From the Fathers and others:

To desire what is good for oneself and to seek prosperity or happiness is part of man’s nature, and therefore it is not a sin or vice. But we need to know that here on earth there has not been, and is not, St. John Orthodox Church and never will be, true and perfect happiness and prosperity; for all our prosperity and happiness are A Parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America only in God. -St. Innocent of Alaska

Happiness lies within us, in that unattainable sense of clarity and peace that does not depend on external circumstances, and consequently come not from the outside, but from deep inside. Happiness lies in a clear conscience, in inner certitude and integrity; it lies in a constant inner focus on what is true, good, and beautiful, in constant inner communion with the joy of truth, the joy of goodness, the joy of beauty...Happiness lies in the constant overcoming of busyness and frivolity, envy and fear, self-love and egoism – all of that debris that darkens the soul. Happiness lies in love and in wonderment, happiness lies in gratitude and thanksgiving, happiness lies in orientation upward; happiness, finally, lies in finding the One who is in all of this and who stands behind all of it – in finding God.

It is time, high time, to leave all pseudo-happiness and to seek the paths to true happiness! It is time to unmask the miserable, cheap prophets, who shout about happiness and have filled the world with fear, hostility and loneliness! It is time to shake off the ageless nightmare and to return to the Spirit, about whom the prayer says so beautifully: “...the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, who art everywhere present and fillest all things” – with Himself – “Treasury of blessings, and Giver of Life.” These words, repeated by the Church every day, every hour, are in fact a true prayer for happiness. -Fr. Alexander Schmemann

Don't be troubled if you don't feel the love of God in yourself, but think about the Lord, that He is merciful, and guard yourself from sins, and the grace of God will teach you. -St. Silouan the Athonite

Don't be deceived regarding the knowledge of what will be after your death: what you sow here, you will reap there. After leaving here, no one can make progress. Here is the work, there the reward; here the struggle, there the crowns. -St. the Great

“Thy love draws me to Thee, O Savior, O praise of my life. Thy grace makes it sweet for me to follow Thee with my mind." -St Ephraim the Syrian

If an unexpected temptation comes, don't blame the one through whom it came, but seek out the reason. Thus you will find correction for your soul. -St. Maximus the Confessor ~ April 25, 2021 ~

One who has sinned cannot escape retribution in any other way than by repentance corresponding to Triumphal Entry of our Lord his sin. Palm Sunday -St. Mark the Ascetic ST. JOHN CALENDAR April 25 – May 2 (Great Fast) ST. JOHN ORTHODOX CHURCH Sunday Palm Sunday – f,w,o 1663 TUTWILER AVENUE MEMPHIS, TN 38107 -Middle School Group, 1pm (901) 274-4119 -Teen Group, 1pm www.stjohnmemphis.org -Bridegroom Orthros, 6pm

Monday -First Hour, 6:45am His Eminence Metropolitan Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of all North America -Bridegroom Orthros, 6pm Tuesday -Third Hour, 9am His Grace NICHOLAS -Bridegroom Orthros, 6pm Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Miami and the Southeast Wednesday -Third Hour, 9am V. Rev. Fr. Philip Rogers, Pastor V. Rev. Fr. Basil Cushman, Associate Pastor -AWSJ Women’s Teaching, 10am V. Rev Fr. John Troy Mashburn, Jr., Pastor Emeritus V. Rev. Fr. Donald Berge, Attached -Holy Unction, 6pm

Thursday -Third Hour, 9am GREAT VESPERS ORTHROS and CHURCH SCHOOL DIVINE LITURGY -Vesperal Divine Liturgy, 4pm Saturday, 6:00 p.m. Sunday, 9:00 a.m. Sunday, 10:00 a.m. -Orthros - Passion Gospels, 7pm Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America Friday -Royal Hours, 9am “…the Disciples were called Christians first in Antioch!” -Vespers - Taking Down of the Cross, 3pm Acts 11:26 (Paschal Vigil begins following Vespers & lasts until Midnight Office on 5/1) -Lamentation Orthros, 7pn Sunday of our Lord’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem Saturday -Vesperal Divine Liturgy, 10am

Epistle: Philippians 4:4-9 Gospel: John 12:1-18 -PASCHAL SERVICE, 11pm Sunday -No Morning Services The Holy Bread for Eucharist is offered by Karen Bell. -Agape Vespers, 3:30pm Welcome to all those visiting St. John Orthodox Church. We are honored by your presence. -Agape Picnic following Vespers 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, Upcoming Baptism Birthdays, Anniversaries, Namedays the sign of the cross, the veneration of , and a great deal of standing. These can be perplexing to June 6 Sunday, 4/25 Thursday, 4/29 the uninitiated eye. Rest assured that everything we do has a solid biblical foundation and a long Ivy Garrison Matthew Yadron, Joseph history among Christian people. Please feel free to participate where you feel comfortable and feel equally as free only to observe when you prefer. Fahhoum Friday, 4/30 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 Monday, 4/26 Saturday, 5/1 Prophet 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 Tuesday, 4/27 Charlie Harvey, Clark McGee historic Orthodox faith. Since participation in the Eucharist expresses a unity with all the dogma and Wednesday, 4/28 practice of the Orthodox Church, non-Orthodox guests do not receive Holy Communion. The Holy JonMark Hetrick Eucharist is reserved for those members of the Orthodox Church who have prepared themselves by Anniversary: prayer, fasting, and recent confession. All visitors and unprepared Orthodox are invited to partake of Rick & Christi Yadron the blessed bread as they come forward to venerate the cross at the end of the Liturgy. Thank you for your understanding.

T. OHN OMMUNITY Commemorations S J C

April 25: Apostle and Evangelist Mark; Martyr Niki; Macedonios, of Constantinople; Holy Week and Pascha –Quick facts concerning attendance for Holy Week & Pascha: New-martyr George. • Out of pastoral discretion, we will have a full Pascha and return to the restrictions April 26: Hieromartyr Basil, bishop of Amasea; Venerable Glaphyra and George; Stephen, bishop following our celebration. of Perm; Ioanikios of Devitch. • No limit attendance. April 27: Hieromartyr Simeon, the kinsman of the Lord; Venerable George, John and Eulogios the hospitable; Stephen, bishop of Vladimir; incineration of the relics of Sabbas, first archbishop of • DO sign-up - this will give an opportunity for people to see how large the crowd Serbia, by Sinan Pasha (1595). will be and help everyone to make an informed decision about their own April 28: The Nine Martyrs of Kyzikos; Venerable Memnon the wonderworker. attendance. April 29: Apostles Jason and Sosipater of the Seventy; the martyrs of Kerkyra; John, metropolitan • St. Hall will be used for live-stream for anyone who would like to attend of Thebes; New-martyr John; Basil of Ostrog. the service but have a smaller crowd. April 30: Apostle James, brother of John the Theologian; Donatos, bishop in Epiros; New-martyr • We still ask that all in attendance wear a mask. Argyris; Bishop Ignatios Brianchaninov. May 1: Prophet Jeremiah; Venerable-martyrs Euthymios, Ignatios and Akakios of Prodromou skete Camp St. Thekla – Reminder that there are scholarship funds available for camp for those who on Athos; Venerable Nikephoros of Chios and Panaretos of Cyprus; Venerable Paphnoutios of may need them. Please contact Fr. Philip this week if you are interested or have questions. Borovsk. May 2: Athanasios the Great, patriarch of Alexandria; Martyrs Hesperos, Zoe and their sones Stay Vigilant – Thank you for your continued respect and love and adhering to all of the Kyriakos and Theodoulos in Attalia; translation of the relics of the holy Passion-bearers Boris and current guidelines for attendance. Please continue be mindful of those around you. In Gleb. particular, be mindful of congregating on or around the stairs after the services as people leave the building. Thank you! DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS Sunday Philippians 4:4-9 John 12:1-18 Parish Council Update - Thank God, we are getting a new HVAC!! The old one was truly Monday Matthew 21:18-43 Matthew 24:3-35 on it’s last legs. The bad news is that we will be without an AC unit for the next 8 weeks Tuesday Matthew 22:15-46 Matthew 24:36-26:2 while they do a lot of work to get things together. Lord willing, it will be a mild few weeks. Wednesday John 12:17-50 Matthew 26:6-16 As was announced last week, Drew Garrison will be stepping away as our Youth Director and Ted Werthmuller will be stepping in. Keep them in your prayers through this Thursday 1 Corinthians 11:23-32 Matthew 26:1-20 Friday 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 Matthew 27:62-66 transition! Saturday Romans 6:3-11 Matthew 28:1-20 Sunday Acts 1:1-8 John 1:1-17 Women of St. John Calendar

4/21 (Wed.) Teaching, 10am All is Well by Dr. Youth Group Al Rossi. We are wrapping up our current book and will be Remember in Your Prayers Our catechumen: Austin Brown, Gulledge; Travis, Maggie, Sophie, Kenneth, Nate, & Bella moving on to Living in Christ by Mother Raphaela Harms; Carole Sneed; John Pecoraro; Jake Sparks; Jeff Bennett; Emily Nuckolls Teen Group, Sun., 1 pm available at SVS Press.

Middle School Group, Sun., 1pm 5/10 (Mon.) AWSJ Book Club, 7pm The Holy Prayer Requests: Chris Hodges, Mickey Hodges, Elizabeth Allie (Buddy Bowick’s mother/Lawson’s grandmother), Vladimir Drobashevsky, Shukurat Nasanga Kisakye, Jay Angels by Mo. Alexandra May 7 Brownlow, St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, St. Paul Orthodox Church, the Ortwein family, Julian 5/15(Sat.), AWSJ Graduation Brunch honoring McGee, those suffering in the Middle East, most especially the Christians. Bright Friday Potluck Sophie Mansour and Bethany White. Please join

Expecting: Ashley Powell, Heather Hetrick us at 10am to celebrate the newest members of the AWSJ as they graduate high school and prepare to start their college careers.

LIBRARY LINES PASCHAL TRADITIONS at St. John

Are you looking for an edifying experience for your family during Holy Week? Other than praying at services, it’s hard to find one better than reading to and with your children. (As PROCESSIONS AND CANDLES always, good children’s books also speak to adults!) Look for the following books about During the services of the Triumphal Entry (Palm Sunday), Lamentations Orthros Holy Week for children and adult readers in St. John Library on display on the south wall of and Pascha, we have outdoor processions (weather permitting). the library. Traditionally at St. John, we bring our baptismal/chrismation candle, if you have one, to use on Palm Sunday and Pascha. For those who do not have one, you are welcome Catherine’s Pascha KID CHU RIG to bring your own white candle decorated with ribbon, flowers, greenery…whatever you Christ Has Risen, Children! KID PAS VIS feel is festive. Bringing candles is completely voluntary. Christ in the Old Testament KID BIB HOP Candles are also used during the Passion Gospels Service and Lamentations Entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem KID CHU ELA Orthros. Candles for these services can be found in the Narthex when you are entering the Esther’s Easter Dress KID PAS KAF nave. Feasts of Christ and the and Miracles of the Lord KID CHU SPI Great and Holy Friday KID PAS MEL HOLY FRIDAY BIER DECORATION AND NAVE DÉCOR PREPARATION Great and Holy Saturday KID PAS MEL (following Royal Hours at 9:00am) The Legend of the Cross KID PAS HAR Following Royal Hours on Holy Friday, everyone is welcome, including the Miracle of the Red Egg KID PAS JOH Story of St. Mary Magdalen children, to help prepare the bier for the Taking Down Vespers Friday afternoon. We will My Very First Book of Pascha Words KID PAS ORT also be preparing the arrangements for decorating the nave following the Holy Saturday Pascha at the Duckpond KID PAS MEL liturgy. All are welcome to donate flowers and greenery, as well as bringing rose petals to Pascha, the Feast of Feasts KID PAS MEL be collected and to be used Holy Friday evening and Holy Saturday morning. Tale of Two Trees, The KID PAS HUN DECORATED PASCHA BASKETS (Paschal Liturgy Saturday Night) St. James (4/30) was the brother of our own St. John. They were in the inner circle of It has been our tradition at St. John to bring foods that we have been fasting from in Christ’s disciples, and He called them “the sons of thunder.” James preached the Gospel in a basket decorated with flowers. When you come to the services on Saturday night you can Spain after Pentecost and returned to Jerusalem. The Jews sent men to discredit his message place your basket around the solea. (Please do not be offended if someone re-positions and spread lies about him. History records the names of three of them, and tradition tells us your basket on the solea; it is simply to insure that the clergy and altar servers are able to they were later converted. St. James, the first martyred of the Apostles, was beheaded in 44 move about as needed!) At the end of the liturgy, the baskets will be blessed. You may A. D. Read more about him in The Disciples of Christ (KID STS SPR) and Notes on the retrieve your basket as you leave. The decorated baskets are beautiful on the solea during Holy Apostles (REF HAG - - - MAS). liturg.

AGAPE PICNIC (following Agape Vespers at 3:30pm) It is not by chance that we honor the Prophet Jeremiah (5/1) close to Pascha. God The parish gathers for our annual BBQ picnic following Agape Vespers on Sunday called him at age 15 but he refused Him because of his youth and inability to speak well. afternoon. This year picnic is fully catered by Corky’s BBQ and will include dessert, tea God touched his mouth and gave him words. He spent the next 23 years warning the Jews and lemonade! This is a Bring Your Own Beverage & Lawn Chair event and a wonderful about their impending captivity because they had forsaken God and worshipped idols. He way to spend Pascha in fellowship, fun, and food. The musicians amongst us normally join was mocked, imprisoned and eventually killed by them. together for an impromptu concert, so bring your guitar, ukulele, mandolin, etc. if you’d

like to join in. This is our first event together since the pandemic! We invite all to attend at no cost! Please sign up by April 23 so that we are able to order the appropriate amount of food.

PASCHA SERVICES OF HOLY WEEK

Sunday Morning, There is NO MORNING SERVICE (the midnight service was the Sunday Liturgy). Holy Sunday, Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday

Agape Vespers, 3:30pm Bridegroom Orthros (1 ½ hours), 6pm We gather for the joyous Paschal Agape Vespers (the Gospel is read in many Services are so called from the haunting theme song which begins: languages) and more feasting. Behold, the Bridegroom comes at midnight And happy is that servant whom he shall find watching, Agape Picnic– Following Agape Vespers the parish gathers for our annual BBQ But behold, unworthy is that servant whom he shall find heedless... picnic catered by Corky’s BBQ. This year, the meal will be served “cafeteria style” (cf Matt. 25:1 ff, Luke 12:35 ff)

by Corky’s staff, with individual servings of desserts. Tea and lemonade will be Our Lord is the Bridegroom whom His beloved bride, His people, were not ready to provided. receive. At these services we read the scathing prophesies addressed these three days to the What to Bring: leaders of Israel (Matthew 21:18 - 23:39). Will we be ready when He comes again? • Lawn Chairs or picnic blankets • Alcoholic beverages (if desired) • Instrument if desired Holy Wednesday

Holy Unction (1 ¾ hours) 6pm We bless oil and members are anointed with it for healing, for Our Lord's death and Resurrection are for this as well: "By His stripes we are healed" ( 53:5). At this

service the choir sings the first part, but the second half is mostly readings.

Things to know: We prepare for Holy Unction, one of the Holy Mysteries, just as we should for receiving the Eucharist. We need to have fasted and to have kept a confessional practice, which should have included a confession during Great Lent.

The Holy Mystery of Unction will be given to those prepared on the night of Holy Wednesday, as is our tradition.

Holy Thursday

Vesperal Divine Liturgy (2 hrs), 4pm

We serve the Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil celebrating the Mystical Supper at which Our Lord washed His disciples' feet and instituted the Eucharist.

Passion Gospels (2 ¾ hrs), 7pm – Orthros of Holy Friday. During it we read twelve Gospel readings of Our Lord's crucifixion, interspersed with some of the most beautiful hymns of the whole year. In the middle of this service a large Cross is placed in the center of the Church for veneration.

Holy Friday unbelief to belief, not of "out of the Church" to "Church." No; an internal conversion of faith, within the Church, to what constitutes the treasure of the heart Royal Hours (1 ½ hours), 9am – in spite of my sins, laziness, indifference, in spite of a continuous almost We again contemplate the crucifixion, reading sections from the Gospel readings from the conscious falling away from that treasure, in spite of negligence, in the literal sense previous service. of the word. I don’t know how, I don’t know why – truly only by God’s mercy – but Holy Saturday remains the center, the light, sign, symbol, and gift of everything. Taking Down Vespers, 3pm – Great Vespers of Holy Saturday. "Christ – the new Pascha…" And to that New Pascha, something in me says with The Epitaphios, a fabric with an image of the Lord taken down from the cross, representing joy and faith: "Amen." the burial cloth of the Lord, is carried in procession and laid in the bier, which is covered with flowers. In some traditions, the bier represents His Tomb. In others, it represents the PASCHAL SERVICE (2 ½ - 3 hours), 11pm “Unction Stone” on which He was laid and wrapped in the clean linens and spices before He This is THE service of the year for Orthodox, and no one wants to miss it. At midnight all was placed in the tomb. lights in the Church are put out. This is the darkness and silence of the Tomb. Finally, the bishop or priest comes out of the altar with a candle. Everyone comes forward and lights a Paschal Vigil candle from this light. Carrying the candles, we make an outdoor procession to the front We will begin reading for the vigil following Taking Down Vespers until Midnight office. door of the Church. There we hear the greeting 'Christ is Risen!' for the first time and reply,

Lamentation Orthros (2 ½ - 3 hours), 7pm – Orthros of Holy Saturday 'Indeed He is Risen!' We will greet each other this way for forty days. We go into the The Epitaphios is carried in procession around the Church. The many readings and hymns Temple, now brightly lighted, and sing the joyous Paschal Orthros and the Divine Liturgy, of the Holy Friday services present us with many the different facets of the awesome and and receive the Body and Blood of the Risen Lord. compelling mystery of our Lord's Passion. It is at this service that the Epitaphios taken from the bier to the altar, symbolizing Christ’s body being placed in the tomb, which will also be What to Bring: the place of Resurrection. • If you have children: pillow, blanket The girls in atrium levels 1 & 2 act as Myrrh-bearers tossing flower petals as they • Pascha basket process around the bier during the 3rd stasis of the Lamentations. • Candle for procession – see attached • Wear comfortable shoes

Holy Saturday

Vesperal Divine Liturgy (2 – 2 ½ hours), 10am

Initiation of new members and Divine Liturgy. This is the 'Blessed Sabbath' on which God rested -- in the Tomb, the real meaning of Genesis 2:2. It is the most appropriate time for Baptism, as those baptized are 'buried' with Christ to share His Resurrection (Romans 6:3- 4). Lent has its origin as the last intensive preparation for those who would be baptized this day. Today we read from the 15 Old Testament readings appointed that illuminate Baptism, including the Creation from Genesis, and the Exodus, and we read the first Resurrectional Gospel from Matthew 28.

*What follows is a quote from Fr. Alexander Schmemman's Journal regarding this service: I am writing before leaving for my most beloved of all loved services: the Baptismal, Paschal Liturgy of St Basil the Great, when "Life sleeps and Hades shudders…" I write just to say it again. It is the day of my conversion – not of