will serve lighter refreshments like coffee, sweets, hummus, olives, feta, pita and similar items. Please continue bringing these items. Even though we have a range (unlike our former facility), we appreciate items that are “ready to be served.”
2. Please do not donate coffee. We have a space age coffee brewer that we aquired at no cost if we buy our coffee from one supplier. If you bring in coffee, we can’t use it.
3. We cannot continue preparing meals for Memorials, Name Days, Anniversaries, and other celebrations. We don’t have the appliances or manpower to do it well. We do, however, have the name of two catering companies that can prepare and deliver the food if you would like to sponsor a celebration. Please call Tom Haley at 239-887-0753 for details and to make arrangements.
4. If you would like to bring in your own prepared food, please contact Tom Haley at 239-887-0753 by the Friday before the upcoming Sunday. That way we know not to prepare any food for Sunday.

The Safest Way to Come to Church

US 41 is a busy highway and the intersection at Hickory Drive does not have a stop light. We recommend turning on Sanibel Boulevard and following Coconut Road instead.

Calendar At A Glance

Calendar also available on the St. Peter website.

SEPTEMBER

• Sun Sep 05 — SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
• Mon Sep 06 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 9:30am LIVE STREAM
• Wed Sep 08 — Divine Liturgy Nativity of the Theotokos LIVE STREAM
• Thu Sep 09 — St. Peter Community Fellowship Luncheon
• Fri Sep 10 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 9:30am LIVE STREAM

• Sun Sep 12 — SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
• Tue Sep 14 — Divine Liturgy Elevation of the Holy Cross LIVE STREAM
• Fri Sep 17 – Sun Sep 19 — DOMSE Fall Retreat at Franklin, TN

• Sun Sep 19 — SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
• Tue Sep 21 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 9:30am LIVE STREAM
• Thu Sep 23 — Divine Liturgy Conception of St. John the Baptist 9:30am LIVE STREAM
• Thu Sep 23 — St. Peter Kafenio (Coffee Cafe)
• Fri Sept 24 – Sat Sept 25 — Fr. Hans out of town

• Sun Sep 26 — SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
• Wed Sep 29 — Divine Liturgy St. Kyriakos the Anchorite 9:30am LIVE STREAM
• Fri Oct 01 — Divine Liturgy Apostle Ananias Bishop of Damascus 9:30am LIVE STREAM

Wisdom From The Elders

Even in conversations, we must be careful, because sometimes they begin as spiritual conversations and end up as gossip. And it is not only that we are wasting our time; we are also wasting our souls when condemning someone else, for we have no right to judge other people or other situations. Saint Paisios of Mount Athos

If we are concerned with our salvation, there are many things the intellect can do in order to secure for us the blessed gift of humility. For example, it can recollect the sins we have committed in word, action and thought; and there are many other things which, reviewed in contemplation, contribute to our humility. True humility is also brought about by meditating daily on the achievements of our brethren, by extolling their natural superiorities and by comparing our gifts with theirs. When the intellect sees in this way how worthless we are and how far we fall short of the perfection of our brethren, we will regard ourselves as dust and ashes, and not as men but as some kind of cur, more defective in every respect and lower than all men on earth. St. Hesychius the Theologian of Jerusalem, disciple of St. Gregory the Theologian

Whoever loves truth and strives to do the will of God, the same will believe in Christ, while whoever loves evil and does the work of darkness, the same will hate Christ and will slander Him in any way possible, if only to justify his own hatred. This happened in actual fact with the many scribes and Pharisees who hated Him, and it continued to happen in the face of all atheists and despisers of Christ. Archbishop Averky (Taushev)

Christ being led into the heart by faith, dwells in it with I peace and joy. It is not without reason that it is said of God, “ He is Holy, and rests in the saints.” Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt

And let there be no thought or excuse that our spiritual infirmity is too great, that we are condemned to live only among weak reflections of prayer and communion with the Lord. Remember the story of the Lord’s friend Lazarus, who was not only ill but in fact wholly dead, and that for four days. Is your spiritual state more dire than his? Bishop Irenei Steenberg

“When someone begins to say, ‘What does it matter if I say that word, eat that little morsel, feast my eyes on that?’ he falls into bad habits and runs the risk of gradually falling into insensibility. For both virtues and vices start from slight things and lead to greater ones, either good or bad.” Archbishop Averky (Taushev)

Remember in Your Prayers

List has been updated. If you want some names restored, please mention it to Fr. Hans.

• 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.

Updated June 13 / Resets August

Current Prayer List

Eleni (Tsikitas 11/21)
Maggie (Jacobse 10/21)
Walt (Dusckas 10/21)
A. L (Duskas 10/21)
M. R. (Duskas 10/21)
Jeff (Duskas 10/21)
Georgia D. (Repya 10/21)
Colleen R. (Repya 10/21)
Debbie (Breitenbach 9/21)
Anne (Breitenbach 9/21)
Patricia (Tsikita 9/21)
Robert (Tewis 9/21)
Lydia (Irena 9/21)
Lee (Irena 9/21)
Demetrios (Karras 8/21)

Permanent Prayer List

Patricia (Evanoff)
Gabriel (Mankus)
Baby Dani (Repya)
Maria and her unborn child Iakovos (Diveris)
Sophia (D. Constantine)
Herman (Kerr)
Innocent (Kerr)
Nicholas (Kerr)
Paola (Jacobse)
Gregory (Yankopolos)
Soterios (Ninos)
Pauline (Poulos)

Sergio (Kazakos)
Rae (Semeretis)
Fran (Hansen)
Nina (Krotov)
Franklin (Pyrrson)
George (Chionis)
Stamatia (Evelyn)
Demetrios (Kuchera)
Theodosios (Palis)
Theodora (Webb)
Helen (Rogers)
Robert (Smith)
Robert (Jarvis)
Presbytera Rosy (in Pakistan)
James (Hord)
Ann (Rellis)
Vassiliki (Kontinos)
Vassiliki (Morekeas)

Founders, Members, and Benefactors 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)
John (Katsigianopoulos)
George (Chionis)
Gregory (Pappas)
Angela (Coran K)

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 Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

The Lord is my strength and my song.
With chastisement hath the Lord chastened me.

The Reading from the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. (9:2-12)

Brethren, the seal of my apostleship are you in the Lord. My defense to those who would examine me is this: Do we have no authority regarding what to eat and what to drink? Do we have no authority to lead about a wife, who is a sister, as the rest of the apostles, even as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no authority to refrain from working? Which soldier ever served at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit thereof? Or who shepherds a flock and does not eat from the milk of the flock? Do I speak of these things according to human nature? Or does not the Law say the same also? For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Thou shalt not muzzle an ox which treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God cares, or does He say it altogether for our sakes? Indeed, for our sakes it was written: because he who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope, so that the same might partake in hope. If we have sown in you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we should reap your carnal things? If others are partakers of this authority over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this authority, but we endure all things, in order that we may cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.

GOSPEL

For the Eleventh Sunday of Matthew

The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (18:23-35)

The Lord spoke this parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.

So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt.

When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also My heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”