First Sunday after Pentecost
Commemoration of All Saints
The first Sunday after the Feast of Holy Pentecost is observed by the Orthodox Church as the Sunday of All Saints. This day has been designated as a commemoration of all of the Saints, all the Righteous, the Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, Shepherds, Teachers, and Holy Monastics, both men and women alike, known and unknown, who have been added to the choirs of the Saints and shall be added, from the time of Adam until the end of the world, who have been perfected in piety and have glorified God by their holy lives.
Read more on the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese website.
Choir Practice Continues on Tuesday at 6pm
Thank you to Patrick Teague, an accomplished church musician who visited us last Tuesday and offered us fantastic direction and advice.
Please consider joining the choir. “He who sings prays twice.”
Bible Study Continues on Tuesday at 7pm
Turn out has been good, even in summer! Come and bring a friend.
St. Peter’s Receiving New Antimension
An antimension is the cloth the priests unfolds on the altar before the Great Entrance (when we process in the Church with the Chalice and Paten). The Metropolitan signs the antimension which shows that the parish is a canonical parish under a canonical Bishop. In a manner of speaking it is the authorizing document, the means by which a parish is affirmed as authentically Orthodox.
Since we have a new Metropolitan overseeing the Church, new antimensia are being issues to all the parishes. St. Peter’s will receive theirs soon. When it comes Fr. Hans will show it to the parishioners before we use it.
You can learn more by reading the letter issued by the Archdiocese on our website.
Sunday Readings
Epistle
God is wonderful among His saints.
Bless God in the congregations.
The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews (11:33-12:2).
Brethren, all the saints through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment.
They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfection of our faith.
Gospel
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew (10:32-33, 37-38; 19:27-30).
The Lord said to His disciples, “Everyone who acknowledges Me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father Who is in heaven; but whoever denies Me before men, I also will deny before My Father Who is in heaven. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.”
Then Peter said in reply, “Lo, we have left everything and followed Thee. What then shall we have?”
Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the New World, when the Son of Man shall sit on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My Name’s sake, will receive a hundred fold, and inherit eternal life. But many that are first will be last, and the last first.”