This Sunday's Memorials
Tula Cavadias - 40 days
Christos Stavros - 5 years
Rebecca Nicholas - 30 years
The Feast Day of St. Demetrios the Myrrh- Flower - Saturday, October 26th
The divine services for the feast day of St. Demetrios will take place at the St. Demetrios Chapel at El Camino Cemetery Sorrento Valley on Saturday, October 26th.
Orthros - 9:00am followed by the Divine Liturgy at 10:00am
Come Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Saint Nicholas Ranch and Retreat Center - Saturday October 26th
This year we are blessed to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of our Saint Nicholas Ranch and Retreat Center at the Annunciation Cathedral in Oakland, CA. The Ranch has been an integral part of our Metropolis and our parishes, as well as for the many faithful who have participated in the many and varied programs and ministries during the past four decades.
It is important that all our communities come together to support this event. It cannot be emphasized enough the important role the Ranch has had in fostering the faith and culture of our people in our parishes throughout our Metropolis. The ministries have found a home in the Ranch which have benefited the faithful of all ages from our parishes. These past four decades have been blessed to have this sacred space where spiritual growth and edification have been realized by the youth and seniors of our communities.
Please make your online reservations through the link provided below: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=59fkehxab&oeidk=a07egjnovlq175ff0af
Please see the "Insert and Fliers" section below for more information.
Philoptochos Thanksgiving Luncheon - Sunday, November 10th in the Cypress Room, following the Divine Liturgy
Please join us at this annual major fundraising event - our Philoptochos Ladies will prepare a delicious Thanksgiving meal for our community to enjoy in support of our many and varied ministries. This luncheon sells out every year so make your reservations now.
Prices are $25 for adults and $15 for children (ages 12 and under). Make your reservations online at www.anthousa.org, or submit a reservation form with payment to the church office. We appreciate your support!
Please see the "Insert and Flier" section below for more information.
This Sunday's Acolyte Serving Team
St. John: Captain: Michael Angeles, Luke Billings, Luke Georggin, Theo Huntalas, Konstantino Mellos, Alexios Savvides, John Savvides, Nektarios Sissons
Dance & Choral News
Registration is currently taking place for Dance & Choral - an email was sent with a link to register. Please contact Christina Frangos at christinafrangos1@gmail.com for more information. Also, dance and choral practices have resumed. Please see below for practice times and locations for each group:
Youth Choir (3rd-12th grade) - 12:20-1:00 p.m.
Young Adult Choir (8th-12th grade) - 1:00-1:30 p.m.
Ta Pedakia (K-2nd grade) - 12:30 - 1:00 pm in GOYA room
Ionians (3rd-6th grade) - 1:00-2:15 in GOYA room
Aegeans (7th-12th grade) - 1:30-3:00 p.m. in church hall
Pelagos (18 and up) - 4:00-5:30 p.m.in church hall.
Military Appreciation Sunday
Calling all active-duty military and veterans for Military Appreciation Sunday on November 3, 2019. To submit your name and branch of service or to make an offering for fellowship, contact Soula De La Riva at soula.delariva@cox.net or (760) 521-0471.
Please see the "Insert and Fliers" section below for more information.
GOYAns Save The Date
Saturday November 9th – please join us in the GOYA room for dinner/discussion with San Francisco Pastoral Assistant and Youth Director of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Christos Pappademos, M.Div.. The topic will be “Love One Another.” After dinner, Christos will be with the high schoolers and Mrs. Navrides will lead an activity for the middle schoolers (7th and 8th grades). Meet at the GOYA room at 5pm and PLEASE RSVP by November 1st at navridesfamily@gmail.com or 619-992-6775.
Dance & Choral Presents See's Candies Holiday Fundraiser
Get your holiday shopping done early and help us raise funds for our Dance & Choral ministry at the same time.
Selling from Nov 4th to Dec 1st
For more information please contact Kathy Meck at spirnodiva@aol.com
Please see the "Insert and Fliers" section below for more information.
COLLEGE CONNECTION
Attending college or university is something a lot of young adults look forward to. Here at St. Spyridon Philoptochos we want to make sure that our college students, whether staying here in San Diego or going away, don’t loose their connection to St. Spyridon. With that in mind, we have created “College Connection”.
College Connection will reach out to our college students a couple of times per year with inspiring notes, care packages, etc. to let those students know that we are cheering them on from home.
If your son or daughter will be attending college in the fall (including community college, undergraduate or graduate school), we would like to reach out to them with some love from their St. Spyridon Philoptochos family. Please send their postal mailing address, email address while they are in college, cell phone, as well as the name of the school they are attending to Michelle Defelippi at mdefelippi@san.rr.com.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact Michelle at the above email or (858) 695-9772.
Philoptochos Table in the Cypress Room
Please come by our table to pick up latest information about Philoptochos. We also ask that you please do not remove the table but if you need to move it for an event, please return back as it was. Thank you!
Philoptochos and Fellowship
We hope you continue to enjoy the long standing tradition of gathering for fellowship in the hall following the Divine Liturgy throughout the year. Philoptochos is thankful for the continued support from all the families and organizations that offer every week. We kindly ask others to consider offering fellowship at least once per year, so think of name days, celebrations, memorials, fundraisers, etc. Offering fellowship should be kept simple (bagels, cream cheese, fruit and cookies) as it is a light snack to enjoy with family and friends following the Divine Liturgy. Therefore, the cost of fellowship should be approximately $100-$150. Lastly, the donations collected from the coffee hour support our many ministries so please consider this when offering your donation.
To see which dates are available and sign up online visit our SignUp Genius page. To sign up over the phone, by email, or in person, contact Christina Vassos at cmvassos@gmail.com or 619-818-6882. Thank you!
Agape Meals
Philoptochos has an outreach program where people can cook or deliver (or both) a meal to one of their fellow parishioners who may facing a difficult or stressful time in their life (illness, new baby, etc). If you would like more information on how you can participate, or know of someone in our community who could use a meal or two, please contact Stella Weil at (858)694-0570 or 4weils@sbcglobal.net. Please join us as we come together as a community to help one another. Thank you.
Decorated Feast Day Icons
Philoptochos invites you and your family to commemorate a special Feast Day by offering a donation towards the cost of a beautifully decorated icon which will be displayed in the church Narthex for all to venerate. This is a perfect way to honor both your family member(s) as well as an important day in the life of the Church. A suggested donation of $75 is much appreciated.
Please contact Stella Weil at 4weils@sbcglobal.net or (858) 694-0570 to reserve your icon/date or if you have any questions. Thank you.
11/1 - Sts. Cosmas and Damianos the Holy Healing Unmercenaries
11/8 - Synaxis/Gathering of the Archangels
11/9 - St. Nektarios the Wonderworker
11/13 - St. John Chrysostom
11/21 - Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple
11/25 - St. Katherine the Great
11/30 - St. Andrew the First Called Apostle
12/4 - St. Barbara the Great Martyr
12/6 - St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
12/12 - St. Spyridon the Wonderworker
12/25 - Holy Nativity/Birth of the Lord
1/1 - St. Basil The Great
1/6 - Holy Theophany
1/17 - St. Anthony The Great
1/18 - Sts. Athanasios (And Cyril)
1/20 - St. Euthymios
1/25 - St. Gregory The Theologian
1/30 - Three Hierarchs
Your Legacy and Your Church
...to whom much is given; from them much more is required (Luke 12:48).
Please remember to include your Saint Spyridon parish in your estate plan and bequest.
Receive Back 0.5% From “Amazon Smile” Foundation
We are pleased to announce that St. Spyridon GOCnow participates in AmazonSmile. When you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church. That’s right, every eligible purchase you or someone else makes at AmazonSmile 0.5% will be donated back to our parish!!!
Register by visiting AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com) and select “St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church” before you make your first purchase (be sure to select St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church - San Diego, California).
For more information about AmazonSmile, go to http://smile.amazon.com/about
We hope you’ll consider this easy way to support your beloved parish. Everyone is eligible to participate so tell your friends and relatives and spread the word about this wonderful program.
Live Stream Broadcast
If you know someone who may be in the hospital or home bound or for whatever reason just cannot get to church, don’t forget about the Live Stream Broadcast of our Divine Services. You can watch our Live Broadcast by going to our parish website and clicking on the “Live Broadcast” tab on the top tool bar. Remember, our Live Stream Broadcast is for those who absolutely cannot physically make the divine services of the church and is not a substitute for being present. Also, please be aware that conversations, crying babies, etc. can be heard on the broadcast. We have a wonderful cry room facility, which is located off the Narthex behind the candle stand, and is comfortable and provided for your convenience.
The Live Stream divine services of Saint Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church of San Diego, CA may not be recorded, retransmitted or reproduced without the express written consent of the Parish Council of Saint Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church of San Diego, CA. Thank you for your consideration.
Donations toward the digital ministries of the parish are warmly welcomed. If you would like to help support the ministries of Saint Spyridon please contact the church office. Again, thank you.
Military Appreciation Sunday Sunday, November 3, 2019
Philoptochos Thanksgiving Luncheon Sunday, November 10, 2019
Dance & Choral Presents See's Candies Holiday Fundraiser Get your holiday shopping done early and help us raise funds for our Dance & Choral ministry at the same time. Selling from Nov 4th to Dec 1st For more information please contact Kathy Meck at spirnodiva@aol.com
St. Nicholas Ranch 40th Year Celebration Saturday, October 26, 2019
WeShare Online Giving
Seventh Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:1-10
On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.
Prokeimenon. First Mode. Psalm 32.22,1.
Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.
The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 9:6-11.
Brethren, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work. As it is written, "He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures for ever." He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your resources and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for great generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.
6th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 8:26-39
At that time, as Jesus arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, there met him a man from the city who had demons; for a long time he had worn no clothes and he lived not in a house but among the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and said with a loud voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech you, do not torment me." For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him; he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters, but he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the desert.) Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion"; for many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside; and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them leave. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. When the herdsmen saw what happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country. Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how he who had been possessed with demons was healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them; for they were seized with great fear; so he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but he sent him away, saying, "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Today, just four months after my arrival in the United States, and only five months from my election as your Archbishop, I can promise each of you that our beloved Archdiocese of America is back on course and headed to the safe harbor of stability, progress and growth. This is not to say that all the painful repercussions of the past are behind us.
NEW YORK - The Holy Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America convened for their regular fall meeting, October 15-16, under the presidency of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America and:
Saint Augustine, Fla. – Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos visited Saint Augustine, Florida, the week of September 30—October 4, as he began his new ministry as the Hierarchal Proistamenos of the Saint Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine, as well as Synodal Liaison of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the USA to the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) also headquartered in Saint Augustine.
Saint Artemius lived during the years of Saint Constantine the Great, and was appointed by him to be Governor of Alexandria; later, he was honoured with the rank of patrician. During the reign of Julian the Apostate, in the year 361, Artemius appeared before the Emperor and censured him for his apostasy. For this, he endured many torments and was finally beheaded.
This Saint was born at Tabatha, near Gaza in Palestine, of pagan parents. Sent as a young man to Alexandria to be educated, he learned the Christian Faith and was baptized. While in Egypt he heard the fame of Saint Anthony the Great, and upon meeting that truly great man, the Father of monks, Saint Hilarion determined to devote himself also to the ascetical life. He returned to Gaza, when, he gave himself over to extreme fasting and unceasing prayer. Because of the miracles which he soon began to work, he found himself compelled by his growing renown to leave Gaza, to escape from the throngs of people coming to ask his prayers. In his journeys he visited Egypt, and came again with longing to the place where Saint Anthony had lived; but he was not able to remain in any one place for long, since despite all his attempts to conceal himself, the light of the grace that was in him could not be hid. After passing through Egypt and Libya, and sailing to Sicily, he came at last to Cyprus, where he ended the course of his life at the age of eighty, in the year 372.
Saint Abercius, Bishop of Hierapolis in Phrygia in the times of Marcus Aurelius, was adorned with the grace of wonderworking and with apostolic zeal. During a festival in honour of Apollo, the chief deity of Hierapolis, the holy bishop was instructed in a revelation to destroy the idols. He went to the temple by night and overturned the statues of Apollo and the others. When this was discovered, the Saint boldly cried out that the gods, becoming drunk from the wine of the libations offered them, had struck one against another in their confusion. A multitude of furious pagans came to avenge the insult to their gods, but when the Saint cast the demons out of three afflicted young men, fear fell upon the idolaters and they with the whole city became Christian. After many labours, and afflictions, Saint Abercius reposed in peace about the year 167 (or, according to some, 186).
According to some, this Saint was a son of Joseph the Betrothed, born of the wife that the latter had before he was betrothed to the Ever-virgin. Hence he was the brother of the Lord, Who was also thought to be the son of Joseph (Matt. 13: 55). But some say that he was a nephew of Joseph, and the son of his brother Cleopas, who was also called Alphaeus and Mary his wife, who was the first cousin of the Theotokos. But even according to this genealogy, he was still called, according to the idiom of the Scriptures, the Lord's brother because of their kinship.
This Iakovos is called the Less (Mark 15:40) by the Evangelists to distinguish him from Iakovos, the son of Zebedee, who was called the Great. He became the first Bishop of Jerusalem, elevated to this episcopal rank by the Apostles, according to Eusebius (Eccl. Hist., Book II: 23), and was called Obliah, that is, the Just, because of his great holiness and righteousness. Having ascended the crest of the Temple on the day of the Passover at the prompting of all, he bore testimony from there concerning his belief in Jesus, and he proclaimed with a great voice that Jesus sits at the right hand of the great power of God and shall come again upon the clouds of heaven. On hearing this testimony, many of those present cried, "Hosanna to the Son of David." But the Scribes and Pharisees cried, "So, even the just one hath been led astray," and at the command of Ananias the high priest, the Apostle was cast down headlong from thence, then was stoned, and while he prayed for his slayers, his head was crushed by the wooden club wielded by a certain scribe. The first of the Catholic (General) Epistles written to the Jews in the Diaspora who believed in Christ was written by this Iakovos.
These Martyrs contested for piety's sake in the year 524 in Najran, a city of Arabia Felix (present-day Yemen). When Dhu Nuwas, ruler of the Himyarite tribe in south Arabia, and a Judaizer, took power, he sought to blot out Christianity, especially at Najran, a Christian city. Against the counsels of Arethas, chief man of Najran, the city surrendered to Dhu Nuwas, who immediately broke the word he had given and sought to compel the city to renounce Christ. Led by Saint Arethas, hundreds of martyrs, including women, children, and babes, valiantly withstood his threats, and were beheaded and burned. After the men had been slain, all the free-born Christian women of Najran were brought before the tyrant and commanded to abjure Christ or die; yet they rebuked the persecutor with such boldness that he said even the men had not insulted him so contemptuously. So great was their faith that not one woman was found to deny Christ in all Najran, although some of them suffered torments more bitter than most of the men. In alliance with Byzantium, the Ethiopian King Elesbaan liberated Najran from Dhu Nuwas soon after and raised up churches in honour of the Martyrs. Najran became a place of pilgrimage until the rise of Islam a century later. At the end of his life King Elesbaan, who was also called Caleb, retired into solitude as a hermit; he sent his crown to Jerusalem as an offering to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. He also is commemorated on this day as a saint. Saint Arethas' name in Arabic, Harith, means "plowman, tiller," much the same as "George" does in Greek.
These Martyrs were disciples of Saint Paul the Confessor (see Nov. 6). Martyrius was a subdeacon, Marcian a chanter and reader. They were beheaded by the Arians in the year 346. Miracles were wrought at their tomb, and demons were cast out; Saint John Chrysostom began the building of the church in their honour in Constantinople, and it was completed by patriarch Sisinius.
Saint Demetrius was a Thessalonian, a most pious son of pious and noble parents, and a teacher of the Faith of Christ. When Maximian first came to Thessalonica in 290, he raised the Saint to the rank of Duke of Thessaly. But when it was discovered that the Saint was a Christian, he was arrested and kept bound in a bath-house. While the games were under way in the city, Maximian was a spectator there. A certain friend of his, a barbarian who was a notable wrestler, Lyaeus by name, waxing haughty because of the height and strength of his body, boasted in the stadium and challenged the citizens to a contest with him. All that fought with him were defeated. Seeing this, a certain youth named Nestor, aquaintance of Demetrius', came to the Saint in the bath-house and asked his blessing to fight Lyaeus single-handed. Receiving this blessing and sealing himself with the sign of the precious Cross, he presented himself in the stadium, and said, "O God of Demetrius, help me!" and straightway he engaged Lyaeus in combat and smote him with a mortal blow to the heart, leaving the former boaster lifeless upon the earth. Maximian was sorely grieved over this, and when he learned who was the cause of this defeat, he commanded straightway and Demetrius was pierced with lances while he was yet in the bath-house, As for Nestor, Maximian commanded that he be slain with his own sword.