From the Fathers (and others):

This is the great work of man: always to take the blame for his own sins before God and to expect temptation to his last breath. St Anthony the Great St. John Orthodox Church A Parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America The Christian has no reason to have in his heart any ill-feeling whatever against anyone---such ill- feeling, like every other evil, is the work of the Devil ; the Christian must only have love in his heart ; and as love cannot think of evil, he cannot have any ill-feeling against others. For instance, I must not think that anyone else is evil or proud without having positive reasons to think so, or I must not think that it will make him proud if I show him respect, or that if I forgive him he will again offend me and will mock at me. We must not let evil in any form nestle in our heart ; but evil generally appears in too many forms. St John of Kronstadt

We count on God's mercy for our past mistakes, on God's love for our present needs, on God's sovereignty for our future. St Augustine

The Savior began the work of our salvation with fasting. In the same way all those who follow in the footsteps of the Savior build on this foundation the beginning of their endeavor, since fasting is a weapon established by God. St. Isaac the Syrian

The way of the Church is LOVE; it differs from the way of the legalists. The Church sees everything with tolerance and seeks to help each person, whatever he or she may have done, however sinful he or she may be. St Paisios

Abba John said, "If a king wishes to subdue a city belonging to enemies, he first of all keeps the enemy without bread and water, and the enemy being in this way harassed by hunger becomes subject to him; and this it is in respect to hostile passions (which serve pride), and if a man endures fasting and hunger regularly, his enemies become stricken with weakness in the soul."

While practicing watchfulness, let us be vigilant with thoughts. We fall into sin because of our thoughts. So let us fight powerfully against our thoughts and not allow for us to become strong with illness due to our negligence, but is soon as they arrive let us drive away this fantasy and with anger he seize the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God – that is, “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.” So as we called and the sweet Jesus, He immediately rushes to help us and the demons flee at once. Elder Ephraim

Our grief over the death of our close ones would be inconsolable and boundless if the Lord had not given us eternal life. Our life would be meaningless if it ended with death. What benefit, then, would ~ March 8, 2020 ~ there be from virtue or good deeds? They would be right who say, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” But man was created for immortality…. Sunday of Orthodoxy St. John of Maximovich of Shanghai and San Francisco

ST. JOHN ORTHODOX CHURCH ST. JOHN CALENDAR March 8 - 15 () 1663 TUTWILER AVENUE MEMPHIS, TN 38107 Sunday -Teen Group, 12:00 p.m. (901) 274-4119 Monday -First Hour, 6:45 a.m. www.stjohnmemphis.org -Great Compline, 6:00 p.m.

His Eminence Metropolitan JOSEPH -Bible Study, 7:00 p.m. Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of all North America Tuesday -Third Hour, 9:00 a.m.

His Grace Bishop NICHOLAS -Men’s Lunch, 12:00 p.m. Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Miami and the Southeast -Parish Council, 6:00 p.m. -Young Adults, 7:30 p.m. V. Rev. Fr. Philip Rogers, Pastor V. Rev. Fr. Basil Cushman, Associate Pastor V. Rev Fr. John Troy Mashburn, Jr., Pastor Emeritus V. Rev. Fr. Donald Berge, Attached Wednesday -Third Hour, 9:00 a.m.

-Presanctified Liturgy, 6:00 p.m. GREAT VESPERS ORTHROS and CHURCH SCHOOL DIVINE LITURGY -Parish meal following liturgy Saturday, 6:00 p.m. Sunday, 9:00 a.m. Sunday, 10:00 a.m. Thursday -Third Hour, 9:00 a.m. Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America -AWSJ Teaching, 10:00 a.m. “…the Disciples were called Christians first in Antioch!” Acts 11:26 Friday -First Hour, 6:45 a.m. -Third Hour, 9:00 a.m. Sunday of Orthodoxy -Sixth Hour, 12:00 p.m. -Akathist, 6:00 p.m. Epistle: Hebrews 1:10-2:3 Gospel: Mark 2:1-12 Saturday -Fr. Seraphim of Mull , 4:00 p.m.

The Holy Bread for is offered by Ben Arthur. -Ninth Hour and Great Vespers, 5:50 p.m. Welcome to all those visiting St. John Orthodox Church. We are honored by your presence. Sunday -Orthros & Church School, 9:00 a.m. It is our sincere desire that your participation today in the Divine Liturgy will draw you closer to Christ -Divine Liturgy, 10:00 a.m. and His Church. If you are from a non-Orthodox background you may see new things such as , 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 UPCOMING MEMORIAL - March 29 equally as free only to observe when you prefer. DIVINE LITURGY – Gregory Palamas Nancy McGee 1 year The Orthodox Church understands the Eucharist, or Lord’s Supper, to be – among other things Sunday, March 15, 10:00 am – the paramount expression of Christian unity. While it is our deepest hope that Christendom will one Charles Ingram 2 years day fulfill Christ’s desire for true unity among all those who claim His name (John 17:21), the PRIEST: Fr. John Maria Bellaflores 2 years unfortunate reality of our day is that the various segments of Christendom are not unified with the READER: John Cameron Jill Healy 6 years historic Orthodox faith. Since participation in the Eucharist expresses a unity with all the dogma and USHER: Dan O’Brien Mo. Theodora Amphiloca practice of the Orthodox Church, non-Orthodox guests do not receive Holy Communion. The Holy PROSFORA: Stephanie Harants 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 COFFEE HR: Group 2 the blessed bread as they come forward to venerate the cross at the end of the Liturgy. Thank you for your understanding. COMMEMORATIONS T. OHN OMMUNITY S J C March 8: Theophylaktos, bishop of Nicomedia; Apostle Hermas of the Seventy. Lenten Meals Following Presanctified Liturgy - It is parish tradition for the post-liturgy March 9: The Forty of Sebaste. meals on Wednesdays and Holy Thursday to be provided by a parishioner or a group of March 10: Kodratos of Corinth and his five companions; Anastasia the patrician of parishioners. If you would like to sign up, please do so online or call the office. ; New- Michael of Thessalonika. AVAILABLE 2020 Lenten Meal Dates: April 16 March 11: Sophronios, patriarch of ; Martyrs Thallos and Trophimos; Venerable George of Sinai; Theodora the empress; repose of Euthymios, bishop of Novgorod. Lenten Bible Study – Following Compline on Monday, March 10, Drew Garrison will be March 12: Venerable Theophanes the Confessor of Sigriane; Gregory the Dialogist, pope leading a weekly Lenten Bible study on the book of John. of Rome; Venerable Simeon the New Theologian; Righteous Phineas. More Ushers Needed! We are hoping to recruit more people who would like to serve as an March 13: The translation of the of Nikephoros, patriarch of ; Poplias usher. If you are interested, please let Fr. Philip know. and Marios the bishops. March 14: Venerable Benedict of Nursia; Euschemenos, bishop of Lampsakos. Bishop Visit April 3-5! As a Lenten treat, Bishop NICHOLAS will be with us for the March 15: Martyr Agapios of Palestine and those with him; Apostle Aristoboulos of the Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt. There will be plenty of opportunities to pray with him over Seventy, first bishop of Britain; New-martyrs Manuel of Crete and Parthenios. the course of the weekend.

 Fr. Seraphim of Mull Monastery – This Saturday, March 14 at 4:00 p.m., Fr. Seraphim  DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS March 8 - 15 from Mull Monastery will be in the library at St. John to share information about the Sunday Hebrews 1:10-2:3 Mark 2:1-12 monastery. Monday Genesis 6:9-22 Proverbs 8:1-21 Fr. Seraphim was tonsured as a monk in 2005 at Rasca monastery in Bucovine, North Moldavia. He has a PhD in Modern Theology from the University of Durham (UK) Tuesday Genesis 7:1-5 Proverbs 8:32-9:11 for a thesis on Archimandrite Sophrony Sakharov's Ecclesiology. He is currently a Wednesday Genesis 7:6-9 Proverbs 9:12-18 Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the School of Theology, Oxford University, while working Thursday Genesis 7:11-8:3 Proverbs 10:1-22 to found the first Orthodox monastery in the Hebrides in over a millennium. Friday Genesis 8:4-21 Proverbs 10:31-11:12 Saturday Hebrews 10:32-38 Mark 2:14-17 Men’s Book Club, Sons of Thunder – The Sons of Thunder men's book club will meet 6pm, Sunday Hebrews 4:14-5:6 Mark 8:34-9:1 Sunday March 22 at the church to discuss That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis. Please bring a   dish or beverage to share. Pray for our catechumen: Mike, Megan, Ezra and Hopper Jackson; Michael & Miriam Redmond, Dru Wilhite, Jordan & Aryanna Smith; Page Walley, Mike & Vicki Jackson, Austin Brown, Rhy Parish Council Update - In an attempt to be proactive the parish council is taking bids on Williams replacing the HVAC unit that services the Church building. This is going to be an Please remember in your prayers – Mary Clark, Nicholas Hill, Ernestine Pruitt (Nicholas Hill’s important and expensive repair. More information will follow. The next council meeting will be Tuesday, March 10. If you have any items that need to be discussed, please inform mother), Lisa Catlett (Fr. Don & Kh. Martha’s daughter), Chris Hodges, Mickey Hodges, Elizabeth any of our council members. Allie (Buddy Bowick’s mother/Lawson’s grandmother), Heather Hetrick (pregnant), Julie Hight (pregnant), Meagan Jackson (pregnant), Mawusi McKelroy (pregnant), Rose McGee (pregnant),

Kendall Ichniowski, (pregnant), Rachel Brewer (pregnant), Anne Katherine Vanlandingham JUNE 10-13, 2020 (pregnant), Brenda Thomas (Tupelo), Michael Oberbillig, Shukurat Nasanga Kisakye, St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, those suffering in the Middle East, most especially the Christians. PLC COUNTDOWN 93 DAYS

LIBRARY LINES Looking for food for your soul? St. John Library offers many books and magazine Birthdays, Anniversaries, & Namedays articles for adults and children on Great Lent and Holy Week. These are listed in our church's Sunday, 3/8: Kh. Susan Lenten booklet, and you will find them on display on the south wall of the library, on the hallway side. Monday, 3/9: Anniversary: Tim & Lawrence Elliott St. Aglius: Buddy Bowick You know what we do on the Sunday of Orthodoxy, but do you know why? Our Tradition Friday, 3/13: Sarah Finley dates back to events in the 8th century. Visit St. John Library and read about the Iconoclast Saturday, 3/14: Noah Shull, Wyatt Shull, Kera White controversy. Look for The First Seven Ecumenical Councils by Leo Davis (HIS DAV), Bible and Church History by Fr. Thomas Hopko (CAT GEN HOP) and The Church Year (CAT CAL

SCH) in The Celebration of Faith series also by Fr. Alexander Schmemann. Many martyrs are commemorated individually; however, there are several groups who are Young Adults remembered not only on their feast days, but throughout the year as the Church prays. The March 10 (Tuesday) Modern Masters Jazz Series, 7:30 p.m., Crosstown Forty Martyrs of Sebaste are commemorated March 9. They were a band of soldiers who were distinguished for bravery. During the reign of Licinius in 313, they were imprisoned for March 15 (Sunday) Doctrine on Draft, 6:00 p.m. refusing to sacrifice to idols. As punishment they were cast into a lake during severely cold weather. A warm bath-house was erected on the shore to tempt them. One could not withstand the cold and ran on shore. As a great light hovered over them and crowns appeared over their Teen Calendar heads, Agglais, one of the guards, joined them in the water and asked God to add him to their number, making him worthy to suffer with them. They were then led out of the lake and their (Regular Meetings Sun. & Tues. unless otherwise noted) legs were broken. Their bodies were burned and the bones tossed into the lake. Three days later Mar. 8 (Sunday) Joint meeting with Annunciation they appeared to the bishop and told him to gather their remains at night and bury them with Mar. 15 (Sunday) Main Event, 5:00 p.m. honor. These men are just one example to us of Christians sharing in each others’ suffering Mar. 28 (Saturday) Cyber Retreat with love. These men are mentioned in every marriage service, the Paraklesis to the Mother of God and other services of our Church.

St.Gregory (3/12) the Dialogist and Pope of Rome was descended from a family of saints. He Women of St. John Calendar reluctantly accepted the office of bishop of Rome, considering himself unworthy. He used his excellent education in service of the Church. He authored the Commentary on the Book of Job Mar. 12 (Thursday) Women’s Teaching – 10:00 a.m. – Kh. Pamela’s home - We will be and compiled the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts in . His Pastoral Rule describes the reading and discussing Ch. 10 of “The Way of the Ascetics” Copies role of a true pastor. He was given the title Diologius for his work on the Italian Fathers. Read are available at teaching. more about him in Orthodox America, Sept.–Oct., 1993, p. 5-7.

Saint Benedict (3/14) was born in Italy in the fifth century. He studied in Rome as a teenager Mar. 21 (Saturday) AWSJ Righting Group (because we are RIGHTING ourselves and but was troubled by the immorality of the city and left to live in asceticism. His pious life drew our community through writing) will meet at 4:15 rather than 4:30 on many disciples, and he settled them into twelve communities. His monastic order brought Feb. 8 in the old parish hall. We're gathering 15 minutes earlier to some critics, so he moved his monks and founded a monastery which became a theological allow time to visit and for late-comers. We will start the "official" center for the Western Church. The Rule of St. Benedict was based on the lives and counsels of the desert fathers and St. John Cassian (2/29). It ordered obedience, the renunciation of meeting at 4:30, so all who arrive then or later, please come in personal possessions, and manual labor. Older monks preserved the writings from early quietly. If you missed our first meeting and would like to join us in Christianity and instructed the younger monks. The head (igumen) of the taught February, please let Kh. Susan know at 901- 233-8297 or and explained the Faith to the others. He asked advice from the experienced monks but made [email protected]. the final decisions. St. Benedict died in 547. We owe much of our knowledge of his life from the second Dialogue of St. Gregory the Great. Children will enjoy reading about him and his sister in Holy Twins (KID STS BEN).