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PEACE AND GRACE

Commemoration of the Departure of the Great Saint Anba Paul, the First Hermit (February 9 / Amshir 2)

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for

“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

1 Peter 5:5-7

SERVICES THIS WEEK

Wednesday:

Liturgy: 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Friday:

Youth Online Hymn Meeting: 7:00 p.m. (Contact Mariam G. 562-456-6067 or clicking here to join!)

Saturday:

Pre-Marital Course: 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. (more info below)

Vespers Raising of Incense: 7:00 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.

Sunday:

Divine Liturgy: 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. (ONLINE Sunday School at noon)

Monday (Jonah’s Fast):

Preparation for Baptism (Catechism) Class: 8:00 p.m. (online)

UPDATE || COVID PRECAUTIONS

The infection numbers are finally leveling off and we have re-started Wednesday Liturgies and Saturday Vesper prayers at St. Basil’s. God willing, we will resume in-person Sunday school this coming Sunday!  

Please be reminded that for now there will be no entry into the church without a mask, even during in-person Sunday school.  Weather permitting, Sunday school will be held outdoors as much as possible.

Let us also be reminded of the safety measures we have practiced previously.  God protect you all.  If you have any questions, please contact Fr. Michael at 949-378-0350.

CONGRATULATIONS JULIANA AND ZOE!

Congratulations to Zoe and Juliana for receiving the blessing of joining the Ecclesiastical choir from Bishop Abraham during his visit on Sunday.  God bless your lives with the beauty praising our Lord Jesus Christ!

Nothing so arouses the soul, gives it wings, sets it free from the earth, releases it from the prison of the body, teaches it to love wisdom and to despise all the things of this life, as harmonious melody and sacred song composed in rhythm. — St. John Chrysostom (On Psalm 41)

What state can be more blessed than to imitate on earth the choruses of angels; to begin the day with prayer, and honor our Maker with hymns and songs? As the day brightens, to commit ourselves with prayer giving it attention throughout the day in our labors, and to season our work with hymns, as if with salt? Soothing hymns compose the mind to a cheerful and calm state. — St. Basil the Great (2nd Letter to St. Gregory)

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.

FEB 14-17 || JONAH’S FAST

Jonah’s Fast begins Monday, February 14, 2022 and ends with the Feast on Thursday, February 17, 2022.  This three-day strict (no seafood) fast is also accompanied by the reading of the Book of Jonah, one of the minor Old Testament prophets, which is full of prophesies, resemblances of Christ and the spirit of repentance. 

MINOR LEAK

Maintenance crews were busy this week patching the cause of a minor leak that occurred during the last rain events. Additional preventative maintenance efforts will continue this spring and summer as is common for commercial roofs from time to time.  

2021 TAXES

If you have made a non-monetary donation to St. Basil’s, please reach out to Richard Marcos soon at 626-695-7870

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.