{"id":10573,"date":"2021-12-20T18:55:18","date_gmt":"2021-12-20T23:55:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/?p=10573"},"modified":"2021-12-20T18:55:18","modified_gmt":"2021-12-20T23:55:18","slug":"st-peter-news-december-21-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/st-peter-news-december-21-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"St. Peter News December 21, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Synaxis of the Most Holy Theotokos<br \/>\nSunday after the Nativity of Christ<\/h2>\n<h4> Afterfeast of the Nativity, Synaxis of the Holy Theotokos, Euthemios the Confessor, Bishop of Sardis, Holy New Hieromartyr Constantine of Russia, Who Struggled in Constantinople (1743), Constantius the Holy Martyr, Barlaam the Righteous of Valaam<\/h4>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/synaxis-theotokos-500x337-1.jpg\" alt=\"The Synaxis (Gathering) of the Theotokos\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The Synaxis (Gathering) of the Theotokos<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>What is the Synaxis (Gathering) of the Theotokos?<\/h2>\n<p>On the second day of the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Church has established the celebration of the Synaxis of the Most Holy Mother of God. The name of today&#8217;s festival signifies the gathering of the faithful in order to praise and glorify the All-Holy Virgin, who gave birth to our Savior.<\/p>\n<p>On the first day of the Nativity of the Lord, the Church glorifies the Redeemer of the human race, and the blessed deliverance which freed the sinful world from the snares of the Enemy. On the second day of the Nativity of the Lord, which was such a great event for our salvation, the Church calls upon us to honor the Ever-Virgin Mary, the Mother of our Lord, in an appropriate manner.<\/p>\n<p>The day after many of the Church&#8217;s Feast Days is called the Synaxis &#8211; such as the day after the Nativity of the Theotokos, when the righteous Joachim and Anna are commemorated; or the day following the Feast of Theophany, when we honor Saint John the Baptist, etc.<\/p>\n<p>[&#8230;&#93;<\/p>\n<p><em>Read the complete essay on the <a href=\"http:\/\/antiochian.org\/node\/18658\">Orthodox Church in America<\/a> website.<\/em><\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<h2>Services This Week<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Sun Dec 19<\/strong> &mdash; SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY &#8211; Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mon Dec 20<\/strong> &mdash; St. Ignatius of Antioch 9:30am LIVE STREAM<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fri Dec 24<\/strong> &mdash; Royal Hours NOTE EARLIER TIME 9:00am LIVE STREAM<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fri Dec 24<\/strong> &mdash; Nativity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Orthros 5:00pm LIVE STREAM<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fri Dec 24<\/strong> &mdash; Nativity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Divine Liturgy 6:00pm LIVE STREAM<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Services Next Week<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Sun Dec 26<\/strong> &mdash; SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY &#8211; Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mon Dec 27<\/strong> &mdash; St. Stephen the Proto-Martyr 9:30am LIVE STREAM<\/li>\n<li><strong>Thu Dec 29<\/strong> &mdash; The Holy Innocents Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sat Jan 01<\/strong> &mdash; Circumcision of Christ \/ St. Basil Divine Liturgy Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<h2>St. Stephen the Proto-Martyr Divine Liturgy, Monday December 27, 2021 at 9:30am<\/h2>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/st-stephen-500x560.jpg\" alt=\"St. Stephen the Proto-Martyr\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<h2>The Holy Innocents Divine Liturgy, Thursday December 29, 2021 at 9:30am<\/h2>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/holy-innocents-500x320-1.jpg\" alt=\"The Holy Innocents\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<h2>St. Basil the Great \/ The Circumcision of Christ Divine Liturgy, Saturday January 1, 2021 at 9:30am<\/h2>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/st-basil-500x513.png\" alt=\"St. Basil the Great\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<h2>Next Year Christmas Services Will Change<\/h2>\n<div style=\"float: left; margin: 0 2em 2em 0;\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/change-is-coming-250x250-1.jpg\" alt=\"Change is coming\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<p>Metropolitan Joseph has been instructing the clergy to follow the Liturgical schedule more closely than we have in years past. Allowances were made for churches with established patterns so as not to make the changes abruptly. It&#8217;s time however to move closer to established Orthodox practice.<\/p>\n<p>This will be the last year that we hold St. John Chrysostom Christmas Liturgy in the early evening of Christmas Eve. The St. John Chrysostom Liturgy is just like the Sunday Liturgy. Instead we will hold the Vesperal Divine Liturgy of St. Basil around sunset on Christmas Eve (6:00pm), and the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom on Christmas Day (9:30am). The other option is to hold one Liturgy after 10:00pm on Christmas Eve but this is a burden on our seniors so we will take the first option instead. Parishioners can come to one service or both.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<h2>Nativity Fast Continues and Ends After Divine Liturgy on December 24, 2021<\/h2>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/ww1.antiochian.org\/NativityFast\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"border: 0;\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/nativity-season-panel-500x160-1.jpg\" alt=\"Nativity Season Begins on November 15, 2021\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Click the image to learn more about Orthodox practice during the Nativity Season<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<h2>Calling All Teens!<\/h2>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/youth-group-logo.jpg\" alt=\"SOYO\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<p>Fr. Hans needs your name and email address (or your parent&#8217;s address) so you can receive SOYO (Society of Orthodox Youth Organization) materials. Maybe we can begin a SOYO group at St. Peter&#8217;s too. <\/p>\n<p>Learn more about Teen SOYO on the <a href=\"https:\/\/domse.org\/soyo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DOMSE website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<h2>Cafe of Life&mdash; What is the Real Meaning of Christmas?<\/h2>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/cafe-of-life-500x213-1.jpg\" alt=\"Cafe of Life\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<p>It&#8217;s that time of year again. December has come and with it all the joys of Christmas. But what is the real meaning of Christmas?<\/p>\n<p>The true meaning of Christmas is love. John 3:16-17 says, &#8220;For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Why did God do such a thing? Because He loves us! Because we needed a Savior and Out of gratitude for what God did for us, we remember His birth by giving each other gifts, worshipping Him, and being especially conscious of the poor, the hungr and the less fortunate.<\/p>\n<p>So please give whatever you can spare and have yourself a very Merry Christmas!<\/p>\n<p>God bless and IC XC NI KA!<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<h2>Could You Support a Special Project?<\/h2>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/019-s.jpg\" alt=\"St. Peter Orthodox Church\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<p>Some parishioners have requested a needs list they could contribute to. Below are the special projects we still need to get done. If you can help please mention it to Fr. Hans, Jack Long, or John Simon.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><s>Replace Church computer<br \/>\n$1,500<\/s> <em>Donated.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><s>Replace Flat roof on Church<br \/>\n$30,000.<\/s> <em>Donated.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Replace windows in the Sunday School rooms<br \/>\n$8000.<\/li>\n<li><s>Upgrade Church sound system<br \/>\n$1700.00<\/s> <em>Donated.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Seal coat and restripe parking Lot<br \/>\n$6,300.<\/li>\n<li><s>Upgrade Church Electrical System<br \/>\n$3600<\/s> <em>Donated.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"text-align: center; margin: 1em 1em\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"border: 0;\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/divider-2.png\" alt=\"St. Peter Orthodox Church\" \/><\/div>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<h2>Pledge &amp; Income Report &#8211; November 2021<\/h2>\n<p>Donations received in November: $24,004.<br \/>\nAmount of money needed to cover expenses: $22,760.<br \/>\nWe are ahead by $1,244.<\/p>\n<p>These numbers reflect the operating costs of the the Hickory Drive property.<\/p>\n<div style=\"float: left; margin: 0em 1em 0 0;\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/check-150x114-1.jpg\" alt=\"Don't forget your pledge!\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<p>St. Peter Orthodox Church<br \/>\n7470 Hickory Drive<br \/>\nFort Myers, FL 33967<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<p>You can also donate online:<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/donate-button-235x110.jpg\" alt=\"Click to donate\" \/><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<h2>Sign up the the Monthly DOMSE Newsletter on the DOMSE (Diocese of Miami and the Southeast) Website!<\/h2>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/domse.org\/\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/the-light-logo-500x192-1.jpg\" alt=\"Click here to go to the DOMSE site\" \/><br \/>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<p><em>Visit <a href=\"https:\/\/domse.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the DOMSE Website<\/a> (scroll to the bottom, fill in the form on the left side) to sign up for &#8220;The Light&#8221; Newsletter and DOMSE emails.<\/em><\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/social-hall-all-stars-500x100-2.jpg\" alt=\"Social Hall All Stars\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<p><em>The Social Hall All Stars are the men and women that make St. Peter&#8217;s Social Hall happen. Thank you All Stars!<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>December 5 &#8211; December 26<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Marlene Haley<\/li>\n<li>Tom Haley<\/li>\n<li>Cheryl Morse<\/li>\n<li>Elaine Semeretis<\/li>\n<li>Gregory Semeretis<\/li>\n<li>Tim Morse<\/li>\n<li>Anna Tsikitas<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<h2>Procedures for Hospitality<\/h2>\n<p>Please note: If you would like to bring in your own prepared food, please contact Tom Haley at 239-887-0753 <em>a week before<\/em> the upcoming Sunday. That way we know not to prepare any food for Sunday.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/coffe-hour-500x241-1.jpg\" alt=\"New procedures for coffee hour\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<ol>\n<li>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 &#8220;ready to be served.&#8221;<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin-top: 1em;\">Please do not donate coffee. We have a <em>space age coffee brewer<\/em> that we acquired at no cost if we buy our coffee from one supplier. If you bring in coffee, we can&#8217;t use it. <\/li>\n<li style=\"margin-top: 1em;\">We cannot continue preparing meals for Memorials, Name Days, Anniversaries, and other celebrations. We don&#8217;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.<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin-top: 1em;\">If you would like to bring in your own prepared food, please contact Tom Haley at 239-887-0753 <em>a week before<\/em> the upcoming Sunday. That way we know not to prepare any food for Sunday.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<h2>The Safest Way to Come to Church<\/h2>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/safety-map-3-500x237-1.jpg\" alt=\"Driving Safely\" style=\"border: solid 1px;\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<h2>Calendar At A Glance<\/h2>\n<p><em>Calendar also available <a href=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/calendar\/\">on the St. Peter website<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>NOVEMBER &#8211; DECEMBER 24<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>Nativity Fast Begins November 15 through December 24, 2022<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>DECEMBER &#8211; JANUARY 1<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Sun Dec 19<\/strong> &mdash; SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY &#8211; Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mon Dec 20<\/strong> &mdash; St. Ignatius of Antioch 9:30am LIVE STREAM<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fri Dec 24<\/strong> &mdash; Royal Hours NOTE EARLIER TIME 9:00am LIVE STREAM<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fri Dec 24<\/strong> &mdash; Nativity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Orthros 5:00pm LIVE STREAM<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fri Dec 24<\/strong> &mdash; Nativity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Divine Liturgy 6:00pm LIVE STREAM<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Sun Dec 26<\/strong> &mdash; SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY &#8211; Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mon Dec 27<\/strong> &mdash; St. Stephen the Proto-Martyr 9:30am LIVE STREAM<\/li>\n<li><strong>Thu Dec 29<\/strong> &mdash; The Holy Innocents Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sat Jan 01<\/strong> &mdash; Circumcision of Christ \/ St. Basil Divine Liturgy Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<h2>Wisdom From The Elders<\/h2>\n<p>Blessed is he who with spiritual awareness loves meekness, and does not allow himself to be deceived by the evil serpent <strong>Venerable Ephraim the Syrian<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The whole earth is a living icon of the face of God. <strong>St. John of Damascus<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Do you believe that God provides for His creatures, and is able to do all things? Let suitable labor, therefore, follow on your faith, and then He will hear you. <strong>Venerable Isaac the Syrian, bishop of Nineveh<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Therefore, he who has the Son of God has life; he who has not the Son of God has not life (1 John 5: 12)&mdash;he is completely in death. Life in the one true God and Lord Jesus Christ is really our only true life because it is wholly eternal and completely stronger than deaths. <strong>Venerable Justin (Popovic) of Chelije in Serbia<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You are the people of God; he loved you and chose you for his own. So then, you must clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. <strong>Colossians 3:12<\/strong><\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n<h2>Remember in Your Prayers<\/h2>\n<p><em>List has been updated. If you want some names restored, please mention it to Fr. Hans.<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Names will remain on the list for two months.<\/li>\n<li>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.<\/li>\n<li>Names will include the person who requested the prayers and the month the name will be removed.<\/li>\n<li>The permanent list includes friends and members of St. Peter&#8217;s and others including shut-ins.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Were names dropped that should have remained? Please mention it to Fr. Hans. He will add them back.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Updated November 18 \/ Resets January 1<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Current Prayer List<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\nNicholas (Ghanem 1\/22)<br \/>\nArielle (Ghanem 1\/22)<br \/>\nGeorgia (Sarros 1\/22)<br \/>\nKerri (Dusckas 1\/21)<br \/>\nAggie (Dusckas 12\/21)<br \/>\nFr. Thomas (Forderhase 12\/21)<br \/>\nEmily (Forderhase 12\/21)<br \/>\nSean (Breitenbach 12\/21)<br \/>\nDavid (Zafiris 12\/21)<br \/>\nRobin (Zafiris 12\/21)<br \/>\nDana (Zafiris 12\/21)<br \/>\nMackenzie (Zafiris 12\/21)<br \/>\nHarry (Zafiris 12\/21)<br \/>\nBettina (Zafiris 12\/21)<br \/>\nHarry James (Zafiris 12\/21)<br \/>\nAnastasia (Protopapadakis 12\/21)<br \/>\nBarbara (Dusckas 11\/21)<br \/>\nDave (Dusckas 11\/21)<br \/>\nElizabeth (Wolfe 11\/21)<br \/>\nCatherine (Breitenbach 11\/21)\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Permanent Prayer List<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\nCorgette (Troutman)<br \/>\nIrina (Irina)<br \/>\nLee Joseph (Irina)<br \/>\nLidia (Irina)<br \/>\nSarina (Ghanem)<br \/>\nKasiani, Jordan and their unborn child (Chapekis)<br \/>\nDebbie (Breitenbach)<br \/>\nKathy (Breitenbach)<br \/>\nHope (Isadore)<br \/>\nJohn (Long)<br \/>\nPantelis (Tsikita)<br \/>\nMarisa (Tsikita)<br \/>\nBarbara (Dionysopoulos)<br \/>\nPatricia (Evanoff)<br \/>\nGabriel (Mankus)<br \/>\nBaby Dani (Repya)<br \/>\nMaria and her newborn baby\u00a0(Diveris)<br \/>\nDespina (Diversis)b<br \/>\nFredericos (Diveris)<br \/>\nSophia (D. Constantine)<br \/>\nHerman (Kerr)<br \/>\nInnocent (Kerr)<br \/>\nNicholas (Kerr)<br \/>\nPaola (Jacobse)<br \/>\nGregory (Yankopolos)<br \/>\nSoterios (Ninos)<br \/>\nPauline (Poulos)<br \/>\nSergio (Kazakos)<br \/>\nRae (Semeretis)<br \/>\nFran (Hansen)<br \/>\nNina (Krotov)<br \/>\nFranklin (Pyrrson)<br \/>\nGeorge (Chionis)<br \/>\nStamatia (Evelyn)<br \/>\nDemetrios (Kuchera)<br \/>\nTheodosios (Palis)<br \/>\nTheodora (Webb)<br \/>\nHelen (Rogers)<br \/>\nRobert (Smith)<br \/>\nRobert (Jarvis)<br \/>\nPresbytera Rosy (in Pakistan)<br \/>\nJames (Hord)<br \/>\nVassiliki (Kontinos)<br \/>\nVassiliki (Morekeas)\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Founders, Members, Benefactors and Friends Departed this Life<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>John (Hansen)<br \/>\nAnatoly (Kurdsjuk)<br \/>\nThareni (Brooks)<br \/>\nMilan Evanoff<br \/>\nJean (Sam)<br \/>\nEleni (Pearson)<br \/>\nRichard (Pearson)<br \/>\nFr. Stephanos (Shagoury)<br \/>\nPanagiota (Bea Chionis)<br \/>\nAnthony (Mourgis)<br \/>\nAnthony (Mankus)<br \/>\nConstantine (Houpis)<br \/>\nConstantine (Joseph)<br \/>\nMary (Jarvis)<br \/>\nPanagiota Margarita (Palis)<br \/>\nMaria (Ninos)<br \/>\nJohn (Katsigianopoulos)<br \/>\nGeorge (Chionis)<br \/>\nMary (Spiropoulos)<br \/>\nGregory (Pappas)<br \/>\nAngela (Coran K)<br \/>\nEugene (Rust)<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p><em>Add or remove names and print this list for easy reference during your prayer time <a href=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/prayer-list\/\">on the St. Peter website<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<h2>Sunday Readings<\/h2>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Search the Scriptures\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/pantokrator-blessing.png\" \/><\/div>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<h4>EPISTLE<\/h4>\n<p>For the Sunday after Nativity of Christ<\/p>\n<p>God is wondrous in His saints. In the churches, bless ye God.<\/p>\n<p>The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians. (1:11-19)<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Brethren, I would have you know that the Gospel, which was preached by me, is not man&rsquo;s<br \/>\ngospel. For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the Church of God violently and tried to destroy it; and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people; so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. But when He who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son to me, in order that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord&rsquo;s brother.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<h4>GOSPEL<\/h4>\n<p>For the Sunday before the Nativity: &ldquo;The Genealogy&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (2:13-23)<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>When the wise men had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, &ldquo;Rise, take the Child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the Child, to destroy Him.&rdquo; And he rose and took the Child and His mother by night, and departed to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, &ldquo;Out of Egypt have I called My Son.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was in a furious rage, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region, who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: &ldquo;A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they were no more.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, &ldquo;Rise, take the Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the Child&rsquo;s life are dead.&rdquo; And he rose and took the Child and His mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus reigned over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. And he went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, &ldquo;He shall be called a Nazarene.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div style=\"text-align: center; margin: 1em 1em\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"border: 0;\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/divider-2.png\" alt=\"St. Peter Orthodox Church\" \/><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Sunday after the Nativity of Christ, The Synaxis (Gathering) of the Theotokos, Liturgies for St. Stephen, The Holy Innocents (Children Killed by King Herod), St. Basil, more&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10570,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10573","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10573","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10573"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10573\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10570"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10573"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10573"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10573"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}