{"id":26672,"date":"2024-03-26T14:10:11","date_gmt":"2024-03-26T14:10:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/?p=26672"},"modified":"2024-03-26T14:11:55","modified_gmt":"2024-03-26T14:11:55","slug":"st-peter-news-march-26-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/st-peter-news-march-26-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"St. Peter News March 26, 2024"},"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 retreat will be led by Presbytera Susan on “To You As Champion: Entering into Worship and Prayer with the Akathist Hymn.” Lunch is provided.<\/p>\n Every Wednesday after Presanctified Liturgy on the Wednesdays during Lent, we gather for fellowship over a simple Lenten supper.<\/p>\n Click to enlarge and print<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n From Aspen:<\/strong><\/p>\n Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,<\/p>\n This summer I will be going to Project Mexico on a mission trip to build houses for families living in poverty. Over the course of one week our team will be building one safe and weather tight home for a local family.<\/p>\n I will be paying $200 for travel expenses and $100 for a deposit to Project Mexico. Project Mexico also requires each team to cover the cost of all the building materials. The portion that I am responsible to raise is $750. All prayers and support will be greatly appreciated!<\/p>\n With Much Love, <\/p>\n Aspen Elisabeth<\/p>\n You can donate here: Project Mexico and St. Innocent Orphange<\/a><\/p>\n About Project Mexico:<\/strong> For over thirty years, Project Mexico has been building secure, safe and weather-tight homes for some of the most impoverished families in northern Project Mexico is an Orthodox Christian ministry endorsed by the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America. Learn more on the Project Mexico and St. Innocent Orphanage website<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n We raised $1,800 to help the Seminarians last Sunday. Thank you all for supporting this important endeavor.<\/p>\n Subdeacon Joseph will lead the classes. The classes will run every Sunday following Social Hour. Schedule and syllabus will be handed out at the next class this Sunday.<\/p>\n We will use Fr. Spyridon Bailey’s “Small Steps into the Kingdom” available from Amazon here.<\/p>\n All catechums are required to attend but the class is open to everyone.<\/p>\n …It still needs some fine tuning. Websites are fickle beasts but we are almost there. The good news is that the calendar is back. One or two weeks and it will be where we want it to be.<\/p>\n This week you should receive your 2023 donation statement, If you do not receive your donation statement by Saturday, please contact Greg Semetis (917) 992-5884 or Ron Franklin (618)-530-5059. All teens are invited to join our Catechism team and study the book of Romans. Actually adults are invited too as we can have an adult team as well. The competition this year will be held in Georgia, near Atlanta over the weekend of June 13-15. All questions for the competition will be from the book of Romans. <\/p>\n If you are interested in studying Romans, whether you want to travel to the conference in Georgia or just study with the team, please contact Diana Najjar at 317-213-5785 or msdiananajjar@gmail.com. Currently we are studying by zoom, but we plan to meet together when the opportunity arises. Diana is flexible to work with teens at a time that fits their schedule. <\/p>\n Visit the DOMSE Website<\/a> (scroll to the bottom, fill in the form on the left side) to sign up for "The Light" Newsletter and DOMSE emails.<\/em><\/p>\nServices and Events This Week<\/h2>\n
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Lenten Women’s Retreat This Saturday, March 30, 2024 Stating at 9:00am<\/h2>\n
Presanctified Lenten Suppers<\/h2>\n
Journey to Pascha<\/h2>\n
\n<\/a><\/p>\nCan You Help Aspen (Elizabeth) Kerr Work at Project Mexico this Summer?<\/h2>\n
\nMexico. Built strictly by volunteer labor, these homes provide families economic security and hope for a brighter future. In addition to helping families, proceeds from service trips benefit the children of St Innocent Orphanage.<\/p>\nAnnual Seminarian Appeal Last Sunday<\/h2>\n
Orthodoxy 101 Class Continues<\/h2>\n
Web Site Fixed — But Please Be Patient Because…<\/h2>\n
2023 Donation Statements Sent Out<\/h2>\n
\nThank you for your continued support of St. Peter’s.<\/p>\nBible Bowl Invitation!<\/h2>\n
\nSt. Peter’s teens won 2nd place last year at the Parish Life Conference for the Diocese of Miami and the Southeast.<\/p>\nSign up the the Monthly DOMSE Newsletter on the DOMSE (Diocese of Miami and the Southeast) Website!<\/h2>\n
DOMSE Parish Life Retreat in Hiram Georgia<\/h2>\n