The Fiftieth Day after Pascha
The Great Feast of Pentecost
The Descent of the Holy Spirit
Fifty days after the Resurrection, on the existing Jewish feast of Pentecost, while the disciples and many other followers of Jesus Christ were gathered together to pray, the Holy Spirit descended upon them in the form of “cloven tongues of fire,” with the sound of a mighty rushing wind, and they began to speak in languages that they did not know. There were many visitors from the Jewish diaspora to Jerusalem at that time for the Jewish observance of the feast, and they were astonished to hear these untaught fisherman speaking praises to God in their alien tongues. This account is detailed in the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 2.
The number fifty, as in the fiftieth day after Pascha, stands for eternal and heavenly fulfillment, seven times seven, plus one.
The Orthodox Church sees Pentecost as the final fulfillment of the mission of Jesus Christ and the first beginning of the messianic age of the Kingdom of God, mystically present in his Church. It is traditionally called the beginning of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.
Besides celebrating the coming of the Holy Spirit, the feast also celebrates the full revelation of the divine Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Hymns of the Church celebrate the sign of the final act of God’s self-disclosure to the world of His creation.
To Orthodox Christians, the feast of Pentecost is not just a celebration of an event in history. It is also a celebration their membership in the Church. They have lived Pentecost and received “the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit” in the sacrament of chrismation.
Read more on the Orthodox Wikiwebsite.
Pentecost Prayers Immediately Following the Divine Liturgy
Immediately following the Divine Liturgy we will read the Pentecost Prayers.
Why are we doing this? One reason is that Pentecost is a major feast day in our Church. Pentecost (the fifty days) is when the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples and then all the people in Jerusalem, the same Holy Spirit that Adam lost is restored through Jesus Christ (the Second Adam) and makes our salvation possible.
If Christ hung on a cross to make our salvation possible (and he did), then we can pray these prayers that have been given to us by our Fathers in order to receive Christ’s salvation more deeply. It takes discipline, but there is never any growth without discipline.
For those who cannot kneel to physical limitations, it is entirely appropriate to remain seated and both bow you head and “bow the knees of your heart” as scripture says. For those of us who can kneel, we should kneel.
Services This Week
- Sun Jun 13 — FATHERS OF THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL Divine Liturgy – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Sun-Sat Jun 13-19 — DIOCESE OF MIAMI VIRTUAL PARISH LIFE CONFERENCE LIVE STREAM
- Thu Jun 24 — Prophet Elisha Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Sat Jun 19 — Saturday of the Souls (for Pentecost) Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
Services Next Week
- Sun Jun 20 — GREAT AND HOLY PENTECOST Divine Liturgy – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Jun 22 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Thu Jun 24 — Nativity St. John the Baptist Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
WOMEN’S BOOK STUDY CANCELLED This Wednesday, June 16, 2021
The Women’s Book Study is CANCELLED this week.
The Women’s Book Study meets in the Social Hall. The book we will study is Fr. Arseny: Priest, Prisoner, Spiritual Father. Fr. Arseny was a prisoner in a Soviet Gulag and ministered to many prisoners. His story is gripping, compelling, and shows how God worked even in the Gulag through a faithful priest.
Cafe of Life Ministry
PLEASE NOTE: NO VOLUNTEERS NEED THIS WEEK
As you sit down to enjoy your next meal and thank God for all you have, ask yourself “When was the last time I made a donation for the hungry?” One of St. Peter’s mission is the making of sandwiches to feed those who are hungry and homeless in our community.
Your donation will help sustain those are less fortunate than yourself. Checks or cash in any amount you can spare may be given to Father Hans.
“When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:3-4).
Thank you.
Christos Anesti and IC XC NI KA!
DOMSE Virtual Parish Life Conference – June 13-20, 2021
Since COVID the Annual Parish Life Conference (where parishes from the Diocese get together) have gone virtual. DOMSE stands for Diocese of Miami and the Southeast (our diocese). More information including the schedule and sign up are available on the DOMSE website.
Just added: Fr. Hans will lead a second session for men only on “Sexual Sobriety.”
Topics covered include:
- Teen SOYO Guest Speaker – Erin Ghata “Dead Men Live!”
- YAF Guest Speaker – Fr. Joseph Abouid “Prayer of the Hart – A Discussion on The Way of the Pilgrim”
- Antiochian Women Guest Speaker – Fr. David Winn “St. John the Theologian: Love and the World”
- Christian Education Workshop – Hosted by Anna-Sarah Farha “Recruiting, Training, and Supporting Church School Staff”
- AMEN (Antiochian Men) Guest Speaker – Fr. Hans Jacobse “Sexual Sobriety according to the Orthodox Church”
- AMEN (Antiochian Men) Guest Speaker – Fr. Kosta Petrogeorge “ABSTINENCE, SOBRIETY, & INTIMACY: practical Orthodox insights for personal and relational growth.”
- Using Technology for Ministry in the Orthodox Church – Hosted by AMEN for All DOMSE
- Ask Sayedna (Ask Bishop Nicholas any question you want to ask)
Sts. Peter and Paul Feast Day Liturgy on Monday, June 28 (Eve of the feast) at 6:30pm
As is our custom, we get together with St. Paul Orthodox Church to celebrate our Feast Day of Sts. Peter and Paul. This year St. Peter’s will host.
This is an important day in the life of the parish and all parishioners are encourage to come (even on a Monday evening).
Divine Liturgy at 6:30pm preceded by the Psalms of Orthodox at 6:15pm. The minimum preparation should be a light lunch and no food following until after the Divine Liturgy.
Refreshments will be served following the Liturgy.
Make sure to sign up for the DOMSE Newsletter when you visit the DOMSE website.
Do You Receive THE WORD Magazine?
The Word Magazine is the official publication of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese and comes out monthly. It is filled with helpful articles, archdiocese news, and more. All members of St. Peter’s can (and should) receive it.
If you are not receiving your copy sign up on the Antiochian Archdiocese website.
Two Things to Remember About Our Church at Hickory Drive
- The Presbyterian Church will be using the Social Hall for their worship until they find a place to relocate. Do not enter the Social Hall before 10am on Sundays.
- US 41 is a busy highway and the intersection at Hickory Drive does not have a stop light. We recommend turning on Sanibel Boulevard and following Coconut Road instead.
Pledge & Income Report – May 2021
Donations received in May: $24 ,401.
Amount of money needed to cover expenses: $22,760.21.
We are ahead by $1,641.
These numbers reflect the operating costs of the the Hickory Drive property.
Please note:Please continue your generous support. If you cannot make it to church please mail in your donation to:
St. Peter Orthodox Church
7470 Hickory Drive
Fort Myers, FL 33967
You can also donate online:
Bishop NICHOLAS Offers a Weekly Live Stream
These are short thirty minute presentations where His Grace Bp. Nicholas speaks on one theme in Sunday readings for fifteen minutes followed by questions from the listeners. It’s worth tuning in. Get instructions on the St. Peter website on how to use the Band App on your phone or computer to participate.
Calendar At A Glance
Calendar also available on the St. Peter website.
JUNE
- Sun Jun 13 — FATHERS OF THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL Divine Liturgy – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Sun-Sat Jun 13-19 — DIOCESE OF MIAMI VIRTUAL PARISH LIFE CONFERENCE (on ZOOM)
- Thu Jun 24 — Prophet Elisha Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Jun 16 — CANCELLED Women’s Book Study
- Sat Jun 19 — Saturday of the Souls (for Pentecost) Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Sun Jun 20 — GREAT AND HOLY PENTECOST Divine Liturgy – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Jun 22 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Jun 23 — Women’s Book Study
- Thu Jun 24 — Nativity St. John the Baptist Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Jun 25 — Parish Council Meeting 3:30pm
JUNE – JULY
- Sun Jun 27 — SUNDAY OF ALL SAINTS Divine Liturgy – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Jun 28 — Sts. Peter and Paul Divine Liturgy Orthros Psalms 6:15pm, Divine Liturgy 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Wed Jun 30 — Twelve Holy Apostles Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Jun 30 — Women’s Book Study
- Fri Jul 02 — St. Maximos the Confessor Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Sun Jul 04 — SECOND SUNDAY OF MATTHEW Divine Liturgy – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Jul 06 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Thu Jul 08 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Sat Jul 10 — St. Joseph of Damascus Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Sun Jul 11 — THIRD SUNDAY OF MATTHEW Divine Liturgy – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Jul 12 — St. Paisios of Athos Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Thu Jul 15 — St. Vladimir Equal to the Apostles Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Sat Jul 17 — Great Marina of Antioch Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Sun Jul 18 — FATHERS OF THE FOURTH ECUMENICAL COUNCIL Divine Liturgy – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Jul 19-22 — Fr. Hans out of Town
- Sun Jul 25 — DORMITION OF ST ANNA Divine Liturgy – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Jul 26 — St. Paraskeve Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Jul 27 — St. Panteleimon Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Jul 30 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 9:30am LIVE STREAM
Wisdom From The Elders
Since the Resurrection of the Lord is the ever-present event by which He enters into unlimited Communion with all mankind, we can conclude that this same mystery should become a concrete reality within the sphere of our social life. His Beatitude, Patriarch IGNATIUS IV
When someone has a vice we should try to bombard him with rays of love and compassion so that he may be cured and freed. These things are achieved only through the grace of God. Think that this person is suffering more than you. In a coenobitic monastery when someone is at fault we should not tell him that he is to blame. We must adopt an attitude of care, respect and prayer. We must endeavour not to do anything harmful. When we endure insults from our brother, it counts as martyrdom. And it is something we should endure with joy. Elder Porphyrios
God is everywhere. You decide if you are close to him or not. St. John Chrysostom
Our life depends on the kind of thoughts we nurture. If our thoughts are peaceful, calm, meek, and kind, then that is what our life is like. If our attention is turned to the circumstances in which we live, we are drawn into a whirlpool of thoughts and can have neither peace nor tranquility. Elder Thaddeus
Not only that: truth is truth; but if at some point you speak the truth without discernment, this is not truth. For example, it is true that so and so is mentally disturbed. But if you go and tell this truth you do not benefit anyone.
Elder Paisios of Mount Athos
Remember in Your Prayers
- Names will remain on the list for two months.
- If you would like to keep them on longer please mention it to Fr. Hans. We will keep the names on the list for as long as the person needs prayers.
- Names will include the person who requested the prayers and the month the name will be removed.
- The permanent list includes friends and members of St. Peter’s and others including shut-ins.
Were names dropped that should have remained? Please mention it to Fr. Hans. He will add them back.
Updated June 13 / Resets August
Current Prayer List
Maryann (Breitenbach 9/21)
Debbie (Breitenbach 9/21)
Katherine (Duskas 9/21)
James (Duskas 9/21)
Anne (Breitenbach 9/21)
Patricia (Tsikita 9/21)
Robert (Tewis 9/21)
Lydia (Irena 9/21)
Lee (Irena 9/21)
Demetrios (Karras 8/21)
Leah (Brubaker 7/21)
Elena (Brubaker 7/21)
George III (Ghanem 7/21)
Kristin (Ghanem 7/21)
Nora (Ghanem 7/21)
George IV (Ghanem 7/21)
Lena (Ghanem 7/21)
Barbara (Dusckas 7/21)
Georgia (Jacobse 6/21)
Jean (Wolffe 6/21)
Robin (Wolffe 6/21)
Permanent Prayer List
Maria and her unborn child Iakovos (Diveris)
Sophia (D. Constantine)
Herman (Kerr)
Innocent (Kerr)
Nicholas (Kerr)
Paola (Jacobse)
Gregory (Yankopolos)
Soterios (Ninos)
Pauline (Poulos)
Sergio (Kazakos)
Rae (Semeretis)
Fran (Hansen)
Nina (Krotov)
George the Priest (Chapekis)
Franklin (Pyrrson)
George (Chionis)
Stamatia (Jacobse)
Stamatia (Evelyn)
Demetrios (Kuchera)
Theodosios (Palis)
Theodora (Webb)
Helen (Rogers)
Robert (Smith)
Robert (Jarvis)
Presbytera Rosy (in Pakistan)
James (Hord)
Ann (Rellis)
Vassiliki (Kontinos)
Vassiliki (Morekeas)
Founders, Members, and Benefactors 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)
John (Katsigianopoulos)
George (Chionis)
Gregory (Pappas)
Angela (Coran K)
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
Their voice has gone out into all the earth.
The heavens declare the glory of God.
The Reading from the Acts of the Apostles. (2:1-11)
When the day of Pentecost had come, the Disciples were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. And they were amazed and wondered, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”
GOSPEL
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. John. (7:37-52; 8:12)
On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.’” Now this He said about the Spirit, which those who believed in Him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
When they heard these words, many of the people said, “This is really the prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” So there was a division among the people over Him. Some of them wanted to arrest Him, but no one laid hands on Him. The officers then went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring Him?” The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this man!” The Pharisees answered them, “Are you led astray, you also? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in Him? But this crowd, who do not know the Law, are accursed.”
Nicodemus, who had gone to Him before, and who was one of them, said to them, “Does our Law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee.” Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
