We need, really need you to follow protocols at church, or we risk being prevented from having services, or we may have to revert to taking reservations and limiting who can attend.

Please: 

FOLLOW THE USHER'S DIRECTION FOR YOUR SEATING LOCATION - The ushers are trained to optimize the seating capacity and safety. If one or two sit in a row of four, that family of four no longer has a place to sit! So, listen to the ushers!

ONCE SEATED, STAY THERE -  If one moves, someone has to follow to wipe the chairs down. Stay where you are!

DON'T MOVE CHAIRS. Chairs have been carefully arranged to accommodate families, couples, and singles while keeping accepted spacing. 

IF IN DOUBT, ASK THE USHER. Can I do this? Can I do that? They will help you. Where can I sit? They will help you. Am I standing in front of the ZOOM camera, blocking the view of those watching from home? They will help you.

DON'T KISS THE ICONS - even if you are wearing a mask. It requires someone to follow you and wipe down the icons.

Christ asks us to love our brothers/neighbors. Be thoughtful in all that you do, setting a Christian example for others. Your love will ensure future liturgical services for all. God bless you.

We continue to worship each Sunday and on major feast days on the Patio. Thank you to all for observing and practicing the safety protocols! Please wear the mask and maintain the 6 feet distance to non-members of your family.

Notice of Informed Consent:

We have been asked by our Metropolis to provide the following information for your information prior to attending the live services.

By voluntarily attending Saint John's services in person, you affirm that:

• You are not currently ill or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
• You agree to abide by the social distancing and safety guidelines as being practiced in our Parish.
• You acknowledge, that while the recommended CDC, State and Local County safety measures are being taken by the Church, the parish cannot guarantee that there is no risk of infection for attendees.
• If you are not able to agree with the above statements, we kindly ask that you remain at home to participate in the live-streaming of our services.

We look forward the day when EVERYONE returns home to worship God together!

Father Ion can here confessions at the church. Please contact him directly for an appointment.

Lighting Candles is possible through our Light a Candle website.

Click this link: Light a Candle

The candles will be lit at the next service after the request was received. The names mentioned in the online order will also be remembered during that week at the Wednesday Paraklesis (the living only), at the next Sunday Liturgy and at any other liturgy that week (both the living and the departed).

This location also gives you an opportunity to help those in need: feeding the homeless, donating to help those impacted by fire evacuation or loss, donating to help those suffering impact of the Corona Virus. You may also wish to donate in Memory of a loved one or in honor of a special occasion, and even make a Stewardship payment.

“The Resurrection of Saint Nicholas”
Re-Broadcast of 60 Minutes on CBS
Sunday, Sept. 6th

  “The Resurrection of Saint Nicholas” (originally shown on April 12, 2020) will be re-broadcast on 60 Minutes this Sunday, Sept. 6th.  Check your local listing for the time where you live.

With a brief update on the transformation of the project since the election of Archbishop Elpidophoros and the recommencement of construction on August 3, 2020, CBS’s Scott Pelley paints a moving portrait of the struggle to rebuild the only House of Worship destroyed on 9/11.

 Tune in to hear the emotional testimonies of parishioners, and to join in the ongoing mission to finish the Church and National Shrine by the Twentieth Anniversary of 9/11 — September 11, 2021.

 Your donations are as important as ever to erect Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine on a firm foundation for the future.

  HELP REBUILD

The Faith and Fellowship Small Groups will begin the third season to run for three months, centered on the Epistle of Saint James. This module has six one-hour sessions. The meetings take place via Zoom on Wednesday evenings from 7pm and they are facilitated by the following group leaders:

Group 1: Angela Wagoner
Group 2: Thimi Saites
Group 3: Rania Zavitsanos
Group 4: Paul McCrone

Please sign up HERE!

Alternatively, you may contact any of the group leaders in order to reserve a spot or reply to this Bulletin email.

The dates are as follows (Wednesdays, 7pm):

        Sept. 9 >> Sept. 23 >> Oct. 7 >> Oct. 21 >> Nov. 4 >> Nov. 18

The Stewardship Ministry of the our Metropolis invites you to a five-part series to help you and your parish create a culture of true Christian stewardship. Through this process that will produce a more effective Stewardship ministry, you are able to elevate your parish to a deeper level of understanding of true Christian stewardship that leads to a transformative way of living your calling as a Greek Orthodox Christian. The next session is September 15 at 6:30, and continues every other Tuesday through October 27.

Bill Marianes from Stewardship Calling, will lead us on an inspirational journey filled with relevant information, best practices, and 15 empirically proven specific strategies.

Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. (PST)

Session 1, September 1: watch the video recording here.

Session 2 • September 15, 2020
• Leadership Alignment
• Tithing and Percentage Giving
• Increasing Parishioner Engagement
• The Most Effective Personal Touch

Session 3 • September 29, 2020
• Welcoming
• Thanking
• Youth Stewardship
• Small Groups

Session 4 • October 13, 2020
• Effective Messaging
• Campaigns – Stewardship, Capital and Planned Giving
• Transparency and Accountability
• Stewardship Team

Session 5 • October 27, 2020
• Questions and Answers

Registration
Participation is free, but we kindly request that you register in advance here.

Join us for the next Fellowship time and invite a friend or two. Every Wednesday from 7:00pm, via Zoom.

Unfortunately, we had to postpone the date for receiving in the Church the McCrone family: Paul, Sasha, Nicholas and Andrew. Until then, we continue to pray for all our catechumens:

Lord our God, Who dwells on high and watches over the humble, You sent forth Your only-begotten Son and God, our Lord Jesus Christ, for the salvation of the human race. Look down upon Your servants, the catechumens, and grant them at a proper time the baptism of rebirth, the remission of sins, and the garment of incorruption. Unite them to Your holy, catholic, and apostolic Church, and number them among Your chosen flock.

Amen!

"Time and Despondency: Regaining the Present in Faith and Life" by Nichole M. Roccas. This is a book with powerful messages addressing apathy, restlessness, procrastination - symptoms of what early Christian theologians called despondency (acedia), a spiritual sickness rooted in a lack of care or effort. 

Our Bookstore offers a few copies. You may also purchase this book online through Amazon or the Ancient Faith store.

The next Forum: Wednesday, September 9

• Meeting time: from 10am, right after the Matins service.
  
• To prepare: Chapter 7, picking up at p. 130
  
• Zoom in at the known link.

The Church University continues the Zoom webcasting from Saint Nektarios Chapel with the abbreviated Orthros (Matins) Services. At the end of the service Father Ion offers a daily teaching on the readings and the saints of the day. Connect via Zoom to extend Matins with the study of the Scripture readings, great discussion and fellowship time.

The older middleschool children finished the program led by Reader Nicholas.  We are very grateful for his exemplary service.

Please join us as we acknowledge the works of four outstanding women of our community for their devotion to our church, our community, and our chapter. Tune in to Just Fellowship via Zoom to hear about their lives of giving and caring. Wednesday, September 30th 7:00 PM Featuring Nick Fettis on Piano

If you, or anyone you know is in need of Philoptochos Covid support please contact us thru this email or call Alexandra at 619-518-2755.  Your Philoptochos with your support is always ready to help.

The national gathering of the clergy and laity at the Congress will take place online on Wednesday and Thursday this week. The agenda, reports and other info are available at https://www.clergylaity.org/ Our community is represented by Thimi Saites, Mary Kanalakis, Kathy Shaw and Father Ion.

• Daily services, reflections and homilies video.
• Sunday homilies audio.
• Some Sunday homilies video and archives prior to June 1 2020 audio.

Remember our parishioners and support them:

Toula Hubbard:  doTerra Essential Oils 
Lauren Poulos:  Poulos Property Management
George Pappas:  Pappas Family Farms 
George Cominos: Hand Made Horse Gear 
Faisal Nimri:  Dametra’s Café 
Munjed Haddad:  Flying Nuts & Gummies
Hix Family:  Epsilon Fine Dining Restaurant
Alexandra Mouzas:  Coldwell Banker Realtor
Anthony Zavitsanos:  A to Z Design/Architect
John Scourkes:  Architect
Jim Wagoner - Wagoner Management Consulting

Our sister Simi Georgalos is baking special Greek pastries for  the next few weeks. Platters of assorted Greek pastry for $25, cheese cakes, and other baked delicacies await your orders.  Contact Simi at: 831-229-3662.

Adult Education Program Starting Date: Saturday, September 12, 2020

Modern Greek, Beginner Level:  Saturdays, 10:00 am – 12:30 am.

Modern Greek, Intermediate/Advanced Level: Sundays, 9:00 am – 11:30 am

New Testament Greek, Beginner Level:  Wednesdays, 11:00 – 1:30 pm

Adult Education Program Ending Date:   Saturday, December 19, 2020

In accordance with current state-mandated health directives, classes are conducted online to ensure the health and safety of course participants. 

Coursework is driven by proven best practices in Second Language Acquisition and stringent academic standards aimed at developing and enhancing proficiency and mastery of the Greek Language.

For further information, please contact: Dr. Peter Nanopoulos, petern_grklang@yahoo.com or Mr. Petros Balaskas,  petros.balaskas@gmail.com