The Sunday after Theophany of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ
Martyr Tatiana of Rome and those with her; Martyr Peter Absalom of Palestine; Virgin-Martyr Euthasia; Martyr Mertios of Mauretania
Tue Jan 7 — Synaxis of St. John the Baptist Divine Liturgy 9:30am
In the Orthodox Church it is customary, on the day following the Great Feasts of the Lord and the Mother of God, to remember those saints who participated directly in the sacred event. So, on the day following the Theophany of the Lord, the Church honors the one who participated directly in the Baptism of Christ, placing his own hand upon the head of the Savior.
Saint John, the Holy Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, whom the Lord called the greatest of the prophets, concludes the history of the Old Testament and opens the era of the New Testament. The holy Prophet John bore witness to the Only-Begotten Son of God, incarnate in the flesh. Saint John was accounted worthy to baptize Him in the waters of the Jordan, and he was a witness of the Theophany of the Most Holy Trinity on the day of the Savior’s Baptism.
The holy Prophet John was related to the Lord on His mother’s side, the son of the Priest Zachariah and Righteous Elizabeth. The holy Forerunner, John, was born six months before Christ. The Archangel Gabriel announced his birth in the Temple at Jerusalem, revealing to Zachariah that a son was to be born to him.
Read the entire article on the Orthodox Church in America website.
Cutting of the Vassilopita on Sunday, January 12, 2016
We will cut the Vassilopita (St. Basil’s bread) on Sunday January 12 following the Divine Liturgy.
It Is Time For House Blessings!
To sign up for house blessings please text Fr. Hans at 239-248-4775 with some available dates and times that work, or send an email to info@stpeterorthodoxchurch.com, or sign up in the Social Hall. Fr. Hans will call you to set up the appointment.
If you call there is a good chance I cannot pick up, and if I am in the car I cannot write down the information anyway. That’s why texting is preferred.
Mark You Calendar! Valentine’s Day Party on February 15, 2020
“Love Around the World: A Valentine’s Dinner Celebration” is the theme for this years gathering and it fits well the the multi-country character of St. Peter’s.
The date is April 15 and the time will be announced shortly.
Reservations will be required since the food will be prepared beforehand. Please sign up starting this Sunday or notify Tina Kuchera, the chairwoman for the dinner at 239-980-1520.
Mark you calendar! More information to come!
Do You Want To Learn Greek?
One of our parishioners is a Greek teacher at Athenian Academy and would teach a class at St. Peter’s if enough people are interested. Please click the image below and fill out the form (new window will open).
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.
Diocese of Miami Winter Retreat
A Short Conversation with Bp. Nicholas
Bible Studies
Please note: Bible Studies have been postponed until January, 2020.
The Community Bible Study is for the entire community.
The Men’s and Women’s Bible Study are separate studies but held concurrently.
Upcoming Liturgies
Synaxis of St. John the Baptist on Wednesday, January 7, 2020 at 9:30am
St. Anthony the Great on Friday, January 17, 2020 at 9:30am
The Three Hierarchs on Thursday, January 30, 2020 at 9:30am
Pledge & Income Report – November 2019
In November we took in $17,225 in total donations. Our monthly goal is $16,777.00 leaving us $448 above our monthly expenses for the month.
Thank you for your generosity.
Calendar At A Glance
January
- Tue Jan 7 — Synaxis of St. John the Baptist Divine Liturgy 9:30am
- Sun Jan 12 — Memorial Prayers for Victoria Sahawneh
- Sun Jan 12 — Cutting of the Vasilopita following the Divine Liturgy
- Fri Jan 17 — St. Anthony the Great Divine Liturgy 9:30am
- Tue-Sat Jan 22-25 — Miami Diocese Retreat in Atlanta. Fr. Hans out of town
- Fri Jan 17 — St. Anthony the Great Divine Liturgy 9:30am
- Thu Jan 30 — Three Hierarchs Divine Liturgy 9:30am
February
- Wed-Sat Feb 5-8 — Fr. Hans Out of Town
- Sat Feb 15 — Valentine’s Day Party (Time and details TBA)
Please note the extra remaining liturgies scheduled for January:
- Tue Jan 7 — Synaxis of St. John the Baptist Divine Liturgy 9:30am
- Fri Jan 17 — St. Anthony the Great Divine Liturgy 9:30am
- Thu Jan 30 — Three Hierarchs Divine Liturgy 9:30am
Wisdom From The Elders
When, during prayer, your heart is overwhelmed with despondency and melancholy, be sure that these proceed from the Devil endeavouring by every means to hinder you in your prayer. Be firm, take courage, and by the remembrance of God drive away the deadly feeling. Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt
If your illness lasts a very long time, do not lapse, as many foolish people do, into impatience, especially into grumbling and bad temper at the seriousness and length of the illness, at the doctor, at the medicine, at the bad weather, at those who are serving you, and so on. You will never relieve your illness, not to mention eliminate it, by impatience, grumbling, and bad temper. An impatient and especially a grum bling disposition of soul may, on the one hand, only aggravate the illness and prolong it or even make it incurable, and on the other hand, turn off others’ sympathy for you, for who finds it pleasant to wait on a sick person when he is irritable and foul-tempered towards those serving him? Metropolitan Gregory (Postnikov) of St. Petersburg
Trust in God, depend upon Him, seek and obey Him, and the Lord will help you! Priest Daniel Sysoev
Guard sacredly and strictly our Orthodox Faith, both in its canons and in its dogmas. Do not adapt your faith to your life, but your life to the faith. Archbishop Seraphim (Sobolev) of Bogucharsk
There are innumerable and various ways by means of which the Devil enters into our soul and removes it from God, pressing upon it with all his being, dark, hateful, and destroying. Whatever the motion of passion may be, he finds a way, and does not neglect the least opportunity of entering the soul. Likewise there are innumerable and various ways for the Holy Ghost to enter it: the way of sincere faith, of true humility, of love to God and to our neighbour, and so on. Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt
When we pray for someone, we take upon ourselves his suffering. Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica
Remember in Your Prayers
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 the Sunday after Theophany of Christ
Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.
The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians. (4:7-13)
Brethren, grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore, it is said, “When He ascended on high He led a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men.” (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that He had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is He who also ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) And His gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
Gospel
For the Sunday after Theophany of Christ
The reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (4:12-17)
At that time, when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulon and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”
