Twenty-Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
Tenth Sunday of Luke
Ambrose, Bishop of Milan; Martyr Athenodoros of Mesopotamia; Venerable Gregory, founder of Gregoriou monastery on Athos
St Ambrose, Bishop of Milan
Saint Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, was born in the year 340 into the family of the Roman prefect of Gaul (now France). Even in the saint’s childhood there appeared presentiments of his great future. Once, bees covered the face of the sleeping infant. They flew in and out of his mouth, leaving honey on his tongue. Soon they flew away so high that they could no longer be seen. Ambrose’s father said that the child would become something great when he reached manhood.
After the death of the father of the family, Ambrose journeyed to Rome, where the future saint and his brother Satyrius received an excellent education. About the year 370, upon completion of his course of study, Ambrose was appointed to the position of governor (consular prefect) of the districts of Liguria and Aemilia, though he continued to live at Mediolanum (now Milan).
In the year 374 Auxentius, the Arian Bishop of Mediolanum, died. This led to complications between the Orthodox and the Arians, since each side wanted to have its own bishop. Ambrose, as the chief city official, went to the church to resolve the dispute.
While he was speaking to the crowd, suddenly a child cried out, “Ambrose for bishop!” The people took up this chant. Ambrose, who at this time was still a catechumen, considered himself unworthy, and tried to refuse. He disparaged himself, and even tried to flee from Mediolanum. The matter went ultimately before the emperor Valentinian the Elder (364-375), whose orders Ambrose dared not disobey. He accepted holy Baptism from an Orthodox priest and, passing through all the ranks of the Church clergy in just seven days, on December 7, 374 he was consecrated Bishop of Mediolanum. He dispersed all his possessions, money and property for the adornment of churches, the upkeep of orphans and the poor, and he devoted himself to a strict ascetic life.
[…]
Source: Orthodox Church of America website
Services and Events This Week
- SUN Nov 30 — SUNDAY LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Dec 02 — DIVINE LITURGY ST PORPHYRIOS 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Dec 03 — EARLY MORNING LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Thu Dec 04 — DIVINE LITURGY ST BARBARA 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Dec 05 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Dec 06 — DIVINE LITURGY ST NICHOLAS 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Sat Dec 06 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
2026 Church Calendars
The 2026 Church Calendars are now available. Please only take one per family.
Any questions, please see Georgia in the office.
Updating Our Church Directory
We are updating our church directory for 2026. If you would like to be included in the directory, please see Alexis Johnson. The directory will include your photo, email and phone number only. We will ask for your address to update the church records for mailings only.
Photos can be taken on one of the following Sundays: November 30, December 7 and 21.
You can opt to update the current directory photo or have an updated photo added.
Christmas Fast Instructions
On November 15, we began, 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.
Just starting out? While fasting is not optional for Orthodox Christians, consider easing into to. Start the fast by observing the Wednesday and Friday fast with no meat. Next year try extending that into more days. Start with no meat, and then extend into no meat and dairy and so forth. We fast to the measure of our ability and it may take some training, like a runner working out to run a race.If you have questions, talk to Fr. Hans
Remember to Keep Up With Your Pledge
The bills are the same in the summer as they are in the winter so please do not fall behind on you pledge.
Support always dips in support but our obligations remain the same. Your consistent support is necessary keep our parish on firm and responsible financial footing.
When You Give to the Good Samaritan Mercy Fund, You Fulfill the Law of Christ
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ (Galations 6:2)
St. Paul teaches us that God’s law, to love God and neighbor, is fulfilled when we bear one another’s burdens. The Good Samaritan Mercy fund helps us do that by helping parishioners who because of catastrophic circumstances face problems that we can help them with. This year is proving greater than past years so any donation you can make to our fund enables us to carry those burdens of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
All support is local, within our parish. Donations are approved by Fr. Hans and Ron Franklin our Parish Council President. Donations remain confidential.
St. John Chrysostom says those who can give receive their abundance from God in order to give. When we give from our abundance a double blessing occurs — one to the recipient in need, and another to him who gives.
Visit the DOMSE Website (scroll to the bottom, fill in the form on the left side) to sign up for “The Light” Newsletter and DOMSE emails.
St. Peter Greeters
Please note: Volunteers to serve as greeters are needed for December. Please contact Joe Repya if you can serve.
TBA
Can you volunteer? Please call Joe Repya 612-270-4443.
SOCIAL HALL ALL STARS
SUNDAY COFFEE HOURS – FALL MONTHS 2025
Please note: A fruit bowl, veggie or hummus tray may be added to a week’s menu.
- December 2025 – Sunday Coffee Hours – Team #3
- Sunday, December 7 – Coffee and bagels
- Sunday, December 14 – Coffee and donuts
- Sunday, December 21 – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, December 28 – Pot Luck
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!
NOVEMBER – DECEMBER
- SUN Nov 30 — SUNDAY LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Dec 02 — DIVINE LITURGY ST PORPHYRIOS 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Dec 03 — EARLY MORNING LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Thu Dec 04 — DIVINE LITURGY ST BARBARA 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Dec 05 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Dec 06 — DIVINE LITURGY ST NICHOLAS 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Sat Dec 06 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Dec 07 — SUNDAY LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Dec 10 — EARLY MORNING LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Dec 12 — DIVINE LITURGY ST SPYRIDON 9:00pm
- Fri Dec 12 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Dec 13 — Parish Council Meeting 10:00am
- Sat Dec 13 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Dec 14 — SUNDAY LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Dec 17 — EARLY MORNING LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Dec 19 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Dec 20 — CANCELLED Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Dec 21 — SUNDAY LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Dec 24 — ROYAL HOURS 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Dec 24 — VESPERAL LITURGY OF ST BASIL THE GREAT 5:00PM
- Thu Dec 25 — DIVINE LITURGY OF NATIVITY Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Dec 26 — DIVINE LITURGY ST STEPHEN THE PROTO-MARTYR 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Sat Dec 27 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Dec 28 — SUNDAY LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Dec 29 — DIVINE LITURGY THE HOLY INNOCENTS 9:00am
- Wed Dec 31 — EARLY MORNING LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Jan 01 — DIVINE LITURGY ST BASIL THE GREAT / CIRCUMCISION OF XC
- Fri Dec 01 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Dec 20 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
Wisdom From The Elders
Our time is primarily one of distracted lives, and understandably so. For, as we have said, the self-assertive human pride that prevails today sets as its aim not the cleansing of the heart, but the accumulation of a maximum of benefit and profit for the self, all of whose desires are considered legitimate and deserving to be immediately satisfied. Archbishop Averky (Taushev)
We need repentance. You see, repentance is not only going to a priest and confessing. We must free ourselves from the obsession of thoughts. We fall many times during our life, and it is absolutely necessary to reveal everything [in Confession] before a priest who is a witness to our repentance. Elder Thaddeus(Strabulovich) of Vitovnica
The Holy Orthodox Church has determined the rules of preparation for Holy Communion. The main thing is to prepare the heart for uniting with the Lord. Fasting is necessary for calming the body, and once the body is at peace, the soul is at peace, too. Elder Thaddeus(Strabulovich) of Vitovnica
St. Nil Sorsky, basing himself in the teaching of all the holy fathers, forbids people to strive prematurely for the union of the mind with the heart, for the leading down of the mind into the heart, for exterior and interior silence, for the feeling of devotion or sweetness, and other high states of prayer; these are revealed when God accepts the prayer of penitence and the enemies retreat from the soul. St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov), Bishop of the Caucasus and the Black Sea
The most merciful Lord blames sin, but He does not blame the sinful woman. It is like saying, “I do not censure the God-like” and “according to the image of God” soul of yours. You are not the same as sin because you possess within yourself God-like powers which can liberate you from this sin. “Go, and sin no more.” (John 8: 11) Venerable Justin (Popovic) of Chelije in Serbia
In a large family it is enough for one person to be dissatisfied. The person need not show it—it is sufficient if he begins to breed thoughts of self-pity, of how he is mistreated by his neighbors—and the peace in that family is disturbed. A person can disturb the peace of the whole family with his thoughts. Then everyone is unhappy and no one knows the reason why. Elder Thaddeus(Strabulovich) of Vitovnica
Current Prayer List
Donna Eardley (Pateras)
Jack Eardley (Pateras)
Efstrathios Papadopoulos (Pateras)
Vera Pateras Stathes (Pateras)
Maureen (Breitenbach)
Doug (Kucera)
Katrina (Marianthi)
Katherina (Sovjani)
Arsen (Sovjani)
Arion (Sovjani)
David (Sovjani)
Joe (Repya)
Bp. Nicholas
Mary Teresa (Dusckas)
Adam (Krotov)
Ariyon (Sovjani)
Diana (Veraj)
Arjan (Veraj)
Thoma (Sovjani)
Lucia
Ioannes
Stratton (Leopold)
Mary (Copeland)
Robert (Tewis)
Gene (Forderhase)
Ruth (Mudd)
Barbara (Duskas)
Maria (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)
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 (Hurley 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)
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)
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)
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 (Zeena)
Vassilike (Hord)
Helen (Mitchell)
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 Twenty-Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.
The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians. (5:8-19)
Brethren, walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is a shame even to speak of the things that they do in secret; but when anything is exposed by the light it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.” Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart.
GOSPEL
For the Tenth Sunday of Luke
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. (13:10-17)
At that time, Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And there was a woman who had had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years; she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. And when Jesus saw her, He called her and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your infirmity.” And He laid His hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and she praised God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrite! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger, and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” As Jesus said this, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by Him.
