With the academic year having recently begun, many of our young adults have left the loving embrace of their parents and now find themselves away from home and away from their church communities which have nurtured them in the faith. The ministry of Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) is a Pan-Orthodox program which provides opportunities for worship, fellowship and community service for our Orthodox college students and is vital resource to the over 40,000 Orthodox Christian College students throughout the United States.

Our young people will encounter many worldly influences that will challenge their faith, their morals and their futures. Through OCF, Orthodox chaplains and spiritual advisors can help our young adults navigate through these critical years, keeping them connected to their faith while developing friendships with other Orthodox Christians with whom they share common values and beliefs.

This Sunday, October 6, 2019, His Eminence, Metropolitan Gerasimos is asking all parishes to pass a special tray in support of the ministry of OCF. Checks should be made payable to OCF.

With Thankful Hearts to Mr. & Mrs. George Marcus and family

Please join us during liturgy on Sunday, October 27, 2019, for the blessing of the Platytera featured in our altar, in memory of the beloved mother and sister of Mr. George Marcus. This new addition is a result of the generous contribution made by the George Marcus family in completing our Community Center mortgage.  This generous act has allowed our parish to establish the Capital Expenditure Fund, where funds earmarked for the Community Center mortgage have been placed.  The "Platytera Ton Ouranon" or “More Spacious Than the Heavens,” is an icon of the Theotokos facing worshippers directly, with her hands in the “orans” position with the image of Christ as a child in front of her.

Please join us following liturgy for refreshments and celebrating OXI Day.

We welcome parishioners interested in joining the 2020 Parish Council.   To be eligible a candidate must be 18 years or older, be a Saint Nicholas parishioner for at least one (1) year immediately preceding the date of the election, and be current in his/her stewardship and other financial obligations to the Church.  Applications for the upcoming election are available in the Narthex and the Church Office or by emailing the Church Office at churchoffice@saintnicholas.org.  The completed applications should be submitted to the Church Office Sunday, November 10, 2019.  

Sunday Coffee Team: Kiki Giourousis, Maureen Heliotis, Maria Matheou, and Eleni Yiasemis.  Thank you for your support!  

For more information about joining the coffee hour teams or how to help the ministry, please contact Marcella Fotis at 408-723-4124.  

The church office will be open limited hours on Friday, October 4th.  Please call before coming to the office at 408-246-2770 or you can leave a message on voicemail.   If you need immediate assistance, please text or call either Fr. Demosthenes at 408-784-9364 or Fr. Nebojsa at 707-315-7823.

Saint Nicholas Family Ministry invites you to our next event with fun and fellowship this Friday, October 4th at 6pm. This year at our monthly family night we will be discussing "Working With Our Hands". Join us Friday, October 4th for a discussion on having a "Home Altar" and fellowship starting at 6pm. Feel free to bring a meatless main dish, snack or dessert to share. 

Each year in the fall, National Church Music Sunday is observed in Greek Orthodox churches throughout the country.  It is usually commemorated on the first Sunday in October and it is a day set aside to honor the contributions of church musicians:  choir directors, choir members, organists, cantors, priests, and music teachers who serve their churches through the hymnology of our Orthodox Church.  

 «Byzantine music is the only music that has sacredness and sanctity...The words find their strongest expression in Byzantine music, because it is their natural raiment.»— Photios Kontoglou (+1965)

Please note that there has been a change in the date of the next meeting to Tuesday, October 8th at 11am in the Small Hall.  A light lunch will be served.  For more information call Mina at: 408 515-8301.

The Church Office will be closed on  Monday, October 14th for the Archdiocesan observance of Columbus Day. 

 If you need immediate assistance, please text or call either Fr. Demosthenes at 408-784-9364 or Fr. Nebojsa at 707-315-7823.

Saint Nicholas Volleyball Tournament 2019 – Join Us for Brunch!

Stay and enjoy an awesome meal prepared by our own Saint Nicholas Chefs following liturgical services on Sunday, October 20, 2019 in the  Small Hall. Possibly have an opportunity to meet some of the phenomenal players from throughout the Bay Area!

The cost is nominal,  $10.00 per meal.  We hope to see you there!

Fr. Nebojsa Pantic will be offering a new adult education opportunity to learn more about our faith and traditions.  The class will be once a month on the following Mondays in the Conference Room of the Church Office:

October 21st
November 18th
December 16th

All are invited to come to Paraklisis at 5:30 on those Mondays, and the classes will begin at 6:00pm following the service. The lesson will not last more than 1 hour.  We will be discussing the topic of preparation for the Kingdom of God, and the theology and practices of the church surrounding this subject.

Celebration of the 80^th Anniversary of «OXI DAY»

Sunday, October 27, 2019 in the Community Center

Join His Eminence, Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco and us

for a Patriotic Program immediately after Liturgy

Performances by the Greek School Students 

Lunch will be available for purchase

Gerontissa Markella and her Sisterhood invite you to join us for their annual Benefit Dinner.   The Monastery of the Theotokos of the Life Giving Spring Fundraising Dinner is on Sunday, November 3rd at the St. Nicholas Community Center at 5:00pm.  Donation for tickets for adults $75, children 12 and under $35.  All proceeds go to Monastery.   Please support Gerodissa Markella and the Sisters and help assist them through the winter months! 

For more information or to rsvp for this event, please contact Evagelia at: (408)499-3939 or eva.niktas@gmail.com.  

Please join us for our annual dinner dance on Saturday, November 9, 2019 at the St. Nicholas Community Center, 1280 Davis Street, San Jose.  Cocktails at 6pm, dinner at 7:30pm.  Live music by Mythos Band.  Adults $80, children ages 11-16, $35.  Proceeds benefit St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church.  Tickets will be available in the Small Hall after Liturgy or for information, please contact Niko Pries at 408-398-7070; Angie Kozas at 510-387-2057, or email Anna Kozas at anna.kozas@gmail.com.

We are excited to announce that a total of 690 students are currently in attendance at St Ignatius School in India and the list is growing day by day.  The first floor is now ready but a lot of work still remains to complete the rest of the structure and fill it with the 2000 students it will one day educate.  Although the final figures are not yet in for the physics, chemistry and biology labs, Sister Nektaria reports that $300,000 is now due and could complete the project. Compared to how far the construction has come, these costs are minimal.  With your help we can do this!

To find out more about Sister Nektaria’s Mission in India and to support this cause, please check out www.fili-inc.com and watch the video at www.ekotafilm.com, or follow our Saints Peter and Paul Missions Ministry Facebook page.  You can help by sending a check to Sts. Peter & Paul Missions Ministry c/o St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, or by contacting Maria Aji (408) 425-6967.  All contributions are tax-deductible.

The Center of Hellenic Education (CHE) is looking for teachers and helpers. The ideal candidate should have a mastery of the Greek language, teaching skills, as well as a desire to provide students with an exemplary, Hellenic education.   If you are interested in becoming a teacher, helper, or know anyone that might be interested, please email our director, Petros Balaskas at petros.balaskas@gmail.com.   

Sunday school is immediately following communion, at the 2nd Liturgy. 

Please make sure you review your information with the new database system. To do this, just go to the church's website: https://saintnicholas.org at the upper right tab you will note "sign in" where you can access your account and update your information. 

UPCOMING SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHEDULE

October - Annual St. Nicholas Food Drive Campaign

October 6 - Sunday School in Session

October 13 - Sunday School in Session (Open House for PreK - 4th grade)

October 20 - Sunday School in Session (Open House for 5th - 8th Grade)

October 27 - Sunday School in Session (Open House for 9th - 12th grade)

Welcome to the Center of Hellenic Education! In preparation for this year we are attaching our calendar for next year and registration link.  Click the below registration Link to register for the 2019-2020 school year at Center of Hellenic Education:

https://saintnicholas.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/30/responses/new  

We have simplified our tuition plans for next year. Planned tuition for our 2019-2020 school year is as follows:

1 day/week

• Child -- $325/semester ($650/year)
• Adult -- $375/semester ($750/year)

2 days/week

• Child -- $450/semester ($900/year)
• Adult -- $600/semester ($1,200/year) 

** Tuition includes books and class materials as well as online supplemental materials for Levels K-3.

Feel free to share with others.  Thank you for choosing the Center of Hellenic Education.  Visit our church website for more information. https://saintnicholas.org/greek-school/

We currently have 2 clear bins labeled for donations to The Real Options Medical Clinic. One in the bookstore and the other bin is outside the Sunday school office. You can put your donations of diapers, baby products and clothing for newborn thru 2 yrs. Gift cards to Walmart and Target are also accepted. You can also contact me directly to receive the above items. Tax receipts are available.  God Bless You all for your generosity to these women and families in need.  For more information please contact Ruth Duterte ruthrad1@aol.com  or 408-483-3009.

The schedule for Volleyball practices in the Community Center for current stewards of St. Nicholas is as follows:

Jr. High level players practice on Tuesday evenings from 6:30pm to 7:30pm.

High School level players practice on Tuesday evenings from 7:30 to 9:00pm.

Adults practice on Thursdays and Sundays with an open gym from 7:00pm to 10:00pm.

If you have any further questions, please call Chairman George Spilios at 408-806-1699 or Elias Papadokonstadakis, Head Volleyball Coach and Coordinator, at 408-497-4522 or email at eliaspapas@sbcglobal.net.

Confessions with Father Demosthenes are available by appointment.  Please call the church office or Father Demosthenes directly at 408-784-9364.   

In case of a special need and you would like a pastoral visit, the priests would be happy to visit after receiving a call from an immediate family member due to privacy concerns.   Please text or call either Fr. Demosthenes at 408-784-9364 or Father Nebojsa at 707-315-7823 or call the church office at 408-246-2770.

As stewards of Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, God has gifted us with the honor of being the caretakers of our Orthodox faith.   As caretakers, we are responsible for ensuring that there is a safe and welcoming spiritual home in which to come together to worship for the glory of God. 

Your continuing support spiritually, socially and financially are vital to the well being of our parish.  We humbly request if you have not had an opportunity to complete your 2019 stewardship pledge, use the following link to do so online.  When completing this, we ask that you make time to pray and reflect on the many gifts that the Church has given you.  Increasing your stewardship contribution will assist in growing our parish and provide an environment in which our community will flourish.

Stewardship Link:

https://saintnicholas.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/28/responses/new

Father Demosthenes and the Stewardship Committee: Mary Ann Devetzis, Jeff Contos, and Peter Panayotopoulos

We are a registered non-profit on Facebook and you can donate any time (without any fees for the church) by pressing the donate button in this link:

https://www.facebook.com/SaintNicholasOrg/

His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco and the Board of Saint Nicholas Ranch and Retreat Center cordially invite you to "A Nickel and a Nail . . . 40 Years Later", celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Saint Nicholas Ranch and Retreat Center.  From the nickel and nail found on the barn floor 40 years ago, Saint Nicholas Ranch and Retreat Center  has flourished into a place of spiritual renewal, cultural enrichment and fellowship for all ages.  Please join us as we honor the founders of the Ranch and create an even brighter future for the next 40 years and beyond.

Saturday, October 26, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. Reception • 7:00 p.m. Dinner, Entertainment and Program, Ascension Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 4700 Lincoln Avenue, Oakland, CA 94602; Sponsorship packages ranging from $2,500 - $25,000.  Individual tickets $75 each, $45 for youth ages 18 and under.  The favor of an RSVP is requested online by October 11, 2019.
For more information, please contact 415-753-3075 or metropolis@sanfran.goarch.org.  Attire is semiformal.  www.sanfran.goarch.org/events

St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church and the St. Dionysios Building Committee invite you to attend their fourth annual Harvest Gala on Saturday, October 26, 2019 at the Contra Costa Country Club, 801 Golf Club Road, Pleasant Hill, 94523.  For more information, please call 925-676-6967.

Registration is now open for the 2019 St. Kosmas West Conference "Technology and Orthodoxy - Uncovering the Deeper Implication of Technology in our Lives".  November 15-17th at Wonder Valley Ranch in Central California.  For more information, please visit the website https://saintkosmasconferences.com/

The Ancient Faith Women's Retreat is put  together by Ancient Faith Ministries and it seeks  to create a peaceful, loving, and reflective gathering of women who have come to learn, worship, make friends, and rest at the entrance into the holy Nativity season. The retreat will be on November 14-17 in Antiochian Village, Bolivar, PA. Deadline for registration is 10/15.  For more information visit:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ancient-faith-womens-retreat-2019-tickets-53298223421

If you wish to order kollyva, paximadia, koulourakia or other Greek pastries, or artoklasia, please see below.  Payment is arranged with the makers and not the church.  If there is anyone who wants to be added to the makers list, please call the church office.

For kollyva:

Marcella Fotis 408-723-4124

Maria Anagnostou 408-316-6609

For paximadia, koulourakia, and other Greek pastries:

Maria Tsaboukos 408-723-5175

Antonia Komianos 408-472-3888

Marcella Fotis 408-723-4124

For artoklasia:

Marcella Fotis 408-723-4124

Maria or Despina Anagnostou 408-316-6609

To avoid any confusion on our part as we compose and print the Sunday bulletin, we ask that anyone who wishes to include a notice in the Sunday bulletin submit the notice in writing to the office BY TUESDAY AT 5PM!  Please don't wait until the last minute or send a note into the altar on a Sunday morning while the liturgy is in progress.

In addition, all ongoing (same message) bulletin entries will be in for four weeks, four times a year.  Please review these entries and plan accordingly.

Please check with Father Demosthenes in the office before posting anything on the bulletin board in the Small Hall.  Notices, announcements, advertisements, etc. that have not been approved will be removed.  Thank you for your kind cooperation.

Please note that all information in the weekly bulletin is subject to change.