Sunday before Nativity of Christ (Sunday of the Genealogy)
Great Martyr Anastasia the deliverer from potions and her teacher the Martyr Chrysogonosr
The Geneology of Christ according to St. Luke
The Geneology of Christ
The genealogies in the gospels of Saints Matthew and Luke are made to and from Joseph. This is not to give the impression that Jesus came from Joseph’s seed. Both gospels are absolutely clear on this point. Jesus is born from the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. The point is rather that Joseph is Jesus’ father according to the law, and it is from the father that one’s lawful descent is to be traced. Jesus’ legal father is “Joseph, son of David,” the legal husband of Mary (Mt 1:20).
One other important point is made in listing the human generations which led to the birth of Jesus. This is the fact that God is faithful to His promises even though His chosen people are often not faithful. Among the people from whom Jesus came are both sinners and heathens. In a word, Jesus comes not only from the righteous and holy, but from the wicked and sinful. And He comes not only from Jews, but from Gentiles. The names of the four women specifically mentioned in St. Matthew’s list— Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and the wife of Uriah (Bathsheba)— were noted, not to say notorious, Gentiles, including one of David’s own wives, the mother of Solomon. The point to be seen here is one beautifully made in an early Christian hymn quoted in the Bible in the second letter to Timothy:
If we have died with Him, we shall also live with Him;
If we endure, we shall also reign with Him;
If we deny Him, He also will deny us;
If we are faithless, He remains faithful— for He cannot deny Himself. (2 Tim 2:11-13)
This is the wonderful witness of the genealogies of Jesus: If we are faithless, the Lord God remains faithful— for he cannot deny Himself!
Source: Antiochian Archdiocese Website.
Services and Events This Week
The Nativity Fast Begins November 15 through December 24
- SUN Dec 15 — SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am / Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Dec 16 — EARLY DIVINE LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Dec 20 — ST IGNATIOUS OF ANTIOCH DIVINE LITURGY 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Dec 20 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Dec 21 — GREAT VESPERS 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
Christmas Services
- Tue Dec 24 — Royal Hours 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Dec 24 — NATIVITY DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 6:000pm Divine Liturgy of St. Basil 7:000pm LIVE STREAM
The Nativity Fast
On November 15, we begin, with God’s help, the forty-day “Nativity Fast” in preparation for the “Feast of the Nativity of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ” on December 25.
The Nativity Fast is divided into two periods. The first period is November 15 through December 19 when the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, wine and oil) is observed with katalysis (relaxation) for wine and oil on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and for fish, wine and oil on Saturdays and Sundays.
The second period is December 20 through 24 when the traditional fasting discipline (“strict fast”: no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, wine and oil) is observed with katalysis (relaxation) for wine and oil only on Saturday and Sunday.
While fasting periods are not “optional” for Orthodox Christians, one may consider “easing into it” if it is your first time. Consider starting with just Wednesday’s and Friday’s this first year. We fast (strict fast) those two days year-round anyway. Two birds with one stone!
No Catechumen Classes Until January
Reminder: These classes are required for all catechumens. If you cannot make please make sure to let Subdeacon Joseph know.
We will post the schedule for the completion of the classes shortly.
The class is taught by Subdeacon Joseph and we will use the book “Small Steps into the Kingdom”). The books are available for purchase in the bookstore.
The Tax Advantages of End of Year Contributions to St. Peter’s
Now is a great time to consider the 2024 and 2025 tax advantages of charitable contributions. A popular strategy for those who are age 70 1/2 or older and who have an IRA is a qualified charitable distribution ( QCD). The IRS allows those individuals to make a QCD donation directly from their IRA to a charity, such as St. Peter’s Church, with NO income tax due on that distribution. In 2024 there is an annual QCD limit of $105,000 ($210,000 if the spouse also qualifies). For those who also are age 73 or older, a QCD counts towards the individual’s required minimum distribution (RMD).
Keep in mind that since your QCD is a nontaxable event, there is no corresponding income tax deduction for it.
If you think you may qualify for a QCD, talk to your IRA carrier to begin the direct transfer paperwork. Remember that this opportunity will continue to be available in 2025 when the annual limit increases to $108,000 ($216,000 if the spouse also qualifies). A little planning today can make a big difference tomorrow for your tax situation. And by using a QCD, you will have the satisfaction of benefiting your church with a much appreciated special donation.
Antiochian Church Offers an Online Byzantine Music Course
With the enthusiastic blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Saba, the Department of Sacred Music announces the Antiochian Orthodox Ecclesiastical Online Music School. The School will offer both Byzantine and Choral music education for new and experienced Orthodox church musicians.
Enrollment for the Spring, 2025 semester opens Dec. 9, 2024 and closes on Jan. 10, 2025. The spring semester runs from Jan. 13 through May 16, with breaks for Clean Week, Holy Week and Bright Week. Classes will meet once weekly. The introductory tuition rate is $300.00 per class.
Our Mission: The Antiochian Orthodox Ecclesiastical Online Music School is committed to providing excellence in learning experiences, resources and support for Music Ministry programs and leaders, while preserving the musical traditions of the Archdiocese.
Find more information on the Antiochian Orthodox of North America website.
Pledge and Income Report — November 2024
Contributions received in October were $34,065
Amount of money needed to cover expenses: $31,105.
For the month we are ahead by $2,960.
Year to date we are behind by $21.506.
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Every year we need an extra push to keep our income current. Please keep up with your pledge so we can keep current with our bills.
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.
DECEMBER
- Sunday, December 8 – Doug and Tina Kucera
- Sunday, December 15 – Joe Repya – Bonnie Joseph
- Sunday, December 22 – Joe Repya – Bonnie Joseph
- Sunday, December 29 – Paula Kamberos – Candice Rosen
Can you volunteer? Please call Joe Repya 612-270-4443.
SOCIAL HALL ALL STARS
SUNDAY COFFEE HOURS – Winter Months 2024 – 2025
Please note: A fruit bowl, veggie or hummus tray may be added to a week’s menu.
- December 2024 – Sunday Coffee Hours – Team #3
- Sunday, December 1 – Coffee and bagels
- Sunday, December 8 – Coffee and muffins
- Sunday, December 15 – Coffee and donuts
- Sunday, December 22 – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, December 29 – Coffee and bagels
- January 2025 – Sunday Coffee Hours – Team #1 – Barb Dionysopoulos Group
- Sunday, January 5 – Coffee and muffins
- Sunday, January 12 – Coffee and donuts
- Sunday, January 19 – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, January 26 – Coffee and bagels
- February 2025 – Sunday Coffee Hours – Team #2 – Margie Zimmerman Group
- Sunday, February 2 – Coffee and muffins
- Sunday, February 9 – Coffee and donuts
- Sunday, February 16 – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, February 23 – Coffee and bagels
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!
DECEMBER
- SUN Dec 15 — SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am / Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Dec 16 — EARLY DIVINE LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Dec 20 — ST IGNATIOUS OF ANTIOCH DIVINE LITURGY 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Dec 20 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Dec 21 — GREAT VESPERS 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Dec 22 — SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am / Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Dec 24 — Royal Hours 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Dec 24 — NATIVITY DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 6:000pm Divine Liturgy of St. Basil 7:000pm LIVE STREAM
- Fri Dec 27 — ST STEPHEN THE PROTO-MARYTYR DIVINE LITURGY 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Dec 27 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Dec 28 — 20,000 MARTYRS BURNED IN NICOMEDIA DIVINE LITURGY 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Sat Dec 28 — GREAT VESPERS 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
Wisdom From The Elders
Bodily illness is not an obstacle to purity of heart, provided we give the body what its illness requires, not what gratifies our desire for pleasure. Food is to be taken in so far as it supports our life, but not to the extent of enslaving us to the impulses of desire. To eat moderately and reasonably is to keep the body in health, not to deprive it of holiness. St. John Cassian
hen we feel attacks of self-loving self-pity, we must not pay attention to them nor crawl down from our cross. Let us rather resort to prayer and endure with humility—striving to conquer our will and to stand firmly in the determination to desire God’s will to be done in us. Fr. Jack Sparks
So, blessed is the man who lives in repentance and sees himself “lower than every creature”, because “then he will stand at His right hand in glorious apparel”. Only those adorned with the grace of God will stand at the right hand of the throne of God. Hierotheos Vlakos
One who is capable of forgiving personal offenses will live calmly and peacefully, not feeling bitter against anyone and not sowing any evil, discord, or unrest. And if everyone were to live in this way, that is, willingly and easily forgiving personal offenses, then there would not be any enmity or evil in the world, nor would sin multiply. Archbishop Averky (Taushev)
We must pray that we may be constantly and firmly assured in our hearts that everything we have—both of soul and body, in prosperity and adversity, and all our possessions as well as all the circumstances of our life—come from God, from His Power, and not from nature, or chance, or from ourselves. Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt
An untried man is unpracticed. St. Barsanuphius
Current Prayer List
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)
Diane (Najar)
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
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
40 Days
Lori (Pateras Jan3)
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 Sunday before the Nativity
Blessed are Thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers.
For Thou art just in all that Thou hast done to us.
The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews. (11:9-10, 32-40)
Brethren, by faith Abraham sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, and put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
GOSPEL
For the Sunday before the Nativity: “The Genealogy”
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (1:1-25)
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, and Aram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.
And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa, and Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, Who is called Christ.
So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ were fourteen generations. Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.
But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call His Name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and His Name shall be called Emmanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called His Name Jesus.
