Peace & Grace!
Baba 1, 1743 / October 11, 2026
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Romans 10:8-11
SERVICES THIS WEEK
MONDAY:
Preparation for Baptism (Catechism) Class: 8 p.m. - 9 p.m. (online)
TUESDAY:
Midnight Praises: 7:30 - 9:00 p.m.
WEDNESDAY:
Divine Liturgy: 8 a.m. - 10 a.m.
THURSDAY:
College Coptic Club meeting: 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
FRIDAY:
Living Stones Event: 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. (details below)
SATURDAY:
Junior Choir Leaders Hymns Class: 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Vespers: 7 p.m. - 8 p.m.
SUNDAY: (FEAST OF THE CROSS)
Divine Liturgy: 8 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Agape Meal: 11 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Beginning Hymns Lesson: 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Sunday School Classes & Adult Education: 12 p.m. - 1 p.m.
Baptism Blessings!
Congratulations to the ten new Orthodox Christians baptized on October 4th & 5th! May your journey with Christ be filled with peace, love, and joy.
In alphabetical order: Albert, Britney, Charmaine, Corinna, Jack, Jesse, Malachi, Nataly, Qorban, Travis
“Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” - Acts 2:38
Congratulations to Jesse & Charmaine on their Marriage!
Jesse and Charmaine were united together in Holy Matrimony. May God bless their journey and may the Holy Spirit fill them with joy, peace and love.
Living Stones - Beach Bonfire this Friday!
Join us for a beach bonfire! Enjoy fellowship, food, the sunset, and a spiritual talk!
Location: La Jolla Shores Beach
Date: Friday, October 9, 2026
Time: 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Click Here for a map of the parking lot
Also, see below for some amazing upcoming speakers!
Living Stones is a ministry dedicated to helping those who began their Orthodox Christian journey as adults continue to grow in Christ and become deeply rooted in the life of His Church. Through continued Orthodox Christian formation, fellowship, service, and events we seek to build a community where members encourage and strengthen one another. Inspired by 1 Peter 2:5, our mission is to grow together as “living stones” being built up into a spiritual house, each discovering and embracing our place in the life and service of the Church. Let Fr. Michael or Fr. Anthony know if you’d be interested in helping in this amazing service!
New Junior Choir Leaders Hymns Class starting this coming Saturday, Oct. 10th
Weekly on Saturdays from 6 - 7 PM (before Vespers)
Intended for the next generation of choir leaders (boys and girls) with a focus on elementary / middle school
Curriculum will initially focus on hymns of the liturgy in both English and Coptic
Open to all
Annual Fall Festival! Saturday, October 31st
Mark your calendars for this year’s event on Saturday, October 31, 2026, from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.!
The theme this year will be the desert monasteries of Shaheet: Monasteries of St. Macarius, St. Bishoy and Baramous.
Entertainment for kiddos and parents alike!
And like every year, there will be other saint appearances, and each will tell their story (consider volunteering)!
Farm petting zoo from 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
There will be games, facepainting, crafts, bouncy house, food, fellowship, and of course candy!
Please RSVP here so we can know how much candy and food to bring for the kiddos!
If you’d like to take the blessing of helping in this event, please sign-up here
Opportunity to Help New & Expecting Moms
Want to help the many new mommies in our church with much needed services? As you may know the first few months can be challenging! Consider joining the New Mommy’s Committee that helps in:
Connection to other moms for support and advice
Offer to babysit for a break
Provide supplies or food for them
Let them know the church is child friendly with a cry room and a changing room
Help to prepare a baby shower
Provide a gift and card from church
Visit new mommy with a group!
Invite them to the ladies meeting
Shopping for them
Baptism gift
Provide a home cooked meal for family or join a meal train
Click Here to join this wonderful service group or browse other potential services you may be interested in joining!
Want to get Involved?
Many have asked how they can volunteer to help in the many services St. Basil’s offers! CLICK HERE to browse through the services and check the ones you wish to get involved in! For example, we are actively looking for:
Prepare (bake) Urbon (holy bread) for Holy Liturgies
Social Media Manager
Visitor Welcoming Committee
Summer Camp Support
Agape Meal
Contact Fr. Michael or Fr. Anthony if interested!
NEW CHURCH BUILDING CAMPAIGN
As many of you have noticed, our church family has been growing steadily over the past several years. This is a great blessing from God, and we thank Him for it. That growth comes with a demand for increased pastoral need and larger facilities.
The board is actively looking for a new home. If you’d like to help in this important effort that will positively impact our St. Basil community for generations to come, please contact Fr. Michael or Fr. Anthony. God bless your efforts!
And the leaders of the fathers’ houses offered willingly. They gave for the work of the house of God… according to their ability. ~ Ezra 2:68–69
AGAPE MEAL AFTER THE LITURGY
Hello St. Basil family! After every Divine Liturgy, our agape meal means more than food — it is fellowship, healing, and a living expression of our unity in Christ. “They continued steadfastly… in the breaking of bread and in prayers” (Acts 2:42) reminds us that from the earliest days of the church, believers gathered after worship to share life together. This simple meal becomes a lifeline for newcomers trying to find their place, for those who feel alone and long for community, and for every soul who needs to experience the love of Christ in practical, tangible ways. The volunteers who serve in this ministry quietly carry a sacred responsibility: They help people feel seen, included, and loved. This is why hospitality is an amazing virtue! Hebrews 13:2 says “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.”
We are deeply grateful to the few who continue to offer their time, energy, and generosity despite the challenges. Your service is a fragrance of Christ among us! At the same time, we warmly invite others to join this beautiful ministry to lighten the burden on the few. Preparing or serving food may seem small, but in God’s eyes it is an act of love that strengthens the bonds of our parish family and proclaims, without words, that we are “one body in Christ, and individually members of one another” (Romans 12:5). If you feel called to help build St. Basil’s community so no one stands alone, please consider joining this blessed service. Your hands can become instruments of fellowship, hospitality, and grace.
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 Monday nights at 8:00 p.m. 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).
Simply anyone 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 frmichael@stbasil.net.
DIOCESE EVENTS
Click on image for more information!
Interested in participating in missionary trips abroad? Join one the many happening soon! Click here to find out more!
Social Media
LinkedIn: As a reminder, the Professionals LinkedIn group is an easy way to connect and network with fellow members of our community.
YouTube: Subscribe to St. Basil’s YouTube channel to view live streams, Bible studies, and more!
More to come on Instagram, Facebook, and more! If you want to get involved, and have some skills in social media, let Fr. Michael or Fr. Anthony know!
FAMILY HOME VISITS
Father Michael and Father Anthony are offering home visits for anyone who is interested. It’s a wonderful practice to have a priest visit your home at least once a year. Please reach out to them directly to schedule a visit!
Phone: 949-378-0350 (Fr. Michael) | 858-729-8655 (Fr. Anthony)
Email: FrMichael@stbasil.net | FrAnthony@stbasil.net
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.