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.

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

Sunday Coffee Team: Galatia Bakas, Sofia Papanicolaou, Maria Perakis, Fotini Salos, and Marika Sarigiannides.  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.  

We are looking for volunteers to manage and assist in operating the Philokalia Bookstore in the Small Hall. If you are interested please contact the church office at 408-246-2770. 

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.  

OCTOBER 27 - NOVEMBER 25 - LOVE IN ACTION 

Did you know a record number of children, families and seniors rely on Second Harvest for food every month, and the number is growing?  It’s hard to imagine the pain of not being able to feed your family, or going to school on an empty stomach.  The reality is more than 1 in 4 people are at risk of hunger in Silicon Valley.

Beginning in 1999, our Saint Nicholas parish has partnered with Second Harvest, donating over 34,000 pounds of food!  With your continued support, we can ensure our neighbors in need of a healthy meal, get one.  So, let’s keep this momentum going, and fill our 10 barrels.  Our neighbors are counting on us. We can do this!

Place nonperishable  food (canned food, peanut butter, cereal, etc.,) in the barrels located in the Church School courtyard and Small Hall. 

Our humblest thanks to you who have already donated! Your generosity is helping make the future a little brighter for so many families, children, and seniors. 

Saint Nicholas Family Ministry invites you to our next event with fun and fellowship on Friday, November 1st at 6pm. This year at our monthly family night we will be discussing "Working With Our Hands". 

As the warm weather turns chilly, and leaves begin to fall, many people are in need of warm clothing.  Beginning November 1, 2019, St. Anna Philoptochos will be once again collecting warm winter clothing.  Please bring jackets, blankets, sleeping bags, hats, gloves, boots, shoes to the church.  We will have boxes marked for "warm winter clothing" in the small hall to collect your donations.

OTHER CLOTHING DONATION

St. Anna Philoptochos has often been asked if we also collect other clothes.  Sacred Heart Community Center accepts gently used clothes and shoes for men, women, and children for distribution to their clients.  All clothing must be cleaned.  We will also have marked boxes available for these items in the small hall for your donations during the months of November and December.       

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.

ONLY FOUR SPOTS LEFT.  Reserve Now!!

Cook-Dine-Benefit- Sunday November 10 at 4 pm.  Indian Cooking 101 with Chef Saritha. 

Learn the basics of Indian cooking and expand your cooking skills with Chef Saritha. Bring a friend and enjoy food and company!   Dishes include Chicken Tikka Masala, Paneer Makhani, Roasted Potatoes with Green Beans and Raita. $75/ tax deductible donation. Proceeds will to help Sister Nectaria to complete construction of St. Ignatius school in India and become self-sufficient.  A great cause and a fun event!  For RSVP please call Maria at 408-425-6967 or email at cookdinebenefit@gmail.com. 

To find out more about Sister Nectaria’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 Parish Assembly will be held on Sunday, November 10, 2019 in the Small Hall.  The meeting will start promptly at 12:00 pm.  Members present will constitute a quorum to carry out the business of the Parish, and those members who are Stewards in good standing may vote.  The agenda for the meeting is provided below.

1. Call to Order
2. Opening Prayer – Father Demosthenes
3. Elect Assembly Chairperson
4. Elect Assembly Secretary
5. Reading & Approval of Previous Assembly Minutes
6. Priest’s Report – Father Demosthenes & Father Nebojsa 
7. President and Treasurer Reports 
8. Old Business
9. New Business
10. Suggestions for the good of the Parish
11. Closing Prayer – Father Demosthenes & Father Nebojsa 

Save the date:  Monday, November 11, 2019 for a fun day trip to a casino!  More details to follow.

Please note that our next meeting has been moved from Tuesday, November 5th to Tuesday, November 19th at 11am in the Small Hall.  Please join us as we will be celebrating Thanksgiving with our honored guests, our confined parishioners.  Submit or call in your reservations to Antonia at 408 472-3888 or Christina at 408 418-4810.  For more information please call Mina at: 408 515-8301.

The Church Office will be closed on  Monday, November 11th for the Archdiocesan observance of Veteran's Day. 

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

ADVENT RETREAT, NOVEMBER 16, 2019, DAY TRIP TO ST. ANNA GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH, ROSEVILLE, CA

We hope you have saved the date of Saturday, November 16, 2019.  As we begin our journey to the Nativity of our Lord,  the Advent Retreat sponsored by our parish's St. Anna Philoptochos chapter will be held offsite this year.  We will be visiting the Parish of St. Anna, Roseville, California, to venerate the relics of St. Anna, our beloved Panagia's mother, a presentation by the clergy of the parish, followed by a Paraclesis service.  A bus has been chartered for our trip, and reservations will be taken as of Sunday, October 20, 2019.  Cost is $35 per person, which will assist defraying some of the expense of the bus.  

Parish Council elections are scheduled to be held on Sunday, November 17th immediately following both Divine Liturgies in the Small Hall.  To vote one must be a 2019 steward in good standing.  Please come and cast your vote in this important community event.

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:

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.

We are in need of more volunteers to bake prosphora, the bread used for Liturgy.  If you are able, please prayerfully bake the prosphora and bring it to the church.  If you haven't done it before, please ask for the priest's blessing.  If you need any assistance on how to help, recipes, need a seal, or have any questions, please call the church office.  

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. 

October 22 - November 25 Annual Saint Nicholas Second Harvest Food Drive

October 27 - No Sunday School - One Liturgy

November 3 - Sunday School

November 10 - Sunday School

Christmas Pageant role assignments will be given to students

November 17 - Sunday School

November 24 - No Sunday School

December 1 - Sunday School 

December 8 - Sunday School

December 15 - Sunday School and Christmas Pageant 

December 22 and December 29 - No Sunday School

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.

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.

Saint Nicholas is happy to present another option for our parishioners to contribute to Saint Nicholas through our Fidelity brokerage account.  If there are stocks, bonds or funds you wish to contribute, please use the following  information:

Account #: Z40-125155

DTC #: 0226

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.