Sunday after the Elevation of the Holy Cross
Martyrs Sophia and her daughters Faith, Love and Hope
The Holy Martyrs Saint Sophia and her Daughters Faith, Hope and Love were born in Italy. Their mother was a pious Christian widow who named her daughters for the three Christian virtues. Faith was twelve, Hope was ten, and Love was nine. Saint Sophia raised them in the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. Saint Sophia and her daughters did not hide their faith in Christ, but openly confessed it before everyone.
An official named Antiochus denounced them to the emperor Hadrian (117-138), who ordered that they be brought to Rome. Realizing that they would be taken before the emperor, the holy virgins prayed fervently to the Lord Jesus Christ, asking that He give them the strength not to fear torture and death. When the holy virgins and their mother came before the emperor, everyone present was amazed at their composure. They looked as though they had been brought to some happy festival, rather than to torture. Summoning each of the sisters in turn, Hadrian urged them to offer sacrifice to the goddess Artemis. The young girls remained unyielding.
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Read the complete biography on the : Orthodox Church of America website.
Services and Events This Week
- Sun Sep 10 — SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Sep 11-22 — Fr. Hans on Vacation
Fr. Hans on Vacation Monday September 11 – Friday, September 22, 2023
Vatopedi Monastery
Fr. Hans will be on traveling from September 11-22. On Sunday September 17 the Divine Liturgy will be served by Fr. Michael Massouh, a retired priest from Tampa Florida. Please give him a warm welcome. Fr. Hans will leading a trip to Vatopedi Monastery on Mt. Athos in Greece, the center of Orthodox monastic life in the world.
Please Welcome Fr. Michael Massouh
Fr. Michael grew up in a city, Canton, Ohio, in a cross-cultural neighborhood, where around the corner from his home the Antiochian Orthodox Church was located. The grandson of a much loved and well-known Orthodox priest, Fr. Michael became steeped in the Orthodox faith, but by his teenage years, he found more certainty in science and mathematics.
After years of struggling with secular and religious values, Massouh arrived at St. Peter’s understanding: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). So, in 2000 at the age of 60 he was ordained to the holy priesthood in the Orthodox Church.
Majoring in mathematics in college, he entered the graduate program in mathematics at the University of California, Berkeley where he experienced a major intellectual crisis: the queen of the sciences, mathematics, was not certain. Mathematical truths were only true within a specific mathematical entity, and there were several mathematical entities. Parallel lines, for example, never met in Euclidean geometry, but could meet in Non-Euclidean geometry. Which “truth” was correct: parallel lines meeting or not meeting? It depended upon the geometrical context in which one was speaking.
Where was truth to be found then, if not in science and mathematics? It took time, more reading and study, and marriage and the raising of children to uncover the maxim that living with ambiguity was the sign of maturity. It was only then that the mysteries of Christ made sense. Christ is the truth, but He and the Father, and the Holy Spirit are “ineffable, inconceivable, invisible, [and] incomprehensible.”
Fr. Massouh holds an A.B. in mathematics from Hiram College, a Master of Science and a Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University in the history of science and technology, and an M.A. in theology from St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Seminary. He also studied at the University of California, Berkeley, and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Seminary.
Our Fellowship Hour is Changing
Fr. Hans and the Parish Council have instituted some changes to our Fellowship Hour following the Sunday Divine Liturgy.
From Sunday, September 10 and onward, only coffee and light refreshments will be served.
We deeply appreciate all the hard work our kitchen crews and leadership have given to all of us over the years. We ask that the current kitchen crews remain as they are to help on Sundays, although with a very reduced work load. We still need your help to make the coffee and organize the refreshments.
The arrangement for the following Sundays will be:
- September 10 — Coffee and Donuts
- September 17 — Coffee and Cookies
- September 24 — Coffee and Cake
- October 01 — Coffee and Mixed Fruit
- October 08 — Coffee and Bagels
- October 15 — Coffee and Donuts
- October 22 — Coffee and Cookies
- October 29 — Coffee and Cake
Again, the help of our kitchen crews and leadership has been outstanding and a great blessing to the parish. The work, however, is proving increasingly taxing especially as the Church grows. For that reason we decided it was time to simplify our practice.
Fr. Hans and the Parish Council of St. Peter’s.
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.
DOMSE Retreat September 22-23, 2023
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.
ST. PETER'S GREETERS
Can you volunteer? Please call Joe Repya 612-270-4443.
NEW! St. Peter Game Night on Wednesdays 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Join us on Wednesday evening for a few hours of fellowship and fun. Bring the board games you like to play. It’s casual, fun, and an opportunity for great fellowship.
No sign-up required.
SOCIAL HALL ALL STARS
SEPTEMBER
- Cheryl and Tim Morse
- Diana Najjar
- Deb Repya
- Diana Najjar
- Elaine Tzouganaokis
- Jordan Voss
- Niki and Ray Locklear
- Megas Family
The Social Hall All Stars are the men and women that make St. Peter's Social Hall happen. Thank you All Stars!
SEPTEMBER
- Sun Sep 10 — SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Sep 11-22 — Fr. Hans on Vacation
- Sun Sep 17 — SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Sep 11-22 — Fr. Hans on Vacation
- Sun Sep 24 — SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Sep 26 — Paraklesis to the Theotokos 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Sep 27 — Early Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Sep 27 — St. Peter Game Night 6:00pm-9pm
- Fri Sep 29 — St. Kyriakos Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Sep 29 — St. Paisios Brotherhood 7:00pm
Geronda, don’t one’s surroundings help in the spiritual struggle? -Yes, they do, but sometimes one can live among Saints and still make no progress. Was there ever a better opportunity than that given to Judas, who was always with Christ? Judas had neither humility nor a good disposition. Saint Paisios of Mount Athos
Endure sorrow in the Lord, that joy might embrace you. Labor, that you might receive abundant reward. Venerable Ephraim the Syrian
Fasting is a mechanical aid to cleansing the mind, to subjecting the will to the mind. Priest Daniel Sysoev
With the staff of justice dost Thou humble the heads of sinners who sin with shameless arrogance and cannot be converted without extraordinary inducement. May Thy punishment, O Lord, united with Thy loving-kindness, be our mentor. May Thy right hand help us to take advantage of Thy punishment. Venerable Ephraim the Syrian
It is only when we pray fervently, only then that we feel calm, warm, at ease, and bright in soul, because then we are with God and in God; but as soon as we cease thus praying, then temptations and various troubles begin. O, most blessed time of prayer! 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
For Sunday after the Elevation of the Holy Cross
O Lord, how manifold 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 Sunday after the Elevation of the Holy Cross
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark. (8:34-9:1)
The Lord said, “If any man would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his
cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” And He said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Kingdom of God come with power.”
