Weekly Update - Jan 10
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PEACE AND GRACE
Commemoration of the Departure of St. Basil the Great, Bishop of Caesarea (January 14 / Tobe 6)
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love.”
St. Basil the Great
SERVICES THIS WEEK
Wednesday:
Liturgy: 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Friday:
Liturgy: 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Feast of the Circumcision and Commemoration of St. Basil the Great
Youth Online Hymn Meeting: 7:00 p.m. (Contact Mariam G. 562-456-6067 or clicking here to join!)
Sunday:
Divine Liturgy: 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. (ONLINE Sunday School at noon)
Monday:
Preparation for Baptism (Catechism) Class: 8:00 p.m. (online)
UPCOMING FEASTS & COMMEMORATIONS
There will be a liturgy on Friday morning at 8:00 AM, January 14th, for the Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord and the Commemoration of the patron of our Church: St. Basil the Great
Click here to see a summary of the life and works of St. Basil
There will be a Liturgy Tuesday night (including the liturgy of the blessing of the waters), at 7:00 PM, January 18th, for the Feast of the Theophany (Baptism of Christ).
COVID NUMBERS ARE INCREASING!
Due to the high number of Covid infection cases, services at Church will be limited to Sunday and weekday liturgies Zoom meetings will still occur.
No Sunday School for now
No entry into the church without a mask
We will be postponing the Nativity choir and play until a later date
Let us also be reminded of the safety measures we have practiced previously:
What to Bring to Church:
Masks
Bottled water for after communion
Hand sanitizer
Cloth for head coverings and for after taking communion.
At Church:
Please wear a mask at all times except the moment of Communion
Try to maintain a minimum of six (6) feet from anyone outside of your household
Children will stand with their parents even if they are deacons.
Communion:
There will be a chair at the front of the altar to sit. Either kneel or sit on the chair if you cannot kneel.
Lean head back and open wide so the priest can place the Body and then separately the Blood into your mouth without coming into contact with the priest’s hands.
After Communion, drink your own bottled water. The ologea (Al Baraka) will be provided for each household.
Go down the stairs and immediately leave the church.
Please stay home if you:
Have any flu-like symptoms, or
Have a history of respiratory diseases, or
Have anyone in your household that has symptoms.
NO SOCIAL GATHERINGS AT CHURCH OR IN THE PARKING LOT FOR ANY REASON
GOD KEEP YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES SAFE AND IN GOOD HEALTH AND GRANT A SPEEDY AND FULL RECOVERY TO THOSE WHO ARE SICK.
If you have any questions, please contact Fr. Michael at 949-378-0350.
FEB 12 || PRE-MARITAL COURSE
A Pre-marital Course will be hosted by St. John Coptic Orthodox Church on February 12, 2022 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, PST. There will be discussions for couples that are considering marriage and are engaged. This day is designed to help couples address how they feel about certain topics, and give them the tools that they need to build a strong foundation for a happy future together.
Please RSVP by February 10th 2022 by filling out this google form.
ONLINE HYMNS LESSONS!
The Coptic Orthodox Church has hundreds of hymns that are beautiful, ancient and powerful in moving the soul! When sung, not just by deacons, but by every member of the church, they can uplift the spirit and mind to a place where the angels are! These hymns are rich tradition that we have inherited and now it is our responsivity to provide them to our children.
Please encourage your child to join us online to learn these hymns every Friday at 7:00PM by clicking here!
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.
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 and visit our Welcome Portal.
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.