April 2024
For the whole month of April we will be immersed in The Great Fast , and The Great Fast, is the most important fasting season in the church year. It is stricter than all the others to help us Orthodox Christians prepare for the greatest feast of the church year, Pascha or as it is mostly known as The Resurrection of Christ. The Great Fast prepares us to not only commemorate the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus, but to relive it, and to participate in His journey to the Cross. We have to understand that as Orthodox Christians we are to live our life with Christ at the center, that we are to fulfill His Holy will in all that we do. We have been given examples of the need to attain a higher level of holiness, we heard of Zacchaeus who climbed the tree to see Christ, the four friends who carried the paralytic up on the roof so he could be healed by Christ, all to be in Christ’s presence, and on the 4th Sunday we will commemorate St John of the Ladder, who in his book Ladder of Divine Ascent describes the steps we need to take to ascend to holiness, to climb the spiritual ladder, to climb the spiritual tree all to be closer to Christ. We live in the days of unbelief and a time that evil is considered good and good is considered evil. It can be a very confusing time, but the Great Fast is here to help us not be confused, to guide us into holiness, to help us climb to new spiritual heights of holiness . As we fast from foods and things of this world we should take the time to pray, to forgive, to repent and confess, and to give alms, so that we can seek that which is beneficial to our soul. We should read Holy Scripture and the church Fathers, but most importantly we should learn to apply the spiritual goodness into our lives and live it. Everything centers around this Feast of Feasts,the Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. When we begin Holy Week we are journeying with our Lord to the Cross, we should be dedicating and committing our life to Him, to be His good and faithful servant. The prayers, fasting and almsgiving that we should do during the fast should intensify our faith so that we become those true servants of Christ. Not giving in to sin is also the main rule for the servant of Christ, as we battle with the evil spirits of this world. But Christ, as our King and Leader in this battle, has given us everything that we need to do battle, and He is always there when we call upon Him. So let us use the fast to give us the strength and wisdom that we need to withstand the fiery darts of the evil one, and come to Holy Week with a pure heart and glorify our God who overcame death with His glorious resurrection. May the peace of the Lord be with us all.
Fr. Mikel
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 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
This Week...
April 13, 2024
Bible Study/Class will be on Mon and Tues evenings at 6, in April class will be 15th & 16th, 22nd & 23rd. And then back to Weds on May 15th.
On Saturday April 20th there will be Baptisms of 10 people at 10am.
If you would like to donate to the Pascha Card please see Stephanie Homiak,all proceeds go to St John the Baptist Monastery Building Fund.
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 check with Mat Elizabeth (Heather) to help with either set up, clean-up and food.
Fry’s has a reward program in which you can make St Peter and Paul the recipient of the rewards. You can access the program through the app, go to rewards then enroll and choose St P&P.
On May 5th, Pascha Vespers will be at 1pm and there will be a potluck afterwards, everyone is invited to attend. If you wish to bring a dish, please see Pat Starkey to coordinate what you will bring.
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 read in the narthex of the hall, or use the link below, about the monks and nuns' financial problems with the contractor. https://www.gofundme.com/f/monasteries-construction-projects-robbed?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer&utm_term=undefined
There will be a cleaning Saturday on May 11th beginning at 8am. Please mark this on your calendars and plan on attending, with all the services of Holy Week and Pascha the church gets dirty and is in need of a deep cleaning.
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.
Whoever you may be, always have God before your eyes; whatever you do, do it according to the testimony of the holy Scriptures; in whatever place you live, do not easily leave it. Keep these three precepts and you will be saved. St. Anthoy the Great
