A Warm Welcome to Our Visitors

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.

Saints and Feasts

July 21

John and Symeon the Fool for Christ

These Saints were from the city of Edessa in Mesopotamia and flourished during the reign of Justin the Younger (565-578). After a pilgrimage to Jerusalem they were moved with a desire to forsake the world; they were tonsured monks by the Abbot Nicon, and soon after left the monastery to struggle together in the wilderness near the Dead Sea. When they had passed a little more than thirty years together in silence and prayer, Symeon, having reached the heights of dispassion, departed for Emesa in Syria, where he passed the rest of his life playing the fool, saving many souls from sin while hiding his sanctity with seemingly senseless behavior. He reposed in 570; by the providence of God, John, who had remained in the wilderness, departed soon after.

July 22

Markella, the Virgin-martyr of Chios

Saint Markella was born in the 14^th century on the island of Chios and was the daughter of the mayor of her town. She was raised in the Christian faith by pious parents, but lost her mother at a young age. This was especially difficult for her father who fell into depression. The young Markella was devoted to Christ and strove to preserve her virginity, fighting off numerous temptations from the Devil. Seeing he could make no progress with Markella, the Evil One turned his attention to her father, and enflamed within him an unnatural lust for his daughter.

One day he declared his desire for her at which she ran away in tears and fear. Arriving at the edge of the water and with nowhere to run, a rock opened up for Markella to enter so that her lower half could be enclosed within the rock. When her father arrived in pursuit of her, he was furious to have been deprived of his desire and beheaded his daughter there. The miraculous rock remains on Chios in the church dedicated to Saint Markella the Virgin-Martyr and is said to spring healing waters.

July 22

Mary Magdalene, the Holy Myrrh-bearer and Equal to the Apostles

Saint Mary was from Magdala in Galilee on the Sea of Tiberias, and for this was named Magdalene. When the Lord Jesus cast out seven demons from her, from which she had been suffering, she became His faithful and inseparable disciple, following Him and ministering unto Him even to the time of His crucifixion and burial. Then, returning to Jerusalem together with the rest of the Myrrh-bearers, she prepared the fragrant spices for anointing the body of the Lord. And on the Lord's day they came very early to the tomb, even before the Angels appeared declaring the Resurrection of the Lord. When Mary Magdalene saw the stone taken away from the tomb, she ran and proclaimed it to Peter and John. And returning immediately to the tomb and weeping outside, she was deemed worthy to be the first of the Myrrh-bearers to behold the Lord arisen from the dead, and when she fell at His feet, she heard Him say, "Touch Me not." After the Lord's Ascension, nothing certain is known concerning her. Some accounts say that she went to Rome and later returned to Jerusalem, and from there proceeded to Ephesus, where she ended her life, preaching Christ. Although it is sometimes said that Saint Mary Magdalene was the "sinful woman" of the Gospel, this is nowhere stated in the tradition of the Church, in the sacred hymnology, or in the Holy Gospels themselves, which say only that our Lord cast seven demons out of her, not that she was a fallen woman. "Madeleine" is a form of Magdalene.

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone

When the tidings of the resurrection from the glorious angel was proclaimed unto the women disciples and our ancestral sentence also had been abolished to the Apostles with the boasting did they proclaim that death is vanquished ever more and Christ Our God has risen from the dead and granted to the world His great mercy.

Kontakion for the Theotokos in the Second Tone

O Protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the Creator most constant; O despise not the suppliant voices of those who have sinned, but be thou quick, O good one, to come unto our aid, who in faith cry unto thee: "Hasten to intercession, and speed thou to make supplication, thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee!"

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

5th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 10:1-10

Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law, that every one who has faith may be justified. Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on the law shall live by it. But the righteousness based on faith says, Do not say in your heart, "Who will ascend into heaven?" (that is, to bring Christ down) or "Who will descend into the abyss?" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach); because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved.

Gospel Reading

5th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 8:28-34; 9:1

At that time, when Jesus came to the country of the Gergesenes, two demoniacs met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one would pass that way. And behold, they cried out, "What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?" Now a herd of many swine was feeding at some distance from them. And the demons begged him, "If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine." And he said to them, "Go." So they came out and went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and perished in the waters. The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, and what had happened to the demoniacs. And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood. And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city.

Wisdom of the Fathers

Now, should any one say, "And wherefore did Christ fulfill the devils' request, suffering them to depart into the herd of swine?" this would be our reply, that He did so, not as yielding to them, but as providing for many objects thereby.

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 28 on Matthew 8, 4th Century

One, to teach them that are delivered from those wicked tyrants, how great the malice of their insidious enemies: another, that all might learn, how not even against swine are they bold, except He allow them; a third, that they would have treated those men more grievously than the swine, unless even in their calamity they had enjoyed much of God's providential care. For that they hate us more than the brutes is surely evident to every man.

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 28 on Matthew 8, 4th Century

Tithes & Offerings

July Budget: $21,000

Monthly Offering to date: $6,743

Remaining Need (Budget minus offering to Date): $14,257

2019 Budget: $251,132

2019 Offerings: $148,907

2019 Remaining Need: $102,225

Prayer List

HEALTH & WELFARE:
Mother Susanna, Caliope, Robert, Stephanie and Bennet, The Colberg Missionary Family, Sharon, Tina Frankos, Jack and Tina Stavros, Freda Stavros, The Hiepler Family, Magdalyn Grasser, Maria Del Soccoro, Kevin, Panagiotis, Mari Hanna, James, Natalia, Marika, Rachel, Sylvia Casberg, Eva Angelos, Angela Stassinopolis, Patrick Thrift, Olga Stephens, Kevin Wallace, Joseph Eyad Zarror, Dr. Al Sarantinos, Augustine Ramirez, LaVonne Simonides, Kevin (Amanda's Grandpa), Christine Tzathos and her new grand-babies, Stephen Awake, Nick, Fotini & Sophia Busarelos Family, Irene Cantos, Aggie Annis, Lydia Chaconas, Sarah Cronstedt, Fr. Dimitri Tsigas, Michael & the Piliaris Family, Nicholas Galaxidas, Mary Kladouras, Ralph Bradley, Rhonda, Abram Dominguez, Lisa Kotitsa, Evonne Zouris, 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 & Malichi, Stan, James, Dora, Julia, Alexandra, Sebastian, 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, Dionisios & Eftixia Diakoumeas, Nicky, Michael & Cathy Jean Alexander, Gerontissa Markella & Sisters of Life-giving Spring Monastery. DEPARTED: John Peters, Wendell Duncan,Theodora (Michael Roach's wife) 2 years, Matushka Andrea, Jerry Costacos, 5Heidi Angelopulos, Athanasios Angelopulos, Pastor Orville Hiepler, Ioanna Melete (Anna’s sister), Catherine Sullivan, Theophanis Brinias (Maria Gregg’s Father), Victor Nasser, Louis Trantalis, Victor Roick, Christ Fergis, Michael Kladouras, Costa Stephens , Georgia Swisher, Nick Paschalydis, John Manos Sr,, Peter Shenas Sr., Ken and Ruth 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, Bishop Antoun, Eric Nectarios Cochran, Nick Koucoumaris, Stella Angeles, 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; Jeff Simonides & Herb Barrack & 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.

Calendar

Parish Calendar

July 21 to July 28, 2019

Sunday, July 21

9:00AM Morning Prayers (Orthros)

10:00AM Divine Liturgy

Monday, July 22

11:00AM Office Hours 11am-3pm: Includes a 6th Hour Noontime Prayer

3:00PM Prayers at Carroll's Residential Care

6:30PM Parish Council Meeting

Tuesday, July 23

Office Closed

Wednesday, July 24

3:00PM FOCUS God's Extended Hand Ministry

Friday, July 26

6:30PM Grand Vesperal Liturgy Sts. Anna, Parskevi and Panteleimon

Saturday, July 27

5:00PM Great Vespers

Sunday, July 28

9:00AM Morning Prayers (Orthros)

10:00AM Divine Liturgy

General Information

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