parish events, news, and photos
On January 10, 2017 St. John the Wonderworker welcomed His Grace, Bishop Alexander, to our parish to celebrate the Liturgy and to ordinate our very own Seth Earl to the Priesthood! Bishop Alexander also blessed Reader Joseph to become a Subdeacon. Many other priests also came to celebrate alongside Fr. Seth and Matushka Stephanie. Axios, Fr. Seth!
The Lord has greatly blessed our community at St. John the Wonderworker.
Loaves and Fishes Volunteers!
In this season of thanksgiving we just wanted to thank you for all your hard work this past year and remind you that we will be CLOSED Thanksgiving day through the weekend. We look forward to seeing you again next week.
Have a blessed holiday and THANK YOU for all you do!
-The Loaves and Fishes Team
On July 9, 2016, the Atlanta Chapter of the Brotherhood of St. Moses the Black and St. John the Wonderworker Orthodox Church partnered to host "One Heart, One Mind: A Gathering on Racial Reconciliation & Orthodox Christianity."
The conference was well attended, and good, honest dialogue was exchanged. Parish member Basil Moses spoke on his experiences and journey into Orthodoxy. Fr. Jerome Sanderson spoke on "One Heart, One Mind: Principles of Reconciliation." Fr. Dcn. Turbo Qualls spoke on "Racial Reconciliation: A Call to Action."
If you were unable to attend, or simple wish to listen once more, you may do so in the video below:
In light of today's racial tensions, our culture is searching for answers. What will it take for us to live in peace among our neighbors? How can we overcome centuries of hurt and division?
Join us July 9th at St. John the Wonderworker for "One Heart, One Mind: A gathering focused on racial reconciliation" as we explore what answers can be found in the ancient wisdom of the Orthodox Christian Church.
This event is sponsored by the Brotherhood of St. Moses the Black, Atlanta chapter. For more information about the brotherhood, visit http://www.saintjohnwonderworker.org/st-moses-the-black-brotherhood/.
Schedule of Events
- 8:00 A.M - Divine Liturgy
- 9:15A.M - Opening thoughts
- 9:30 A.M - Pancake breakfast
10:00 A.M - Speakers, Q&A, and conversation
Speakers
- Fr. Jerome Sanderson
One Heart, One Mind: Principles of Reconciliation
- Fr. Dcn. Turbo Qualls
Racial Reconciliation: A Call to Action
Today on the Feast of the Ascension, former parish member Innocent Neal was ordained to the priesthood at St Tikhon's Monastery in Pennsylvania, where he is currently the Bookstore Manager at the St Tikhon's Bookstore and Press. He, his wife Matushka Melanie, and their children, Ephraim and Andrew will be ministering to the parishioners of SS. Peter and Paul in Uniondale, PA, where he is assigned. Axios!
As we make our final approach to Pascha, we follow Christ from His raising of His friend, Lazarus, to His Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday, to Gathsemane, Golgotha, His triumphant descent into Hades, and finally the empty tomb. On Holy Saturday, the community at St. John the Wonderworker joyously welcomed 4 newly illumined family members home into the Church, and then together everyone proclaimed, "Christ is Risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!" Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!
January 5th EVE OF THEOPHANY
Matins: 6:30am
Royal Hours: 8:30am
Vesperal Liturgy: 10am
Festal Vigil: 6pm
January 6th THEOPHANY
Hours: 7:40am
Divine Liturgy 8am
Saint John's participated in the 2015 Grant Park Candlelight Tour of Homes. Here are several pictures that were taken over the course of this two day event. We had such a wonderful time being a part of the tour this year. Thanks so much to all who participated, as well as to those who made their way into our church. For those who visited, we hope you come back and join us for a service, Sundays at 10am!
We will need more gifts for teens than any other age group this year.
Here are some suggestions that may be more reasonably priced than a flat screen TV or an IPad:
Pull-up exercise bar
DVD Player
Men’s dress shirt
Camera
Roller skates
Men’s body soap
Basketball hoop
Headphones
Color yourself bag/purse
Jewelry
Nerf gun
Flat iron for hair
Nail polish kit
Lego set
We will accept gift cards, but we use them to purchase gifts rather than give them out.
On October 18, 2015 the parish family at St. John the Wonderworker celebrated alongside Megan Pitts and Jeff Willbee as they united themselves in the sacrament of Holy Matrimony. It was a wonderful ceremony, a joyous day, and a vivid icon of Christ and His Bride, the Church. Congratulations Megan and Jeff! God grant you many, many years!
Greetings from the Committee for the Christmas Programs at St. John the Wonderworker!
Thank you for your prayers during this annual outreach of our Orthodox community toward the poor. We hope to continue to develop our programs to provide more far-reaching assistance to those struggling to provide for their children, as we have been expanding the Loaves and Fishes Program to do more than provide a free meal every day.
Our annual Christmas Family Toy and Food Box Program will be held the Saturday before Christmas, Dec. 19th, from 10 am to 3 pm.
As usual, we will be pleased to accept donations of new, unwrapped toys, hams, turkeys and non-perishable items for the food boxes as well as gift cards, although we use these to purchase toys and other items needed for the programs rather than give them directly to the families. We are ready to accept donations at the church immediately. Also, below is a link to a Volunteer sign-up sheet with time slots available for the Family Christmas Program on the 19th
Thank you everyone who has volunteered for this year's Christmas Day dinner, and we now have all the volunteers we need! The response has been more than we can hope for and are so grateful that so many people are giving part of their Christmas day to make a glorious feast for others at St John's. More updates will follow soon.
Homily for the feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos, September 8
Let us rejoice today as we celebrate this first major feast of the new ecclesiastical year. Today begins the economy of our salvation; the barrenness of our nature is loosed, for the barren woman gives birth to the one who will bear God; the Gate-facing-East of the mystical temple comes into being, through which the Lord God himself will enter as the Great High Priest, yet leaving the gate closed; the book of the Word of Life is opened, confirming the preaching of the prophets; and the bridal chamber appears, in whom divine and human are united into one.
At the Saint Seraphim and Saint Sophia’s Retreats youth from 8 to 17 enjoy a week free from the stimulation and distractions of the world. Priests and monastics lead morning and evening prayers and offer instruction on the daily readings and lives of the saints. Strong Christian adults and teen leaders offer workshops that serve and uphold the commandments of Jesus Christ.
This year’s retreats were met with joyful enthusiasm. The theme was Putting On the Armor of Christ and Understanding Martyrdom...how it touches us in our own lives and in the world. Workshops and activities were chosen to work together to support the mission goal: “To know, serve and have fellowship in Christ”. In the course of the week youth strive for a deeper commitment to carry out their calling to Christ.
Activities included morning and evening prayers, carpentry workshops, singing, woodcarving, gardening, dance, skits, outdoor wilderness training, and service projects taken into senior communities as well as swimming, volley ball, wiffle ball and archery. Those who came for the first time quickly partook of the fellowship we shared. Each member, campers and staff alike, met personal challenges and together were strengthened to overcome obstacles. We pressed on together. No matter how rustic the conditions, how hot the weather, how difficult the objectives, we finished the week strong and inspired. Upon departure we were ready to return home refueled and ready to enter the mission field.
It was reassuring to find out the theme for The All American Council was: To Expand the Mission. Saint Seraphim and Saint Sophia’s youth are a part of this goal and excited to be a part of the body of Christ in the Orthodox Church in America.
Visit us on Facebook at Legacy Ministries
May and June's Parish Council Minutes are now available online. You can access them under the "Parish Life" tab or by clicking HERE
His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon and members of the Holy Synod of Bishops visited Atlanta's Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change and Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Dr. King's funeral was held. In 1960, he became the church's co-pastor with his father -- a position he held until his death in 1968. They also placed a wreath at the grave of Dr. and Mrs. King at the MLK National Historic Site.
The hierarchs also visited the Loaves and Fishes Ministry of Atlanta's Saint John the Wonderworker Church -- a pan-Orthodox outreach to the city's poor and homeless. Hot, nutritious meals are served daily, Monday through Friday, by volunteers, with canned goods, leftover catering items, and money supplied by area Orthodox Christian parishes. The ministry also maintains a food pantry for families and individuals with access to kitchens. Metropolitan Tikhon presented ministry representatives with a gramota in recognition of the tremendous contribution Loaves and Fishes makes to the local community. Father Thomas Alessandroni, Rector of Saint John Church, presented Metropolitan Tikhon with a rare original edition of the March 26, 1965 edition of Life magazine, the cover of which depicts Dr. King with the late Archbishop Iakovos of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America at the historic five day, 54-mile civil rights march from Selma, AL to the steps of the state capitol building in Montgomery. You can view the full gallery HERE. Additional information may be found here:http://www.saintjohnwonderworker.org/why-loaves-fishes/
We need volunteers to help set up Saturday at the Hilton. Both heavy-lifters and good organizers are needed If you'd like to help and meet the Staff from Syosset we'll see you at the Hilton after 12:00 noon. Enter the Hilton on the ground floor, take the stairs or elevator up one level and you'll find us. We'll be done in time to attend the Pan Orthodox Vespers at Annunciation Greek Cathedral at 6:30 PM.
