{"id":7794,"date":"2019-07-16T19:35:46","date_gmt":"2019-07-16T23:35:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/?p=7794"},"modified":"2019-07-16T19:35:46","modified_gmt":"2019-07-16T23:35:46","slug":"st-peter-newsletter-july-16-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/st-peter-newsletter-july-16-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"St. Peter Newsletter July 16, 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost<br \/>\nThe Fifth Sunday of Matthew<\/h2>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">The Righteous Fathers John of Edessa in Mesopotamia; Simeon of Homs (Emesa),The Fool-for-Christ; Parthenios, Bishop of Radovizlios; Martyr Victor of Marseilles<\/h4>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/victor-marseille-350x346.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"346\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7792\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Saint Victor was a Roman army officer in Marseille, who publicly denounced the worship of idols. For that, he was brought before the Roman prefects, Asterius and Eutychius, who later sent him to the Emperor Maximian. He was then racked, beaten, dragged through the streets, and thrown into prison, where he converted three other Roman soldiers, Longinus, Alexander, and Felician, who were subsequently beheaded. After refusing to offer incense to a statue of the Roman god Jupiter, Victor kicked it over with his foot. The emperor ordered that he be put to death by being ground under a millstone, but the millstone broke while Victor was still alive. He was then beheaded.<\/p>\n<p>Saint Victor and the three other Roman soldiers he converted \u2013 Saints Longinus, Alexander and Felician \u2013 were killed near the end of the 3rd century. In the 4th century, Saint John Cassian built a monastery over the site where their bodies had been buried in a cave, which later became a Benedictine abbey and minor basilica. This is the Abbey of St Victor (Abbaye Saint-Victor).<\/p>\n<p>Saint Victor&#8217;s feast day, along with Saints Longinus, Alexander and Felician, is celebrated on July 21.<\/p>\n<p><em>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Victor_of_Marseilles\">Wikipedia<\/a> website.<\/em><\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<h2>St. Peter&rsquo;s Community Luncheon on Thursday, July 18, 2019 CANCELLED<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/community-dinner-500x145.png\" alt=\"Community Dinner\" width=\"500\" height=\"145\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-6975\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>PLEASE NOTE<\/strong>: The Community Luncheon has been cancelled. Barbara and Kosta Dionysopoulos are under the weather. We will resume next month.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<h2>Fr. Hans Our Town Monday, July 22 to Friday, July 26, 2018<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/airplane.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"204\" height=\"150\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-1115\" \/><\/p>\n<p>He will be attending the Antiochian Convention in Grand Rapids, Michigan.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n<h2>Summers are Rough, St. Peter&#8217;s Needs Your Help<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/building-a-church-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"364\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7768\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Summers are always a difficult time to pay our bills. Parishioners are up north, others are on vacation, and the real financial needs bubble up.<\/p>\n<p>If we can&#8217;t make our monthly goals, the money has to come from somewhere else. Usually it&#8217;s a reserve like the building fund. We don&#8217;t want to do that but there is no other choice. The bills have to be paid.<\/p>\n<p>The Parish Council recently send a out a letter explaining our situation. Please read it and respond at your earliest convenience. <\/p>\n<p>The first five months have been good. Now we are falling behind. We respectfully ask everyone to remain current on their pledge, give more if you can, and help us keep St. Peter&#8217;s in the black.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n<h2>Bp. Nicholas Outlines the Vision of the Newly Formed AMEN Group<\/h2>\n<p>Antiochian Men (AMEN), the new men&#8217;s group formed by Bp. Nicholas is off to a strong start. Recently Bp. Nicholas offered a short interview explaining his vision for AMEN. Click to view the video.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/bp-nicholas-and-the-vision-for-antiochian-men-amen-video\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/bp-nicholas-bryce-youtube.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"280\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7776\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n<h2>Pledge Report &#8211; July 2019<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2109-pledge-report-july-16.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7795\" \/><\/p>\n<p>In order to meet our operating Budget goal for 2019 we need to take in $16,777.00 each month.<\/p>\n<p>In June we took in $9741.00 in total donations leaving us $7036.00 short for June.<\/p>\n<p><em>Please pledge in order to meet our goal. Pledge forms are available on the table in the narthex.<\/em><\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<h2>Icons Available in the Social Hall<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/icon-tile.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"499\" height=\"97\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7575\" \/><\/p>\n<p>St. Peter&#8217;s has a large selection of Icons available for sale and donation. They come in various sizes &mdash; mini, small, medium and large. <\/p>\n<p>The Icons are generously donated by Theo Palis and therefore all proceeds go directly to St. Peter&#8217;s.<\/p>\n<p>If there is a specific icon you are looking for and we don&#8217;t have it, Theo might be able to make it for you.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<h2>Bible Studies<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/bible-study-tile-500x204.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"204\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7343\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Bible Studies have been cancelled for the summer. We will resume in September.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<h2>Calendar At A Glance<\/h2>\n<p><strong>JULY<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Thursday Jul 18<\/strong> &mdash; CANCELLED St. Demetrios Brotherhood at 7:00pm<\/li>\n<li><strong>Monday-Saturday, July 22-26<\/strong> &mdash; Fr. Hans Out of Town Attending Antiochian Convention<\/li>\n<li><strong>Thursday Jul 25<\/strong> &mdash; CANCELLED St. Demetrios Brotherhood at 7:00pm (Fr. Hans out of town<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>AUGUST<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Thursday Aug 1<\/strong> &mdash; St. Demetrios Brotherhood at 7:00pm<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<h2>Wisdom From The Elders<\/h2>\n<p>\nRemember the Blessed Elder&#8217;s definition of philotimo: &#8220;The reverent distillation of goodness, the love shown by humble people, from which every trace of self has been filtered out. Their hearts are full of gratitude towards God and their fellow men; and out of spiritual sensitivity, they try to repay the slightest good others do for them.&#8221;<br \/>\n<strong>Saint Paisios of Mount Athos<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Every man on earth is sick with the fever of sin, with the blindness of sin, is overcome by the fury of sin; and as sins mostly consist in malice and pride, it is necessary to treat every- one who suffers from the malady of sin with kindness and love. This is an important truth, which we often forget. We often, very often, act in opposition to this truth; we add malice to malice by our anger, we oppose pride to pride. <strong>Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If we are to take stock of our lives and our genuine condition, and if we are to engage more wholly in the transfiguring ascetical life that leads into the Kingdom, we must redevelop in ourselves an awareness of our adversary\u2014 to come ourselves to \u201cforesee the snares of the devil.\u201d To follow Christ is to know the power of this enemy, of the demons, and to work actively against them even as they work actively against us. <strong>Bishop Irenei Steenberg<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Actually, a man&#8217;s real life begins with his faith in the Lord Christ, which commits all his soul, all his heart, all his strength to the Lord Christ, Who gradually sanctifies, transfigures, deifies them. <strong>Venerable Justin of Chelije in Serbia<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Naturally, when one reaches a good spiritual state, he doesn\u2019t ask anything for himself. <strong>Saint Paisios of Mount Athos<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&#8230;an untried man is unpracticed. <strong>St. Barsanuphius<\/strong><\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<h2>Remember in Your Prayers<\/h2>\n<p>\nRichard<br \/>\nChristine<br \/>\nNina (Kovalev)<br \/>\nHugh (Jacquie)<br \/>\nViolet (Jacquie Mom)<br \/> <br \/>\nTammie (Jacquie friend)<br \/>\nConnie<br \/>\nBaby Luke<br \/>\nGeorge<br \/>\nPriest Kyprianos<br \/>\nPresvytera Charlotte<br \/>\nSavannah (Jonson)<br \/>\nBud<br \/>\nSilvana<br \/>\nNicole<br \/>\nEvan<br \/>\nMegan<br \/>\nBill R.<br \/>\nPat R.<br \/>\nAglaia<br \/>\nGeorge<br \/>\nHieromonk Serapion<br \/>\nPriest Kyprianos<br \/>\nPresvytera Charlotte<br \/>\nBryan, Carolina, their unborn baby<br \/>\nAthanasia<br \/>\nAlexandra<br \/>\nConstantina<br \/>\nMaryanne (E)<br \/>\nRon (E)<br \/>\nTim<br \/>\nRobert (J)<br \/>\nMary (J)<br \/>\nPatricia<br \/>\nGregory<br \/>\nAndreas<br \/>\nSofia Te\u0161anovic<br \/>\nPaul<br \/>\nDennis H. and Family<br \/>\nVictor Evan<br \/>\nAnn<br \/>\nJames<br \/>\nVasiliki<br \/>\nEfstratia<br \/>\nAlexandra<br \/>\nNikos<br \/>\nGeorgia<br \/>\nIoannis<br \/>\nCostandino<br \/>\nJeffrey<br \/>\nVaso<br \/>\nDave<br \/>\nDimitri &ndash; Presbyter<br \/>\nVassiliki<br \/>\nOctavio<br \/>\nTom<br \/>\nCarl<br \/>\nRena<br \/>\nNikolay (5 year old boy in Bulgaria whose parents asked us to pray)<br \/>\nDavid<br \/>\nRosie<br \/>\nKathryn<br \/>\nJeremy<br \/>\nConstantine<br \/>\nRobert<br \/>\nJane<br \/>\nTheodora<br \/>\nDavid<br \/>\nGina<br \/>\nMicheal<br \/>\nHaralambos<br \/>\nLillian<br \/>\nPresbytera Rosy<br \/>\nValentina<br \/>\nEva W.<br \/>\nBarbara<br \/>\nAngela<br \/>\nCarol Ann<br \/>\nMatthew<br \/>\nChrysostom<br \/>\nTim<br \/>\nPat<br \/>\nChristina<br \/>\nMaria Louise<br \/>\nMaximos<br \/>\nMarian<br \/>\nPhotini<br \/>\nNicholas<br \/>\nSarah<br \/>\nConstantine Houpis<br \/>\nAnna Marie Smith Baker<br \/>\nKaterina<br \/>\nMary Kassis<br \/>\nBaby Maximus<br \/>\nChristine<br \/>\nMaria<br \/>\nAnnette Star<br \/>\nClaire Livaditis<br \/>\nEva Chandilles<br \/>\nBaby Dani<br \/>\nScott Nedoff<br \/>\nJames Hord<br \/>\nTom\n<\/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;\"><\/div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/pantokrator-blessing.png\" alt=\"Christ Giving Blessing\" width=\"500\" height=\"275\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3509\" \/><\/p>\n<h4>Epistle<\/h4>\n<p>For the FifthSunday after Pentecost<\/p>\n<p>How great are Thy works, O Lord!<br \/>\nIn wisdom hast Thou made them all.<br \/>\nBless the Lord, O my soul.<\/p>\n<p>The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans. (10:1-10)<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Brethren, my heart\u2019s desire and prayer to God for Israelis that it may be saved. I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God\u2019s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law, that everyone who has faith may be justified. Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on the law shall live by it. <\/p>\n<p>But the righteousness based on faith says: Do not say in your heart, \u201cWho will ascend into Heaven?\u201d(that is, to bring Christ down) or \u201cWho will descend into the abyss?\u201d(that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach); because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n<h4>Gospel<\/h4>\n<p>For the Fifth Sunday of Matthew<\/p>\n<p>The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (8:28-9:1)<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>At that time, when Jesus came to the country of the Gergesenes, two demoniacs met Him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. And behold, they cried out, \u201cWhat have we to do to Thee, O Son of God? Art Thou come here to torment us before the time?\u201d Now a herd of many swine was feeding at some distance from them. And the demons begged Him, \u201cIf Thou castest us out, send us away into the herd of swine.\u201d And He said to them, \u201cGo.\u201d So they came out and went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and perished in the waters. <\/p>\n<p>The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, and what had happened to the demoniacs. And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they begged Him to leave their neighborhood. And getting into a boat He crossed over and came to His own city.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\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>Fifth Sunday after Penetcost, Community Luncheon Cancelled, Fr. Hans Out of Town, Wisdom from the Fathers, more&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7792,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7794","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7794","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=7794"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7794\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7792"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7794"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7794"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7794"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}