May 22, 2022
Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
& After-feast of Mid-Pentecost
This Sunday concludes the week which includes mid-Pentecost. The scriptures for that day make reference to the great and final feast and the Lord’s words concerning fountains of living water and the nourishment of the spirit. The episode of the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well and Jesus’ further description of Himself as living water continue this theme. There are innumerable nuances to the message of this episode, ranging from the allusion to the patriarch Joseph to the faith of those who believe without seeing, but let us concentrate on the woman who comes into the presence of her God. Christ asks service of her, asks her to ignore their traditional enmity, confuses her with parables, confronts her with her sins, and claims to be her Messiah and Lord. She enters the scene with skepticism, but she does not let circumstances blind her, for the words of the man before her ring with unmistakable authority and truth. Whether she wants to or not, she must believe herself to be in the presence of the Son of God; she not only believes, but she quickly bears witness to the others of her town. We join her in her faith, and we, too, partake of the Water of Life.
Acts 11:19-30: In those days, when the apostles were scattered because of the tribulation that arose over Stephen, they traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one, except to Jews only. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who upon coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number that believed turned to the Lord. The report concerning them reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas, to go as far out as Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad; and he exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they should cleave to the Lord; for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great multitude was added unto the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year, they were gathered together in the church, and they taught a great multitude of people, and the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabos stood up and signified by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over the whole world; and this took place in the days of Claudius Caesar. And the disciples, every one according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren who dwelt in Judaea; and they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
John 4:5-42: At that time, Jesus came to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and so Jesus, wearied as He was with his journey, sat down beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” For His Disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to Him, “How is it that Thou, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and Who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, Thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep; where do you get that living water? Art Thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, and his sons, and his cattle?” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst forever; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.” Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered Him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and he whom you now have is not your husband; this you said truly.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that Thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain; and Thou sayest that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming [He Who is called Christ]; when He comes, He will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I Who speak to you am He.” Just then His Disciples came. They marveled that He was talking with a woman, but none said, “What dost Thou wish?” or, “Why art Thou talking with her?” So the woman left her water jar, and went away into the city, and said to the people, “Come, see a man Who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the city and were coming to Him. Meanwhile the Disciples besought Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” So the Disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him food?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me, and to accomplish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see how the fields are already white for harvest. He who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor; others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.” Many Samaritans from that city believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony, “He said to me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to Him, they asked Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His words. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”
Troparion of the Resurrection: Having learned the joyful message of the Resurrection from the angel, the women Disciples cast from them their parental condemnation, and proudly broke the news to the Disciples, saying, Death has been spoiled. Christ God is risen, granting the world Great Mercy.
Troparion for mid-Pentecost: In the midst of this Feast, O Saviour, give my thirsty soul to drink of the waters of true worship; for thou didst call out to all, saying, Whosoever is thirsty, let him come unto me and drink. Wherefore, O Christ our God, Fountain of life, glory to thee.
Troparion of the Chains of St. Peter: O Holy Apostle, Peter, thou dost preside over the Apostles by the precious chains which thou didst bear. We venerate them with faith and beseech thee that by thine intercessions we be granted the great mercy.
Kontakion of Pascha: When Thou didst descend into the grave, O Immortal, Thou didst destroy the power of Hades. In victory didst Thou arise, O Christ God, proclaiming Rejoice! to the myrrh-bearing women, granting peace to Thine apostles and bestowing resurrection on the fallen.
CALENDAR
UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE: All services listed on the calendar will be available through streaming and webcast.
Please continue to follow the CDC Guidelines to limit contagion and the spread of the COVID virus.
Sunday, May 22 (Sunday of the Samaritan Woman)
9:00 a.m. — Orthros (webcast)
9:00 a.m. — Christian Education
10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy (webcast)
Monday, May 23
Father Herman off
Tuesday, May 24
NO Services
Wednesday, May 25 (The Forerunner — 3rd Discovery)
6:30 p.m. — Daily Vespers
7:30 p.m. — Parish Council Meeting
Thursday, May 26
NO Services
Friday, May 27
NO Services
Saturday, May 28
Sunday, May 29 (Sunday of the Blind Man)
9:00 a.m. — Orthros (webcast)
10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy (webcast)
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Algoods for the Divine Liturgy this morning.
Eucharist Bread Schedule:
Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour
May 22 Algood D. Root/Pigott
May 29 Schelver Meadows/Baker/Cooper
June 1 (Wed. p.m.) Morris Henderson/Jones
(Feast of the Ascension)
June 5 Jones Ellis/Waites/Zouboukos
June 11 (Sat. a.m.) Meadows Ellis/Waites/Zouboukos
(Saturday of the Souls) Koliva: Karen Cooper
June 12 Davis PICNIC POT LUCK MEAL
(Feast of Pentecost) Meadows/Pigott
June 19 D. Root Algood/Schelver
June 26 Karam Lasseter/Pacurari/Miller
June 28 (Tues. p.m.) Brock D. Root/Baker/Cooper
Schedule for Epistle Readers – Page numbers refer to the Apostolos (book of the Epistles) located on the Chanters’ stand at the front of the nave. Please be sure to use this book when you read.
Reader Reading Page#
May 22 Brenda Baker Acts 11:33-12:2 52
May 29 Ian Jones Acts 16:16-34 58
June 1 (Wed. p.m.) Walt Wood Acts 1:1-12 63
June 5 Sh. Charlotte Algood Acts 20:16-18, 28-36 66
June 11 (Sat. a.m.) Kh. Sharon Meadows I Thess. 4:13-17 412
June 12 Ian Jones Acts 2:1-11 77
June 19 Brenda Baker Heb. 11:33-12:2 84
June 26 Sam Habeeb Rom. 2:10-16 90
June 28 (Tues. p.m.) Walt Wood II Cor. 11:21-33; 12:6-9 389
Also, please remember that we still need your tithes and offerings which may be placed in the tithe box at the back of the nave or be mailed to: St. Peter Orthodox Church, P.O. Box 2084, Madison, MS 39130-2084.
Continue to pray for Metropolitan Paul (who is also the brother of our Patriarch) and the Syriac Archbishop John of Aleppo who were abducted while on a humanitarian mission in Syria.
Please remember Fr. Joseph and Kh. Joanna Bittle, and their daughter Abigail, in your prayers.
Please remember the following in your prayers: Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Lamia Dabit and her family; Mary Greene (Lee and Kh. Sharon’s sister); Jay and Joanna Davis; Fr. Leo and Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver and their family; Kathy Willingham; Marilyn (Kyriake) Snell; Jack and Jill Weatherly; Lottie Dabbs (Sh. Charlotte Algood’s mother), Sh. Charlotte and their family; Maria Costas (currently at St. Catherine’s Village); Reader Basil and Brenda Baker and their family; Buddy Cooper.
If you are not feeling well, PLEASE do not attempt to come to the services. This also includes anyone who may have been exposed to you during this time. Also, please let Fr. Herman know if you are not feeling well and have COVID like symptoms.
We will once more pass the offering trays following the homily. You may either place your offerings on the tray or you may still place them in the box at the back of the nave.
PARENTS, a problem has arisen due to the nursery room being left messy after Coffee Hour. No food of any kind should be taken into that room. Also, it is necessary for a parent to be in the room whenever their children are in there playing. Thank you for your assistance with this.
Women of the Parish: You are invited to attend a Baby Shower in Dana Dabit’s honor this afternoon at St. Peter’s in the Fellowship Hall from 3-5 p.m.
Pentecost is June 12th this year. As is the custom in our parish, we will have Orthos followed by Divine Liturgy for Saturday of the Souls on June 11th, beginning at 9:00 a.m. On Sunday we will have a PICNIC POT LUCK following the Divine Liturgy to celebrate the Feast. We will also pray the Kneeling Vespers service Sunday evening, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Calendar Items:
* The men of the parish meet for lunch at 11:30 a.m. on the first Thursday of the month.
* The Ladies meet at the church at 10:00 a.m. on the second Saturday of the month to pray the Akathist to the Mother of God, Nurturer of Children on behalf of our children.
* The Ladies meet for lunch on the last Tuesday of the month.
* Sunday, May 22nd is the last day for Church School this year.
* We will have Paschal Vespers, marking the Leave-taking of PASCHA, on Tuesday evening, May 31st, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
* Orthros and Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Ascension will be celebrated on Wednesday, June 1st, beginning at 6:00 p.m.
* Father Herman will be helping to lead a retreat at the Antiochian Village, July 3-9.
* The Clergy Symposium will be held at the Antiochian Village, July 18-23.
* Vacation Church School is scheduled for July 28-30. Parents, mark your calendar now.
* The dates for Stewpot for 2022 are Saturday, May 7th and Saturday, September 3rd.
Diocese of Miami and the Southeast Parish Life Conference: Registration is still open for the Parish Life Conference to be hosted June 15-18 by St. John Orthodox Church in Memphis. More information may be found on the Diocesan website at DOMSE.org.
We will honor Brandon Strain at Coffee Hour on Sunday, June 5th since we were unable to do so when he graduated because of the CoVid shut down.
Camp St. Thekla dates: The dates for Camp St. Thekla are: Session 1 is June 26 – July 2 and Session 2 is July 3 – 9. If you have a child registered for Camp, please see Daniel for information on scholarships available from the Order of St. Ignatius. If there is still a financial need, some additional funds may be available.
Instructions for streaming our services can be found on the parish website.
Fasting Discipline for May
There will be no fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays until the Feast of Ascension (June 2nd this year), for the full forty days, as decided by the Holy Synod of the Church of Antioch in 1997. (This is a departure from what we have done in the past, but is what we have been directed to do by the Archdiocese.)
Major Commemorations for May
May 22 Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
May 25 The Forerunner (3rd Discovery)
May 29 Sunday of the Blind Man
Quotable “Thoughts are like airplanes flying in the air. If you ignore them, there is no problem. If you pay attention to them, you create an airport inside your head and permit them to land!”
St. Paisios the Athonite
Worship: Sunday, May 29, 2022 (Sunday of the Blind Man)
Scripture: Acts 16:16-34; John 9:1-38
Celebrant: Father Herman
Epistle Reader: Ian Jones
Prosphora: Schelver
Coffee Hour: Meadows/Baker/Cooper
Saint Peter Antiochian Orthodox Church 