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PEACE AND GRACE
The Commemoration of St. John The Evangelist (May 24 / Bashons 16)
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”
John 14:16-17
SERVICES THIS WEEK
Tuesday:
Vespers Prayer: 7:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. (join Zoom here)
Wednesday:
Liturgy: 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Vespers Prayer: 7:00 p.m. - 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:
Divine Liturgy: 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Monday:
Vespers Prayer: 7:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. (join Zoom here)
Preparation for Baptism (Catechism) Class: 8:00 p.m. (online) - Starting a new series on Monday May 24th
CONGRATULATIONS TO LINDSAY AND DANIEL!
Congratulations to Lindsay and Daniel who both received a Master’s Degree in Theological Studies on Saturday, May 15, 2021! Lindsay received her degree from Bethal University here in San Diego, CA. Daniel received his degree from St. Athanasius and St. Cyril Theological School (ACTS), which is part of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Southern California. Both members of our parish have worked extremely hard over the last few years to obtain such well-earned degrees. May God bless both of them to use such Christian education to the glory of His name and bring fruits therefrom thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and a hundredfold! And may many others be inspired to pursue and advance in greater Christian understanding.
NO REGISTRATION FOR LITURGIES!
God willing, as infection numbers continue to drop and for the time being, attendance at liturgies will NOT require registrations. Those who so desire, can now attend every Sunday! Progress in this phase will be monitored and adjusted as necessary. If numbers should begin to rise again, registration may become necessary once more but we pray that that will not be the case.
For the time being, downstairs seating with streaming will still be available. Sunday school will be both in-person and through zoom, as we slowly transition to be fully in-person. Please be mindful that most youth have not been vaccinated yet. Therefore, please be encouraged to wear masks and remain socially distant as much as possible, while standing/sitting in the pews. If you have any questions, feel free to call Fr. Michael at 949-378-0350.
CONGRATULATIONS TO PUAL AND ASHLEY WEBER!
Congratulations to Paul and Ashley Weber for the baptism of their son Wolfgang “BASIL” Weber on Friday, May 14, 2021! God bless your lives with the work of the Holy Spirit and continuous newness of life in Jesus Christ.
“Through the Holy Spirit (in the waters of Baptism) comes our restoration to Paradise, our ascension to the Kingdom of heaven, our adoption as God’s sons, our freedom to call God our Father, our becoming partakers of the grace of Christ, being called children of light, sharing in eternal glory, and in a word, our inheritance of the fullness of blessing, both in this world and the world to come. Even while we wait for the full enjoyment of the good things in store for us, by the Holy Spirit we are able to rejoice through faith in the promise of the graces to come. If the promise itself is so glorious, what must its fulfillment be like?” ~St. Basil the Great – On the Holy Spirit
PREPARATION FOR BAPTISM (CATECHISM) CLASSES
Join us on ONLINE on Monday nights at 8:00 PM for Baptism preparation classes. Visit www.stbasil.net/baptism for more information. 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.
COPTIC EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
PROFESSIONAL NETWORK
As a reminder, the Professionals LinkedIn group is an easy way to connect and network with fellow members of our community.
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.