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St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Christian Church
Publish Date: 2020-02-16
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Prodson
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St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Christian Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (619) 297-4165
  • Fax:
  • (619) 297-4181
  • Street Address:

  • 3655 Park Boulevard

  • San Diego, CA 92103


Contact Information






Services Schedule

Sunday Services

Orthros/Matins: 8:30am

Divine Liturgy: 10:00am


Past Bulletins


St. Spyridon Parish News, Events, Activities and Announcements

This Sunday's Memorial

 Elias Kiriazi - 1 Year

Holy Communion Reception Procedure

At the time of Holy Communion we ask that you approach the Cup from the center aisle and then return to your pew by the side aisle to await the Thanksgiving Prayers.  Once again, we will allow the Sunday School children and their teachers to approach the Cup first, then the Choir and then you the faithful approach at the direction of the Parish Council. Thank you for  your patience and understanding.  

This Sunday's Acolyte Serving Team

St. Gregory: Captain: John Burrell, George Burrell, James Burrell, George Capetanakis, Andrew Georggin, George Gonis, Andrew Kaitson, Xaris Moskos.

From the Office of the Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

Dear Clergy and Faithful,

In recent months, many parishes across the Archdiocese have reported to us an issue which is worth your attention. Many of our faithful have already been scammed out of hundreds and even thousands of dollars, and we are hearing of new parishes affected by it every week.

Parishes and religious communities are being targeted by a phishing scam where the attacker poses falsely as the priest via email and asks the recipient for money in the form of gift cards. These emails come from fake accounts which appear to an unsuspecting person as a clergy email address, something like orthodoxpreist@gmail.com 
(notice the typo!) or frpeter.stgeorgenh@gmail.com. The perpetrator then goes on to ask the recipient to buy gift cards and send photos of them back so that they can use the numbers to acquire the money.  

To learn more about this phishing scam, please read the following article:
https://blogs.goarch.org/blog/-/blogs/no-your-priest-does-not-want-you-to-buy-gift-cards-for-a-parishioner-in-need

Though we have not found a way to stop these attackers directly, we can do our part to educate the faithful. 
https://bulletin-inserts.s3.amazonaws.com/internet-ministries/cyber-security-bulletin-2019-10-17-bw.pdf
 
 
Fr. Andreas Vithoulkas
Chancellor
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
8 East 79th street, New York, NY 10075
phone: 212.774.0283 Fax:212.774.0495

Philoptochos Newsletter

Please see the "Inserts and Fliers" section below to read the current Philoptochos Newsletter.

Bookstore

Ring in 2020 with Daily Lives, Miracles and Wisdom of the Saints and Fasting Calendar; it includes insightful quotes from the saints, saint commemorated each day, Gospel and Epistle readings, and fasting guidelines.

Philoptochos and Fellowship

Fellowship and Coffee hour: If you partake in the weekly coffee hour after the Divine Liturgy, you witness this beautiful long-standing tradition as a time to enjoy a light snack with family and friends. Philoptochos has simplified the guidelines and has created a very easy to use sign-up genius, which will be emailed to you on a regular basis.  We ask that you please think of offering for a name day, birthday, memorial, anniversary, etc. The donations collected help Philoptochos serve the needy, unless you are a ministry in which you keep the donations.

Thank you for your support!

Kefi - The Story of FDF the Greek Folk Dance Festival

Please join us for the World Premiere Friday, February 21, 2020 at 7:00 PM Joan & Irwin Jacobs Theater at the Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA) Located in Balboa Park 1649 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101. Watch the Kefi Documentary Trailer -- fdfdocumentary.com

Please see the "Inserts and Fliers" section below 

SAVE THE DATE - GOYANS

GOYANS join us on Saturday, February 22nd at 5:00 pm in Mira Mesa for “Bowling and Fellowship”.  First game starts promptly at 5:20 pm at Mira Mesa Bowl with dinner to follow at Filippi’s Pizza Grotto on Mira Mesa Blvd.  Parents please pick your kids up at Filippi’s at 8 pm.  Please bring $20 for bowling and shoe rental, GOYA will cover dinner. RSVP no later than February 19th to Bill Navrides at bill.navrides@sharp.com or (619) 992-6775.

Festival Kickoff Luncheon

Please join us Sunday, February 23rd for our annual Festival Kickoff! We need the help of our entire community to start the planning for Southern California’s Best Greek Festival. Stop by after the Divine Liturgy to enjoy a complimentary lunch with music and fellowship. You can also sign up to chair a booth, volunteer your time, become a sponsor, or do all three. Please spread the word and remember that “many hands make light work.”

Please see the "Inserts and Fliers" section below 

Human Trafficking Forum

Saturday, February 29th at 10:00 a.m. in the Cypress Room. All ages are invited to come learn about the Human Trafficking crisis and how you can take action. This complimentary event is hosted by our Philoptochos Anthousa Chapter.

Please see the "Inserts and Fliers" section below

SAVE THE DATE - Greek Independence Day Program & Fundraiser

St. Spyridon Greek School Invites you to

The 2020 Annual Greek Independence Day
Program & Fundraiser

Sunday March 22nd
Immediately Following the Divine Liturgy

 

Our Greek School students are working hard to present a wonderful program that will include poems, songs, skits and dances dedicated to our Greek heroes and independence!


$25 for Adults • $10 for Children 5- 12 • $4 for Children 2-4 • Greek School Students FREE

SEATING IS LIMITED AND ALWAYS SELLS OUT!

Tickets will be sold in the church hall following the Divine Liturgies leading up to the event beginning Sunday February 2nd. or buy your tickets online at: www.stspyridongreekschool.org

Save the Date - GOYA Palm Sunday Luncheon

Join us on Sunday, April 12th for the GOYA Palm Sunday Luncheon in the Church Hall following the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.  Luncheon tickets are $25 for Adults and $10 for children under 12.  Tickets will NOT be sold at the door.  If payment is received by April 6th you will be entered in an opportunity drawing.  Please see any GOYA member in the Church hall to purchase tickets today.  For more information please contact Bill Navrides at 619-992-6775 or bill.navrides@sharp.com.  Thank you for always supporting the GOYA ministry at St. Spyridon GOC!

Please see the "Inserts and Fliers" section below

The Hellenic Cultural Society

The Hellenic Cultural Society invites you join us for a fun-filled family event celebrating the ancient Olympics and upcoming Tokyo Olympics. On July 19th, at UCSD... Run, walk or stroll while dressed in costume or tennis shoes! Greek food, drink and music included. Funds raised will help scholarships and fellowships for our students. Go to http://www.olympusrunsd.com to sign up today!

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

The following Saints and Feast Days will be celebrated during March,  April, May and June and have icons that can be displayed:   

3/17 - St. Alexios - Man of God 

3/22 - Sunday of the Adoration of the Holy Cross 

3/25 - Annunciation of the Theotokos

3/29 - Sunday of St. John Climacus

4/5 - St. Mary of Egypt

4/10 - St. Miltiadies

4/11 - Saturday of Lazarus

4/12 - Palm Sunday

4/12-4/14 - Icon of the Bridegroom

4/15 - Mystical Supper

4/16 - Crucifixion

4/17 - Descent from the Cross

4/18-4/19 - Great and Holy Pascha/Resurrection

4/25 - St. Mark the Apostle

4/26 - St. George

4/26 - Theotokos of the Life-Giving Spring

4/26 - Sunday of St. Thomas 

5/3 - Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women 

5/5 - St. Irene of Thesis 

5/9 - The Holy Martyr Christopher 

5/21 - Sts. Constantine and Helen 

5/28 - Holy Ascension 

6/7 - Holy Pentecost 

6/24 - Nativity of St. John the Baptist 

6/29 - Apostles Peter and Paul

 

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.

 

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Inserts and Fliers

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Greek Orthodox Archdiocese News

Archbishop Elpidophoros and Metropolitan Tikhon to Feed Those in Need

02/11/2020

NEW YORK – Archbishop Elpidophoros and Metropolitan Tikhon met yesterday at the headquarters of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America in an ongoing effort to strengthen the relationship between the Archdiocese and the Orthodox Church in America.

Archbishop Appoints Dr. Maria Koulmanda to HCHC Board

02/11/2020

BROOKLINE, Mass. – His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America has appointed Maria Koulmanda, PhD, to the Hellenic College Board of Trustees. Dr. Koulmanda is Chair of the Maliotis Center Committee of the Board of Trustees of Hellenic College and former Secretary of the Friends of the Maliotis Cultural Center. The committee was formed last fall upon the successful resolution of the legal issues between the Center and the school, thanks in large part to His Eminence's
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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Second Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Mark 16:1-8

When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint Jesus. And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?" And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back, for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you." And they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to any one, for they were afraid.


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Second Mode. Psalm 117.14,18.
The Lord is my strength and my song.
Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 6:12-20.

Brethren, "all things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything. "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food" -- and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, "The two shall become one flesh." But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body and in your spirit which belong to God.


Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Prodigal Son
The Reading is from Luke 15:11-32

The Lord said this parable: "There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.' And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his belly with the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.' And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to make merry. Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.' But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, 'Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"


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Wisdom of the Fathers

But if he had despaired of his life, and, ... had remained in the foreign land, he would not have obtained what he did obtain, but would have been consumed with hunger, and so have undergone the most pitiable death: ...
St. John Chrysostom
AN EXHORTATION TO THEODORE AFTER HIS FALL, 4th Century

... but since he repented, and did not despair, he was restored, even after such great corruption, to the same splendour as before, and was arrayed in the most beautiful robe, and enjoyed greater honours than his brother who had not fallen.
St. John Chrysostom
AN EXHORTATION TO THEODORE AFTER HIS FALL, 4th Century

Thank God every day with your whole heart for having given to you life according to His image and likeness - an intelligently free and immortal life...Thank Him also for again daily bestowing life upon you, who have fallen an innumerable multitude of times, by your own free will, through sins, from life unto death, and that He does so as soon as you only say from your whole heart: 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before Thee!' (Luke 15:18).
St. John of Kronstadt
My Life in Christ: Part 1; Holy Trinity Monastery pgs. 104-105, 19th century

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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Second Mode

When you descended into death, O life immortal, you destroyed Hades with the splendor of your divinity, and when you raised the dead from the depths of darkness, all the heavenly powers shouted: O giver of life, Christ our God, glory to you.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Third Mode

O Father, foolishly I ran away from Your glory, and in sin, squandered the riches You gave me. Wherefore, I cry out to You with the voice of the Prodigal, "I have sinned before You Compassionate Father. Receive me in repentance and take me as one of Your hired servants."
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Saints and Feasts

Prodson
February 16

Sunday of the Prodigal Son

Through the parable of today's Gospel, our Saviour has set forth three things for us: the condition of the sinner, the rule of repentance, and the greatness of God's compassion. The divine Fathers have put this reading the week after the parable of the Publican and Pharisee so that, seeing in the person of the Prodigal Son our own wretched condition -- inasmuch as we are sunken in sin, far from God and His Mysteries -- we might at last come to our senses and make haste to return to Him by repentance during these holy days of the Fast.

Furthermore, those who have wrought many great iniquities, and have persisted in them for a long time, oftentimes fall into despair, thinking that there can no longer be any forgiveness for them; and so being without hope, they fall every day into the same and even worse iniquities. Therefore, the divine Fathers, that they might root out the passion of despair from the hearts of such people, and rouse them to the deeds of virtue, have set the present parable at the forecourts of the Fast, to show them the surpassing goodness of God's compassion, and to teach them that there is no sin -- no matter how great it may be -- that can overcome at any time His love for man.


Theotyrn
February 17

Theodore the Tyro, Great Martyr

Saint Theodore who was from Amasia of Pontus, contested during the reign of Maximian (286-305). He was called Tyro, from the Latin Tiro, because he was a newly enlisted recruit. When it was reported that he was a Christian, he boldly confessed Christ; the ruler, hoping that he would repent, gave him time to consider the matter more completely and then give answer. Theodore gave answer by setting fire to the temple of Cybele, the "mother of the gods," and for this he suffered a martyr's death by fire. See also the First Saturday of the Fast.


Allsaint
February 18

Leo the Great, Pope of Rome

According to some, this Saint was born in Rome, but according to others in Tyrrenia (Tuscany), and was consecrated to the archiepiscopal throne of Rome in 440. In 448, when Saint Flavian, Archbishop of Constantinople, summoned Eutyches, an archimandrite in Constantinople, to give account for his teaching that there was only one nature in Christ after the Incarnation, Eutyches appealed to Saint Leo in Rome. After Saint Leo had carefully examined Eutyches's teachings, he wrote an epistle to Saint Flavian, setting forth the Orthodox teaching of the person of Christ, and His two natures, and also counseling Flavian that, should Eutyches sincerely repent of his error, he should be received back with all good will. At the Council held in Ephesus in 449, which was presided over by Dioscorus, Patriarch of Alexandria (and which Saint Leo, in a letter to the holy Empress Pulcheria in 451, was the first to call "The Robber Council"), Dioscorus, having military might behind him, did not allow Saint Leo's epistle to Flavian to be read, although repeatedly asked to do so; even before the Robber Council was held, Dioscorus had uncanonically received the unrepentant Eutyches back into communion. Because Saint Leo had many cares in Rome owing to the wars of Attila the Hun and other barbarians, in 451 he sent four delegates to the Fourth Ecumenical Council, where 630 Fathers gathered in Chalcedon during the reign of Marcian, to condemn the teachings of Eutyches and those who supported him. Saint Leo's epistle to Flavian was read at the Fourth Council, and was confirmed by the Holy Fathers as the Orthodox teaching on the incarnate person of our Lord; it is also called the "Tome of Leo." The Saint wrote many works in Latin; he reposed in 461. See also Saint Anatolius, July 3.


Philothea
February 19

Philothei the Righteous Martyr of Athens

Saint Philothei was born in Athens in 1522 to an illustrious family. Against her will, she was married to a man who proved to be most cruel. When he died three years later, the Saint took up the monastic life and established a convent, in which she became a true mother to her disciples. Many women enslaved and abused by the Moslem Turks also ran to her for refuge. Because of this, the Turkish rulers became enraged and came to her convent, dragged her by force out of the church, and beat her cruelly. After a few days, she reposed, giving thanks to God for all things. This came to pass in the year 1589. She was renowned for her almsgiving, and with Saints Hierotheus and Dionysius the Areopagite is considered a patron of the city of Athens.


Allsaint
February 20

Leo, Bishop of Catania

This Saint, who was from Ravenna in Italy, lived during the reign of Leo the Wise and his son Constantine Porphyrogenitus (end of the ninth and beginning of the tenth centuries). He struggled especially against the paganism and sorcery still prevalent in those regions.


Allsaint
February 21

Timothy the Righteous

Saint Timothy took up the monastic life from his youth, became a vessel of the Holy Spirit, and reposed in deep old age.


Allsaint
February 22

The Finding of the Precious Relics of the Holy Martyrs in the Quarter of Eugenius

The holy relics of these Saints were found in the quarter of Constantinople called Eugenius when Thomas was Patriarch of that city (607-610).


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