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PEACE AND GRACE
Commemoration of the Departure of St. Elizabeth, Mother of St. John the Baptist (February 24 / Amshir 16)
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit."
Luke 1:41
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:
Vespers Raising of Incense: 7:00 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.
Sunday:
Divine Liturgy: 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. (IN-PERSON Sunday School following Liturgy)
Monday (Beginning of Great Lent):
Preparation for Baptism (Catechism) Class: 8:00 p.m. (online)
PARENTS: SUNDAY SCHOOL IS NOW IN-PERSON!
In-Person Sunday School as now resumed! Be sure to bring your child weekly so they can receive some essential Christian education!
Why is Orthodox Christian education essential for your child? We live in a time and place where things can be confusing for adults let alone for the children! This is especially the case in Southern California where you child WILL face every sort of doctrine and belief, many of which bombard your child with negativity, disbelief, despair, and immorality. And COVID has not made it easier over the last couple of years! Orthodox Christian education, at church but also (and maybe more importantly) at home, will be a strong defense your child will have to face these challenges. Do not miss an opportunity to expose your child to the truths of our Ever-Victorious Lord Jesus Christ, the power He has given the saints before us, the bible, and the promises He has given you and your children! Please reach out to your child’s Sunday School teachers for ways to get involved and partner with them. Let us all have a renewed sense of urgency in the proper Orthodox Christian education for our precious children!
Fun Times with the youth!
Jr High and High School classes had a fun time at BJs while the Elementary School Kiddos paid a visit to Fr. Michael’s house! God bless the efforts of the servants who made these events happen!
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.