Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
Ninth Sunday of Matthew
Relics Translation of Proto-martyr Stephen the Archdeacon
Venerable Photeini the wonderworker of Carpasia in Cyprus; Blessed Basil the fool-for-Christ, wonderworker of Moscow
Dormtion Of the Theotokos August 1-15
The Dormition (Falling Asleep) of the Theotokos
August 1 starts the Dormition period in our Orthodox Church. We fast (abstain from meat and dairy as much as possible) from August 1 to August 15. At St. Peter’s the fast ends after the Dormition Liturgy on the evening of August 14.
What is the Dormition of the Theotokos?
The Holy Scriptures tell us that when our Lord was dying on the Cross, He saw His mother and His disciple John and said to the Virgin Mary, “Woman, behold your son!” and to John, “Behold your mother!” (John 19:25-27). From that hour, the Apostle took care of the Theotokos in his own home.
Along with the biblical reference in Acts 1:14 that confirms that the Virgin Mary was with the Holy Apostles on the day of Pentecost, the tradition of the Church holds that she remained in the home of the Apostle John in Jerusalem, continuing a ministry in word and deed.
At the time of her death, the disciples of our Lord who were preaching throughout the world returned to Jerusalem to see the Theotokos. Except for the Apostle Thomas, all of them including the Apostle Paul were gathered together at her bedside. At the moment of her death, Jesus Christ himself descended and carried her soul into heaven.
Following her repose, the body of the Theotokos was taken in procession and laid in a tomb near the Garden of Gethsemane. When the Apostle Thomas arrived three days after her repose and desired to see her body, the tomb was found to be empty. The bodily assumption of the Theotokos was confirmed by the message of an angel and by her appearance to the Apostles.
Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese website.
The Dormition Fasting Period August 1-15
The Dormition Fast begins on August 1st and lasts 2 weeks, concluding with the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos on August 15. The fast comes down to us from the early days of Christianity.
Fasting Guidelines
- Mon-Fri: Abstain from meat, dairy, fish, wine and olive oil
- Sat and Sun: Abstain from meat, dairy and fish
- +Shellfish is always allowed during fasting season (i.e. fish with no backbone)
- +Fish is allowed ONLY on Aug. 6 for the Feast of the Transfiguration of Christ
Please consult with your Spiritual Father on fasting matters.
During the Dormition Fast, Orthodox Christian parishes offer the Paraklesis with the Little Canon to the Most Holy Theotokos, a beautiful service of supplication to the Theotokos. Please check the calendar for the most up-to-date service schedule.
Services and Events This Week
- SUN Jul 26 — SUNDAY ORTHROS 8:30am DIVINE LITURGY 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Jul 27 — St. Panteleimon Divine Liturgy 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Jul 29 — Early Morning Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Jul 31 — St Paisios Brotherhood 7:00pm
- Sat Aug 01 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
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
Can you volunteer? Please call Joe Repya 612-270-4443.
SUNDAY COFFEE HOURS
Please note: A fruit bowl, veggie or hummus tray may be added to a week’s menu.
June 2026 (updated again) – Team #3
July 2026 – Team #1 Barb Dionysopoulos Group
- Sunday, July 5 – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, July 12 – Coffee and muffins
- Sunday, July 19 – Coffee and Cakes NO POT LUCK
- Sunday, July 26 – Coffee and donuts
August 2026 – Team #2 Vicki Ullemeyer Group
- Sunday, August 2 – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, August 9 – Coffee and muffins
- Sunday, August 16 – POT LUCK
- Sunday, August 23 – Coffee and bagel
- Sunday, August 30 – Coffee and donuts
September 2026 – Team #3
- Sunday, Sept 6 – Coffee and bagels
- Sunday, Sept 13 – Coffee and donuts
- Sunday, Sept 20 – POT LUCK
- Sunday, Sept 27 – Coffee and muffins
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!
JULY
- SUN Jul 26 — SUNDAY ORTHROS 8:30am DIVINE LITURGY 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Jul 27 — St. Panteleimon Divine Liturgy 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Jul 29 — Early Morning Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Jul 31 — St Paisios Brotherhood 7:00pm
- Sat Aug 01 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Aug 02 — SUNDAY ORTHROS 8:30am DIVINE LITURGY 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Aug 03 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 6:00pm LIVE STREAM
- Tue Aug 04 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 6:00pm LIVE STREAM
- Wed Aug 05 — Early Morning Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Aug 05 — Great Vespers Transfiguration 6:00pm LIVE STREAM
- Thu Aug 06 — Transfiguration Divine Liturgy 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Thu Aug 06 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 6:00pm LIVE STREAM
- Fri Aug 07 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 6:00pm LIVE STREAM
- Fri Aug 07 — St Paisios Brotherhood 7:00pm
- Sat Aug 08 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Aug 09 — SUNDAY ORTHROS 8:30am DIVINE LITURGY 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Aug 10 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 6:00pm LIVE STREAM
- Tue Aug 11 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 6:00pm LIVE STREAM
- Wed Aug 12 — Early Morning Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Aug 12 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 6:00pm LIVE STREAM
- Thu Aug 13 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 6:00pm LIVE STREAM
- Fri Aug 14 — Great Vespers of the Dormition 5:300pm LIVE STREAM
- Fri Aug 14 — St Paisios Brotherhood 7:00pm
- Sat Aug 15 — Dormition of the Theotokos Divine Liturgy 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Sat Aug 15 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Aug 16 — SUNDAY ORTHROS 8:30am DIVINE LITURGY 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Aug 19 — Early Morning Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Aug 21 — St Paisios Brotherhood 7:00pm
- Sat Aug 22 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Aug 23 — SUNDAY ORTHROS 8:30am DIVINE LITURGY 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Aug 26 — Early Morning Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Thu Aug 27 — St Phanourios Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Aug 28 — St Paisios Brotherhood 7:00pm
- Sat Aug 29 — Beheading of St. John Baptist Divine Liturgy 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Sat Aug 29 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Aug 30 — SUNDAY ORTHROS 8:30am DIVINE LITURGY 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Sep 01 — Indiction/St Symeon Divine Liturgy 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Sep 02 — Early Morning Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Sep 04 — St Paisios Brotherhood 7:00pm
- Sat Sep 05 — Zachariah and Elizabeth Divine Liturgy 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Sat Sep 05 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
Wisdom From The Elders
Irritability of temper proceeds from want of self-knowledge, from pride, and also from the fact that we do not consider the great corruption of our nature, and know but little the meek and humble Jesus. Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt
The surest means of salvation for you is one and the same: endure patiently whatever God sends, both good and bad.
Elder Anatoly of Optina
You have not as yet fought unto blood, and have you in fact fought against the enemy, against your own passions? Have you not lived as you pleased? Abbot Nikon Vorobiev
We must struggle, because without struggles we do not obtain virtues. Elder Ieronymos of Aegina
When we see that many people avidly seek their happiness in sensual pursuits, in sensual pleasures, in comfort, and in luxury and pass this off as wisdom; when we see that the children of the world use every falsehood and every deception to construct their earthly happiness; when we hear that they defend hatred, vindictiveness, and other passions, but consider refusal to satisfy sensual desires to be foolishness; then we must resolutely say in our hearts, as the holy apostles taught: “We are Christians; we must fulfill the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2)”, and the law of Christ requires that we have crucfied the flesh with the affections and lusts (Gal. 5:24). Metropolitan Gregory (Postnikov) of St. Petersburg
Therefore, a humble person is not weak, but actually strong, because God’s power manifests itself and acts through him; the proud man is weak, for he rejects God’s all-powerful grace and is left with only his human powers, which are, of course, immeasurably weaker and less significant than God’s all-powerful grace. Archbishop Averky (Taushev)
Current Prayer List
Anthony
RJ Schwegler (Breitenbach)
Sonya (Duskas)
Georgia (Katsigianopoulos)
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)
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)
Pangiota (Poulos)
Catherine (Forderhase)
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 Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
Make your vows and pay them to the Lord our God.
God is known in Judaea; His Name is great in Israel.
The Reading from the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. (3:9-17)
Brethren, we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s husbandry, God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise architect I laid a foundation, and another builds upon it. Let each one take heed how he builds upon it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; everyone’s work will become manifest; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire itself will test each one’s work of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which was built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as by fire. Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone corrupts the temple of God, God will corrupt him. For the temple of God is holy, whose temple you are.
GOSPEL
For the Ninth Sunday of Matthew
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (14:22-34)
At that time, Jesus made the Disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds. And after He had dismissed the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone, but the Disciples’ boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. But when the Disciples saw Jesus walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. But immediately He spoke to them, saying, “Take heart, it is I; have no fear.” And Peter answered Him, “Lord, if it is Thee, bid me come to Thee on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus; but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reached out His hand and caught him, saying to him, “O man of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “Truly, Thou art the Son of God.” And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret.