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PEACE AND GRACE

Commemoration of the Departure of Isaiah the Prophet (September 16 / Tout 1)

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

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:

Basic Biblical Hebrew Class: 6:30 p.m. (see details below)

Vespers Prayer: 7:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. (join Zoom here)

Friday:

Youth Hymn Online Meeting: 7:00 p.m. (Contact Mariam G. for the Zoom link: 562-456-6067)

Vespers Prayer: 7:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. (join Zoom here)

Saturday:

Coptic New Year Liturgy: 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Sunday:

Divine Liturgy: 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. (followed by in-person Sunday School)

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 NICOLE WILLIAMS!

Congratulations to Nicole Williams for her baptism!  God grant her every spiritual blessing and growth in our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Having taken therefore Christ as our pattern, let us draw near to the grace of holy baptism, that so we may gain boldness to pray constantly, and lift up holy hands to God the Father, that He may open the heavens also unto us, and send down upon us too the Holy Spirit, to receive us as sons. For He spoke unto Christ at the time of holy baptism, as though having by Him and in Him accepted humanity upon earth to the sonship, "This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased." For He Who is the Son by nature and in truth, and the Only-begotten, when He became like unto us, is especially declared to be the Son of God, not as receiving this for Himself:----for He was and is, as I said, very Son:----but that He might ratify the glory unto us. For He has been made our first-fruits, and firstborn, and second Adam: for which reason it is said, that "in Him all things have become new:" for having put oil the oldness that was in Adam, we have gained the newness that is in Christ: by Whom and with Whom, to God the Father, be glory and dominion with the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever, Amen.

St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke, Homily 11.

IMPORTANT || COVID-19 UPDATE AND PROTOCOLS

Covid Infection numbers continue to be high especially with the new variant. Our prayers are with those who have tested positive for the virus and those on the front lines caring for the sick.  We know as Christians that we should not conduct ourselves in fear or lack of faith. However, we should also act rationally and with sensitivity towards others. 

For the safety of yourself and those around PLEASE, be mindful of the following:

1. Please wear a mask at church to protect the younger members of our congregation who have not been vaccinated. 

2. If you have been in contact with anyone that has been infected and/or tested positive, even if no symptoms are observed, kindly do not come to any of the church services until you have tested negative.

3. If you, or anyone you know, have attended church services and have tested positive for the virus a few days later, please inform Fr. Michael who will let those who attended the same services know so they they can also be tested. Identities will be kept confidential. Please see above regarding attendance at church services.

Also, we will be streaming once more downstairs for those who feel more comfortable with greater social distancing. 

Please let Fr. Michael know if there are any questions.

949-378-0350

NEW URBAN EQUIPMENT AND RENOVATIONS

You may have seen some minor renovations upstairs near the back of the church!  One of the urban-making pieces of equipment is nearing the end of its life and therefore new equipment needed to purchased.  Also, as Sunday attendance continues increase, this new piece of equipment will help with a higher production of the urban.  We will also move most of the equipment to the back room to allow for more volunteers to assist in this precious service.  The work entails installing the new equipment, some plumbing, electrical work and new flooring.  

If you want to be involved and wish to learn how to make urban, contact Ihab Botros at 858-774-5364!

MARRIAGE ENRICHMENT!

COPTIC CLUB BIGS AND LITTLES PROGRAM

Coptic Club of San Diego is pleased to launch its second year of the college Bigs and Littles program. The program aims to match new first-year or transfer colleges students with returning students in the broader San Diego area. Matched Bigs and Littles connect around common interests or academic fields and Bigs support Littles by sharing information, tips, and everyday advice about going to college. Please contact us for more information: Bella Farah, bfarah123@gmail.com (student program leader) and Sam Soloman, samuelsoloman@gmail.com (program advisor).

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.