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PEACE AND GRACE

The Feast of Presenting the Lord Christ in the Temple. (Feb 9 / Amshir 2)

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“You have loosed my bonds.
I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
I will pay my vows to the LORD
Now in the presence of all His people,
In the courts of the LORD's house,
In the midst of you, O Jerusalem.”

Psalm 116:16 - 19

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)

FEB 10 || 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 15 || 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.

CHILDREN’S ART!

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!

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.