Saturday Vespers
5:00 PM
Sunday Liturgies
9:00AM Orthros
10:00AM Divine Liturgy
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It is our hope that we will help you learn more about our parish and the Orthodox Christian faith that we confess. At St. Gregory of Nyssa, you will discover an ancient, yet dynamic faith, a warm Church family and even perhaps a spiritual home where you can grow roots and a deep relationship with Christ in the Holy Spirit. Please know that in the Holy Orthodox Church, Holy Communion is given only to those Baptized/Chrismated Orthodox Christians who have properly prepared themselves through prayer, fasting and recent Confession. You are welcome to come forward at the end of the Liturgy to be given the Blessed Bread(Antidoron), of which all are blessed to partake, & a blessing from the Priest.
Welcome to our Church Home! We would like to meet you! Please join us at Coffee Hour following the service.
Removal of the Relics of John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople
The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 7:26-28; 8:1-2
Brethren, it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did this once for all when he offered up himself. Indeed, the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect for ever. Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the sanctuary and the true tent which is set up not by man but by the Lord.
15th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 19:1-10
At that time, Jesus was passing through Jericho. And there was a man named Zacchaios; he was a chief collector, and rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaios, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today." So he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it they all murmured, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." And Zacchaios stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost."
This event took place on this day in the year 438, when Saint Theodosius the Younger had been Emperor for thirty years; he was the son of Arcadius, and Eudoxia, who had exiled Saint John. The Archbishop of Constantinople at that time was Proclus, who had been the Saint's disciple (see Nov. 13 and Nov. 20).
Saint Ephraim was born in Nisibis of Mesopotamia some time about the year 306, and in his youth was the disciple of Saint James, Bishop of Nisibis, one of the 318 Fathers at the First Ecumenical Council. Ephraim lived in Nisibis, practicing a severe ascetical life and increasing in holiness, until 363, the year in which Julian the Apostate was slain in his war against the Persians, and his successor Jovian surrendered Nisibis to them. Ephraim then made his dwelling in Edessa, where he found many heresies to do battle with. He waged an especial war against Bardaisan; this gnostic had written many hymns propagating his errors, which by their sweet melodies became popular and enticed souls away from the truth. Saint Ephraim, having received from God a singular gift of eloquence, turned Bardaisan's own weapon against him, and wrote a multitude of hymns to be chanted by choirs of women, which set forth the true doctrines, refuted heretical error, and praised the contests of the Martyrs.
Of the multitude of sermons, commentaries, and hymns that Saint Ephraim wrote, many were translated into Greek in his own lifetime. Sozomen says that Ephraim "Surpassed the most approved writers of Greece," observing that the Greek writings, when translated into other tongues, lose most of their original beauty, but Ephraim's works "are no less admired when read in Greek than when read in Syriac" (Eccl. Hist., Book 111, 16). Saint Ephraim was ordained deacon, some say by Saint Basil the Great, whom Sozomen said "was a great admirer of Ephraim, and was astonished at his erudition." Saint Ephraim was the first to make the poetic expression of hymnody and song a vehicle of Orthodox theological teachings, constituting it an integral part of the Church's worship; he may rightly be called the first and greatest hymnographer of the Church, who set the pattern for these who followed him, especially Saint Romanos the Melodist. Because of this he is called the "Harp of the Holy Spirit." Jerome says that his writings were read in some churches after the reading of the Scriptures, and adds that once he read a Greek translation of one of Ephraim's works, "and recognized, even in translation, the incisive power of his lofty genius" (De vir. ill., ch. CXV).
Shortly before the end of his life, a famine broke out in Edessa, and Saint Ephraim left his cell to rebuke the rich for not sharing their goods with the poor. The rich answered that they knew no one to whom they could entrust their goods. Ephraim asked them, "What do you think of me?" When they confessed their reverence for him, he offered to distribute their alms, to which they agreed. He himself cared with his own hands for many of the sick from the famine, and so crowned his life with mercy and love for neighbor. Saint Ephraim reposed in peace, according to some in the year 373, according to others, 379.
HEALTH & WELFARE:
Olga Stephens, Kevin Wallace, Charles George, Victor, Joseph Eyad Zarror, Dr. Al Sarantinos, Augustine Ramirez, LaVonne Simonides, Kevin (Amanda's Grandpa), Louis Trantalis, Christine Tzathos, new babies-Barbara, John & Jamie Kelada, Jakob & new baby Jaqueline, Lynch twins of Kathreen & Alexander, Michael Mourafetis, Stephen Awake, Nick, Fotini & Sophia Busarelos Family, Irene Cantos, Aggie Annis, Lydia Chaconas, Newly Illumined Ivaan Joseph & Eliana Josephine Sacco, Sarah Cronstedt, Fr. Dimitri Tsigas, Fr. Earl Cantos, Fr. Stephen Karcher, Michael & the Piliaris Family, Nicholas Galaxidas, Michael & Mary Kladouras, Ralph Bradley, Rhonda, Abram Dominguez, Lisa Kotitsa, Evonne Zouris, Gaye & the Howorth Family, Savannah injured in Las Vegas, Abducted Metropolitan Paul & Archbishop John, Garland, Pierre, Jethmark, Helen & the Eveland Family, Vernon & Kathern Rogers, Alex, Patty, Jimmy, Richie, Margie, Paul Lane, Alexi, Dr. Minerva, Sarah & her newborn, Michael, Stan, James, Dora, Julia, Alexandra, Sebastian, Kyriakos Queentina, Diana, Nico, Janet Burgess, Dionysios, Lillian Ana Grace, Sarah-Betsy's mother, MaryAnn, Gabrielle, Kiki, Michael, Father John Pilafas & family, Virginia, Corey & family, Adrienne & Josef in Thessaloniki, George, Maria Hazlaris, Sarah Oftedal & her family, Darin Williams, Marika Stantcheva, James, Dionisios & Eftixia Diakoumeas, Nicky, Michael & Cathy Jean Alexander, Gerintissa Markella & Sisters of Life-giving Spring Monastery. DEPARTED: Georgia Swisher 4 years, Nick Paschalydis 11 years, John Manos Sr, Michael Kladouras, Peter Shenas Sr., Ken Gilliland, Bonnie Corona, Angela Sarantinos, Jerry Gerasimos Howorth, Lin Judah, Paul James Aceves, Warren George Cormier, Judith Keep, George (Marc's Uncle), Samantha (Marc's friend), George Mastorakos, Carol Kinan, Athina Cavelaris, Andrew Kyriakides, George Speros, Nick Kosmas, Catherine Sullivan, Gigi Campbell, Carl Collard, Jerry (Gerasimos) Filaktu, Doris Holmes, Spyridon, Thomas Munteanu, Sam Mellos, Richard Nicholas Nabhan, Helen Gliptis, George Koulaxes, Ruth Gilliland, Bishop Antoun, Eric Nectarios Cochran, Nick Koucoumaris, Wendell Duncan, Stella Angeles, John Peters, Elizabeth Zogob, Nell Thornblad, Katherine Eveland, Carole, Steve Kosic, Effie Matsolis, George, Arety, Manny, Archimandrite Paul, Eleni (Kyriako's Sister), Gregory Galanis, Deacon Michael, George & Iris Pilafas, Manuel Dragan, Darla Gliptis, Fr. Theodore & Pres. Mary Phillips, Sophia Vourexis, Jason Hyde, Peter Kanelos, Mary Giana, Katherine Armatas, Lana Piliaris, William Piliaris, Katherine Kladouras, Heather Grinnell & Danny Ranglos. FOR OUR CHURCH LEADERS: Patriarch Bartholomew; Archbishop Demetrios; Metropolitan Gerasimos; Bishop Apostolos; Father Simeon Corona, Presbytera Joy & family; Chris Psillas & the members of the Parish Council; Olga Stephens & our Philoptochos; Pete Shenas & our Building Committee; Celeste Shenas & our Stewardship Committee; Pres. Joy and our Chanters; Myles & Barbara Lane; our Sunday School teachers; Mothers Victoria, Melania, & the Mothers & Sisters of St. Barbara's & Holy Assumption Monasteries; Frs. Dionisie & Neonil of Holy Resurrection Monastery in Temecula. If you would like our community to pray for you or a loved one or have a name removed, please call the Church office 619-593-0707.
9:00AM Morning Prayers (Orthros)
10:00AM Divine Liturgy
11:00AM Memorials: Georgia Swisher 4 years, Nick Paschalydis 11 years
6:00PM Fr. John Mefrige on Peace AT St. Anthony's
11:00AM Office Hours 11am-3pm: Includes a 6th Hour Noontime Prayer
Office Closed
1:30PM Carol's Facility Outreach
6:30PM Vesperal Liturgy for the 3 Hierarchs
3:00PM FOCUS God's Extended Hand Ministry
6:30PM Evening Prayer and Bible Study
6:30PM Presentation of Christ Festal Vespers
Presentation of our Lord
9:00AM Great Festal Morning Prayers and Liturgy for our Lord's Presentation
5:00PM Great Vespers - Eve of Sts. Simeon and Anna
Sts. Simeon and Anna's Feastday
9:00AM Morning Prayers (Orthros)
10:00AM Divine Liturgy
January Budget: $20,000
Monthly Offering: $10,756
Remaining Need (Budget minus offering to Date): $9,244
2019 Budget:
2019 Offerings:
2019 Remaining Need: