Conception of the Forerunner and Baptist John
First Sunday of Luke
Martyr Raidos of Egypt
New-Martyrs Nicholas the Grocer and John of Brachorion
Venerable Xanthippa and Polyxena of Spain
The Conception of St. John the Forerunner
The Conception of the Venerable Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, John: The holy Prophet Malachi prophesied that before the Messiah’s birth His Forerunner would appear, and would indicate His coming. The Jews therefore in awaiting the Messiah also awaited the appearance of His Forerunner.
In a city of the hills of Judea in the land of Palestine lived the righteous priest St Zachariah and his wife St Elizabeth, zealously observing the commandments of the Lord. The couple, however, had a misfortune: they remained childless in their old age, and they prayed unceasingly to God to grant them a child.
Once, when St Zachariah took his turn as priest at the Temple of Jerusalem, he went into the Sanctuary to offer incense. Going behind the veil of the Sanctuary, he beheld an angel of God standing at the right side of the altar of incense. St Zachariah was astonished and halted in fear, but the angel said to him, “Fear not, Zachariah, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.”
But Zachariah did not believe the words of the heavenly messenger, and then the angel said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you the good news. Behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things come to pass, because you did not believe my words….”
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zachariah and they were astonished that he had not come out from the Sanctuary after so long a time. And when he did come out, he was supposed to pronounce a blessing upon the people, but could not do so because he had been struck speechless. When Zachariah explained by gestures that he was unable to speak, the people then understood that he had experienced a vision.
The prophecy of the Archangel was fulfilled, and Righteous Elizabeth was delivered from her barrenness, and gave birth to John, the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord.
Source: Orthodox Christianity.
Community Luncheon on Thursday, October 4, 2018 at 12:00pm
You are invited to join your St. Peter’s friends for lunch and fellowship at 12 noon on Thursday, September at 12:00pm.
Barbara Dionysopoulos and friends are preparing a delicious meal for all our members. Come and join us to enjoy some good food and the company of your friends. Make some new friends too and get to know other parishioners.
Reservations are required! Please call Barbara at 239-826-1655 or sign up in the Social Hall after Divine Liturgy.
Sunday School Has Started!
Parents: Please note that Sunday School started on Sunday, September 9 immediately following Holy Communion. Children will take communion first and go directly to Sunday School.
Georgia Katsigianopoulos, our Sunday School director, will have registration forms available following the Divine Liturgy on Sundays.
This year will be a good year with important lessons planned. Your children will learn important things about our Orthodox faith and Orthodox Church.
Some of our students taking a break after Sunday School
Fr. Hans Speaking at Chicago Conference
Fr. Hans will speaking at the conference “Patriarchy: Fatherhood and the Restoration of Culture” on October 11-13, 2018. He will back for Divine Liturgy that Sunday. For more information click the image.
Interfaith Charities Needs Food, Clothing, Towels, and Bedding
Interfaith Charities, the local assembly of churches that helps the poor in our area, needs:
- Canned vegetables
- Canned fruit
- Tuna
- Jelly
- Other food items you can give (peanut butter, spaghetti, etc.)
They also need:
- Bedding
- Towels
- Clothing
- Shoes
- Other items that can be used but in good condition.
If you bring to the church, we will get them to Interfaith Charities.
Calendar At A Glance
- Thursday, October 4, 2018 — 12:00pm Community Luncheon
- Thursday, October 26, 2018 — 6:30pm St. Demetrios Divine Liturgy
Wisdom From The Elders
In disobedience is hidden pride. In humility is hidden love. In pride there is no love. All your unhappiness comes from your pride. Archbishop Seraphim (Sobolev) of Bogucharsk
The cross is the means of liberation from the self and its crucifixion. Metropolitan Saba(Esber)
Every man condemns those sins of his neighbor by which he himself is censured. Elder Joseph of Optina
Do not be discouraged when you see no improvement. One thing is needful: try to live according to the Gospel commandments. Fight and defend yourself against every sin through deeds, words or thoughts, and do not voluntarily succumb to bad influences. If you do succumb, repent before the Lord, ask forgiveness, and rise to fight again. And so until death. Abbot Nikon Vorobiev
The holy Church teaches us that every Christian receives from God at his baptism a holy guardian angel, who, invisibly guarding the Christian, inspires him with every kind of good deed during his life, and reminds him of God’s commandments. The prince of darkness, who desires to draw the entire human race into destruction allotted to himself, also appoints one of the wicked spirits to attend man, and this spirit follows his man everywhere and tries to draw him into every kind of sin. St. Ignatius Brianchaninov
The gift is given to those who humble and abase themselves before the greatness of the gift. The gift is given to those who renounce their own will and surrender themselves to the will of God. The gift is given to those who subdue and mortify their flesh and blood, who subdue and mortify the mind of the flesh by the commandments of the Gospel. Life dawns and rises according to the degree of our mortification. It comes unexpectedly, entirely at its own good pleasure, and then it completes and perfects the mortification begun voluntarily. St. Ignatius Brianchaninov
Remember in Your Prayers
Carmine Anthony John
Dennis H. and Family
Victor Evan
Ann
James
David (Speakman)
Joyce (Speakman)
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
Eva K.
Rosie
Kathryn
Jeremy
Constantine
Robert
Jane
Theodora
David
Gina
Baby Brynn L.
Micheal
Haralambos
Lillian
Presbytera Rosy
Valentina
John
Eva W.
Barbara
Angela
Carol Ann
Matthew
Chrysostom
Tim
Pat
Christina
Maria Louise
Maximos
Marian
Photini
Nicholas
Sarah
Petronia (Wife of Phil Pappas)
Constantine Houpis
Anna Marie Smith Baker
Ron Chromulak
Beverly Chromulak
Katerina
Loucine Kassis
Mary Kassis
Baby Maximus
Christine
Maria
Annette Star
Claire Livaditis
Eva Chandilles
Baby Dani
Scott Nedoff
Anthony Mourgis
James Hord
Tom
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 Conception of St. John the Baptist
The righteous shall rejoice in the Lord.
O God, hear my prayer.
The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians. (4:22-27)
Brethren, Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, the son of the free woman through promise. Now this is an allegory: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written, “Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and shout, you who are not in travail; for the children of the desolate one are many more than the children of her that is married.”
Gospel
For the First Sunday of Luke
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. (5:1-11)
At that time, Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. And He saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, Jesus asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when Jesus had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at Thy word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking, they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.
But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the catch of fish, which they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.
