Sunday before the Elevation of the Holy Cross
Leave-taking of the Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos
Venerable Theodora of Alexandria; Righteous Euphrosynos the Cook
Saint Helen, the mother of Saint Constantine the Great, when she was already advanced in years, undertook, in her great piety, the hardships of a journey to Jerusalem in search of the cross, about the year 325. A temple to Aphrodite had been raised up by the Emperor Hadrian upon Golgotha, to defile and cover with oblivion the place where the saving Passion had been suffered.
The venerable Helen had the statue of Aphrodite destroyed, and the earth removed, revealing the Tomb of our Lord, and three crosses. Of these, it was believed that one must be that of our Lord, the other two of the thieves crucified with Him; but Saint Helen was at a loss which one might be the Wood of our salvation. At the inspiration of Saint Macarius, Archbishop of Jerusalem, a lady of Jerusalem, who was already at the point of death from a certain disease, was brought to touch the crosses, and as soon as she came near to the Cross of our Lord, she was made perfectly whole.
Consequently, the precious Cross was lifted on high by Archbishop Macarius of Jerusalem; as he stood on the ambo, and when the people beheld it, they cried out, “Lord have mercy.”
It should be noted that after its discovery, a portion of the venerable Cross was taken to Constantinople as a blessing. The rest was left in Jerusalem in the magnificent church built by Saint Helen, until the year 614. At that time, the Persians plundered Palestine and took the Cross to their own country (see Jan. 22, Saint Anastasius the Persian). Late, in the year 628, Emperor Heraclius set out on a military campaign, retrieved the Cross, and after bringing it to Constantinople, himself escorted it back to Jerusalem, where he restored it to its place.
Services This Week
- SUN Sep 11 — SUNDAY BEFORE THE ELEVATION OF THE CROSS Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
Fr. Hans Out of Town Sept 5-14, 2022
Vatopedi Monastery on Mt. Athos
Fr. Hans will be taking a vacation week from Sept 5 to 14, 2022 to lead a group of twelve men to Mt. Athos and the holy and historical sites of Thessaloniki, Greece. He leaves on the afternoon of Sunday, September 4. Men from St. Peter’s going along include Jeremiah Tewis, Hunder Kerr, Everett Ker, Qaeden Kerr, Morgan Waterman, Cliff Tewis, Chase Mudd, Will Schwarz, Jonathan Price and several more men from California, Texas, and Georgia. They will be staying at Vatopedi Monastery on Mt. Athos.
Fr. Emmanuel Hatzidakis will be substituting for Fr. Hans on Sunday, September 11, 2022.
In case of pastoral emergencies when Fr. Hans is out of town please call Fr. Paul Girgis of St. Paul Antiochian Church at 509-845-4540.
We Are In Our Summer Lean Time So We Sent Out a Letter…
One of the most encouraging things to witness is the love and support the members of St. Peter’s offer to the parish and each other. Every year we have a lean period during the summer and we send out a letter to remind everyone to remain current with their giving and give a little extra if they can so that our budget stays on track and so we can pay are bills as they come due. It always works out. Our parishioners respond and St. Peter’s gets back to full health and stability.
Take a look at the letter you will receive this week and please catch-up on your pledge and give what you can.
Fr. Hans and the Parish Council of St. Peter’s.
Some Services Moved to Evenings
Fr. Hans has been asked to move some of the services to the evening to accommodate people who would like to attend worship but cannot because of work. Please note the times of services carefully. Some have been moved to the evening so that more people can attend.
We Need Pictures for a New Website
We are building out a “seekers’ website for St. Peter. It will be a place where people learn ‘just the facts’ about Orthodox Christianity and St. Peter’s.
Do you have any pictures? If so, please send them too Anna Tsikitas at anna.tsikitas@gmail.com
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.
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 Depends on St Peter’s to Feed the Hungry
The Cafe of Life depends on donations like St. Peter’s to feed the hungry and homeless. So please keep so donations coming in and remember…
God wants us to be cheerful, generous givers with humble hearts. He asks us to give as a response to His grace in our lives — even if what we have to offer is all that we have.
Thank you and IC XC NI KA!
Pledge & Income Report – July 2022
Contributions received in July: $18,706.
Amount of money needed to cover expenses: $24,114.
We are behind by $5,408.
Every year we need an extra push in the summer to keep our income current. Please keep up with you pledge so we can keep current with our bills.
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!
September
- TOM HALEY
- Marlene Haley
- Cheryl Morse
- Tim Morse
- Diana Najjar
- Deb Repya
- Elaine Seremetis
- Greogry Seremetis
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.
SEPTEMBER
- SUN Sep 11 — SUNDAY BEFORE THE ELEVATION OF THE CROSS Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- SUN Sep 18 — SUNDAY AFTER THE ELEVATION OF THE CROSS Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- SUN Sep 25 — FIRST SUNDAY OF LUKE Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
lf we do not see our sins, then we should double, triple our tears, for that means that our soul is hardened and darkened; it has lost clarity of vision. With prostrations we should beg the Lord: “Grant us to see our failings.” Abbot Nikon Vorobiev
We humans are always harvesting the fruit of our thoughts and desires. If our thoughts and desires are wicked, we cannot gather good fruit. The whole of mankind is harvesting the fruit of its thoughts and desires. The Lord said of His Second Coming, “Will I find faith?” (cf. Luke 18:8). Elder Thaddeus(Strabulovich) of Vitovnica
Thus, we can see that a constant battle of good with evil takes place in the soul of an ascetic. In ascetical literature, this battle with evil is named “spiritual” or “unseen warfare.” This is what constitutes the very essence of asceticism or spiritual life. Archbishop Averky (Taushev)
All of this life of ours is not from us, but from the Lord Jesus, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, or, more precisely, our entire life is from the Father, through the Son, and in the Holy Spirit… Venerable Justin (Popovic) of Chelije in Serbia
For it is in your eager striving for perfection that you first perceive your own imperfection. And only when you have seen your imperfection, can you be perfected. Thus perfection proceeds out of weakness. Tito Colliander
PLEASE NOTE: The names list in “The Current Prayer List listed to be removed after September 1 have been taken of the list. If you would like someone added back please send a text to Fr. Hans or send the name through website here.
- 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 Sep 1.
Current Prayer List
Christina (Chapekis 12/22)
John (12/22)
Priest Anthony (Karbo 11/22)
Archpriest Dionysius (Valentine 9/12)
Anthony Presbyter (Kerr 10/22)
Angel (Ghanem 10/22)
Abott Tryphon (Jacobse 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)
Alberta (Dusckas 8/22)
Connie (Dusckas 8/22)
The People of Ukraine and People of Russia and all those who are suffering in the war
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)
Debbie (Breitenbach)
Kathy (Breitenbach)
Hope (Isadore)
John (Long)
Pantelis (Tsikita)
Marisa (Tsikita)
Barbara (Dionysopoulos)
Patricia (Evanoff)
Gabriel (Mankus)
Baby Dani (Repya)
Despina (Diversis)b
Fredericos (Diveris)
Herman (Kerr)
Innocent (Kerr)
Nicholas (Kerr)
Paola (Jacobse)
Gregory (Yankopolos)
Soterios (Ninos)
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)
John (Katsigianopoulos)
George (Chionis)
Mary (Spiropoulos)
Gregory (Pappas)
Angela (Coran K
Eugene (Rust)
Robert (Jarvis)
George (Corey)
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 the Sunday before the Elevation of the Holy Cross
O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance.
To Thee, O Lord, I have cried, O my God.
The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians. (6:11-18)
Brethren, see with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that would compel you to be circumcised and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For even those who receive circumcision do not themselves keep the Law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh. But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. For, neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. Peace and mercy be upon all, who walk by this rule, upon the Israel of God. Henceforth let no man trouble me; for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.
GOSPEL
For the Sunday before the Elevation of the Holy Cross
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. John. (3:13-17)
The Lord said, “No one has ascended into heaven but He who descended from heaven, the Son of man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For, God sent His Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”
