THE 34th GREEK FESTIVAL GOES MINI-STYLE
Have you placed your order yet??
Orders have been pouring in. What a great way to enjoy a bountiful Greek Meal while also support Saint Johns. Don't be left out. Two plate options are offered as well as a la carte individual food items. Visit our website to order your choices and even set a pick up time. Get your order in NOW!.
10 AM TO 4 PM
PICK UP ONLY - At All Saints Episcopal Church driveway (on Lincoln) near the corner of Lincoln and 9th, Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Order HERE and extend the invitation to your friends and family.
Save the date and your appetite!
RESCHEDULED PARISH ASSEMBLY
NEW DATE......
Our Parish Assembly was rescheduled to accommodate as many people as possible. We had too few people attending the last attempt to vote on our new Mission and Vision - an important decision that effects us all. Our 5-year plan created, well, 5 years ago, is coming to an end and is no long adequate. We have moved, grown, changed in many ways. It is time for approving the next three year course of our community. And it didn't seem right for only a few to decide our whole community's future.
Parish Assembly Review of
Vision, Mission and Strategic Objections for
Saint John the Baptist Church
MONDAY, October, 26 at 7:00pm
Join us. Become engaged in your parish. Your voice is needed so that we can seal and roll out our new Vision, Mission and Strategic Objectives.
STEWARDSHIP UPDATE
It’s time to take a serious look at your Stewardship for 2020. Soon Donation Statements will be sent out, and you are encouraged to take a very hard look at it. Our total pledge commitment so far is $110,500. However, as of the end of September, in the final quarter of the year, only 61% of that pledged has been given. That means $43,090 still needs to be given to meet that pledged commitment. Worse it also means $61,407 is needed to reach our budgeted Stewardship Goal, which was $152,000. What’s even more problematic is that our Festival, which makes up the difference between the Stewardship Goal and meeting our annual costs has vanished. So we have, total, a $111,407 gap!!! And that is why the many recent request letters you received to donate to the “No Festival” fund.
If you made a pledge to God for 2020 Stewardship, thank you and God bless you. As Christians, we are directed to be good stewards. But how is that progressing? Will you be able to meet your pledged commitment by the end of the year? What if you could increase that pledge. If you need to talk about your commitment, please call Father Ion, or the Stewardship Chair or co-chair: Jacob Voyce or Mary Kanalakis.
If you give regularly to Saint John’s, thank you so much. Please think about the gifts God has given you in this life. Is it possible you would consider increasing that amount? It is not too late to make a pledge commitment for 2020.
We have heard there will be parishes that cannot sustain through this pandemic and will close their doors. But we are determined NOT to be one of them. Our faith is strong. Our ministries are engaging. Our God is great! There is much more we need to do, so let's continue God's work with our talents, actions, support, and prayers.
MODIFIED SERVICE SCHEDULE FOR SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1
Our schedule for Sunday, November 1 will be modified to allow All Saints Church to hold a special event outside for their feast day. Matins will begin at 8am sharp, and the Liturgy at 9am, to finish by 10:30am.
Also remember that Daylight Savings ends on November 1. Clocks will be moved back one hour.
FAITH AND FELLOWSHIP
The Faith and Fellowship Small Groups ministry is being led by Paige Benton. Paige is one of the newer members of our community. She is preparing and coordinating the meetings and will run one of the small groups.
The small groups will continue to meet every other Wednesday with participants in 6 groups led by Angela, Thimi, Rania, Paul, Mary and Paige.
The remaining dates are as follows (Wednesdays, 7pm):
Nov. 4 >> Nov. 18
Never too late to start! Please sign up HERE!
BOOK FORUM
The new Book Forum cycle started with a new ministry leader, Kathy Shaw. Kathy has been a constant participant in the reading group and we are blessed to have her lead.
The current book that the Book Forum discusses is
Icon - A Novel
by Georgia Briggs.
The story opens the reader's eyes to see Christianity in our modern world in a different light. Here is a brief review of this short reading that once started, one can not put down.
Forget your old name. Forget your parents. These are the things Euphrosyne s grandparents and counselor tell her. But if Orthodox Christianity is a lie, why did the icon so dramatically save her life? And what can she do to get the icon back? In a post-Christian America, where going to church, praying, or owning holy things means death, a twelve-year-old girl searches for the truth. Finding it may cost her everything.
Wednesdays, from 10am - right after the service.
The next meeting is October 28. Please prepare Chapter 4 and 5. Zoom in at the known link. Order your copy on Amazon.com here.
NEW: HIGH SCOOLERS' BOOK FORUM
The High School children of our community and from anywhere under the sun are invited to join in reading and discussing books that edify and strengthen the Orthodox faith. The group and the discussions are led by Father Ion. The first book we are reading is
Crazy John
by Dionysios Makris
The group meets on Tuesdays from 4 pm via Zoom. If interested, please sign up with Father Ion.
For Tuesday, October 27: read through page 42.
THE CHURCH UNIVERSITY: DAILY SERVICE, PRAYER and REFLECTIONS
The Church University continues the Zoom webcasting from Saint Nektarios Chapel with the abbreviated 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.
UPCOMING BAPTISM
We are preparing with great anticipation and joy for the baptism of Steve Shaw on November 8. The service will take place before the Divine Liturgy and it will be a blessing for us to attend and participate in.
CREATING A CULTURE OF TRUE STEWARDSHIP
Bill Marianes from Stewardship Calling, took us on an inspirational journey filled with relevant information, best practices, and 15 empirically proven specific strategies.
Watch the previous sessions' recordings here.
Session 5 • October 27, 2020, 6:30pm will consist of Questions and Answers
OUR AUDIO AND VIDEO ARCHIVES
SUPPORT OUR PARISHIONERS BUSINESSES
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
BAKING GOODS FOR YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS
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.