In order to better engage with the community, due to the time frame around Thanksgiving and to the absence of many this coming weekend, the Parish Assembly is changed to Sunday, December 15, after the Divine Liturgy and lunch, when we hope to have a better attendance. The Council of Ministries (COM-2) scheduled for December 15, moves to January 19, 2020.

It is with great joy that we announce that His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos will be joining us here in Carmel-by-the-Sea on January 5th. This is very exciting, and we thank God for this great news. We pray that you will mark your calendars for the very special events that will be planned for his visit.

Our 2019 Stewardship Budget this year is $144,000. So far, we have pledges totaling $125,955.  That’s 87% of our Stewardship Goal. We want to give our 74 stewards the recognition and gratitude they deserve for helping us this year!! Thank you!! Thank you to:

Jacob Adams - Rick Anastasiou - Victor Aschkar - Dr. Michael Bachik - Corky & Brian Balcom - Rosina Barou - Mary Bekakos - Father Ion & Presbytera Coman - Marie Cominos - Nick Cominos - Ted Cominos - Cleo Constantine - Charlotte Conto - Jim Deamant - Nicholas Delis - Temia Demakopoulos - Olga Drumev - Joseph Durante - Nick Fettis - Georgia Filice - Michele Filice - Illie Garbacea - Chrisanthi Georgalos - Michelle Georgalos - Michael Georgariou - Michael Hahn - Paraskevi Haritou - Despina Hatton - Bobby Herrera - Dimitrios Hoularis - Hussam Ibrahim - Georgette Jabbour - Mary & Mike Kanalakis - Charles & Marianna Leontis - Shirley Manis - Michelle Manos - Paul McCrone - Kent Mitchell - Sofia Morgan - Gus & Lannette Moutos - Alexandra Mouzas - Stephanie Muntean - Joanne Pagonis - Fotis Papoulias - George Pappas - Alison Parsons - Nicholas Parsons - Ruth Pavlik - Spiro Politis - Elaine Rogers - Thimi Saites - Paraskevi Saites - Michael Samwani - Estate of Sandy Sanders - Gus& Ann Scourkes - Steven & Kathy Shaw - Jeff Silva - Darold Skerritt - Aida Tadros - Georgia Jo Van Dam - Daniel Vanderhoof - Frances Vardamis - Carsten Vasby - Jacob & Carrie Voyce - Jim & Angela Wagoner - Lisa Wespiser - Kevin Wheeler - Marc & Carrie Wilemon - Sherry Williams - Jamie Wojtal - Richard Yant Family - David & Nadia Zajicek - Anne Zavitsanos - Anthony & Rania Zavitsanos

It is surprising, isn’t it? Last year we had 86 stewards. Although our parish is growing, yet our Stewards giving back to God is dwindling.

Well, here is your chance to jump in and make a difference. In the midst of our Nativity season, we have a $32,000 gap between what has been given so far, and our Stewardship Goal.

• We pray that all Stewards will complete their pledges.
• We pray that our Stewards will consider giving more.
• We pray that new Stewards will still step forward to help us grow.

As you know, this commitment helps us to continue on our own path to growing in our faith and to taking the Good News out to others through our ministries. Once we reach a point of meeting our expenses, we can begin to plan for building our own church.

If we don’t have a stewardship card from you for 2019, we are praying it is just an oversight.  You can download one here from our web site. Once completed, either mail it in to the church or leave it in the offering tray on Sunday, with our gratitude.

This Sunday you’re invited to come together as a church family and give to others who cannot take care of themselves. This year we’re sponsoring 20 Salvation Army children, 100 homeless in Salinas, and a homeless family in Seaside.

Sunday after Divine Liturgy enjoy a light Lenten luncheon, help us decorate the community Christmas Tree, and decorate gingerbread houses with the whole family!!! Nick Fettis will provide joyous music of The Season

We look forward to sharing the afternoon with you, of giving and caring for those who cannot care for themselves.

Ginger bread houses $10 ~ Luncheon by donation

For questions contact:  Alexandra at alex@alexandramouzas.com or 618-518-2755

This year we will celebrate the Nativity services on the evening of the Nativity Eve such that holy communion will be offered after midnight. The Divine Liturgy will be followed by a festal potluck dinner for the breaking of the fast together. See the schedule online at http://stjohn-monterey.org/parish-calendar

The children will meet in Saint Nektarios chapel for a quick CHOIR PRACTICE with Father Ion. Then they will participate in the Christmas tree decoration and ginger house building. Once the tree is up, the kids’ choir will sing one or two hymns from the repertoire that they have been preparing for the Christmas concert. There will no Sunday School this Sunday.

The kids' choir will perform on the Sundays before and after Christmas (12/22 and 12/29) and also on Christmas day (12/25), after the midnight Liturgy.

The Catechism/ Orthodoxy 101 Class will meet on Sunday December 21 to begin topic #9 of the curriculum, Man, Sin, Salvation. The curriculum including audio resources can be found at our web site under Adult Education.

Our visitors and newcomers are encouraged to attend and participate. The class is also offered as RECATECHISM to all for their own benefit, for connecting with our visitors and catechumens and for strengthening our community. No asked questions are silly. Come, ask, learn, change and be transformed!

The Congregational Chanting Workshop will take place this week. The next class will be on Tuesday, December 10, from 10 am (before the Book Forum). Open to all.

The book that we are reading and discussing together  is The Gurus, the Young Man and Elder Paisios. Get your copy from our bookstore and start reading it. You will not be able to put it down... At the next class we will continue and finish Chapters 2.

This powerful memoir tells the story of a Greek youth who, out of a desire to know the truth empirically, began to experiment in yoga, hypnotism, and various occult techniques. Eventually drawn back to the Faith of his forefathers Orthodox Christianity he visited the ancient monastic republic of Mount Athos in his native Greece, where he was brought to a knowledge of the Truth of Jesus Christ by the saintly Elder Paisios (1924 1994). Nevertheless, believing he had only found part of the truth on the Holy Mountain, he chose to give the same opportunity to Hindu yogis that he had given to Elder Paisios and other Orthodox monks. Thus, at the age of twenty-five, he embarked on a trip to India, where he undertook his search in the ashrams of three famous gurus, one of whom was worshipped as a god. His experiences in India, along with his subsequent encounters with Elder Paisios on Mount Athos, are recounted in the present book in vivid detail. Popular in Greece since its first publication there in 2001, The Gurus, the Young Man, and Elder Paisios is a page-turning narrative of both outward adventures and inward struggles. What stands out most in this book, however, is the radiant image of Elder Paisios, possessed of divine gifts, laboring in prayer for his fellow man, and overflowing with unconditional love. Through this, one sees the uncreated Source of the elder's love and of the author's spiritual transformation: the true God-man Jesus Christ, Who honors man's personal freedom while drawing him, through love, into everlasting union with Himself.

Our Wednesday evening service and dinner have been an excellent venue for building community, growing spiritually and learning the Orthodox faith. We are enjoying a new cycle for these presentations: Contemporary Ascetics of Mount Athos. We will learn about amazing elders from Mount Athos as presented by some of our own parishioners - many thanks to Athanasios and Greta who got us started. Join us for faith, community and the delicious lenten potluck dinner! Wednesdays evening right after Paraklesis. Due to the busy liturgical calendar through Epiphany, we will resume the lectures in January.

The Vision 2020 Committee has continued to meet weekly to prepare for the upcoming Council of Ministries (COM-2) meeting. The team has grown to five members and includes the following: Mary Kanalakis, Thimi Saites, Jim Wagoner, Athanasios Vasby and Father Ion. The next meeting will take place this coming Monday from 7:30pm via video conferencing and will bring to the discussion table the Vision and Mission of our community. Want to dial in? Let Mary know...

NEW DATE: Our Council of Ministries will have the second meeting (COM-2) on January 19 following the brief lunch after Liturgy. The date change was necessary to make room for the Parish Assembly on December 15. This will be a very interesting meeting as we will be resetting our mission and vision. So much has changed in the last 4-5 years! Not only have we met goals set back then, but we are now in a new setting with new parishioners and new missions and new strengths (and weaknesses)...  So let’s meet to define our path ahead and what we see for our future. Open to all.

Council of Ministry Leaders, please turn in your worksheets as soon as possible!

The following note was received from the semianarian student that our community supports through the Philoptochos team. At times small gestures of love and support go a long way...

Dear Alexandra and the St. John the Baptist Chapter of the Philoptochos,

I wanted to thank you for the Thanksgiving card, the tsoureki, and the Target gift card that you sent me! It means so much that you think of me throughout the year, and that you set aside the time and resources to let me know that you care. Your financial support helps me to focus more on studying, and I really appreciate it. I am grateful to God for you all, and I pray for you daily. I hope that your families have a blessed Christmas season!

In Christ,

Devon Latzen

Serving this Sunday in church and at the fellowship hour following Liturgy:

 December 8
Parish Council member: Jacob Voyce
Fellowship: Pink Team – Every2nd Sunday each month – brings fruit

December 15 
Parish Council member: Corkey Balcom
Greeter: Carrie Voyce
Fellowship: Orange Team – Every 3rd Sunday each month

Join us for our annual Gift Wrap Program at Del Monte Center. Volunteers are needed. Through this fun event, funds are contributed to our Saint John’s. Please contact Corkey Balcom for when you are available of if you have questions. Below are the work dates and times our organization has committed to. Please report directly to the Gift Wrap Station located between J. Jill and Chico’s (next to Santa’s station).

Scheduled Work Days and Time: Monday, December 9^th 10 - 4pm; Tuesday, December 10^th 10 - 4pm; Wednesday, December 11^th 10 - 4pm & Thursday, December 19^th 4 – 10pm

As a reminder, please be mindful about bringing children under the age of 16 to help due to the small space of the gift wrap area. 

Father Ion is available to hear confessions after services and also by appointment at other times. If you need to do confession, please contact Father Ion ahead of time.

Calling all Families!

Come get into the holiday spirit and hang out with family and friends! Join us on Friday, December 13th for a pasta dinner (salad and garlic bread included) and to watch the movie Elf! If you reserve your spot by December 6th cost is $15 per person, children under 4 free. After December 6th, the price will be $20 per person. Snacks and treats for the movie will be sold separately. Bring a blanket, a sleeping bag, or some pillows and come build community, make memories, and support the Ascension Dance Ministry. Go to https://bit.ly/3505GQm to reserve your spot today!  Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension, 4700 Lincoln Ave
Oakland, CA 94602