St. Peter Newsletter February 11, 2020

Sunday of the Prodigal Son

Martyr Pamphilos, Priest of Caesarea in Palestine and his companions; Venerable Flavian the Hermit; Venerable Martyr Romanos from Solovak of Carpenision

The Sunday of the Prodigal Son is the second Sunday of pre-Lent, the weeks of preparation preceding Great Lent. It is the Sunday after the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee and Sunday before Meatfare Sunday. This pre-Lent is the start of the Easter cycle of worship in the Orthodox Church.

On this Sunday in the preparation for Great Lent, Orthodox Christians are read Christ’s parable about God’s loving

forgiveness (Luke 15:11-24). They are to see themselves as being in a foreign country far from the Father’s house and to make the movement of return to God, where we truly belong. The parable gives assurance that the Father will receive them with joy and gladness in their journey through Great Lent, their journey home.

Sermon on the Prodigal Son by Bp. Timothy Ware

When we take one step towards God, He takes 10 steps toward us.

Greek School Schedule

St. Peter Orthodox Church Greek School with Eleni Stamelou.

PLEASE NOTE: Children’s Beginner Greek now starts at 5:30pm.

• Child Beginners meet on Tuesday evenings from January 28 to March 24 at 5:30pm
• Adult Beginners meet on Wednesday evenings from January 29 to March 25 at 5:30pm.
• Adult Intermediate/Conversational meet on Wednesday evenings from January 29 to March 25 at 4:30pm.

Mark You Calendar! Valentine’s Day Party on February 15, 2020

LOVE AROUND THE WORLD:
A VALENTINE’S DINNER COVERED DISH CELEBRATION

DATE: Saturday, February 15
TIME: 5:00pm
WHERE: St. Peter’s Fellowship Hall
RSVP: Tina Kucera at 239-980-1520 along with the Covered Dish you can prepare

Live Entertainment from 6:30pm to 8:30pm! Dance to you favorite sounds from the 50s, 60s, and 70s!

An RSVP is required. Please call Tina Kucera at 239-280-1520 today!

No tickets are being sold for this event. All donations for “Love Around the World” will go directly to St. Peter’s Church Building Fund.

Bp. Nicholas Visiting St. Peter’s on Sunday, February 23, 2020 at 5:00pm

Bp. Nicholas will be making an Archpastoral visit to St. Peter’s on Sunday, February 23 at 5:00pm.

We will begin the evening with Vespers and then have a light supper in the Social Hall where he will greet us and give us his encouragement. Bp. Nicholas is a hands-on bishop, caring of his priests and parishes and this is a good opportunity to get to know him better, and let him get to know us.

We need to make a good showing when he visits. Please come for Vespers that evening, even if you came to Liturgy that morning. The Church needs good bishops to flourish and Bp. Nicholas is a good bishop.

St. Paul Orthodox Church Founder’s Day

Our sister parish of St. Paul’s in Naples is hosting their annual Founder’s Day Brunch on Sunday, February 23 following the Divine Liturgy. All St. Peter’s parishioners are invited. Details on how to sign up will be available after Divine Liturgy this Sunday.

This is a great way to support St. Paul’s. St. Peter’s always has a respectable showing and hope to support St. Paul’s again this year.

Women of St. Peter’s: Women’s Retreat On Saturday, March 14, 2020

PLEASE NOTE THE NEW DATE

The Women of St. Peter hosts the annual Lenten Retreat at St. Peter’s on Saturday, March 7. Fr. Alexis Kouri of St. Philip’s Orthodox Church in Davie, Florida, is the guest speaker.

If you can help with the event, please contact Mary Copeland or Nancy Forderhase to volunteer.

Please plan to attend this one day retreat. We want to support this effort with a strong showing from the Women of St. Peter’s. A $10 contributionwill pay for the food expenses.

Please sign up on Sundays or RSVP to Mary Copeland at 239-298-1730 or Nancy Forderhase at 859-749-9509.

Our Stewardship to St. Peter’s

The letter for Stewardship Support of St. Peter’s in 2020 has been sent.

We are responsible to increase what God has given us. In the Parable of the Talents, the master gave his servants talents that they are expected to nurture and grow. This is a responsibility we cannot avoid.

The Church is both a place where the increase begins on the inside of us, and to which we much give some our increase. This too is a responsibility we must take on.

A contribution form will be included in the letter you receive. Our goal this year is $217,000.

Upcoming Liturgies

Saturday of the Souls on Saturday, February 22, 2020 at 9:30am

Saturday of the Souls on Saturday, February 29, 2020 at 9:30am

Pledge & Income Report – December 2019

Thank you to all of you who support Saint Peter’s. The final 2019 donation totalsare in and we have met our expenses. In fact, we were a little bit ahead for theyear.

Our December income was $17,822 and as you know, our expenses are $16,777so we were $1,045 ahead.

We ask that you all continue your generous giving spirit as our 2020 expenses willbe going up due to increase in rent.

Calendar At A Glance

February

• Tue Feb 11 — Child Beginners Greek School 5:30pm
• Wed Feb 12 — Adult Intermediate/conversational Greek School 4:30pm
• Wed Feb 5 — Adult Beginners/conversational Greek School 5:30pm
• Sat Feb 15 — Valentine’s Day Party 5:00pm
• Tue Feb 18 — Child Beginners Greek School 5:30pm
• Wed Feb 19 — Adult Intermediate/conversational Greek School 4:30pm
• Wed Feb 5 — Adult Beginners/conversational Greek School 5:30pm
• Sat Feb 22 — Saturday of the Souls Divine Liturgy 9:30am
• Sun Feb 23 — Bishop Nicholas Pastoral Visit 6:00pm
• Tue Feb 25 — Child Beginners Greek School 5:30pm
• Wed Feb 26 — Adult Intermediate/conversational Greek School 4:30pm
• Wed Feb 5 — Adult Beginners/conversational Greek School 5:30pm
• Sat Feb 29 — Saturday of the Souls Divine Liturgy 9:30am

March

• Tue March 3 — Child Beginners Greek School 5:30pm
• Wed March 4 — Adult Intermediate/conversational Greek School 4:30pm
• Wed March 4 — Adult Beginners/conversational Greek School 5:30pm
• Tue March 10 — Child Beginners Greek School 5:30pm
• Wed March 11 — Adult Intermediate/conversational Greek School 4:30pm
• Wed March 11 — Adult Beginners/conversational Greek School 5:30pm
• Sat Mar 14 — Sts. Peter/Paul Women’s Retreat
• Tue March 17 — — Child Beginners Greek School 5:30pm
• Wed March 18 — Adult Intermediate/conversational Greek School 4:30pm
• Wed March 18 — Adult Beginners/conversational Greek School 5:30pm
• Tue March 24 — Child Beginners Greek School 5:30pm
• Wed March 25 — Adult Intermediate/conversational Greek School 4:30pm
• Wed March 25 — Adult Beginners/conversational Greek School 5:30pm

Please note the extra remaining liturgies scheduled for January/February:

• Sat Feb 22 — Saturday of the Souls Divine Liturgy 9:30am
• Sat-Sun Feb 22 — St. Paul (Naples) Founders Day
• Sun Feb 23 — Bp. Nicholas Visit to St. Peter’s 5:00pm
• Sat Feb 29 — Saturday of the Souls Divine Liturgy 9:30am

Wisdom From The Elders

A man who is growing cold towards God begins first of all to flee attending church. At first he tries to come to services later, and then he ceases altogether to visit God’s temple…Here in the skete we even make the rounds of the cells on feast days, so that no one evades church services. Elder Barsanuphius of Optina

The Christian today—not unlike Christians of other eras, but in ways that are continually “updated” as soci­ety carries on—is not told simply that he mustn’t fight the passions, that he mustn’t battle the devil: he is told that the passions are unreal, that the devil does not exist. He is told that ascesis is unnatural, that spiritual warfare is delusional. He is told that judgment is oppressive and the desire to become something de­fined by another (even God!) is psychologically unhealthy. He is told that to believe in the Church’s tradition is a simplistic, pietistic adherence to the past; that he had better “think for himself.” Bishop Irenei Steenberg

Human charity is suspicious: it fears lest it may somehow give to a person who already has something, or lest it may give too much. But the Lord’s charity is not like this: “The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.” Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt

The foundation of prayer is the yearning of the image towards its prototype, as of like to like. Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt

The crucified flesh reconciles itself with the spirit and with God; whilst the flesh that is cherished, that is abundantly and daintily fed, fights hard against the spirit and against God. Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt

Free-thinkers and atheists say that religion, the Church, the Divine service, the sacraments and rites, were invented by men in order to keep people in fear and submission, and to maintain, morality, and, perhaps, also in order to collect revenues from them. This is how God’s mercy and His wonderful ordering for our salvation, the very incarnation, sufferings and death of the Son of God for our sakes, are blasphemed by the ignorant and free-thinkers who have lost the fear of God. Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt

Our wickedness shall not overpower the unspeakable goodness and mercy of God; our dullness shall not overpower God’s wisdom, nor our infirmity God’s omnipotence. Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt

Remember in Your Prayers

Macy James
Joan (Breitenbach)
Mary (Rauch)
Warren (BAND)
Joseph (Breitenbach)
Diomidis (Kanellos)

Anastasia (Ann Constan)
Ben (Ben)
Thomas (Ben)
Irene (C. Diveris)
Vasiliki (C.Diveris)
Efrosini (C. diveris)
Charles (Oberg)
Christine (Kouzes)
Nina (Kovalev)
Hugh (Jacquie)
Violet (Jacquie Mom)
Tammie (Jacquie friend)
Phillip
Baby Luke
George
Priest Kyprianos
Savannah (Jonson)
Bud
Silvana
Nicole
Evan
Megan
Bill R.
Pat R.
Aglaia
George
Hieromonk Serapion
Priest Kyprianos
Athanasia
Alexandra
Constantina
Maryanne (E)
Ron (E)
Tim
Robert (J)
Mary (J)
Patricia
Gregory
Andreas
Sofia Tešanovic
Paul
Dennis H. and Family
Victor Evan
Ann
James
Vasiliki
Efstratia
Alexandra
Nikos
Georgia
Ioannis
Costandino
Jeffrey
Vaso
Dave
Dimitri – Presbyter
Vassiliki
Octavio
Tom
Carl
Rena
Nikolay (5 year old boy in Bulgaria whose parents asked us to pray)
David
Rosie
Kathryn
Jeremy
Constantine
Robert
Jane
Theodora
David
Gina
Micheal
Haralambos
Lillian
Presbytera Rosy
Valentina
Eva W.
Barbara
Angela
Carol Ann
Matthew
Chrysostom
Tim
Pat
Christina
Maria Louise
Maximos
Marian
Photini
Nicholas
Sarah
Constantine Houpis
Anna Marie Smith Baker
Katerina
Mary Kassis
Baby Maximus
Christine
Maria
Annette Star
Claire Livaditis
Eva Chandilles
Baby Dani
Scott Nedoff
James Hord

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

For Sunday of the Prodigal Son

Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.

The Reading from the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. (6:12-20)

Brethren, all things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything. Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food; but God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two shall become one flesh.” But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him. Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Gospel

For Sunday of the Prodigal Son

The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. (15:11-32)

The Lord spoke this parable: “There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that falls to me.’ And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living.

And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have fed on the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.”’

And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to make merry.

Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid that I might make merrywith my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!’