{"id":10825,"date":"2022-03-15T10:48:09","date_gmt":"2022-03-15T14:48:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/?p=10825"},"modified":"2022-03-15T10:48:09","modified_gmt":"2022-03-15T14:48:09","slug":"st-peter-news-march-15-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/st-peter-news-march-15-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"St. Peter News March 15, 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"
St. Gregory Palamas<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
From “A Man Fully Alive<\/a>” by Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick.<\/p>\n On the Second Sunday of Great Lent we celebrate St. Gregory Palamas, the archbishop of Thessalonica in Greece for a number of years in the 14th century, right around the same time that Geoffrey Chaucer was born, the man who wrote The Canterbury Tales.<\/p>\n But before he became an archbishop, Gregory was a monk on the holy mountain of Athos. During his time there and also when he later became an archbishop, Gregory was involved in a controversy that cut straight to the heart of this longing for life that all of us who are sons and daughters of Adam share.<\/p>\n At that time, there was a certain heretic named Barlaam, who was from the southern part of Italy, which was Greek-speaking at the time. Barlaam made the claim that the highest possible knowledge of God that anyone could have was through the mind, that the philosophers knew God better than the prophets and even the apostles.<\/p>\n Gregory answered that the human mind, while a great gift from God, was not actually capable of the kind of intimate knowledge and communion that Adam had received from God, that there was something much deeper, that the Christian could actually know God and see Him with the heart, as a light shining in. And indeed, sometimes this heart knowledge of God was so powerful and so pervasive that some people were actually seeing the light of God with their physical eyes.<\/p>\n Isn’t that why we’re here? Don’t we want to see God? Aren’t we here not just to learn about God with our minds, but truly to know Him with our hearts?<\/p>\n Read Fr. Damick’s complete essay<\/a>.<\/p>\n Read a brief history of St. Gregory Palamas<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Akathist Service will be held on Friday at 6:30pm and NOT Thursday as previously announced. Fr. Hans’ trip that originally necessitated the change has been rescheduled.<\/p>\n Stewardship letters have been mailed out. God has blessed St. Peter’s. Please fill in your pledge so the work that we have been called to do will continue.<\/p>\n Click the image to download and print the form<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n You can also print and download the form on the St. Peter website<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every Wednesday after Presanctified Liturgy on the Wednesdays during Lent, we gather for fellowship over a simple Lenten supper.<\/p>\n Thank you to Marjorie Zimmerman will be organizing the suppers.<\/p>\n Last week marked our first anniversary in our new church. Last year we accomplished the move in one week not missing even one Sunday! Our subsequent build out took one year and we are 99% done and ready to move into our next phase of growth. Meanwhile new members continue to stream in to where our attendance has grown to 150 people and more almost every Sunday. Our future looks bright and if we remain faithful God will continue to bless us!<\/p>\n Click to enlarge and print<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Galyna Seabrooke who has spoken on several occasions on the situation in Ukraine on behalf of our Ukranian parishioners mentioned opportunities to help the victims of the war. <\/p>\n One way to offer humanitarian aid is through a Go Fund Me page<\/a>. Another is to donate essential items for Ukranian refugees. These items include:<\/p>\n No food items please.<\/em><\/p>\n A box will be set up in the church for donations.<\/p>\n We pray that war in Ukraine will end quickly.<\/p>\n Classes meet on Thursdays at 3:30pm in the Sunday School room.<\/p>\n Click the image to get more information on how to participate from the St. Peter’s website<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Our goal at St. Peter’s is to have one person or family pray the Parakelsis to the Theotokos for at least one day of every month. For each day of the month, individuals or even an entire family can sign up to pray the Paraklesis in their homes on the day\/s which they select.<\/p>\n Hopefully, we will reach our goal of collectively praying for the intercessions of the Theotokos every day of every month. That way the supplications to the Theotokos will be offered for our parish, the larger world and those in need such as the people on our prayer list.<\/p>\n Also, you will come to know and love this beautiful hymn and learn more about the Theotokos and her benevolence and power towards us. We supplicate the Theotokos who responds in mercy, and she supplicates her son on behalf of the parish and its people.<\/p>\n Get more information on how to participate from the St. Peter’s website<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n Praise the Lord, last Sunday St. Peter’s Church celebrated its one year anniversary at the Fort Meyers location. We are very fortunate and blessed. And yet, considering all that is going on in the world today, we need to be reminded of the following:<\/p>\n Do not look forward in fear to the changes in life. Rather, look to them with full hope that as they arise, GOD, whose very own you are, will lead you safely through all things; and when you cannot stand it, GOD will carry you in his arms. Do not fear what may happen tomorrow. The same understanding Father who cares for you today will either shield you from suffering or give you unfailing strength to bear it. Trust in Him.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Thank you, God bless and IC XC NI KA!<\/p>\n If you have a used car that you want to sell for a reasonable and fair price, Tom Sovjani is looking for one for a relative that recently moved to the area from Albania.<\/p>\n Please contact Tom at 239-254-1004.<\/p>\n Click to view the trailer<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n A special showing of “Man of God,” an award winning feature film about the life of St. Nektarios is coming to Southwest Florida on Monday, March 21 and March 28, 2022. Fr. Hans has already seen the film and gives it five stars.<\/p>\n We can go view the film as a parish. Since we have parishioners in both the Cape Coral\/Ft. Myers and Naples areas, two locations and dates are offered to see this film as a parish.<\/p>\n Cape Coral and Ft. Myers<\/strong><\/p>\n Monday, March 21, 2022 meet at 6:30pm (show time 7:00pm) at:<\/p>\n Regal Belltower Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero<\/strong><\/p>\n Monday, March 28, 2022 meet at 6:30pm (show time 7:00pm) at:<\/p>\n Regal Coconut Point Please note that we will not hold the Great Compline on March 28, 2022.<\/em><\/p>\n Keep in mind that St. Nektarios has performed miracles in our parish including the healing of cancer and other maladies. <\/p>\nServices This Week<\/h2>\n
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Akathist Service Will Be Held On Friday (Not Thursday)<\/h2>\n
St. Peter’s Women’s Retreat – Saturday March 26, 2022 at 9:30am<\/h2>\n
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Stewardship 2022<\/h2>\n
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Pictures from the Sunday of Orthodoxy Procession<\/h2>\n
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Presanctified Lenten Suppers<\/h2>\n
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Pictures of St. Peter’s First Anniversary Celebration in Our New Location<\/h2>\n
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Journey to Pascha<\/h2>\n
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Helping Victims of the War in Ukraine<\/h2>\n
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Greek Language School Continues<\/h2>\n
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Let’s Pray the Paraklesis to the Theotokos Daily<\/h2>\n
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Cafe of Life: St. Peter’s is Blessed and We Must Pass the Blessing to Others<\/h2>\n
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Do You Have a Used Car for Sale?<\/h2>\n
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Man of God (St. Nektarios) Movie Coming to Fort Myers\/Naples on Monday March 21\/28, 2022<\/h2>\n
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\n13499 Belltower Drive
\nFort Myers, FL<\/p>\n
\n8021 Cinema Way
\nEstero, FL<\/p>\nSave the Date! DOMSE Parish Life Conference June 15-18, 2022<\/h2>\n
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