Sunday, March 31, 2024

2nd Sunday of Great Lent: St Gregory Palamas

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Bishop Daniel’s Message for February

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As we begin the third month of the year and the third week of the Fast, 2018, we are continuing our Lenten journey, preparing ourselves for the celebration of Holy Week, of the Lord’s three-day Paschal Mystery: his passion, death, and glorious resurrection.  Each one of us should be already well along in our preparations for the celebration of Pascha- our prayer, fasting, almsgiving, participation in the Church’s Divine Services, and, yes, a daily routine that is marked by the season at hand.  Perhaps, however, we are already losing our focus.  Maybe the Church’s call to fasting, to more time for prayer and study, to more conscientious and generous almsgiving, and a greater participation in the Church’s Divine Services is already becoming tedious for some.  Maybe we’re already “tired” of Lent and are simply “doing the time” until Holy Week and Pascha arrive.

This could be true for many of us, or for all of us, therefore, as a means of encouragement and of directing our thoughts and focusing our common Lenten efforts, I would like to offer you the following excerpt from the Lenten Message of His Beatitude, Metropolitan TIKHON:

“In his first Epistle, the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian writes: “This, then, is the message which we have heard of Him and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5).  There is no darkness at all in Christ, Who is “Light of Light, True God of True God;” and there is no darkness in His Bride, the Holy Church, for in her “the light of Christ illumines all.”

We are entering the sacred season of Great Lent which, externally, might be perceived as a season of darkness and gloom, reflected in the somber color of the vestments, the physical exertion of fasting and prostrations and the labor of long services. But in reality, though externally dark, this season places us on the path that brings us to the eternal light of the Resurrection and the glory of the Kingdom.

The season of repentance introduces us to the reality of that glory, through our participation in God’s divine grace, which is both freely given to us and experienced through our own efforts, small as they may be and daunting as the struggles may seem. This is why Saint Silouan can say, “Glory be to the Lord that He gave us repentance. Through repentance we shall, every one of us, be saved. Only those who refuse to repent will not find salvation, and therein I see their despair, and shed abundant tears of pity for them.”

We can only find true peace and lasting joy when we are led out of the despair of our passions and into the light of Christ by His Grace and through our labors of repentance, fasting and prayer. As we enter upon the struggles of the Fast, let us be encouraged as we listen attentively to the sacred hymns of the Church:  ‘Let us joyfully begin the all-hallowed season of abstinence, and let us shine with the bright radiance of the holy commandments of Christ our God, with the brightness of love and the splendor of prayer, with the purity of holiness and the strength of good courage. So, clothed in raiment of light, let us hasten to the Holy Resurrection on the third day, that shines upon the world with the glory of eternal life’ (Sessional hymn, Matins on Monday of the First Week).”

I hope you find His Beatitude’s words encouraging and helpful, as I do.  As we continue our journey, let us have one another in prayer, asking the Lord to bless all the members of our parish community and all our loved ones.  May this special season of prayer and repentance prepare all of us to “achieve unto and worship the Holy Resurrection” (Prayer before the Ambo, Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts).

With love in the Lord,

+Bishop Daniel

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Regular Services

Saturday: Vespers, 5:00 pm

Sunday: Divine Liturgy, 9:00 am

 

Address

1614 E. Monte Vista Rd.

Phoenix, Az 85006

 

Phone / Email

Fr. Mikel: 907-444-8545

Church: 602-253-9515

 

Directions To Saints Peter & Paul

 

Schedule of Upcoming Services

Weds March 27th 540pm 9th Hour/Presanctified Liturgy
Fri March 29th 840am 9th Hour/Presanctified Liturgy
Sat March 30th 840am Hours/Divine Liturgy 5pm Vespers
Sun March 31st 840am Hours/Divine Liturgy

Pan-Orthodox Vespers

March 31 - 6pm St. John the Baptist, Romanian Orthodox Church
Weds April 3rd 540pm 9th Hour/Presanctified Liturgy
Fri April 5th 840am 9th Hour/Presanctified Liturgy
Sat April 6th 5 pm Vespers

Sun April 7th 840am Hours/Divine Liturgy

Pan-Orthodox Vespers

April 7 - 6pm St. Sava, Serbian Orthodox Church

Weds April 10th 540pm 9th Hour/Presanctified Liturgy
Fri April 12th 840am 9th Hour/Presanctified Liturgy
Sat April 13th 840am Hours/Divine Liturgy 5pm Vespers
Sun April 14th 840am Hours/Divine Liturgy

Pan-Orthodox Vespers

April 14 - 6pm St. Katherine, Greek Orthodox Church

Weds April 17th 540pm 9th Hour/Presanctified Liturgy
Fri April 19th 840am 9th Hour/Presanctified Liturgy
Sat April 20th 10am Baptisms 5pm Vespers
Sun April 21st 840am Hours/Divine Liturgy

Pan-Orthodox Vespers

April 21 - 6pm Sts. Peter & Paul, Orthodox Church

Weds April 24th 540pm 9th Hour/Presanctified Liturgy
Fri April 26th 840am 9th Hour/Presanctified Liturgy 6pm Matins
Sat April 27th 840am Hours/Divine Liturgy 5pm Vespers Blessing of Palms
Sun April 28th 840am Hours/Divine Liturgy Noon or so Bridegroom Matins

Mon April 29th 840am 9th Hour/Presanctified Liturgy 6pm Bridegroom Matins
Tues April 30th 840am 9th Hour/Presanctified Liturgy 6pm Bridegroom Matins
Weds May 1st 840am 9th Hour/Presanctified Liturgy 6pm Matins
Thurs May 2nd 840am 9th Hour/Vesperal Liturgy 6pm Matins w/12 Gospels
Fri May 3rd 8am Royal Hours 4pm Vespers 6pm Matins w/Lamentations
Sat May 4th 840am 9th Hour/Vesperal Liturgy 11:30pm Nocturns/
Sun May 5th 12:01am Procession/Matins /Hours /Divine Liturgy/Blessing of
Baskets in the Hall 1pm Vespers
Mon May 6th 850am Hours/Divine Liturgy

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Photos

Visit of Metropolitan Tikhon - 11/03/2019

(110 images)


Parish News
 
Announcements
 

This Week...

March 23, 2024

Bible Study/Class will be on Mon and Tues evenings at 6 starting March 25th &26th, then in April class will be 1st &2nd, 8th & 9th, 15th & 16th, 22nd & 23rd. And then back to Weds on May 15th.

The Great Fast has begun, and Presanctified Liturgies will be held on Weds Evenings during the Fast, please volunteer to bring Lenten meals for after the service.  A sign up sheet will be in the hall near the kitchen. 

On Tuesday the 26th, will be the burial of Barbara Peterson at 1pm at West Resthaven Park Cemetery, W Northern Ave, Glendale, AZ 85301.

A Lenten Soup Sale will be held on March 31st.

 When parking please be courteous and do not block anyone in.  If the church lot is full you may park on the street or across the street at Bamboo Bakery.

On April 21st St Peter and Paul will host the Pan-Orthodox Vespers at 6pm.  Please mark this on your calendars.

 April 20th at 6:30 pm at Pollack Cinema in Tempe for a viewing of "Sacred Alaska" and "Amphilochios Saint of Patmos." Here is the link for ticket purchases: Sacred Alaska and Amphilochios Saint of Patmos

Please remember to tithe, this is very important. The tithe goes into the operating budget to keep the church running, and in this way we are able to bring Christ to the community.    

For the value of fasting consists not in abstinence from food, but in withdrawing from sinful practices; since he who limits his fasting only to an abstinence from meats, is one who especially disparages it. Do you fast? Give me proof of it by your works! Is it said by what kind of works? If you see a poor man, take pity on him! If you see an enemy, be reconciled to him! If you see a friend gaining honor, envy him not! If you see a handsome woman, pass her by! For let not the mouth only fast, but also the eye, and the ear, and the feet, and the hands, and all the members of our bodies. 

St John Chrysostom

 

The Mission of The Orthodox Church in America, the local autocephalous Orthodox Christian Church, is to be faithful in fulfilling the commandment of Christ to “Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”

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The Holy Scripture is a collection of books written over multiple centuries by those inspired by God to do so. It is the primary witness to the Orthodox Christian faith, within Holy Tradition and often described as its highest point. It was written by the prophets and apostles in human language, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and collected, edited, and canonized by the Church.

Daily Readings >

Holiness or sainthood is a gift (charisma) given by God to man, through the Holy Spirit. Man's effort to become a participant in the life of divine holiness is indispensable, but sanctification itself is the work of the Holy Trinity, especially through the sanctifying power of Jesus Christ, who was incarnate, suffered crucifixion, and rose from the dead, in order to lead us to the life of holiness, through the communion with the Holy Spirit.

Today's Saints >

Saints Peter & Paul Orthodox Church
1614 E Monte Vista Road
Phoenix, Arizona 85006