Christ is Risen!
The Fifth Sunday After Pascha
The Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
After-feast of Mid-Pentecost
Martyr Basiliskos of Comana; Holy Fathers of the Second Ecumenical Council; John Vladimir, king of Serbia
Jesus and the Samaritan Woman
Photini of Samaria
The holy and glorious Great-martyr Photine of Samaria (also Photini or Svetlana), Equal-to-the-Apostles, encountered Christ at the well of Jacob. Tradition relates that the Apostles baptized her with the name “Photine” meaning “enlightened one.” Her feast days are celebrated on February 26 with those who suffered with her (Greek tradition), March 20 (Slavic tradition), and the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman.
Life
The Gospel of John (4:5-42) relates the encounter of Photine, the Samaritan woman, with Christ at Jacob’s well. She repented after a very gentle and wise conversation with Christ and went and told her townspeople that she had met the Christ. For this, she is sometimes claimed as the first to proclaim the Gospel of Christ.
She converted her five sisters (Ss. Anatole, Photo, Photis, Paraskeve, and Kyriake) and her two sons (St. Photinos, formerly known as Victor, and St. Joses). They all became tireless evangelists for Christ.
After the Apostles Paul and Peter were martyred, St. Photine and her family left their homeland of Sychar, in Samaria, to travel to Carthage to proclaim the Gospel of Christ there.
In 66 AD, under the persecutions of Emperor Nero, they all achieved the crown of martyrdom, along with the Duke St. Sebastianos, the close friend of St. Photinos.
Read more on the OrthodoxWiki website.
Services This Week
- SUN MAY 15 — SUNDAY OF THE PARALYTIC Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed May 18 — CANCELLED
Mid-Pentecost Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM - Wed May 21 — Sts Constantine and Helen Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
PLEASE NOTE: Divine Liturgy on Wednesday, May 18 2022 is Cancelled
Fr. Hans’ mother passed away on Sunday and he will be attending the funeral in Minneapolis. The Divine Liturgy on Saturday, May 21 2022 (Sts. Constantine and Helen) will be held as scheduled.
Beginning in June: Orthodoxy 101 – A Study of the Basics of the Orthodox Faith
Starting in June 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.
Stewardship 2022
Stewardship letters have been mailed out. God has blessed St. Peter’s. Please fill in your pledge so the work that we have been called to do will continue.
Click the image to download and print the form
You can also print and download the form on the St. Peter website.
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:
- Medications (no liquid or sprays allowed)
- Pain killers / Fever Reducer (aspirin, Tylenol, ibuprophen)
- Sterile gauzes
- Elastic bandage wraps
- Elastic bandages
- Hydrogel burn bandages
- Camouflage clothes
- Knee pads
- Tactic gloves
- Thermal underwear for men
- Hats, gloves, socks
No food items please.
A box will be set up in the church for donations.
We pray that war in Ukraine will end quickly.
SECURITY ALERT! Keep Your Car Locked
On Saturday, April 30th, there was a car broken into in our church parking lot and a wallet was stolen. The car was unlocked. Although we believe this to be an isolated incident, we would like to remind everyone to please lock your cars in the church parking lot.
Greek Language School Continues
Classes meet on Thursdays at 3:30pm in the Sunday School room.
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: Breaking the Chains of Quiet Desperation
Most men and women lead lives of quiet desperation and “What if” scenarios. They make themselves slaves to their external realities.
FEAR and their lack of faith in Jesus Christ drives them to hopelessness.
Let’s take advice from the Holy Scriptures instead. Proverbs 31:9 says,
Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.
It is our duty as Orthodox Christians to guide and help them. So please reach deep into your pockets and give generously to those impoverished. Any amount is appreciated.
CHRISTOS ANESTI and IC XC NI KA!
Save the Date! DOMSE Parish Life Conference June 15-18, 2022
Learn more on the DOMSE website.
Pledge & Income Report – April 2022
Contributions received in April: $33,700.
Amount of money needed to cover expenses: $24,114.
We are ahead by $9,586.
Thank you to all who paid their 2022 stewardship in advance!
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!
May
- MARJORIE ZIMMERMAN 239-595-4592
- Filipe DaFonseca 515-825-6970
- Leon Dephkalion 239-405-3887
- Glo Franklin 636-734-9539
- Will Schwarz 239-776-4776
- Anna Tsikitas 718-309-1250
- Barbara Sasen 718-770-1965
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 At A Glance
Calendar also available on the St. Peter website.
MAY
- SUN MAY 15 — SUNDAY OF THE PARALYTIC Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed May 18 — CANCELLED
Mid-Pentecost Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM - Wed May 21 — Sts Constantine and Helen Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- SUN MAY 22 — SUNDAY OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed May 25 — Finding of the Head of St. John the Baptist Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Fri May 27 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos LIVE STREAM
MAY – JUNE
- SUN MAY 29 — SUNDAY OF THE BLIND MAN Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue May 31 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos LIVE STREAM
- Thu Jun 02 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos LIVE STREAM
Wisdom From The Elders
If you find yourself continually invited outside your cell, decline the invitations. For continual absence from your cell is harmful. It deprives you of the grace of stillness, darkens your mind, withers your longing for God. Evagrios the Solitary
Many live in plenty and ease, enjoy blooming health, eat with pleasure, drink, walk, amuse themselves, write or work in the various branches of human activity, but they have not the grace of God in their hearts, that priceless treasure of the Christian, without which no one can be a true Christian and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven. Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt
He who restrains his mouth from speech guards his heart from passions. Venerable Isaac the Syrian, bishop of Nineveh
In prayer, freely tell the Lord God all your needs, with perfect humility and reverence, with firm hope of being heard, with complete love, with warm sincerity, and, if our prayer is not answered quickly, with grateful patience. Metropolitan Gregory (Postnikov) of St. Petersburg
If because of pride, self-esteem or self-love we are deprived of Jesus’ help, we shall lose that purity of heart through which God is known to man. For, as the Beatitude states, purity of heart is the ground for the vision of God (cf. Matt. 5:8). St. Hesychius the Theologian of Jerusalem, disciple of St. Gregory the Theologian
Remember in Your Prayers
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 March 27 / Resets May 1.
Current Prayer List
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)
Katherine (Jacobse 3/22)
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
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)
Robert (Jarvis)
Presbytera Rosy (in Pakistan)
James (Hord)
Vassiliki (Kontinos)
Vassiliki (Morekeas)
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)
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
How great are Thy works, O Lord! In wisdom hast Thou made them all.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
The Reading from the Acts of the Apostles. (11:19-30)
In those days, the Disciples, who were scattered because of the persecution that aroseover Stephen, traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the Word to none except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, upon coming to Antioch, spoke to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number that believed turned to the Lord.
News of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad; and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose; for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a large company was added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church, and taught a large company of people; and in Antioch the Disciples were for the first time called Christians.
Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world; and this took place in the days of Claudius. And the Disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brethren who lived in Judea; and they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
GOSPEL
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. John. (4:5-42)
At that time, Jesus came to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and so Jesus, wearied as He was with his journey, sat down beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” For His Disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to Him, “How is it that Thou, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and Who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
The woman said to Him, “Sir, Thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep; where do you get that living water? Art Thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, and his sons, and his cattle?” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst forever; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
The woman said to Him, “Sir,give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.” Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered Him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and he whom you now have is not your husband; this you said truly.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that Thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain; and Thou sayest that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.”
Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming [He Who is called Christ]; when He comes, He will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I Who speak to you am He.”
Just then His Disciples came. They marveled that He was talking with a woman, but none said, “What dost Thou wish?” or, “Why art Thou talking with her?” So the woman left her water jar, and went away into the city, and said to the people, “Come, see a man Who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the city and were coming to Him.
Meanwhile the Disciples besought Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” So the Disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him food?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me,and to accomplish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see how the fields are already white for harvest. He who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor; others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”
Many Samaritans from that city believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony, “He said to me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to Him, they asked Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His words. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves,and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”
