St. Peter News October 24, 2023

Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost
Seventh Sunday of Luke

Venerable Martyr Anastasia the Roman; Venerable Abraham and his niece Mary of Mesopotamia; New Hieromartyr Athanasios of Sparta

Who Was The Venerable Martyr Anastasis the Roman?

The Martyr Anastasia the Roman lost her parents in infancy, and was then taken to be reared by the abbess of a women’s monastery, named Sophia. She raised Anastasia in fervent faith, in the fear of God and obedience.

The persecution against Christians by the emperor Decius (249-251) began at that time. The city administrator, Probus, on the orders of the emperor commanded that Anastasia be brought to him. Blessed by her abbess to suffer for Christ, the young martyr Anastasia humbly came out to meet the armed soldiers. Seeing her youth and beauty, Probus first attempted flattery to make her deny Christ.

“Why waste your youth, deprived of pleasure? What is there to gain by enduring tortures and death for the Crucified? Worship our gods, marry a handsome husband, and live in glory and honor.”

The saint steadfastly replied, “My spouse, my riches, my life and my happiness are my Lord Jesus Christ, and you will not turn me away from Him by your deceit!”

Probus subjected Anastasia to fierce tortures. The holy martyr bravely endured them, glorifying and praising the Lord. In anger the torturers cut out her tongue.

The people, seeing the inhuman and disgusting treatment of the saint, became indignant, and the ruler was compelled to end the tortures by beheading the martyr. In this manner, Saint Anastasia received the crown of martyrdom.

The body of the saint was thrown out beyond the city to be eaten by wild animals, but the Lord did not permit her holy relics to be dishonored. At the command of a holy angel, Abbess Sophia went to find Saint Anastasia’s mutilated body. With the help of two Christians, she buried it in the earth.

Source: The Orthodox Church in America website.

Services and Events This Week

• Sun Oct 22 — SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
• Mon Oct 23 — Divine Liturgy St. James the Apostle and Brother of the Lord 8:00am LIVE STREAM
• Wed Oct 25 — Early Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
• Thu Oct 26 — Divine Liturgy St. Demetrios 8:00am LIVE STREAM
• Fri Oct 27 — St. Paisios Brotherhood 7:00pm
• Sat Oct 28 — Divine Liturgy Protection of the Theotokos 8:00am LIVE STREAM

Changes at St. Peter’s

Changes are happening at St. Peter’s. Some of the changes are bring us closer to the proper ordering of Orthodox practice while others are for better functioning of St. Peter’s.

CHANGE OF SERVICE TIMES

• Weekday services formerly held at 9:30am will begin at 8am. This is to better accommodate the worshipers who attend.
• Weekday liturgies with a start time of 6:00am remain the same.
• Sunday Orthos and Divine Liturgy start times (8:30am/9:30am) remain the same.
• These changes become effective next week (the week of October 22, 2023).

PRIEST AND ALTAR SERVERS DURING THE GREAT PROCESSION

• When St. Peter’s was smaller, lay worshiper participated in the Great Procession because there was a need. Starting immediately only the Priest and Altar Servers will participate in the procession. This is in keeping with proper Orthodox practice.
• If there is ever a need for lay participation, Fr. Hans will ask one or two men to help out.

BLESSING OF CATECHUMENS AND OTHER COMMUNICANTS

• The proper place to receive the andidoron (blessed bread) for anyone not receiving the Holy Eucharist is during the dismissal at the conclusion of the Liturgy. Only baptized Orthodox Christians in good moral and ecclesiastic standing should be in the line approaching Holy Communion. This change restores the proper Orthodox practice.

TOUCHING THE PRIEST’S VESTMENTS DURING DURING THE GREAT PROCESSION

• Some people touch the priests vestments during the Great Procession. While this is a pious custom and there is nothing intrinsically wrong with it and no real prohibition exists against it, please refrain from the practice going forward. The practice has become so widespread that it disturbs the solemnity of the worship.

THE DISMISSAL IS STILL PART OF THE SERVICE AND WE SHOULD EXIT QUIETLY AS THE PRAYERS FOLLOWING HOLY COMMUNION ARE BEING READ

• Please start the private conversations after exiting the Church so that the Thanksgiving prayers can be heard clearly.

CASUAL IS FINE BUT NOT TOO CASUAL

• We live in Florida where the dress code is more relaxed than Orthodox parishes in the north. However, we need to keep a level of formality that rises above something that is suitable for, say, Walmart or Publix, or a quick drive to Home Depot. No shorts, no tank tops, no flip-flops, that sort of thing. Modest and respectable is the key.

New Landscaping in the Works

It’s time to spruce up the grounds. The dying palms will be removed, irrigation with be added to the courtyard, the wooded area south of the parking lot will be cleared, new trees planted, and more. Stay tuned.

St. Peter Adult Education: The Problem with Orthodoxy in America

On Saturday, November 11, 2023 from 10:00am to 12:pm, Fr. Hans will overview of secularism in our lives and in the parish. Everyone is encouraged to attend.

Decades ago, Fr. Alexander Schmemann, formerly the President of St. Vladimir’s Seminary and a widely known theologian in America was able to locate one the most serious challenge facing Orthodoxy Christianity in America. That challenge was secularism, the idea that Orthodox Christianity was just another religion, instead of the road to God that offers transformation, healing, and hope.

Orthodoxy is not a religion. Orthodoxy is a way of life, a walking of the narrow road that reveals God to us and makes us fully human. If we have trouble seeing this, most likely it’s because we have adopted secular ideals and don’t even know it. This spills into our life, and if it spills into our life, it also spills into the Church. If that happens the Church ceases to become the true body of Christ. It just turns into another denomination.

Fr. Alexanders essay is posted on the website. Don’t be daunted by the length of it. Fr. Hans will draw bite-sized pieces from it and we sill discuss how being aware of the secularism will make both ourselves and our parish stronger.

The meeting will also be available on ZOOM at this link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88061553942?pwd=5vjaGXtmhbEKGphW1twrW2A46JfBut.1

Parish Council Members: Please note that the Parish Council meeting will begin at 8:30am and conclude at 10:00am that morning. All members are required to attend.

March is Antiochian Seminarian Month

Thank you to all who donated. We collected nearly $1,000 for our seminarians.

Let's Pray the Paraklesis to the Theotokos Daily

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.

Pledge & Income Report – September 2023

Contributions received in September: $20,964.
Amount of money needed to cover expenses: $28,950.
We are behind by $7,986.

St. Peter Orthodox Church
7470 Hickory Drive
Fort Myers, FL 33967

You can also donate online:

Get more information here.

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.

DOMSE MEN’S RETREAT IN MARCH 2024

Only 75 spaces so register early.

More information at DOMSE website.

ST. PETER'S GREETERS

OCTOBER 2023

OCT 1 George Tsikitas – Joe and Deb Repya
OCT 8 Candice Rosen – George Tsikitas
OCT 15 Will Schwarz – George Tsikitas
OCT 22 George Tsikitas – Joe and Deb Repya
OCT 29 Will Schwarz – George Tsikitas

NOVEMBER 2023

NOV 5 Paula Kambaros – Candice Rosen

NOV 12 Joe and Deb Repya
NOV 19 George Karounos – Need an additional greeter
NOV 26 Pavlo Bilych – Need an additional greeter

Can you volunteer? Please call Joe Repya 612-270-4443.

SOCIAL HALL ALL STARS

October 2023

TEAM #1 – Barbara Dionysopoulas Group for October
October 15 – Coffee, Bagels and Mixed Fruit
October 22 – Coffee, Donuts and Mixed Fruit
October 29 – Coffee, Cookies and Mixed Fruit

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!

OCTOBER

• Sun Oct 22 — SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
• Mon Oct 23 — Divine Liturgy St. James the Apostle and Brother of the Lord 8:00am LIVE STREAM
• Wed Oct 25 — Early Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
• Thu Oct 26 — Divine Liturgy St. Demetrios 8:00am LIVE STREAM
• Fri Oct 27 — St. Paisios Brotherhood 7:00pm
• Sat Oct 28 — Divine Liturgy Protection of the Theotokos 8:00am LIVE STREAM

OCTOBER-NOVEMBER

• Sun Oct 29 — SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
• Tue Oct 31 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 9:30am 8:00am LIVE STREAM
• Wed Nov 01 — Early Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
• Fri Nov 03 — St. Paisios Brotherhood 7:00pm
• Sat Nov 04 — Divine Liturgy St. Raphael of Brooklyn 8:00am LIVE STREAM

Wisdom From The Elders

Live through lowliness of mind instead of going to your death through pretentious pride. Dorotheos of Gaza

Prayer, with all it contains of self-renunciation, has become your real life, which you keep up as though only for the sake of prayer. Tito Colliander

So we no longer pursue plainness and simplicity of life. We no longer value stillness, which helps to free us from past defilement, but prefer a whole host of things which distract us uselessly from our true goal. Venerable Nilus the Faster of Sinai

Parents scold their children for every little thing. It is as if they do not know how to talk to them kindly and quietly. When a parent needs to discipline a child, the child must feel that behind the strictness there is love. It is a great mistake to punish children as soon as they do something wrong, for nothing is achieved that way. Elder Thaddeus(Strabulovich) of Vitovnica

I believe, with the centurion, that if I pray as I ought, and for what I ought, to any Saint: Grant me this, he will grant it to me; Come to my help, he will come ; Do this, and he will do it. This is the simple, firm faith that we must have ! Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt

After the resurrection our bodies will be spiritual, and not earthly ones, everything earthly will remain upon earth. Remembering what our future abode will be, Christians, let us, then, gradually detach ourselves from everything earthly. Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt

• 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.

Current Prayer List

George (Chionis 11-1)
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)
Anthony (Breitenbach 6/1)
Arielle (Ghanem 6/1)
Nicholas (Ghanem 6/1)
Christos
Father Demetris
Jamie
Pamela
David
Jessica
Christina (Hildreth)
Georgia and Richard and their unborn child (Chapekis)
Dionysios Chapekis)
Nancy (Forderhase)
Kayla (Palantine)
George (3/23 Chapekis)
Penelope (3/23 Chapekis)
Theodora (3/23)
Victor (3/23)
Barbara (Dusckas 3/23)
James (Dusckas 3/23)
Les (3/23
Lynn (Hurely 1/23)
Irene and newborn baby (Tsikitas 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)
Priest Anthony (Karbo 11/22)
Archpriest Dionysius (Valentine 9/12)
Anthony Presbyter (Kerr 10/22)
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)
Peter (Tewis 8/22)
The People of Ukraine and People of Russia and all those who are suffering in the war

Permanent Prayer List

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)
s
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)
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)
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

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

Epistle

For the Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost

O Lord, how magnified are Thy works. In wisdom hast Thou made them all.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.

The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians. (2:16-20)

Brethren, you know that a man is not justified by works of the Law but through faith in Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the Law, because by works of the Law shall no one be justified. But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were found to be sinners, is Christ then an agent of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again those things which I tore down, then I prove myself a transgressor. For I through the Law died to the Law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ Who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me.

GOSPEL

For the Seventh Sunday of Luke

The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. (8:41-56)

At that time, there came to Jesus a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue; and falling at Jesus’ feet he besought Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As Jesus went, the people pressed round Him. And a woman, who had had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had spent all her living upon physicians, and could not be healed by anyone, came up behind Him, and touched the fringe of His garment; and immediately her flow of blood ceased. And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched Me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the multitudes surround Thee and press upon Thee! And Thou sayest, ‘Who touched Me?’” But Jesus said, “Someone touched Me; for I perceive that power has gone forth from Me.”

And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before Him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed. And Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” While Jesus was still speaking, a man from the ruler’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher anymore.” But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she shall be well.” And when Jesus came to the house, He permitted no one to enter with Him, except Peter and James and John, and the father and mother of the child. And all were weeping and bewailing her; but Jesus said, “Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But taking her by the hand Jesus called, saying, “Child, arise.” And her spirit returned, and she got up at once; and Jesus directed that something should be given her to eat. And her parents were amazed; but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.