Saint John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2025-09-14
Bulletin Contents

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Saint John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • 408.605.0621
  • Street Address:

  • 9th and Lincoln

  • Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
  • Mailing Address:

  • PO Box 5808

  • Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921


Contact Information




Services Schedule

 

Weekend services: the weekend schedule is fixed for most of the year. The services take place in Carmel-by-the-Sea, at All Saints Church, lower level, 9th and Lincoln.

Saturdays: 5:00pm Vespers

Sundays:   8:30am Matins

                   9:45am Liturgy

Week-day services: during the week we may celebrate the major feast days of the Church either in Carmel or in Salinas. Please check the calendar! The schedule pattern is:

Wednesdays:  6:00pm Paraklesis

Eve of feasts: 6:00pm Vespers

Feast days:    8:30am Matins

                       9:45am Liturgy


Past Bulletins


Schedule of Services

Note: Our services are posted on Zoom unless specified otherwise.   

Friday, September 12
    6pm Vespers with Canon to Saint Photini - Evangelism Season Prayer
    7pm Journey to Fullness for Explorers
Saturday, September 13 Forefeast of the Exaltation of the Cross, Saint Aristides
    5pm Vespers
Sunday, September 14 Exaltation of the Holy Cross
    8am Matins + Procession with the Holy Cross
    9am Baptism

    10am Liturgy + Making of a catechumen + Evangelism Season Witness
Monday, September 15 Saint Nikitas / Saint Visarion
    6:30pm PC Leadership Monthly Training
Tuesday, September 16
    7pm Missions and Evangelism Committee
Wednesday, September 17
    9:30am Book Forum: Everyday Saints
    6pm Paraklesis
    7pm Enduring Love - Marriage Class
Thursday, September 18
    6pm Men's Night Out on the Patio

Friday, September 19
    6pm Canon to Saint Photini - Evangelism Season Prayer Service
    7pm Journey to Fullness for Explorers
Saturday, September 20
    5pm Vespers
Sunday, September 21
    8:30am  Matins
    9:45am Liturgy
    12:30pm Catechism Class + Church School

Zoom with video here.  For more information, go to  //www.stjohn-monterey.org/parish-calendar

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Special Services

The Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Lifegiving Cross

Sunday, September 14

-- Fasting, wine and oil allowed --

Procession with the Holy Cross at the end of Matins

Forefeast: Saturday, observed with Vespers on Friday, 6pm

+   +   +

Miriam's Baptism

Sunday, 9am

Following the procession with the Holy Cross

Godmother: Rania Zavitsanos

+   +   +

Making of a Catechumen

Prayers for the making of a catechumen for

Benjamin (Ben) Torres

Following the Liturgy this Sunday

 

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You are invited

 
Saint John's
Second Evangelism Season
 
 >>> The first prayers to Saint Photini: Friday, 6pm <<<
 
>>> This Sunday's ES witness: Ben <<<
 
The Evangelism Season is the time of the year when we dedicate two months to the more focused effort of prayer for the ones missing God in their lives. We will be running the second and last collection of names from those attending the liturgy on September 14. 
 
We will also have the opportunity to listen to our first witness to Orthodoxy this season, Ben, who will speak about his experience in finding the Orthodox Church. He will also be made a catechumen this Sunday.
 
Here is what we will do:
  • You will write down on prayer cards the first names of those (non-Orthodox) for whom we should be praying.
  • Our team will collect these prayer cards, scan them, and return them to you.
  • You will be praying for the people on your prayer card every day, through September and October.
  • We will pray together the to Saint Photini on Friday evenings for these two months.

Then, we will thank the Good Lord for blessing our effort. Glory be to Him, our Lord and God!

 
Living the Gospel, Community
 
 
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News & Events

NEW - TONIGHT: JOURNEY TO FUlLNESS TO CONTINUE THE NEW CYCLE

A Ministry led by Edward Mar

This 16-session class is offered to exploreres of Orthodoxy, a great opportunity to learn how the Orthodox Church sees herself. We will follow the brief lectures of Father Barnabas Powell and we will have the chance to discuss the material and to share personal experiences for each of the topics. The class will be run by Edward, who himself attended it as a student not too long ago...

Friday, September 12, 7pm

Journey to Fullness

Session 2: What is the Orthodox Church?

The class will meet online via Zoom.

Education


CHILDREN'S EDUCATION PROGRAM

A Ministry led by Presbytera Ana

The Orthodox Montessori Spiritual Formation Program has started the new school year with meetings after the Agape Meal. The program is open to children ages 3-6 years. Please contact Presbytera Ana for more information.

>>> The School will not meet this Sunday <<<

Education


MARRIAGE CLASS

A ministry led by Ali Castañeda

We will dive in the material by looking at God's desin for marriage.  The targeted audience ranges from young adults to couples who have been married for decades. The classes will take place right after the Wednesday Paraklesis service from 6:45pm. They are also an opportunity to build community.

See the bookstore for the required textbook ($30).

About the leader: Ali is a licensed marriage and family therapist, working in the field for 5 years. He holds a bachelors degree in psychology, a masters degree in counselingand advanced training with couples. Ali was received into the Orthodox Church in 2024. He and his wife Marissa are married since 2022 and they are expecting their first child this year.

#6: Children and parenting

and 

#7: Roles and Responsabilities

Wednesday, September 10, 6:45pm (after Paraklesis)

Outline:

1. God's Design for Marriage
2. Love and Expectations
3. Friendship and Goals
4. Communication and Conflict
5. Sex and Romance
6. Children and parenting
7. Roles and responsibilities
8. Finances
9. Spiritual Life
10. Enduring to the End

Living the Gospel, Community


WELCOMING AND HOSPITALITY: SERVING THIS SUNDAY

A Ministry led by Miriam Aguilar

Thank you for your effort and participation in bringing a dish to share for our Agape Meal. If you cannot participate when it is your turn, kindly make other arrangements for someone to cover for you and let your team leader know.

Sunday, September 14
   Parish Council Representative: Thimi Saites
   Greeter:  Nadia Zajicek
   Agape Meal: PINK TEAM - Thank you to Nadia, Maria, Rania, and Christine D

Sunday, September 21
   Parish Council Representative: Ali Castaneda
   Greeter: Marissa Castaneda
   Agape Meal: GOLD TEAM 

Community


OUTREACH MINISTRIES - LADIE'S I-HELP

Ministries led by Despina Hatton

LADIES I-HELP: 

  • Tuesday, October 7 Cooking: 4pm. Dinner with the ladies: 5:30pm.
  • Thursday, October 30. Cooking: 4pm. Dinner with the ladies: 5:30pm

FOOD BANK:

  • Tuesday, October, 14.  9:00 -10:30am @St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Seaside.

Community


ADULT SUNDAY EDUCATION/ CATECHISM

A Ministry led by Father Ion

The meets after the Agape meal in Saint Nektarios chapel. 

>>> No Class this Sunday <<<

Living the Gospel

 


BOOK FORUM

A Ministry led by Kathy Shaw

We continue to meet on Wednesdays, from 9:30am and we are now reading Everyday Saints and Other Stories, by Archmandrite Tikhon (Shrevkunov). It can be purchased HERE.

 Education, Community


ONLINE RESOURCES

Most of our services and some ministry meetings are available online. Zoom with video here. Liturgical texts at Ages Initiatives here.


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Saints and Feasts

September 14

The Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Giving Cross

Saint Helen, the mother of Saint Constantine the Great, when she was already advanced in years, undertook, in her great piety, the hardships of a journey to Jerusalem in search of the cross, about the year 325. A temple to Aphrodite had been raised up by the Emperor Hadrian upon Golgotha, to defile and cover with oblivion the place where the saving Passion had been suffered. The venerable Helen had the statue of Aphrodite destroyed, and the earth removed, revealing the Tomb of our Lord, and three crosses. Of these, it was believed that one must be that of our Lord, the other two of the thieves crucified with Him; but Saint Helen was at a loss which one might be the Wood of our salvation. At the inspiration of Saint Macarius, Archbishop of Jerusalem, a lady of Jerusalem, who was already at the point of death from a certain disease, was brought to touch the crosses, and as soon as she came near to the Cross of our Lord, she was made perfectly whole. Consequently, the precious Cross was lifted on high by Archbishop Macarius of Jerusalem; as he stood on the ambo, and when the people beheld it, they cried out, "Lord have mercy." It should be noted that after its discovery, a portion of the venerable Cross was taken to Constantinople as a blessing. The rest was left in Jerusalem in the magnificent church built by Saint Helen, until the year 614. At that time, the Persians plundered Palestine and took the Cross to their own country (see Jan. 22, Saint Anastasius the Persian). Late, in the year 628, Emperor Heraclius set out on a military campaign, retrieved the Cross, and after bringing it to Constantinople, himself escorted it back to Jerusalem, where he restored it to its place.

Rest from labour. A Fast is observed today, whatever day of the week it may be.


September 14

Commemoration of the 6th Ecumenical Council


September 15

Saint Nikitas the Great Martyr

This Saint was of high birth among the Goths beyond the Danube River. He was taken by Athanaric, pagan ruler of the Goths, and after being tortured, was burned to death for his confession of Christ. According to some, this took place during the reign of Saint Constantine the Great; according to others, under the Emperor Gratian.


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

The Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Giving Cross
The Reading is from John 12:28-36

The Lord said, "Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." The crowd standing by heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast out: and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." He said this to show by what death he was to die. The crowd answered him, "We have heard from the law that the Christ remains for ever. How can you say that the Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?" Jesus said to them, "The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, lest the darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he goes. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light."


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Grave Mode. Psalm 98.9,1.
Exalt the Lord our God.
Verse: The Lord reigns; let the people tremble.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 1:18-24.

Brethren, the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will thwart." Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.


Gospel Reading

The Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Giving Cross
The Reading is from John 19:6-11, 13-20, 25-28, 30

At that time, when the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, "Crucify him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no crime in him." The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he has made himself the Son of God."

When Pilate heard these words, he was the more afraid; he entered the praetorium again and said to Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave no answer. Pilate therefore said to him, "You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?" Jesus answered him, "You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore he who delivered me to you has the greater sin." When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called the Pavement, and in Hebrew, Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, "Behold your King!" They cried out, "Away with him, away with him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar." Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross; it read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek.

But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. Then when Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished"; and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.


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