Second Sunday after Pentecost
Second Sunday of Matthew
Venerable David of Thessalonica; John, bishop of the Goths in Crimea
Who Was St. David of Thessaloniki?
Saint David of Thessalonica pursued asceticism at the monastery of the holy Martyrs Theodore and Mercurius. Inspired by the example of the holy stylites, he lived in an almond tree in constant prayer, keeping strict fast, and enduring heat and cold. He remained there for three years until an angel told him to come down.
St David received from God the gift of wonderworking, and he healed many from sickness. The holy ascetic gave spiritual counsel to all who came to him. Having attained to passionlessness, he was like an angel in the flesh, and he was able to take hot coals into his hands without harm. He died the year 540.
Read more on the Mystagogy website.
Services This Week
- SUN JUN 19 — SUNDAY OF ALL SAINTS Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Jun 22 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos LIVE STREAM
- Wed Jun 23 – Sat Jun 25 — Fr. Hans Out of Town
Fr. Hans Out of Town from Thursday June 23 to Saturday June 25, 2022
He will be in Greenville SC at a Brotherhood Planning Meeting
Sts. Peter and Paul Patronal Feast Day on June 28, 2022
Every year either St. Peter’s our sister parish St. Paul’s hosts our feast day. We alternate every year. This year St. Paul will host.
Would you like to bring a dish to the pot-luck that follows? Sign up here.
New on the Holy Table (Altar) – The Seven Branched Candle Stick
From: Old Testament Worship and the Orthodox Church
The Altar Table Within the Orthodox temple, the altar table occupies the central place. The altar table is located behind the iconostasis in the middle of the altar area, which is elevated by several steps. In the Orthodox temple, the place of the altar table parallels that of the Ark of the Covenant, which was placed in the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle and the Temple (2 Ch. 5:7).
Not surprisingly, the altar table performs a similar function as that of Ark of the Covenant. As the Ark of the Covenant was a special place of meeting between God and man (Ex. 25:22), so it is that from the altar table we receive our most intimate communion with Christ. On the Ark of the Covenant was sprinkled the blood from the atoning sacrifice (Lev. 16:14); on the altar table, we offer the Bread and Wine which become the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which we partake of the once-for-all-sacrifice of our Passover Lamb. In partaking of this Sacrifice, we come to a special meeting with God and enter into the Mystery of His Death and Resurrection (1 Cor. 10:16).
One of the things found inside the Ark of the Covenant was the stone tablets on which were written the Ten Commandments (Heb. 9:4). Rather than the Old Testament revelation of God’s word, on the Orthodox altar now lies a book containing the four New Testament Gospels—revealing to us the Word of God incarnate in the Person of Jesus Christ.
Also kept inside the Ark of the Covenant was the wooden rod which budded for Aaron (Heb. 9:4). Today, we keep the Cross of Christ on the altar table, which is the wood from which budded forth our eternal life.
Finally, jars of manna were kept in the Ark of the Covenant (Heb. 9:4). Manna was the food which God miraculously gave to His people in the desert to keep them alive during their 40 years of wandering. Today, we keep a small portion of the Body and Blood of Christ on our altar table (this portion of the Eucharist is kept reserved in order to commune the sick and dying). We believe this Eucharist to be the miraculous Food of Immortality, given to us by God as a means of communion with Him whereby we receive grace to aid us in our Christian life (Jn. 6:53-54).
Other Liturgical Items Besides the altar table, we find other items that are used in Orthodox worship that come directly from Old Testament worship. Among these, we find: 1) a seven-branch candelabrum (Ex. 21:35-37), 2) a censer and incense (Lev. 16:12-13; 1 Ch. 23:13; Mal. 1:11), 3) and priestly vestments (Ex. 28:3-4, 29:29-30).
We Are Remodeling the Sunday School Rooms
The outside wall is being replaced and the floors will be leveled. Work will take about four weeks to complete. Greek Language classes will be moved to the Social Hall.
Starting Soon – Orthodoxy 101
Starting soon St. Peter’s offers a study of the Orthodox Basics (less philosophical, more factual and practical) of such things as worship, history, theology and more. This is for anyone and everyone who wants to understand our Orthodox faith and practice more thoroughly.
Dates will be determined but Saturday morning from 9:00am to 10:00 class time followed by a half hour optional discussion seems to work best for many people. Please let Fr. Hans know what works for you. We will begin when the summer starts and everyone’s schedule is more flexible.
In the meantime check out the videos on the website Welcome to the Orthodox Church by Frederica Mathews-Green to prepare.
Helping Victims of the War in Ukraine
Galyna Seabrooke who has spoken on several occasions on the situation in Ukraine on behalf of our Ukranian parishioners mentioned opportunities to help the victims of the war.
One way to offer humanitarian aid is through a Go Fund Me page. Another is to donate essential items for Ukranian refugees. These items include:
No food items please.
A box will be set up in the church for donations.
We pray that war in Ukraine will end quickly.
Greek Language School Continues
Classes meet on Thursdays at 3:30pm in the Social Hall until remodel of the Social Hall is completed.
Let’s Pray the Paraklesis to the Theotokos Daily
Click the image to get more information on how to participate from the St. Peter’s website
Our goal at St. Peter’s is to have one person or family pray the Parakelsis to the Theotokos for at least one day of every month. For each day of the month, individuals or even an entire family can sign up to pray the Paraklesis in their homes on the day/s which they select.
Get more information on how to participate from the St. Peter’s website.
Cafe of Life: Our Lord Helps the Poor through Us
As Orthodox Christians, we know not only that we are made in the likeness and image of God, but that we are to live and act in ways that show we are His icons. We copy our Lord and Savior in an attempt to become like Him. When He comforts the down-trodden, we comfort the down-trodden. When He feeds the poor, we feed the poor.
One of the small ways we can do this job He has given us is to support the Cafe of Life. Your monetary contribution provides comfort and sustenance to all the people standing around in line…waiting for something to eat. Some are very young and some very old; some are clean and some are not quite so clean; some speak English and some don’t. They come in all colors and each one is different from the person next to them but the one thing they have in common is that they are all are down on their luck and yet, very much loved by God.
Thank you, God bless and IC XC NI KA!
Pledge & Income Report – May 2022
Contributions received in May: $23,931.
Amount of money needed to cover expenses: $24,114.
We are behind by $183.
Summer has arrived and many families are traveling. Please remember to keep current with your stewardship so that our bills can be paid!
St. Peter Orthodox Church
7470 Hickory Drive
Fort Myers, FL 33967
You can also donate online:
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.
The Social Hall All Stars are the men and women that make St. Peter’s Social Hall happen. Thank you All Stars!
June
- TOM HALEY 239-887-0753
- Marlene Haley 239-405-8298
- Cheryl Morse 612-210-1444
- Tim Morse
- Diana Najjar 317-213-5785
- Deb Repya 651-485-4817
- Elaine Semeretis 305-978-9714
- Gregory Semeretis 917-992-5884
Procedures for Hospitality
Please note: If you would like to bring in your own prepared food, please contact Tom Haley at 239-887-0753 a week before the upcoming Sunday. That way we know not to prepare any food for Sunday.
- On most Sundays we will serve lighter refreshments like coffee, sweets, hummus, olives, feta, pita and similar items. Please continue bringing these items. Even though we have a range (unlike our former facility), we appreciate items that are “ready to be served.”
- Please do not donate coffee. We have a space age coffee brewer that we acquired at no cost if we buy our coffee from one supplier. If you bring in coffee, we can’t use it.
- We cannot continue preparing meals for Memorials, Name Days, Anniversaries, and other celebrations. We don’t have the appliances or manpower to do it well. We do, however, have the name of two catering companies that can prepare and deliver the food if you would like to sponsor a celebration. Please call Tom Haley at 239-887-0753 for details and to make arrangements.
- If you would like to bring in your own prepared food, please contact Tom Haley at 239-887-0753 a week before the upcoming Sunday. That way we know not to prepare any food for Sunday.
The Safest Way to Come to Church
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.
Helping Our Seniors With Parking
With the church growing the parking lot is close to full every Sunday. Younger parishioners, could you park in the grass lot even if spaces are open in the paved area? That way our seniors can park closer to the entrance and avoid the grassy area where it is easier to stumble and fall.
Calendar also available on the St. Peter website.
JUNE
- SUN JUN 19 — SUNDAY OF ALL SAINTS Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Jun 22 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos LIVE STREAM
- Wed Jun 23 – Sat Jun 25 — Fr. Hans Out of Town
JUNE – JULY
- SUN JUN 26 — SECOND SUNDAY OF MATTHEW Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Jun 28 — Sts. Peter and Paul Divine Liturgy (At St. Paul’s) 5:30pm Orthos 6:30pm Divine Liturgy
- Sat Jul 02 — St. John Maximovitch Divine Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- SUN JUL 03 — THIRD SUNDAY OF MATTHEW Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Jul 05 — St. Athanasios of Athos Divine Liturgy (At St. Paul’s) TIME AND DATE TBA
- Thu Jul 07 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- SUN JUL 10 — FOURTH SUNDAY OF MATTHEW Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Jul 12 — St. Paisios of Athos Divine Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Jul 15 — St. Vladimir Equal to the Apostles Divine Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- SUN JUL 17 — FATHERS OF THE FOURTH ECUMENICAL COUNCIL Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Jul 18 – Fri Jul 22 — Fr. Hans Out of Town
- SUN JUL 24 — SIXTH SUNDAY OF MATTHEW Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Jul 26 — St. Paraskeve the Righteous Martyr Divine Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Jul 26 — St. Panteleimon the Great Martyr Divine Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
JUNE – AUG
Dormition Fasting Period from August 1-15.
- SUN JUL 31 — SIXTH SUNDAY OF MATTHEW Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Aug 01 – Aug 7 — Fr. Hans Out of Town
Prayer is the fruit of joy and thankfulness. Evagrios the Solitary
One who is repenting must for a long time force himself and train himself so as to do good, so as to perform it easily; and even after attaining this, he must constantly keep himself in a state of tension and fear. On the other hand, one who has not fallen lives in simplicity of heart, in a kind of assurance of salvation which blesses him and is not deceived. St. Theophan the Recluse, bishop of Tambov
We cannot pray truly when we are dominated by the passions, for true prayer is the heart’s rest in God, while the passions are the heart’s captivity to its impulses and fallen desires. You cannot serve both God and mammon. Bishop Irenei Steenberg
Our thoughts can be very penetrating, and they have great power. This is especially true of the thoughts of parents. A parent must bear much and forgive all. We can help others only if we have good and kind thoughts. If we have thoughts about correcting the faults of others, that is like hitting them. No matter how close a person is to us, he will slip away from us because we have dealt him a blow with our thoughts. And we believe that thoughts are nothing! Elder Thaddeus(Strabulovich) of Vitovnica
The evil spirit tries to scatter prayer as if it were a sandheap, tries to turn the words into dry sand, without coherency or moisture—that is to say, without fervour of heart. Thus prayer may become either a house built on sand or a house built on a rock. Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt
List has been updated. If you want some names restored, please mention it to Fr. Hans.
- Names will remain on the list for three 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 4 / Resets August 1.
Current Prayer List
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)
Alberta (Dusckas 8/22)
Connie (Dusckas 8/22)
Johanna (Dimartino 7/22)
Sarah (Tomlinson 7/22)
Natasha (Tomlinson 7/22)
Christine (Brubaker 7/22)
Elena (Brubaker 7/22)
Stella (Brubaker 7/22)
George (Corey 7/22)
Steven (Breitenbach)
Gabrielle (Lowell 5/22)
Andrea, Yelena, newborn baby (Protpapadakis 4/22)
George (Haynes 4/21)
Kayla (Palentine 4/21)
Basil (Jacobse 3/22)
Linda M. (Dusckas 3/22)
Barbara (Dusckas 3/22)
Fr John (Jacobse 3/22)
Angel (Ghanem 3/22)
John (Duskas 3/22)
Nancy (Coin 3/22)
Nicholas (Ghanem 1/22)
Arielle (Ghanem 1/22)
Georgia (Sarros 1/22)
Kerri (Dusckas 1/21)
Permanent Prayer List
Katheryn (Tolkkinen)
Markisia (Long)
Angela (Long)
Marina (Long)
Eleni (Long)
Raphaella (Long)
Joanne (Haley)
Francine (Anton)
Corwin (Dusckas)
Corgette (Troutman)
Irina (Irina)
Seraphim (Irina)
Lidia (Irina)
Sarina (Ghanem)
Kasiani, Jordan and their unborn child (Chapekis)
Debbie (Breitenbach)
Kathy (Breitenbach)
Hope (Isadore)
John (Long)
Pantelis (Tsikita)
Marisa (Tsikita)
Barbara (Dionysopoulos)
Patricia (Evanoff)
Gabriel (Mankus)
Baby Dani (Repya)
Maria and her newborn baby (Diveris)
Despina (Diversis)b
Fredericos (Diveris)
Sophia (D. Constantine)
Herman (Kerr)
Innocent (Kerr)
Nicholas (Kerr)
Paola (Jacobse)
Gregory (Yankopolos)
Soterios (Ninos)
Pauline (Poulos)
Sergio (Kazakos)
Fran (Hansen)
Nina (Krotov)
Franklin (Pyrrson)
George (Chionis)
Stamatia (Evelyn)
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)
John (Katsigianopoulos)
George (Chionis)
Mary (Spiropoulos)
Gregory (Pappas)
Angela (Coran K
Eugene (Rust)
Robert (Jarvis)
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.
EPISTLE
For Second Sunday after Pentecost
Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.
The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans. (2:10-16)
Brethren, glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality. All who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law. For it is not the hearers of the Law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the Law who will be justified. When Gentiles who have not the Law do by nature what the Law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the Law. They show that what the Law requires is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or perhaps excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
GOSPEL
For Second Sunday of Matthew
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (4:18-23)
At that time, as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. And going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and He called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him. And He went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the Kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.
