St. Peter News February 11, 2025

Sunday of the Prodigal Son

Martyr Pamphilos, priest of Caesarea in Palestine and his companions;
Venerable Flavian the hermit

The Prodigal Son

The Sunday of the Prodigal Son is the second Sunday of pre-Lent, the weeks of preparation preceding Great Lent. It is the Sunday after the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee and Sunday before Meatfare Sunday. This pre-Lent is the start of the Easter cycle of worship in the Orthodox Church.

On this Sunday in the preparation for Great Lent, Orthodox Christians are read Christ’s parable about God’s loving

forgiveness (Luke 15:11-24). They are to see themselves as being in a foreign country far from the Father’s house and to make the movement of return to God, where we truly belong. The parable gives assurance that the Father will receive them with joy and gladness in their journey through Great Lent, their journey home.

Sermon on the Prodigal Son by Bp. Timothy Ware

When we take one step towards God, He takes 10 steps toward us.

Services and Events This Week

SUN Feb 09 — SUNDAY PUBLICAN AND PHARISEE DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am / Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
SUN Feb 09 — LENTEN TRIODION BEGINS
Wed Feb 12 — Early Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
Fri Feb 14 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
Sat Feb 15 — GREAT VESPERS 4:00pm LIVE STREAM
Sat Feb 15 — Valentine Gala 5:00pm

Please Note: Saturday Vespers begins at 4:00pm.

St Peter’s Annual Valentine’s Day Dinner Dance, February 15, 2025!

Join Us on SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15 from 5pm-9pm for the Saint Peter Annual Valentine Day Dinner Dance in our church Fellowship Hall

Enjoy a delicious Dinner and fun Dancing with your fellow parishioners. BYOB if you like.

Ladies, if you would like to offer a SWEET TREAT, please see Tina Kucera, Rose Ghanem, Cheryl Morse, Elaine Seremetis, Sophia Brubaker and Photini Peterson for details.

Our parish is blessed with such CULTURALLY DIVERSITY. So we invite you to share music from your culture for all to enjoy. Simply contact Tina in advance.

No Tickets Will Be Sold; Your Donation from the Heart is Appreciated!

RSVP No Later than February 9, please. Questions? Call Tina at 239.980.1520

Women’s Book Club Meets Friday 11am in the Social Hall

We will begin, “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!

From Fr. John Parker, Dean of St. Tikhon’s Seminary to Visit St. Peter’s Sunday February 16, 2025

Father John Parker will visit St. Peter’s on Sunday February 16. He will preach the sermon that Sunday and offer a brief talk in the Social Hall after the Liturgy. Please give him a warm welcome!

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 — January 2025

Contributions received in January $43,498.
Amount of money needed to cover expenses: $33,785.
For the month we are ahead by $9,713.

If you have not already done so, please complete a 2025 pledge form. Your pledge willplay 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

Sign up the the Monthly DOMSE Newsletter on the DOMSE (Diocese of Miami and the Southeast) Website!

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’S GREETERS

Please note: Volunteers to serve as greeters are needed for December. Please contact Joe Repya if you can serve.

FEBRUARY

February 2 — Barb and Kosta Dionysopoulos
February 9 — Joe Repya, Deb Repya
February 16 — Candice Rosen, Tim Morse
February 23 — Jordan Voss, Barb Zena, Vickie Matie

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.

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!

FEBRUARY

SUN Feb 09 — SUNDAY PUBLICAN AND PHARISEE DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am / Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
SUN Feb 09 — LENTEN TRIODION BEGINS
Wed Feb 12 — Early Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
Fri Feb 14 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
Sat Feb 15 — GREAT VESPERS 4:30pm LIVE STREAM
Sat Feb 15 — Valentine Gala 5:00pm

SUN Feb 16 — SUNDAY PRODIGAL SON DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am / Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
Wed Feb 19 — Early Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
Fri Feb 21 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
Sat Feb 22 — GREAT VESPERS 5:30pm LIVE STREAM

SUN Feb 23 — SUNDAY LAST JUDGEMENT DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am / Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
Wed Feb 26 — Early Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
Fri Feb 28 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
Sat Mar 01 — GREAT VESPERS 5:30pm LIVE STREAM

Wisdom From The Elders

Faith comes not through pondering but through action. Not words and speculation but experience teaches us what God is. To let in fresh air we have to open a window; to get tanned we must go out into the sunshine. Tito Colliander

Prayer is the communion of man in God. The mystery of the Resurrection is fully disclosed in the heart of him who has attained prayer, and prayer enables the creature to declare from full experience: “Christ is risen! Truly, He is risen!” Bishop Irenei Steenberg

Television-the devil’s box-does great harm, especially to children. For this reason it must be taken out of the house. Elder Iakovos

How long shall we continue in this manner, our intellect reduced to futility, failing to make the spirit of the Gospel our own, not knowing what it means to live according to our conscience, making no serious effort to keep it pure? St Mark the Ascetic

We must not set our hearts upon anything earthly, for the spirit of evil is incorporated in all earthly things when we use them immoderately and in excess, this spirit having become earthly by excessive opposition to God. Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt

A soldier asked Abba Mius if God accepted repentance. After the old man had taught him many things he said, “Tell me, my dear, if your cloak is torn, do you throw it away?”” He replied, “No, I mend it and use it again.”” The old man said to him, “If you are so careful about your cloak, will not God be equally careful about His creature?” Abba Mius

“All things here on this earth,” said Fr. Thaddeus, “all that is good and also all that is not, everything comes from our thoughts. Our thoughts determine our whole life. If our thoughts are destructive, we will have no peace. If they are quiet, meek and simple, our life will be the same, and we will have peace within us. Elder Thaddeus(Strabulovich) of Vitovnica

Everything good that you find in yourself, consider not yours but God’s,for every good gift and every perfect gift is from above (James 1:17), and from all your soul thank the Father of lights for this. Every foolish thing that you find in yourself ascribe to yourself, your weakness, and your foolish habits. Metropolitan Gregory (Postnikov) of St. Petersburg

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 Sunday of the Prodigal Son

Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.

The Reading from the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. (6:12-20)

Brethren, all things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything. Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food; but God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two shall become one flesh.” But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him. Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

GOSPEL