{"id":8106,"date":"2019-12-31T05:00:48","date_gmt":"2019-12-31T10:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/?p=8106"},"modified":"2019-12-31T05:00:48","modified_gmt":"2019-12-31T10:00:48","slug":"st-peter-newsletter-december-31-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/st-peter-newsletter-december-31-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"St. Peter Newsletter December 31, 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Theophany of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ
\nThe Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great<\/h2>\n
\n\"Theophany\n<\/div>\n

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Theophany (or Epiphany) means shining forth or manifestation. The feast is often called, as it is in the Orthodox service books, Theophany, which means the shining forth and manifestation of God. The emphasis in the present day celebration is on the appearance of Jesus as the human Messiah of Israel and the divine Son of God, One of the Holy Trinity with the Father and the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n

Thus, in the baptism by John in the Jordan, Jesus identifies himself with sinners as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29), the “Beloved” of the Father whose messianic task it is to redeem men from their sins (Lk 3:21, Mk 1:35). And he is revealed as well as One of the Divine Trinity, testified to by the voice of the Father, and by the Spirit in the form of a dove. This is the central epiphany glorified in the main hymns of the feast:<\/p>\n

When Thou, O Lord, wast baptized in the Jordan the worship of the Trinity was made manifest! For the voice of the Father bare witness to Thee, calling Thee his Beloved Son. And the Spirit, in the form of a dove, confirmed the truthfulness of his Word. O Christ our God, who hast revealed Thyself and hast enlightened the world, glory to Thee (Troparion).<\/p>\n

Read the entire article on the Orthodox Church of America website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Tue Jan 7<\/strong> — Synaxis of St. John the Baptist Divine Liturgy 9:30am<\/h2>\n
\n\"The<\/p>\n

The Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

In the Orthodox Church it is customary, on the day following the Great Feasts of the Lord and the Mother of God, to remember those saints who participated directly in the sacred event. So, on the day following the Theophany of the Lord, the Church honors the one who participated directly in the Baptism of Christ, placing his own hand upon the head of the Savior.<\/p>\n

Saint John, the Holy Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, whom the Lord called the greatest of the prophets, concludes the history of the Old Testament and opens the era of the New Testament. The holy Prophet John bore witness to the Only-Begotten Son of God, incarnate in the flesh. Saint John was accounted worthy to baptize Him in the waters of the Jordan, and he was a witness of the Theophany of the Most Holy Trinity on the day of the Savior’s Baptism.<\/p>\n

The holy Prophet John was related to the Lord on His mother’s side, the son of the Priest Zachariah and Righteous Elizabeth. The holy Forerunner, John, was born six months before Christ. The Archangel Gabriel announced his birth in the Temple at Jerusalem, revealing to Zachariah that a son was to be born to him.<\/p>\n

Read the entire article on the Orthodox Church in America<\/a> website.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Blessing of the Water Following Divine Liturgy on Theophany on January 5, 2020<\/h2>\n

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\n\"Blessing\n<\/div>\n

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After Theophany Liturgy next Sunday (January 5), we will break for ten of fifteen minutes in the Social Hall for coffee and a donut (no regular social hall next Sunday) and then to Riverside Park and do an outdoor blessing of the waters at the Imperial River in Riverside Park.<\/p>\n

The park is 3 miles south on Old 41 where the bandshell is located (get directions<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Why do the Orthodox bless the waters? Read about it here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Feasts of Circumcision of Christ and St. Basil the Great on Tuesday, January 1, 2019 at 9:30am.<\/h2>\n

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\n\"St.\n<\/div>\n

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Saint Basil was born in the year 330 at Caesarea, the administrative center of Cappadocia. He was of illustrious lineage, famed for its eminence and wealth, and zealous for the Christian Faith. The saint’s grandfather and grandmother on his father’s side had to hide in the forests of Pontus for seven years during the persecution under Diocletian.<\/p>\n

Saint Basil’s mother Saint Emilia was the daughter of a martyr. On the Greek calendar, she is commemorated on May 30. Saint Basil’s father was also named Basil. He was a lawyer and renowned rhetorician, and lived at Caesarea.<\/p>\n

Ten children were born to the elder Basil and Emilia: five sons and five daughters. Five of them were later numbered among the saints: Basil the Great; Macrina (July 19) was an exemplar of ascetic life, and exerted strong influence on the life and character of Saint Basil the Great; Gregory, afterwards Bishop of Nyssa (January 10); Peter, Bishop of Sebaste (January 9); and Theosebia, a deaconess (January 10).<\/p>\n

Saint Basil spent the first years of his life on an estate belonging to his parents at the River Iris, where he was raised under the supervision of his mother Emilia and grandmother Macrina. They were women of great refinement, who remembered an earlier bishop of Cappadocia, Saint Gregory the Wonderworker (November 17). Basil received his initial education under the supervision of his father, and then he studied under the finest teachers in Caesarea of Cappadocia, and it was here that he made the acquaintance of Saint Gregory the Theologian (January 25 and January 30). Later, Basil transferred to a school at Constantinople, where he listened to eminent orators and philosophers. To complete his education Saint Basil went to Athens, the center of classical enlightenment.<\/p>\n

Read the entire history on the St. Peter’s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Cutting of the Vassilopita on Sunday, January 12, 2016<\/h2>\n

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\n\"Vassilopita\"\n<\/div>\n

We will cut the Vassilopita (St. Basil’s bread) on Sunday January 12 following the Divine Liturgy.<\/p>\n

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Our Stewardship to St. Peter’s<\/h2>\n
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\n\"Stewardship\"
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Click to view the letter<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The letter for Stewardship Support of St. Peter’s in 2020 has been sent.<\/p>\n

We are responsible to increase what God has given us. In the Parable of the Talents, the master gave his servants talents that they are expected to nurture and grow. This is a responsibility we cannot avoid.<\/p>\n

The Church is both a place where the increase begins on the inside of us, and to which we much give some our increase. This too is a responsibility we must take on.<\/p>\n

A contribution form will be included in the letter you receive. Our goal this year is $217,000.<\/p>\n

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Diocese of Miami Winter Retreat<\/h2>\n
\n\"DOMSE\n<\/div>\n
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A Short Conversation with Bp. Nicholas<\/h4>\n
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\n\"Click<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

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Mark You Calendar! Valentine’s Day Party on February 15, 2020<\/h2>\n

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\n\"Valentine's\n<\/div>\n

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Mark you calendar: Time and details will be announced. Tina Kuchera is the chairwoman of this event.<\/p>\n

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Bible Studies<\/h2>\n

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\n\"Bible\n<\/div>\n

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Please note:<\/strong> Bible Studies have been postponed until January, 2020.<\/em><\/p>\n

November<\/strong><\/p>\n