St. Gregory the Theologian
Fifteenth Sunday of Luke
The Sunday of Zacchaeus
Venerable Demetrios the sacristan; New-martyr Auxentios of Constantinople
Who was St. Gregory the Theologian?
St. Gregory the Theologian
He was born in Nazianzus and studied in Athens with Basil the Great and Julian the Apostate. Gregory correctly prophesied that Julian would become an apostate and a persecutor of the Church. When he completed his studies, Gregory was baptized. Basil consecrated him as bishop of Sasima, and Emperor Theodosius the Great summoned him to fill the vacant archepiscopal throne of Constantinople. Gregory wrote numerous works, of which his most famous are those concerning theology. Especially known because of its depth is his work Homilies on the Holy Trinity. Gregory wrote against the heretic Macedonius who erroneously taught that the Holy Spirit is a creation of God, and against Appolinarius who erroneously taught that Christ did not have a human soul but that His divinity was in lieu of His soul. Gregory died in 390 at age 80. On this day, we also commemorate Venerable Demetrios the Sacristan; and New-martyr Auxentios of Constantinople. By the intercessions of Thy saints, O Christ God, have mercy upon us. Amen.
Today is the Sunday of Zacchaeus
The Sunday of Zacchaeus
The Apostle Zacchaeus was a rich publican at Jericho. Since he was short of stature, he climbed a sycamore tree in order to see the Savior passing by. After the Ascension of the Lord, St. Zacchaeus accompanied St. Peter on his travels. Tradition says he followed St. Peter to Caesarea, where Peter appointed him the Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine. He died in peace.
The Sunday of Zacchaeus is also the first warning that Lent is around the corner. It is time to prepare ourselves for the coming of Lent. Start thinking about it now.
Read the complete story on the Orthodoxwiki website.
Services and Events This Week
- SUN Jan 18 — SUNDAY LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- SUN Jan 18 — General Assembly Meeting 12:15pm
- Wed Jan 21 — EARLY MORNING LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Jan 23 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Jan 24 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
Monthly Sunday Pot Luck Moved to Sunday January 25
Please drop off your dishes in the Social Hall before Divine Liturgy. We had to move it because of the General Assembly Meeting.
Mark Your Calendar – Valentine’s Day Dinner and Dance – Saturday February 14, 2026
Gather at 5pm. Dinner at 5:30pm. Event goes until 9:00pm. More information coming. Vespers will be held earlier that day.
The Social Hall is Being Repainted
When you arrive at Church this Sunday, expect clean walls and a removal of a lot of the clutter. Next step is to strip and wax the floors.
Save the Date!
Renowned author Frederica Matthews-Greene will be our guest speaker for the St. Peter – St. Paul Lenten Women’s Retreat in 2026.
Dates for the retreat are March 27-29, 2026.
This promises to be a very engaging and informative event.
Frederica Mathewes-Green is a wide-ranging author who has published ten books and 800 essays, in such diverse publications as the Washington Post, Christianity Today, Smithsonian, and The Wall Street Journal. She has been a regular commentator for National Public Radio (NPR), a columnist for the Religion News Service, Beliefnet.com, AND a podcaster for Ancient Faith Radio.
She has appeared as a speaker over 600 times at Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Wellesley, Cornell, Calvin, Baylor, and Westmont, among others. She received an honorary Doctor of Letters from King University. She now lives with her husband, the Rev. Gregory Mathewes-Green, in Johnson City, TN. Their three children are grown and married, and they have fifteen grandchildren.
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.
Pledge and Income Report — December 2025
The contributions received in December were $74,739.
The amount of money needed to cover expenses: $33,785.
For this month we are ahead by $40,954.
Year-to-date, we are behind by $22,258*.
If you have not already done so, please complete a 2026 pledge form. Your pledge willplay a vital role in helping us meet our 2026 budget goals and will support ourpreparations for refinancing our mortgage, a process that we have begun early.
*Reflects a 10k adjustment to November’s report; 10k was transferred from the reserve account.
St. Peter Orthodox Church
7470 Hickory Drive
Fort Myers FL 33967
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.
Save the Date!
Save This Date Too!
Renowned author Frederica Matthews-Greene will be our guest speaker for the St. Peter – St. Paul Lenten Women’s Retreat in 2026.
Dates for the retreat are March 27-29, 2026.
This promises to be a very engaging and informative event.
Frederica Mathewes-Green is a wide-ranging author who has published ten books and 800 essays, in such diverse publications as the Washington Post, Christianity Today, Smithsonian, and The Wall Street Journal. She has been a regular commentator for National Public Radio (NPR), a columnist for the Religion News Service, Beliefnet.com, AND a podcaster for Ancient Faith Radio.
St. Peter Greeters
JANUARY 2026 – CHURCH GREETERS
- Jan 4 Kathy Karlos Moffet – Joe Repya
- Jan 11 Joe Repya – Tim Morse
- Jan 18 Tim Morse – Joe Repya – John Tomilson
- Jan 25 Joe and Deb Repya – Tim Morse
Can you volunteer? Please call Joe Repya 612-270-4443.
SUNDAY COFFEE HOURS – Winter Months 2026
Please note: A fruit bowl, veggie or hummus tray may be added to a week’s menu.
- January 2026 – Sunday Coffee Hours – Team #1 Barb Dionysopoulos Group
- Sunday, January 4 – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, January 11 – Coffee and muffins
- Sunday, January 18 – Coffee and treats (no potluck)
- Sunday, January 25 – Pot Luck
- February 2026 – Sunday Coffee Hours – Team #2 – Margie Zimmerman Group
- Sunday, February 1 – Coffee and donuts
- Sunday, February 8 – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, February 15 – Pot Luck
- Sunday, February 22 – Coffee and muffins
- March 2026 – Sunday Coffee Hours – Team #3
- Sunday, March 1 – Coffee and bagels
- Sunday, March 8 – Coffee and donuts
- Sunday, March 15 – Coffee and coffee cake
- Sunday, March 22 – Coffee and muffins
- Sunday, March 29 – 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!
JANUARY
- SUN Jan 18 — SUNDAY LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- SUN Jan 18 — General Assembly Meeting 12:15pm
- Wed Jan 21 — EARLY MORNING LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Jan 23 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Jan 24 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Jan 25 — SUNDAY LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- SUN Jan 18 — Memorial Prayers for John Katsigianopoulos
- Wed Jan 21 – Sat Jan 31 — Fr. Hans at DOMSE Clergy Retreat
- Wed Jan 28 — CANCELLED
EARLY MORNING LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM - Fri Jan 30 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Jan 31 — CANCELLED
Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
Wisdom From The Elders
Awareness of sin is a result of love and humility, while unawareness is a result of pride and hardness of heart.
St. Ignatius Brianchaninov
The more a man leads the spiritual life, the more he becomes is spiritualised: he begins to see God in everything; the manifestation of His power and might in everything; he sees himself always and everywhere abiding in God, and depending from God even in the smallest matters. Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt
Therefore, whether you call upon the Lord Himself, or His Mother, or the angels, or saints, call upon them with all your heart; whether you pray for anyone living or departed, pray for them with your whole heart, pronouncing their names with heartfelt fervor. Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt
Man is placed on the road between paradise and hell, between God and Satan. Every thought and reflection of man, and every feeling of this, brings the soul one step closer to paradise or one step closer to hell. Venerable Justin (Popovic) of Chelije in Serbia
Therefore be sure that every prayer that is not fulfilled is certainly harmful; but a prayer that is answered is beneficial. The Giver of gifts is just and good and will not leave your prayers unanswered, for in His goodness there is no malice and in His truth there is no envy. Venerable Ephraim the Syrian
The only feeling that is left in me now is joy—an ineffable joy has taken over my entire being.” I told him that he had been given the gift of Grace and that he would have it for as long as he could keep his thoughts away from the cares of this world. If he were to do that [i.e., return his thought to the cares of the world], I told him, he would stop hearing the words of the Jesus Prayer in his heart, and then the joy and peace would gradually disappear from his heart. 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 Gregory the Theologian
My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.
Hear this, all ye people.
The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews. (7:26-8:2
Brethren, it was fitting that we should have such a High Priest, holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; He did this once for all when He offered up Himself. Indeed, the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son Who has been made perfect forever. Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a High Priest, one Who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the sanctuary and the true tent which is set up not by man but by the Lord.
GOSPEL
For the Fifteenth Sunday of Luke — “Zacchaeus”
The reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. (19:1-10)
At that time, Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector, and rich. And he sought to see Who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Jesus, for He was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today.” So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. And when they saw it they all murmured, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.”
