Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee
Leave-taking of the Presentation (Meeting) of Christ
The Publican and the Pharisee
Who is a Publican and a Pharisee?
A Pharisee was an externally decent and righteous man of religion. The Publican was a sinful tax-collector who was cheating the people.
Though the Pharisee was genuinely righteous under the Law, he boasted before God and was condemned. The Publican, although he was truly sinful, begged for mercy, received it, and was justified by God.
The focus this Sunday is on the Gospel of Luke 18:10-14, in which two men went to the Temple to pray. On this Sunday in the preparation for Great Lent, we are to see that we have not the religious piety of the Pharisee, but the repentance of the Publican. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted. (Luke 18:14)
Read more on the Orthdoxwiki website.
Services and Events This Week
- SUN Feb 02 — SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am / Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Feb 06 — Early Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Feb 07 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Feb 08 — Parish Council Meeting 10:00am
- Sat Feb 08 — GREAT VESPERS 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
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.
Sign up early—SEATING IS LIMITED! The signup sheet is located by the door of our Fellowship Hall.
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!
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
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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.
FEBRUARY
TBA
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 02 — SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am / Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Feb 06 — Early Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Feb 07 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Feb 08 — Parish Council Meeting 10:00am
- Sat Feb 08 — GREAT VESPERS 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Feb 09 — SUNDAY PUBLICAN AND PHARISEE DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am / Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- SUN Feb 09 — LENTEN TRIODION BEGINS
- Mon Feb 10 — St. Haralambos Divine Liturgy 9am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Feb 12 — Early Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Feb 14 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Feb 15 — Valentine Gala
- Sat Feb 15 — CANCELLED
GREAT VESPERS 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- 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
Before all spiritual gifts, undistraction (concentration) is given to the mind by our Lord Jesus Christ, and the invocation in the heart of His holy name with faith. St. Kallistus Xanthopoulos
We don’t understand that happiness is in eternity and not in vanity. Saint Paisios of Mount Athos
Every man of himself is so insignificant and helpless that he receives everything necessary to support his existence, not from himself, but from without; he himself is nothing. And as his body is supported by air, food, and drink, so his soul is supported by prayer, by reading God’s Word, and by the communion of the Holy Mysteries. Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt
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
To repent—means to feel in our hearts the falsehood, the madness, the guilt of our sins, it means—to acknowledge that we have offended, by them, our Creator, our Lord, our Father and Benefactor, Who is infinitely holy, and infinitely abhors sin, it means, to desire, with the whole soul, to amend and to expiate our sins. Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt
Excessive conveniences make life difficult for people. Saint Paisios of Mount Athos
The fact that the truths revealed by Christianity communicate to us information about things such as our reason could in no way whatsoever reach by itself, and moreover, these truths solve successfully all our questions about the Author of our being; the beginning of the world; the origin of all creatures, including man; the primitive condition of the latter; the conditions necessary for blessedness; the cause of evils falling upon mankind; the meaning of death; the life hereafter; and the end of all visible things. Yakov Tyagunoff
God’s boundless wisdom has given each person a rcross according to his/her character and strength. If we carry our cross without grumbling, repent of our sins and do not justify ourselves, then like the good thief we shall enter God’s Kingdom. But if we grumble, if we blaspheme God and our neighbor, we shall perish like the wicked thief—in great torment, without the hope of salvation to lessen our grief. The choice lies in our own hands. Abbot Nikon Vorobiev
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The People of Ukraine and People of Russia and all those who are suffering in the war
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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 Pharisee and Publican
My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
For He hath regarded the humility of His servant.
The Reading from the Second Epistle of St. Paul to St. Timothy. (3:10-15)
Timothy my son, you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions, and my sufferings; and what befell me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra. What persecutions I endured; yet from them all, the Lord rescued me. Indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceivers and deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
GOSPEL
For Sunday of the Pharisee and Publican
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. (18:10-14)
The Lord spoke this parable: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank Thee that I am not like other men, extortionists, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to Heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
