Week of June 30th,

2019

Petra News A ministry and weekly

publication of Sts. Peter & Paul Greek Orthodox

Church. Supported by the stewards of the

parish.

Petra News

SaintS peter & paul

Hosts & Volunteers

Ushers

Myrrhbearers

Epistle Reader

Alex & Lis Troicky

Demetra, Cassie

Eleni

Ushers - July 2019

Hymns of the Day

Resurrection Hymn (1st Tone, p. 80 -81 Green Hymnal) “The stone that had been sealed before Your tomb by the Jews and the soldiers guarding did watch over Your pure and sacred body O Savior the third day You arose, and unto all the world did Your give life where by all the heavenly powers did proclaim that You are the giver of life. Glory to our resurrected Christ. Glory unto Your Kingdom . Glory to Your dispensation O You alone who loves all.”

Hymn for the Apostles “O holy Apostles, make intercession to our merciful God, that He grant our souls forgiveness of offenses.”

Hymn of Saints Peter Paul “Oh leaders of the Apostles, and teachers of the world, intercede with the Master of all that He may grant peace unto the world, and to our souls His great mercy.”

Kontakion “O Protection of Christians unshamable, intercessor to our holy Maker, unwavering, reject not the prayerful cries of those who are in sin; instead, come to us, for you are good; your loving help bring unto us, who are crying in faith to you: hasten to intercede, and speed now to supplicate, as a protection for all time, Theotokos for those who honor you.”

Special Communion Hymn “Their proclamation went forth into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. Alleluia.”

Sunday, June 30, 2019

July 7 Jim Zissimos July 14 Jim Azar

July 21 Chris & Nancy Artemis

July 28 Tony & Rimona Azar

Epistle Reading St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 4: 9-16

Brethren, God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are ill-clad and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become, and are now, as the refuse of the world, the off-scouring of all things. I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me.

The Gospel According to Matthew 9:36, 10:1-8

At that time, when Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every infirmity. The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaios, and Thaddaios; Simon the Cananaean. and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And preach as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying, give without pay."

Daily readings Synaxis of the twelve apostles

The Twelve Apostles: Timid Men That Conquered the World By St. John Chrysostom

It was clear through unlearned men that the cross was persuasive, in fact, it persuaded the whole world. Their discourse was not of unimportant matters but of God and true religion, of the Gospel way of life and future judgement, yet it turned plain, uneducated men into philosophers. How the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and his weakness stronger than men!

In what way is it stronger? It made its way throughout the world and overcame all men; countless men sought to eradicate the very name of the Crucified, but that name flourished and grew ever mightier. Its ene-mies lost out and perished; the living who waged a war on a dead man proved helpless. Therefore, when a Greek tells me I am dead, he shows only that he is foolish indeed, for I, whom he thinks a fool, turn out to be wiser than those reputed wise. So too, in calling me weak, he but shows that he is weaker still. For the good deeds which tax-collectors and fishermen were able to accomplish by God’s grace, the philosophers, the rulers, the countless multitudes cannot even imagine.

Paul had this in mind when he said: "The weakness of God is stronger than men". That the preaching of these men was indeed divine is brought home to us in the same way. For how otherwise could twelve uned-ucated men, who lived on lakes and rivers and wastelands, get the idea for such an immense enterprise? How could men who perhaps had never been in a city or a public square think of setting out to do battle with the whole world? That they were fearful, timid men, the evangelist makes clear; he did not reject the fact or try to hide their weaknesses. Indeed he turned these into a proof of the truth. What did he say of them? That when Christ was arrested, the others fled, despite all the miracles they had seen, while he who was leader of the others denied him!

How then account for the fact that these men, who in Christ’s lifetime did not stand up to the attacks by the Jews, set forth to do battle with the whole world once Christ was dead - if, as you claim, Christ did not rise and speak to them and rouse their courage? Did they perhaps say to themselves: “What is this? He could not save himself but he will protect us? He did not help himself when he was alive, but now that he is dead he will extend a helping hand to us? In his lifetime he brought no nation under his banner, but by uttering his name we will win over the whole world?” Would it not be wholly irrational even to think such thoughts, much less to act upon them?

It is evident, then, that if they had not seen him risen and had proof of his power, they would not have risked so much.

St. John Chrysostom: The Greatest Interpreter of the Apostle Paul By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

No mortal has interpreted the Epistles of the Apostle Paul with greater love and depth than St. John Chrys-ostom. Had St. Paul himself interpreted them, he could not have interpreted them better. Behold, history tells us that it was Paul himself who interpreted them through the mind and the pen of Chrysostom.

Saints & feastdays

St. John Chrysostom: The Greatest Interpreter of the Apostle Paul

When St. Proclus was a novice under Chrysostom, during the time that he was patriarch, it was his duty to an-nounce visitors. A certain nobleman was slandered before Emperor Arcadius and the emperor had expelled him from the court. This nobleman came to implore Chrysostom to intercede with the emperor on his behalf. Proclus went to announce him to the patriarch but, looking through the partly opened door, saw a man bent over the patriarch, whispering something in his ear while the patriarch wrote. This continued until dawn. Mean-while, Proclus told the nobleman to come back the next evening, while he himself remained in amazement, wondering who the man with the patriarch was, and how he managed to enter the patriarch's chamber unan-nounced. The second night the same thing happened again, and Proclus was in still greater amazement. The third night the same thing happened again, and Proclus was in the greatest amazement. When Chrysostom asked him if the nobleman had come by, he replied that he had already been waiting for three nights, but that he couldn't announce him because of the elderly, balding stranger who had been whisper-ing in the patriarch's ear for three nights. The astonished Chrysostom said that he did not remember anyone entering to see him during the previous three nights. He asked his novice what the stranger looked like, and Proclus pointed to the icon of the Holy Apostle Paul, saying that the man was like him. Therefore, it was the Apostle Paul himself who was directing the mind and pen of his greatest interpreter.

Concern for the Good of All People By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

Concern for the good of all people! That concern filled the exalted spirits and noble hearts of the holy apostles. Writing about the Apostle Paul, St. John Chrysostom calls him: "The universal father of the world." "As though he", says Chrysostom, "gave birth to the entire world that he anxiously labored and tried to bring all into the Kingdom."

Indeed, most exalted is this title: "Universal father of the world" and if this title could be attributed to anyone, other than God, it could only be attributed to the apostles of Christ. By their parental concern for the entire world, they in truth, were "the universal fathers of the world."

There are many mothers in the world who care less about their own children then the apostles were concerned about the good of their persecutors and adversaries. The Apostle Peter twice saved his most bitter adversary, Simon the Magician, from death: once when the people wanted to burn him and another time when a dog want-ed to tear him to pieces. Just think, how the world repaid these their benefactors! As if they were the greatest robbers and criminals.

O how true are the words of St. Cyril who says: "As long as we are in the body, the same occurs to us Christians as to pagans, the difference is only in the spirit."�

Saints & Feastdays

Pan-Orthodox Youth Group GOYA - Pool Party, Lunch, Fellowship

When: Sunday, June 30, 12 noon - 2 pm Where: Tinsley Home (1825 Chilton Place, Broomfield)

We invite all youth in middle & high school. Please join us today for a great kick off summer event. Please bring your bathing suit (girls: please one piece suit) & towel. The youth from St Luke’s will join us. This is a wonderful time to grow in our faith and develop new friends in the Church.

Vacation Bible School (K-5) - July 15-19 St Luke’s Antiochian Orthodox Church in Erie

Father Jordan will be helping out at St Luke’s for VBS this summer. Please contact Father Jordan with any questions and registration forms. We need a few more adult and teen volunteers. Please contact Charla Lancaster @ (615) 337-4696 to find out how you can help out.

Parish News & Events

Support Philoptochos - Shop at King Soopers King Soopers supports non-profit organizations through their "community rewards" program. This is such an easy way to support your Philoptochos. Stop by the Philoptochos table in the hall for details on how to sign up for this program. Instructions on how to sign up are also found in the electronic version of the weekly bulletins and you can always contact Lis Troicky with any questions: etroick@aol.com or 720-771-7786

Church Cleaning Thank you to the handful of parishioners who keep our church and parish hall clean! Please consider helping one Sunday with the church cleaning. We need a little help on Sunday, June 16 and Sunday, June 30. Please visit with Presbytera Kedrann with any questions.

Are you interested in the Orthodox Faith? Would you like to deepen your understanding of what it means to be an Orthodox Christian?

Adult Education - Series will begin in August Please contact Father Jordan with any questions and details.

16th Annual Boulder Greek Festival - Taste of Orthodoxy September 6-8, 2019

Festival Planning is in full swing! Help is currently needed in the following areas: Loukoumades booth coor-dinator, frozen yogurt booth coordinator, ad book sales team and marketing. Please see Nick Karis or Nicole Tsiouvaras to help.

Saturday, July 6 5 pm - Great Vespers�

Schedule of services - June 30 - July 6

July 2019

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4 Independence Day

5 6 5p Great Vespers

7 8:15a Orthros 9:30a Divine Liturgy

8 9 10 11 12 13

14 8:15a Orthros 9:30a Divine Liturgy

15 Vacation Church School

16 Vacation Church School

17 Vacation Church School

18 Vacation Church School

19 Vacation Church School

20 St. Elias 4p Service at St. Elias (Arvada)

21 8:15a Orthros 9:30a Divine Liturgy

22 23 24 Rocky Mtn. Orthodox Camp

25 Rocky Mtn. Orthodox Camp

26 Rocky Mtn. Orthodox Camp

27 Rocky Mtn. Orthodox Camp

28 8:15a Orthros 9:30a Divine Liturgy 12p Youth Pool Party

29 30 31 Shaded Days = Fasting Days

Saints Peter & Paul Greek Orthodox Church

5640 Jay Road Boulder, CO • 80301

303-581-1434stspeterandpaulboulder.org

Priest Reverend Father Jordan Brown

Parish Council President - George Tsiouvaras

Vice President - Nicholas Kallan Treasurer - Brian Gregory

Secretary - Phillip Haratsaris

Philoptochos President - Ashley Dzilvelis

Vice President - Rola DeGeorge Treasurer - Julie Powers

Bookstore Sharon Dzilvelis

Youth/GOYA Fr. Jordan Brown

Senior Ministry Dena Tinsley

Choir Director - Presbytera Marika Brown

Orthros - Sundays, 8:15 am

Divine Liturgy - Sundays, 9:30 am

Great Vespers - Saturdays, 5 pm

Confession by appt.

Recurring Services

About Our Parish We welcome visitors worshipping with us today. Our diverse church family encompasses many con-verts to the Orthodox Christian Faith, as well as Greek, Arab, Romanian, Serbian and Russian Ortho-dox Christians. The foundation of the Orthodox Church are the teachings and Holy Tradition of Jesus Christ. We follow the first Christians who began to worship Jesus Christ after the Crucifixion and Res-urrection.

Please introduce yourself to our priest and members of our community. We also encourage you to join us for our fellowship after services in the parish hall and visit our bookstore. If you are interested in learning more about the Orthodox Christian faith, please visit with our priest, Fr. Jordan Brown.

Holy Communion in the Orthodox Church Holy Communion is reserved only for baptized and/or chrismated Orthodox Christians who have

properly prepared by prayer, fasting, and confession. The Orthodox Church understands the reception of Holy Communion to be the highest expression of our faith. Both Orthodox and non-Orthodox

alike are invited to receive the blessed bread ‘antidoro.’at the end of the Divine Liturgy.