It is with great joy that we announce that His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos will be joining us on January 5. We will be welcoming His Eminence during the matins service. He will be with us through the day, including for the Festal (Lenten Potluck) Luncheon to spend some good quality time with all of us.

The sun has set on 2019. However the 2019 Stewardship Fund remains open a while longer to allow contributions sent at the last minute to be included. It is not too late for you.

We thank all our blessed Stewards of 2019 who expressed their love for God, His Church and our parish with a commitment to support her. God bless you!

Thank you to the 25 families that have already made pledges for their 2020 Stewardship. We praise your devotion to Saint John’s and are humbled by your quick response to ensure the continuation of our parish.   

Thank you to:

Michael Bachik - Corkey & Brian Balcom - Rosina Barou - Father Ion and Presbytera Coman -
Marie Cominos - Temia Demakopoulos - Georgia Filice - Chrisanthi Georgalos - Michael Georgariou -
Manal Haddad Family - Mike & Mary Kanalakis - Charles and Marianna Leontis - Paul & Sasha McCrone
 - Alexandra Mouzas - Stephanie Muntean - Elaine Rogers - Euthimios Saites - Paraskevi Saites -
Athanasios & Grete Vasby - Jacob & Carrie Voyce - Jim & Angela Wagoner - Marc & Carrie Wilemon
- Jamie Wojtal - David and Nadia Zajicek - Anthony and Rania Zavitsanos

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.

This Sunday we will be hosting Metropolitan Gerasimos and visitors from other communities. Because of the weekend observance of the Eve of Theophany, the traditional fasting for the day is modified. Moreover, His Eminence, mindful of us anticipating the feast of Saint John the Baptist, our patron saint, further relaxed the fast by giving us the blessing to serve fish, dairy products, oil and wine. Please make a note of these requirements as you prepare your very best dish to share at the Potluck Luncheon.

ALL TEAMS are on call this Sunday and the church will be providing fish to complement what we will be sharing.

Our community is blessed to host the I-Help ministry for women on the first Tuesday of every month - coming up on the feast day of our patron Saint, the Forerunner John, on Tuesday JANUARY 7, from 4pm! The guest ladies will be staying overnight in the hall. We are responsible for cooking a meal for them on this evening each month, and for ministering to them while they are with us (connect, encourage, pray, etc).

To contribute with ingredients for cooking, please SIGN UP here.

NEW: I-Prayer is the offering of quality time for prayer in our chapel. The Small Compline will be prayed from around 6pm, right after dinner. Plan to participate.

Ladies I-Help: enabled by ASC and made possible by the sacrifice of our generous servants!

It is the tradition of the Church that during the days following Theophany we receive the visit of the priest at our homes for the short service of the blessing with Holy Water, to renew the presence of the Holy Spirit in our homes, in our families and to bring the Light in our lives. This is also a great opportunity to spend quality time with our priest, Father Ion.

Please contact Father Ion to set up a time for the blessing of your home and indicate the days and the time that would work for you the best. If you have children, plan to do the home blessing when they are present as well.

The Catechism/ Orthodoxy 101 Class will continue on Sunday January 12 with 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, January 14, 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... Our next class will be on January 14 when we will continue with Chapter 4.

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 the Paraklesis service.

Family & Friends of Philoptochos
 
Once again Philoptochos invites the whole community to join us in this annual favorite
Cutting of the Vasilopita & Auction benefiting the St. Basils Academy
Sunday, February 2, after Divine Liturgy
 
This year’s Auctioneers are Philoptochos Associate Members
Thimi Saites & Paul McCrone
As you receive your piece of Vasilopita, please remember the children and give generously
May God be with us all, and especially the children in 2020!!
 
Read more about this beloved ministry of Philoptochos…

 In 1944 Archbishop Athenagoras recommended  that the Philoptochos society purchase the 250 acre estate in Garrison New York located on the shores of the Hudson river directly across from the United States military academy at West Point. With the establishment of the Academy of Saint Basil Philoptochos under took the lasting commitment to the children who reside there. Today Philoptochos remains the major financial supporter of the Academy through two of our ministry commitments Vasilopita and the sisterhood fund provides for the ongoing needs of the children of the Academy.  

Traditionally, Ann Zavitsanos serves as our Vasilopita chair we are looking for at least 6 to 10 Vasiliopita to Auction. Ideally this will include Holyday bread from all of the various countries and ethnicities represented in our community.  Let’s all be a part of this special day.  If you or anyone you know in the community would like to bake and donate a pita please contact Ann (831-375-5549) or myself (619-518-2755 or alex@alexandramouzas.com). 

The 2020 GOARCH calendars are available for pick up this Sunday, January 5.  Please see Mary K to pick up yours. 

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

January 5 – Visit by Metropolitan Gerasimos
Parish Council member: All PC Members
Greeter: Temia Demakopoulos
Fellowship: PC and all Teams 

January 12 
Parish Council member: Euthimios Saites
Fellowship: Pink teams - every 2nd Sunday

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.

Interested in joining our Fellowship Hour or Welcome Ministry Teams in 2020? There is an opportunity for you to serve! Our Welcome Ministry greeters welcome guests and parishioners with a smile as they arrive for Divine Services each Sunday. Our Fellowship Hour teams offer hospitality and refreshments following Liturgy so that Saint John’s community can join in fellowship and get to know each other better. 

If you'd like to join the Welcome Ministry, please contact Temia Demakopoulos. And if you’d like to join the Coffee Hour team, please contact Corkey Balcom.

Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Santa Cruz California invites ALL to
The Blessing of the Waters - Rio Del Mar Beach, Aptos
Saturday, January 11, 2020 - 11 am – Rain or shine
Luncheon is to follow at Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church,
223 Church Street, Santa Cruz, CA
(831) 429-6500  www.propheteliassc.org

Please call if you plan to dive for the cross.

Please join Orthodox Christians from all over California on Saturday, January 25, 2020 at the Walk for Life West Coast in San Francisco! There will be a Pan-Orthodox Service at 11:30am in the Civic Center Plaza and the rally starts at 12:30pm. For more information go to www.walkforlifewc.com or call 510-882-7779. You may watch the promo video here.

The Greek Language and Culture Ministry of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco is pleased to announce the Ninth Annual Contest of Letters and Arts. The theme for this year’s event is “The rich man is not one who is in possession of much, one who gives much” (Saint John Chrysostom). This annual event corresponds with the celebration of the Feast of the Three Hierarchs – Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom – who are highly respected leaders of the church who helped shape Christian theology, and were distinguished teachers and scholars.

There are several categories for youth participation from Greek Schools and Sunday Schools including: Writing (ages 9 – 15 only), Film and Photography, Music, and Arts and Crafts. All other categories are open without exception to students, regardless of age. Both individual and team entries are allowed, but participating classes must be supervised by their instructor on their selected project. Submissions may be in English or Modern Greek. 

The awards for the Ninth Annual Contest of Letter and Arts will be presented at a celebration on Saturday, February 1, 2020 at Saint George Greek Orthodox Church in Downey, California.

For more information, please go to the Guidelines on Participation.  

 For more information about this event, please contact greeklanguageculture@gmail.com. Entries for the contest must be submitted by January 12, 2020.