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Saint John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2022-09-04
Bulletin Contents
Schedule of Services
Special Services
News & Events
Assembly of Bishops News
Stewardship News
Prayer Requests
Saints and Feasts
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Mgenthroned1
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Saint John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • 408.605.0621
  • Street Address:

  • 9th and Lincoln

  • Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
  • Mailing Address:

  • PO Box 5808

  • Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921

Contact Information

Priest: Father Ion Coman


fatherion@gmail.com | 408.605.0621

Services Schedule

 

Weekend services: the weekend schedule is fixed for most of the year. The services take place in Carmel-by-the-Sea, at All Saints Church, lower level, 9th and Lincoln.

Saturdays: 5:00pm Vespers

Sundays:   8:30am Matins

                   9:45am Liturgy

Week-day services: during the week we may celebrate the major feast days of the Church either in Carmel or in Salinas. Please check the calendar! The schedule pattern is:

Wednesdays:  6:00pm Paraklesis

Eve of feasts: 6:00pm Vespers

Feast days:    8:30am Matins

                       9:45am Liturgy

Past Bulletins


Schedule of Services

Note: our services are posted on Zoom unless specified otherwise.   

 

Saturday, September 3   Saint Hariton
    5:00pm  Vespers
Sunday, September 4
    8:30am  Matins
    9:45am  Liturgy, Lunch, Fellowship
    12:00pm  Catechism Class - CANCELLED
Tuesday, September 6
    9:00am  ONLINE: Church University - Prayer, Bible, Reflections
    4:00pm  IHELP - Ladies
    8:00pm  Orthodoxy 101: Journey to Fullness
Wednesday, September 7
    9:00am  ONLINE: Church University - Prayer, Bible, Reflections
    6:00pm  Vespers
    7:00pm  Liturgy
    8:00pm  Book Forum
Thursday, September 8   Nativity of the Theotokos
    6:00pm  Vespers
Friday, September 9   Saints Joachim & Anna
    9:00am  ONLINE: Church University - Prayer, Bible, Reflections
Saturday, September 10
    5:00pm  Vespers
Sunday, September 11
    8:30am  Matins
    9:45am  Liturgy, Lunch, Fellowship
    11:30am  Collect for HCHC
    12:00pm  Catechism Class  

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Special Services

The Memorial Service this Sunday will be for the servants of God George Elliott (5 years) and Kent Mitchel (2 years). May their memory be eternal!
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News & Events

SAINT JOHN'S FESTIVAL

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2022 GREEK FESTIVAL

A ministry lead by Thimi Saites

St John's 36th Annual Greek Festival
September, 23rd - 25th to the Custom House Plaza.

This is a BIG community effort for our church. We need EVERYONE participating in this festival more than ever before!! Our fellowship and focus are strengthened over these 3 days working together. 

  • Set up during the day on Friday means laying tarps down for the booths (as required by State Parks), setting out tables and chairs, adding booth signs, covering tables, and showing our vendors where to set up. Helpers keep the job easier and faster.
  • Taverna Night on Friday evening, 5pm to 9pm: Invite as many as you can to an evening with drinks, small bites, music and dancing.
  • Saturday, 24th The full festival will begins at 11 am and runs until 7pm. The official Opening Ceremony will be at 1 pm with the raising of the Greek flag by our Greek Officers in uniform. The day continues until 7pm when we say good night and invite our guests back the next day.
  • Sunday, 25th: The final day of the festival begins at 11am and runs until 4 pm. By 4 pm, booths will be packing up supplies and clearing the booth area.
  • Clean Up: The State Parks requires us out of the plaza by the end of the day, Sunday. So booths will be broken down, everything boxed up and hauled out, all garbage removed. 

We need you to help lighten the effort, participate, spread the word, and get as many people visiting the festival as possible. You can make a difference on the success and enjoyment our guest will experience. 

Meet our chairmen. Thank you to the following for leading the way:

Festival Chairman: Thimi Saites
Small bites/salads: Angie Wagoner, Temia Demakopoulos
Loukomades: Charles Leontis
Souvlaki: Matt and Angela Taylor
Gyros: Mary Kanalakis
Pastry, Lemonade, Baklava Sundae: Elaine Hustedt, John Scourkes
Coffee: Marie Anderson,
Taverna: Elliot Family

There is still one opening: Soda. Please call if you are able to take this booth. 

Volunteers are still needed. SIGN UP HERE!!! 

We are excited to get started, working with you again and to continue the great success of our past festivals.

Community


LADIES I-HELP THIS TUESDAY needs two servants

A Ministry lead by Despina Hatton and sponsored by our Stewardship

We are blessed to offer dinner and hospitality to the ladies this Tuesday evening, 4:30-6pm. Please sign up if you would like to take this opportunity to serve.

SIGN UP HERE

Community

Sign Up!


CATECHISM CLASS THIS SUNDAY

A Ministry led by Father Ion

There will be no class this Sunday. We will regroup on the Sunday after Labor Day.

The Catechism Class is invites you will join our catechumens after lunch/fellowship:

  • Topic: The Heart
  • Presenter: Father Ion
  • Location: Saint Nektarios Chapel
  • Resources (text and audio): https://www.stjohn-monterey.org/adult-education/2.-the-heart

Please pray for our catechumens.

Education


NEW: NEW BOOK, DATE, AND TIME FOR THE BOOK FORUM

A Ministry led by Kathy Shaw

The Archbishop: A Novel (Treasures of Orthodoxy Book 1) by [Hieromonk Tihon, Savatie Bastovoi]Join the Book Forum at a new date and time: We next meet on Wednesday evening, August 31 at 8:00pm.  

We continue reading The Archbishop, A Novel , by  by Hieromonk Tihon (Savatie Bastovoi). Please order your copy as soon as possible. Click here for Amazon orders.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: A Christian Orthodox Classic.
If God exists, then why does He allow such endlessly mundane earthly suffering?
   Set in Imperial Russia, 1900: Resigned, hopeless, and fighting a Church he no longer believes in, Father Paul’s crisis of faith and despair in the seeming futility of his chosen vocation opens up the  powerful and emotionally engaging story of The Archbishop. Rather than abandoning his parish in search of the truth, Father Paul’s quest is a simple one: to find the true essence of Christianity.

 Adult Education, Community


ORTHODOXY 101: A JOURNEY TO FULLNESS

A ministry led by Angela Wagoner

JOURNEY TO FULLNESS: An Introduction to the Fullness of the Original Christian Faith

The Journey to Fullness presentations and small groups discussions will meet via Zoom this Tuesday from 8:00pm.

Education


BE A FESTIVAL SPONSOR

There is so much preFestival expenses to launch a great Festival

  • Property Rental Deposit
  • Order food, drinks, and supplies to be delivered
  • Order the Booth rentals
  • Advertising
  • Permits and labor deposits for Guards, Set up, water station

On and on goes the list!!!

Do you know that many years ago, we were forced to borrow from the Building Fund to accomplish this, paying the fund back after the festival?

Today, we rely on Festival Sponsors and individual donations toward these many expenses leading up to the festival.

We are asking you to help us in a couple of ways:

  • Contact businesses and people you think could help us. We can provide letters for you to send out.
  • Give generously to the PreFestival fund. Click on Festival Sponsor Page.   OR send a check to Saint John the Baptist Church with “Festival Donation” in the description.

If you can send out Sponsor forms to businesses you frequent, let Mary K know and the form/cover letter will be emailed to you.


FOOD BANK SERVICE

A Ministry Lead by Despina Hatton

Join us on the second Tuesday of each month, 9:00 -10:30am. Our next turn is on

September 13

Location: St Francis Xavier Catholic Church
1475 La Salle Ave, Seaside, CA 93955

Sign up HERE

Community

Sign Up!


CHURCH UNIVERSITY

A ministry led by Father Ion

The Church University has gone through some changes. We now gather Monday-Friday from 9am for PRAYER, BIBLE AND REFLECTIONS. This is also an opportunity to connect, to embrace and to be embraced. Check the online schedule.

My the Lord bless our readers who lead us in prayer:

  • Monday - Thimi
  • Tuesday - Mikael
  • Wednesday - Kathy
  • Thursday - Mary
  • Friday - Christina and Socrates

Worship and Education


EPISTLE READERS

A ministry lead by Matt Taylor

We thank God for those who take the opportunity to serve Him. Among them are our readers - as noticed during our last few Sunday services. Here they are:

Matt,   Oleg,    Nate,    Hussam,   Jacob

Please contact Matt directly if you would like to serve in this ministry.

Worship


SERVING THESE SUNDAYS and more

A ministry led by Angelina Taylor 

 Thank you for your effort and participation in bringing a dish to share for our fellowship coffee hour. In addition to Father's great homilies, our fellowship hour is special, unique and provides an opportunity for us to come together to enjoy each other's company, with as little stress as possible, in the preparation process. As always if you cannot participate when it is your week, kindly let Angelina know so she can make other 

September 4
   Parish Council: Mary Kanalakis
   Greeter: 1st Sunday - Marina & Miriam Ibrahim
   Fellowship Gratitude Meal: ORANGE TEAM - Thank you to Vanta, Mimi M., Tana, and Aileen

September 11
   Parish Council: Dr. Michael Bachik
   Greeter: 2nd Sunday - Rania Zavitsanos, Anne Zavitsanos,  
   Fellowship Gratitude Meal: GOLD TEAM – Thank you to Thimi, Temia, Marissa, Ita, and Angelina

Community


PROPHET ELIAS GREEK FESTIVAL

 


ONLINE RESOURCES

Most of our services and some ministry meetings are available online.
Witness remotely:
  1. Zoom with video here.
  2. By phone dial - add the following string to your address book: 16699006833,,9475885646#,,,,*871732#
Liturgical texts at Ages Initiatives here. Select the date and the service of interest. Then, choose pdf if you want to print, or DCS for viewing on the screen (which also has a night mode).
Lighting Candles remotely is possible through our Light a Candle website. Click this link: Light a Candle


OUR AUDIO AND VIDEO ARCHIVES

The Audio/Video Ministry is led by Hussam Ibrahim

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

Organization and Leadership 


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Stewardship News

FILL THE STEWARDSHIP GAP

It is not too early to draw your attention to our Stewardship Gap. 

What’s that? Well, every year we agree on our Stewardship Goal as a reasonable target for us.  This year the goal is $165,000. However, pledges so far are less than $142,000. We call that difference our GAP and we make an effort, before the end of the year, to have met that goal. 

There are a couple ways to do that:

  • Become a Steward, if you haven’t already
  • Increase your Stewardship
  • Make a special gift to the Stewardship Fund 

Use one of the easy ways to close the GAP

  • Click HERE to reach our website and give to Stewardship
    Click HERE to become a Steward by downloading a Stewardship Form, or completing a form online. 

We have a couple ways online to make this easier:

  • Give through Facebook! All donations on our Facebook page are transferred to St. John’s. No credit card fees are charged! Visit us at FACEBOOK PAGE.
  • If you would like to get a monthly invoice, or make donations automatically, indicate so on your stewardship card, or contact Mary. It can easily be set up
  • You can go to our website as described above.

Our tax ID is 94-6136359
We thank those who are responding to the end of the year call to close the GAP.

Living the Gospel


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Prayer Requests

Lord, Bless, strengthen, and guard, by Your grace, all those who, with love for humankind and a spirit of sacrifice, care for the sick in their homes or in hospitals.

We pray for the servants of God:

"Lord Jesus Christ Son of God, have mercy on your servant (first name)."

   Ed Phong and Connie Stauffer - after losing their beloved spouses.

   Oleg Golovan, his family in Ukraine and all those suffering there.

   Tom Maheras - for good health.

   Olga Drumev - for health, recovery, and endurance. 

   Sophie Britton - for strength and recovery.

   Eleni Saites - for patience and endurance.

   Paul and Charlotte Pronoites - recovering after heart and knee surgery respectively.

For those who are in prisons: Constantine and Sergei.

In case of emergency, Father Ion is available for home visits. Please call him directly at 408.605.0621 if you would like to schedule one.

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Saints and Feasts

Mgenthroned1
September 04

12th Sunday of Matthew

Moses
September 04

Moses the Prophet & Godseer

The Prophet Moses-whose name means "one who draws forth," or "is drawn from," that is, from the water-was the pinnacle of the lovers of wisdom, the supremely wise lawgiver, the most ancient historian of all. He was of the tribe of Levi, the son of Amram and Jochabed (Num. 26:59). He was born in Egypt in the seventeenth century before Christ. While yet a babe of three months, he was placed in a basket made of papyrus and covered with pitch, and cast into the streams of the Nile for fear of Pharaoh's decree to the mid-wives of the Hebrews, that all the male children of the Hebrews be put to death. He was taken up from the river by Pharaoh's daughter, became her adopted son, and was reared and dwelt in the King's palace for forty years. Afterward, when he was some sixty years old, he fled to Madian, where, on Mount Horeb, he saw the vision of the burning bush. Thus he was ordained by God to lead Israel and bring it out of the land of Egypt. He led Israel through the Red Sea as it were dry land and governed the people for forty years. He wrought many signs and wonders, and wrote the first five books of the Old Testament, which are called the Pentateuch. When he reached the land of Moab, he ascended Mount Nabau, on the peak called Phasga, and there, by divine command, he reposed in the sixteenth century before Christ, having lived for some 120 years. The first two Odes of the Old Testament, "Let us sing to the Lord" and "Attend, O heaven, and I will speak," were written by him. Of these hymns, the first was chanted by the shore of the Red Sea as soon as the Israelites had crossed it; the second, in the land of Moab, a few days before his repose. The Holy High Priest Aaron was the elder brother of the Holy Prophet Moses. He was appointed by God to serve as the spokesman of Moses before the people, and also before Pharaoh, in Egypt. Afterwards, in the wilderness, he was called to the ministry of the high priesthood, as narrated in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers in the Old Testament. The name Aaron means "enlightened."

Zacharias
September 05

Zacharias the Prophet & Righteous Elizabeth, parents of St. John the Baptist

According to the opinion of many Fathers of the Church, based on an ancient tradition, this is the Zacharias whom, as our Lord said, the Jews slew between the temple and the altar (Matt. 23:35), first, because even after the Virgin Mary gave birth, he continued to refer to her as virgin and number her among the virgins; second, because Zacharias' son John was not found during the slaughter of the Innocents, since the elderly Elizabeth had taken him and carefully hid him while he was yet an infant, in an unnamed place somewhere in the desert, where, according to the Evangelist, "the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel" (Luke 1:80). When the child was not found, his father was slain by Herod's command.

Elizabeth
September 05

Elizabeth, Mother of the Forerunner

Vmnativt
September 08

The Nativity of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary

According to the ancient tradition of the Church, the Theotokos was born of barren and aged parents, Joachim and Anna, about the year 16 or 17 before the birth of Christ. Joachim was descended from the royal line of David, of the tribe of Judah. Anna was of the priestly tribe of Levi, a daughter of the priest Matthan and Mary, his wife.

Joachann
September 09

The Holy & Righteous Ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna

Today, the day following the Nativity of the most holy Theotokos, we celebrate the synaxis of Saints Joachim and Anna, honouring them as her parents.

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

First Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Matthew 28:16-20

At that time, the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw Him they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age. Amen."

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. 3rd Mode. Psalm 46.6,1.
Sing praises to our God, sing praises.
Verse: Clap your hands, all you nations.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 15:1-11.

Brethren, I would remind you in what terms I preached to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand, by which you are saved, if you hold it fast -- unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God which is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Gospel Reading

12th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 19:16-26

At that time, a young man came up to Jesus, kneeling and saying, "Good Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" And he said to him, "Why do you call me good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." He said to him, "Which?" And Jesus said, "You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and You shall love your neighbor as yourself." The young man said to him, "All these I have observed; what do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.

And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." When the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

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