VISION AND MISSION REDEFINITION - ALL ON BOARD!
Our second Council of Ministries (COM-2) on this Sunday, January 19, is now expanding to encompass the whole community. All of Saint John's are kindly asked to participate in the group exercise to redefine our Vision and Mission for the next 3 years (the current ones date from 2016). This meeting will take place following Liturgy. So let us come together to define our path ahead and what we see for our future as we strive to become a healthier parish.
BLESSING OF HOMES AFTER EPIPHANY
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.
ORTHODOXY 101/ (RE)CATECHISM CLASS
The Catechism/ Orthodoxy 101 Class will continue on Sunday January 26 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!
CONGREGATIONAL CHANTING WORKSHOP
The Congregational Chanting Workshop will take place this week. The next class will be on Tuesday, January 21, from 10 am (before the Book Forum). Open to all.
BOOK FORUM
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.
CONTEMPORARY ASCETICS OF MOUNT ATHOS
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.
CUTTING OF THE VASILOPITA AND AUCTION
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).
SERVING THESE SUNDAYS
Serving this Sunday in church and at the fellowship hour following Liturgy:
January 19
Parish Council member: Corkey Balcom
Greeter: Temia Demakopoulos
Fellowship: Orange Team – Every 3rd Sunday
January 26
Parish Council member: Brian Balcom
Greeter: Temia Demakopoulos
Fellowship: GreenTeam – Every 4th Sunday
CONFESSIONS AT SAINT JOHN’S
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.
WALK FOR LIFE WEST COAST - SAN FRANCISCO
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 Prayer Service at 11:30am in the Civic Center Plaza and the rally starts at 12:30pm. For more information go to www.walkforlifewc.com and for carpooling contact Carrie Voyce or Father Ion.
CYBER SECURITY NOTICE
In recent months, many parishes across the Archdiocese have reported an issue which is worth our attention. Many of our faithful have already been scammed out of hundreds and even thousands of dollars, and the Archdiocese is hearing of new parishes affected by it every week.
Parishes and religious communities are being targeted by a phishing scam where the attacker poses falsely as the priest via email and asks the recipient for money in the form of gift cards. These emails come from fake accounts which appear to an unsuspecting person as a clergy email something like orthodoxpreist@gmail.com (notice the typo!) or frpeter.stgeorgenh@gmail.com. The perpetrator then goes on to ask the recipient to buy gift cards and send photos of them back so that they can use the numbers to acquire the money.
Though the Archdiocese has not found a way to stop these attackers directly, we can inform and educate our parishioners:
Learn more about this phishing scam here.
Learn more about what to do and not to do here.