Bulletin 1.10.21
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St. John Orthodox Church A Parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America 1663 Tutwiler Ave. Memphis, TN 38107 www.stjohnmemphis.org 901.274.4119 “…the Disciples were called Christian first in Antioch!” Acts 11:26 His Eminence Metropolitan JOSEPH V. Rev. Fr. Philip Rogers, Pastor Archbishop of New York & V. Rev. Fr. John Troy Mashburn, Jr., Metropolitan of all North America Pastor Emeritus His Grace Bishop NICHOLAS V. Rev. Fr. Basil Cushman, Associate Pastor Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Miami V. Rev. Fr. Don Berge, Attached and the Southeast _____________________________________________ Sunday after Theophany ~ January 10, 2021 ~ Epistle: Ephesians 4:7-13 Gospel: Matthew 4:12-17 Welcome to all those visiting St. John Orthodox Church. We are honored by your presence. It is our sincere desire that your participation today in the Divine Liturgy will draw you closer to Christ and His Church. If you are from a non-Orthodox background you may see new things such as icons, incense, the sign of the cross, the veneration of saints, and a great deal of standing. These can be perplexing to the uninitiated eye. Rest assured that everything we do has a solid biblical foundation and a long history among Christian people. Please feel free to participate where you feel comfortable and feel equally as free only to observe when you prefer. The Orthodox Church understands the Eucharist, or Lord’s Supper, to be – among other things – the paramount expression of Christian unity. While it is our deepest hope that Christendom will one day fulfill Christ’s desire for true unity among all those who claim His name (John 17:21), the unfortunate reality of our day is that the various segments of Christendom are not unified with the historic Orthodox faith. Since participation in the Eucharist expresses a unity with all the dogma and practice of the Orthodox Church, non-Orthodox guests do not receive Holy Communion. The Holy Eucharist is reserved for those members of the Orthodox Church who have prepared themselves by prayer, fasting, and recent confession. All visitors and unprepared Orthodox are invited to partake of the blessed bread as they come forward to venerate the cross at the end of the Liturgy. Thank you for your understanding. ST. JOHN CALENDAR January 10 – 17 (Fast: Wed & Fri.) Sunday -Youth Group (Middle & High), 1pm Monday -First Hour, 6:45am CHRISMATION -AWSJ Book Club, 7pm Jan. 17: Rhy Williams Tuesday -Third Hour, 9am -Parish Council, 7pm Wednesday Third Hour, 9am -AWSJ Teaching, 10am -Bible Study, 7pm Thursday -Third Hour, 9am Friday -First Hour, 6:45am -Third Hour, 9am -Sixth Hour, 12pm Saturday -AWSJ Righting Group, 4pm -Ninth Hour and Great Vespers, 6pm Sunday -Atrium Prayer Table, 9:30am -Orthros, 9am -Divine Liturgy, 10am DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS Birthdays, Anniversaries, Namedays Sunday Ephesians 4:7-13 Sunday, 1/10 Friday, 1/15 Matthew 4:12-17 St. Gregory of Nyssa: Monday Hebrews 13:7-16 Ethan van Drimmelen Saturday, 1/17 Luke 4:1-15 Monday, 1/11 Tuesday Acts 18:22-28 Lori O’Brien, Alex John 10:39-42 Klimkowski, Tim Wednesday Galatians 3:23-29; 4:1-5 Elliott Luke 20:1-8 Anniversary: John & Elizabeth Cameron Thursday Acts 2:38-43 Luke 4:1-15 Tuesday, 1/12 Friday Galatians 5:22-26; 6:1-2 Wednesday, 1/13 Luke 12:32-40 Thursday, 1/14 Saturday Acts 12:1-11 John 21:14-25 Isabelle Mansour, Manar Shleweet Sunday Hebrews 13:17-21 Anniversary: John & Luke 17:12-19 Lisa Curry Remember in Your Prayers Our catechumen: Page Walley; Austin Brown; Rhy Williams; Joel Gulledge; Travis, Maggie, Sophie, Kenneth, Nate, & Bella Harms; Carole Sneed; John Pecoraro; Jake Sparks; Jeff Bennett Prayer Requests: Nicholas Hill, Ernestine Pruitt (Nicholas Hill’s mother), Chris Hodges, Mickey Hodges, Elizabeth Allie (Buddy Bowick’s mother/Lawson’s grandmother), Brenda Thomas (Tupelo), Shukurat Nasanga Kisakye, Jay Brownlow, Bill Thomas (Kathryn McWhorter’s father), Aljean Loving (Meribeth Harvey’s mother), St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, victims of the wildfires in CA, those suffering in the Middle East, most especially the Christians. Expecting: Chelsea Yadron, Sarah Ortwein, Sally Boyle, Hillary Klimksowski, Whitney Klimkowski ST. JOHN COMMUNITY Theophany House Blessings – Fr. Philip will begin house blessings following Theophany, Jan. 6 until the beginning of Lent. If you would like for him to bless your home, please email him with the most convenient days of the week and times for your family. He will then contact you set the specific date and time. Metropolitan JOSEPH has asked that priests only do 2 blessings a day to lessen any potential spread. Out of an abundance of caution, Father will stay only long enough for the blessing. If you would like to wait to har your home blessed until later in the year, that is perfectly fine. What's Cooking with the New St. John Cookbook? This is the last week for submissions! The Women's Council of St. Nonna and the Cookbook Committee are getting very excited about our new parish cookbook, but we would like to include some more recipes! Please submit your favorite appetizers, veggies/sides, soups and salads, main dishes, fasting meals, desserts, cocktails, or liturgical/festal dishes (that were not included in the previous cookbook from 2006). We can't wait to try them! Send your recipe submissions to Anne Castrodale, [email protected] by Jan. 15, 2021! Stay Vigilant – Thank you for your continued respect and love and adhering to all of the current guidelines for attendance. Please continue be mindful of those around you. In particular, please be mindful of congregating on or around the stairs after the services as people leave the building. Thank you! Parish Council Update: The Parish Council will be meeting on Tuesday evening, January 12. Lord willing, we will be continuing to prepare for the General Assembly meeting as well as continuing to discuss the HVAC for the church. Lord willing, the council will continue the positive trajectory of the conclusion of 2020. May the Lord continue to bless and protect our community! Women of St. John Calendar 1/11 (Mon.) AWSJ Book Club, 7pm We will be discussing Song of Sirin by Nicholas Kotar 1/13 (Wed.) Teaching, 10am We will be continuing All is Well by Dr. Al Rossi. 1/16 (Sat.) Righting Group, 4pm Kh. Susan will share an image for everyone to reflect on in their writing. This is called ekphrastic writing. A great example is from The Ekphrastic Review. LIBRARY LINES Have you scheduled your house blessing yet? Do you know how to make it ready? What does the Incarnation have to do with this beautiful tradition? Visit St. John Library and look at A Guide to Greek Traditions and Customs in America (CAT GEN ROU), Making God Real in the Orthodox Christian Home (SPR FAM CON) and “The House Blessing” in Road to Emmaus, summer 2000, p. 26. Today is a day rich in commemorations for us. Venerable Paul of Obnora (1/10), born in 1314, was a disciple of St. Sergius of Radonezh. See The Wonderful Life of Russia’s St. Sergius of Radonezh (KID STS SER). He lived many years as a hermit and in complete silence and strict fasting. Despite his love for solitude, he was compassionate and gave wise counsel. Saint Gregory of Nyssa (1/10) was a brother of Saint Basil the Great (1/1). Together they fought against the Arian heresy that denied the ever virginity of the Theotokos. In the year 381 at the Second Ecumenical Council, he spear-headed the completion of the Nicene Creed. He, as well as his brother and St. Gregory the Theologian had a huge impact on the Church in the fourth century. Saint Gregory of Nyssa was a fiery defender of Orthodox dogmas and a zealous teacher of his flock, a kind and compassionate father to his spiritual children, and their intercessor before the courts. He was distinguished by his magnanimity, patience and love of peace. Having reached old age, Saint Gregory of Nyssa died soon after the Council of Constantinople. Together with his great contemporaries, Saints Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian, Saint Gregory of Nyssa had a significant influence on the Church life of his time. He has been called “the Father of Fathers.” His sister, Saint Macrina, wrote to him: “You are renowned both in the cities, and gatherings of people, and throughout entire districts. Churches ask you for help.” Read more about him in The Formation of Christian Theology, v. 2 the Nicene Faith, pt. 2 (HIS BEH). St.Theophan the Recluse (1/10) lived just 200 years ago. He was an educator and founded two schools for girls. St.Tikhon of Zadonsk was his beloved inspiration from childhood. At age 50, he chose to live as a solitary life to concentrate on his own salvation and write spiritual yet practical, readable books. He treated the soul and body as a united whole and wrote in a down-to-earth manner. We know him as the author of The Spiritual Life and How to Be Attuned to It (PAT THE), Kindling the Divine Spark (PAT THE), and Raising Them Right (PAT THE). He also translated The Philokalia (PAT NIK). His life and wisdom is shown us in The Heart of Salvation: the Life and Teachings of Saint Theophan the Recluse (HAG THE WIL). We think of Tatiana as a Russian name, but St. Tatiana, commemorated Thursday (1/12), was a Roman citizen in the third century. She was arrested during a period of persecution and given over to cruel tortures.