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PEACE AND GRACE
The Commemoration of St. James the Apostle. (July 24 / Abib 18)
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!
Romans 10:15
SERVICES THIS WEEK
Monday:
Summer Camp for Elementary School: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday:
Divine 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 followed by Sunday School: 8:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Discussion with Krys Benyamein for Climbing Mt. Everest: immediately following liturgy
Monday:
Preparation for Baptism (Catechism) Class: 8:00 p.m. (online)
MONDAY NIGHTS - SUMMER CAMP FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS!
The summer camp continues for elementary school kids on Monday nights from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The camp includes spiritual education (Journey with St. Paul) as well as songs, snacks and lots of fun.
JUL 24 || DISCUSSION WITH KRYSTOPHER BENYAMEIN FOR CLIMBING MOUNT EVEREST!
New Date (July 24) Our very own Krys Benyamein, husband of Paige McLean, ascended to the peak of Mount Everest, the tallest point on Earth, on Sunday May 15, 2022! He is the first Coptic Christian known to have accomplished this amazing deed! This is no small task and it takes weeks to accomplish. God willing, Krys will give us a presentation about his adventure during Sunday School immediately after the liturgy (July 17th)!
Property Updates
Refinancing Complete - We were able to work with the diocese to complete the needed refinancing of the Church’s mortgage loan just in time before the major increases in interest rates. However, the closing costs ($14,347.32) have had a significant impact to the Church’s finances. If you would like to help the church replenish this amount, please consider donating by clicking here. God bless!
Entry Painting: Have you noticed something new as you walk up the stairs? That’s right! Some very talented individuals in the church have offered their time and talent to help decorate the main entry to the sanctuary!
Roof maintenance: Annual roof maintenance will occur in the coming weeks and no impact to services are anticipated. This essential maintenance effort includes a fresh seal over the entire roof to help ensure no leaks occur!
Coffee Station: Some of you have already enjoyed the lattés and expressos after the liturgy. More improvements to the coffee station area are being planned so stay tuned! If you would like to help serve coffee or be involved in the planning of this station, please let Fr. Michael or Sherif Hanna know!
Upgraded Security Cameras: Updated security cameras will be installed throughout the church as an added security measure! Recall that last year, there was a break-in so such cameras will serve as a deterrent as well as capture important footage, if needed.
AUGUST || DIOCESE HIGH SCHOOL SUMMER RETREATS!
Don’t miss out on the exciting diocese retreats for boys and girls in High School! For the High School Girls retreat (Aug. 1st-3rd), click here! For the High School Boys retreat (Aug. 4th-6th), click here! You will need to register to join by clicking on these links.
SEP 23-25 || NORTH AMERICAN COPTIC YOUNG PROFESSIONAL RETREAT
AGAPE MEAL AFTER THE LITURGY!
Hello St. Basil’s family! We’re happy to continue our weekly Agape meal, but we can’t do it without your help!
You can help in the following ways:
Sign up to bring food (Please refrain from excessive sweets).
Sign up for the coffee cart: set up and clean up the coffee cart on Sunday morning.
Hall clean up following the Agape meal.
Please CLICK HERE to sign up.
God bless your efforts!
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.