Weekly Update - Jan 25
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PEACE AND GRACE
The Dormition of Our Lady, the Virgin Mary, the Theotokos (Jan 29 / Toba 21)
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“And the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift;
The rich among the people will seek your favor.
The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace;
Her clothing is woven with gold.”
Psalm 45:12-13
SERVICES THIS WEEK
Tuesday:
Vespers Prayer: 7:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. (join Zoom here)
Wednesday:
Vespers Prayer: 7:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. (join Zoom here)
Online Hymn Lessons for our youth: 7:30 p.m. (join Zoom here)
Thursday:
Vespers Prayer: 7:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. (join Zoom here)
Friday:
Vespers Prayer: 7:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. (join Zoom here)
Sunday:
Outdoor Divine Liturgy: 8:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. (registration required)
Sunday School: 12:00 p.m. - 12:45 p.m. (online)
Monday:
Vespers Prayer: 7:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. (join Zoom here)
Preparation for Baptism (Catechism) Class: 8:00 p.m. (online)
CONGRATULATIONS TO CYPRUS “MICHAEL” BURKE
Congratulations to Hayden and Alicia Burke for the baptism of their son Cyprus “Michael” Burke! God grant you every blessing
Let us say again: Blessed be God, who alone does wonderful things, who does all things and transforms them. Before yesterday you were captives, but now you are free and citizens of the Church; lately you lived in the shame of your sins, but now you live in freedom and justice.
You are not only free , but also holy;
not only holy, but also just;
not only just but also sons;
not only sons, but also heirs;
not only heirs, but also brothers of Christ;
not only brothers of Christ, but also joint heirs;
not only joint heirs, but also members;
not only members, but also the temple;
not only the temple, but also instruments of the Spirit.
You have seen how numerous the gifts of baptism are although many think that the only gift it confers is the remission of sins. It is on this account that we baptize even infants, although they are sinless, that they may be given the further gifts sanctification, justice, filial adoption, and inheritance, that they may be brothers and members of Christ, and become dwelling places for the Spirit.
~St. John Chrysostom- 4th Century
CHILDREN’S ART!
Great job to Zoe Hanna (7) for her beautiful drawing of St. Mary!
Would you like to showcase your child’s talent? Send a photo of the artwork to renisoloman@gmail.com to be included in the next newsletter!
JAN 27 || ONLINE COPTIC HYMN LESSONS
Join us online Wednesday nights at 7:30 for Youth Coptic Hymn Lessons. Those in High School and younger will learn both seasonal and standard hymns and congregational responses that are sung during the Divine Liturgy. Click here to join.
FEB 1 || PREPARATION FOR BAPTISM (CATECHISM) CLASSES
Join us on ONLINE on Monday nights at 8:00 PM for Baptism preparation classes. These classes are open for:
Anyone interested in becoming members of the Coptic Orthodox Church,
Those recently baptized (within the last few years), or
Simply anyone else seeking to better understand the basics of the Christian Faith and History.
Together, we will review the importance of baptism and its impact, the Sacraments, the inspiring church history, the Orthodox Creed, the Holy Bible, Orthodox Prayer and Spiritual life, and Church traditions. Reading material will be provided for those who wish to attend. To register for this class, please contact Fr. Michael at 949-378-0350 or FrMichaelMaximous@gmail.com .
OUTDOOR LITURGIES
The State of California has designated San Diego County in the “Purple Tier” which means there have been spikes in Covid-19 infections in the region. Consequently, we will be transitioning back to outdoor liturgies starting Sunday (November 15th). We pray that this temporary situation is short lived and we can return back inside the church soon. Of course, outdoor liturgies will be dependent on the weather (rain, cold, etc..). Updates will be texted to all the beloved Congregation members.
Please continue to register for liturgies as we have been doing for the last few months.
If you would like the blessing of coming early to help set up the tents and chairs, please arrive at 7:45.
Thank you all for your patience and resilience during this process!
Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact Fr. Michael at 949-378-0350.
PROFESSIONAL NETWORK
As a reminder, the Professionals LinkedIn group is an easy way to connect and network with fellow members of our community.
COVID-19 HARDSHIP
If you or anyone you know is suffering from hardships related to this virus, or any distress at all, please contact Fr. Michael at 949-378-0350 or FrMichaelMaximous@gmail.com.
Additionally, the servants of St. Basil have put together a list of spiritual, financial, educational, and employment resources that you may find helpful during the COVID-19. We hope that it is helpful. You can download the PDF here.
ST. BASIL WELCOME PORTAL
Do you know about our Welcome Portal? You can use it to register as a member, update existing contact information, volunteer for a church service, make a donation, contact Father Michael, or provide private comments/questions/suggestions. Try it out:
FAMILY HOME VISITS
Father Michael is offering home visits for anyone who is interested. Please reach out to him directly to schedule a visit.
Phone: 949-378-0350
Email: FrMichaelMaximous@gmail.com
HELP WITH AMAZON SMILE
If you are looking into other ways to support our church, the AmazonSmile Foundation offers an easy way to give while browsing the Amazon shop. It will donate 0.5% of the purchase price from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases, at no cost to you. To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.com (you may want to add a bookmark to make it easier to return). You will see eligible products marked “Eligible for AmazonSmile donation” on the product detail pages. If you already own an Amazon account you can use the same account for AmazonSmile. On your first visit, please select “Saint Basil American Coptic Orthodox Church” as your charity of choice. Amazon will remember your selection, and then every eligible purchase you make will result in a donation for our church. Thank you so much for your love and support.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Please let us know if you have any upcoming important events for us to share with our fellow congregants. Special events are best shared among our family, and we encourage you to share your special news with us.