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St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2017-08-06
Bulletin Contents
Transfiguration
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St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • 408.605.0621
  • Street Address:

  • 9th and Lincoln, Carmel-by-the-Sea

  • ,
  • Mailing Address:


  • PO Box 5808 Carmel by the Sea, CA 93921


Contact Information




Services Schedule

  • Sunday Orthros and Divine Liturgy: 8:30 a.m.
  • Week day feasts Orthros and Liturgy: 8:30 a.m. - see Liturgical Calendar
  • Paraklesis most Wednesdays: 6 p.m. - see Liturgical Calendar


Past Bulletins


Schedule of Services

Friday, August 4
    6:00pm  Paraklesis
Saturday, August 5
    6:00pm  Vespers
Sunday, August 6 HOLY TRANSFIGURATION
    8:30am  Orthros + Liturgy
    1:00pm  (following Parish Assembly Meeting) Paraklesis
Monday, August 7
    6:00pm  Paraklesis
Tuesday, August 8
    6:00pm  Paraklesis
Wednesday, August 9
    6:00pm  Paraklesis
    7:00pm  Dinner and Group Discussion
Thursday, August 10
    6:00pm  Paraklesis
Friday, August 11
     6:00pm  Paraklesis
Saturday, August 12
    5:00pm  Vespers
Sunday, August 13
    8:30am  Orthros + Liturgy
    6:00pm  Paraklesis
Monday, August 14
    6:00pm  Vespers
Tuesday, August 15  Dormition of Theotokos
    8:30am  Orthros + Liturgy
    11:00am  Festal Luncheon
Wednesday, August 16
    6:00pm  Paraklesis
    7:00pm  Dinner and Group Discussion
Saturday, August 19
    5:00pm  Vespers
    7:00pm  Saint Lawrence Vespers
Sunday, August 20
    8:30am  Orthros + Liturgy

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News & Events

DORMITION FAST

We are in the midst of the short period of fasting that includes the celebration of the Holy Transfiguration (August 6) and ends with the Dormition of the Theotokos (August 15). They are both big and beautiful feast days in our lives. So, let us prepare!

·        This is the time when we cut down or, if possible, eliminate certain foods (meat, eggs, dairy, oil, alcohol). We work on self-control, we eat less and get thinner. The Church calendar tells us what to do and when to do it: https://www.goarch.org/chapel/calendar

·        But not only do we change the diet, but we also strive for more spiritual food. With less eating, there is more time to pray. Let us take it! With less eating, there is more left in the pocket. Let us give it! The needy should be the beneficiaries of our fast.

·        All this can only gain meaning if done in Christ, and not in the world. Therefore, we fast from useless things that occupy our time, mind and soul, from entertainment, vain communication (both face to face and social media). We seek quietness to find... ourselves. Once found, we take ourselves to the evening Paraklesis services and we schedule to do confession.

Have a blessed Dormition Fast!


TRANSFIGURATION BLESSING OF THE GRAPES

It is the tradition of the Church for us to bring and bless grapes on the feast of the Transfiguration. So, do not forget to bring some grapes this Sunday!

Prayers for the first-fruits have been preserved in our liturgical tradition from the third century, and we also encounter in liturgical manuscripts the "Prayer for the Offering of First-Fruits" or "Prayer Upon Offering New Fruits", such as, for example, grapes, figs, pomegranates, apples, peaches, etc. These short texts are full of thanksgiving to God, Who gives "every fruit for the gladness and nourishment of humanity". Man offers in return the "first-fruits", believing that this offering is received from God. Through the offering of the first-produce, there is kept alive the memorial and communion of the gifts of God, and of course the taste and hope of eternal treasures and pleasure.


PARISH ASSEMBLY MEETING

Our Parish Assembly Meeting scheduled for Sunday, August 6, following Divine Liturgy.  We encourage you to attend this important meeting of all parishioners to learn all the news. You won't want to miss it!


ORTHODOXY 101/ CATECHISM CLASS

A new Orthodoxy 101/ Catechism cycle will begin on Sunday, August 13 to end at the end of the Great and Holy Lent. The meetings will take place on Sundays after the coffee hour, the first one being an Introductory class. To sign up for the class, please contact Father Ion.


PARAKLESIS, POTLUCK AND WORKSHOP

Next week's Wednesday Paraklesis will be followed by the small group discussion inspired by the delicious potluck dinner. We will partake of some Desert Wisdom and we will discuss about applying it to our lives in the modern age.

6:00pm – Paraklesis
6:45pm – Lenten Potluck dinner and discussion: "Desert Wisdom"


PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS

If you and your family are looking for an unforgettable summer experience, here’s your opportunity to make a difference in a family’s life by giving your heart to a child.  Camp Agape 2017 is quickly approaching, convening on August 17th thru 20th at the St. Nicholas Ranch & Retreat Center in Dunlop, CA.  Please take a moment to consider this amazing Metropolis Ministry that touches the lives of families with children that have life threatening and or terminal illnesses.  These Families and their children spend four restful, peaceful, and restorative days in Nature courtesy of Philoptochos.  Camp Agape gives them a well needed respite from hospital life and treatment.  In Nature, they have the chance to bond again as a whole family, hiking, fishing, swimming, parents get to spend time in a day spa, beauty salon, or have their nails done.  Eat meals with these amazing cancer warriors, or sit quietly around the camp fires, leave knowing you’ve truly made a difference in a life.
 
Enclosed please find the volunteer application, act now, with the Fresno chapter of Philoptochos busy hosting the festival on the same weekend, Camp Agape is relying on us to help fill in.  You won’t regret this time spend doing what He asks of us…helping others that cannot help themselves.
 
Thank you for the consideration, Alexandra Mouzas


 
Events:
- Board of Directors Meeting Tuesday, 8-8 at 5:30
- Camp Agape 2017, 8-17,18,19,20  If anyone is interested in becoming a volunteer at this year’s Camp, please contact Alexandra Mouzas 619-518-2755 or alex@alexandramouzas.com
- Fall General Breakfast Meeting & Lecture with Father Milutin on Saturday, September 16 at 10:00AM Secombe Hall, details to follow.


FAMILY EVENINGS

With great excitement, we are continuing with our second FAMILY EVENING. This is a new ministry centered around the need to bring families together for fellowship and spiritual growth and to enable us all to develop as members of Saint John's family.

This is a potluck dinner event that will take place on Friday, August 18 from 5:30 p.m. at the Community Center in La Mesa, Monterey. The time and the location are set to enable families with younger children to participate. Child care will be provided for the time of the adult time together. If you can, please bring a dish to share - Friday's are fasting days.

The schedule is as follows:

  • 5:30 - 6:00pm - Family potluck dinner -we all eat together.
  • 6:00 - 7:00pm - Short movie/ presentation, small group discussions and fellowship.
  • 7:00 pm - More fellowship time...

Again, we will use "A Journey to Fullness" as seed for the group discussions.


A JOURNEY TO FULLNESS

This is the title of the newly released set of short presentations by Father Barnabas Powell. We will watch them together and discuss in small groups how we our journey takes us to the fullness of the original Christian Faith. Excellent material, professionally crafted and put on the screen with much love and enthusiasm. The episodes will be shown and discussed at the FAMILY EVENINGS.


GREEK FESTIVAL PREPARATIONS

Our Festival will get started in a little more than a month; we will then begin the hard and fruitful work of cooking gyros and souvlakia, serving pastitsio and dolmades, and quenching the thirst of our guests with beer, wine and soda. Moreover, this year we will also send as many visitors as possible to see the Church Tours at the Little Church at the Festival.

New: this coming Sunday, at the Parish Assembly, we will have a signup sheet for the Festival. The Festival is a church ministry, and requires the help of all of our members, their family and, if possible, of their friends too. I will also post the signup sheet on the next Fest Pulse newsletter. If you can’t serve for three days, then serve for two, and if you can’t do two, then serve for as much as you can. Any time you can sacrifice will be an immense help to the mission of the Festival and of our church.

 


GREEK FESTIVAL PREPARATIONS

We finished cooking the Karithopita (Walnut Cake), and another three hundred Dolmades for the Taverna Night. Pastitsio is being prepared this Friday and Saturday. There will only be two more chances to join the cooking team for fellowship and service and to learn some delicious recipes. Remaining on the schedule are: Galaktoboureko (custard pie with phyllo) and Apricot Baklava. Please join us; “Many hands make light work.”

Upcoming Cooking Schedule - all cooking to take place in Salinas, unless otherwise noted.

    Tuesday, August 29 Apricot Baklava, 12 pm
    Thursday, August 31 Apricot Baklava 9 am
    Question about this event? Call Sandy Sanders at 831.229.1937

Bring with you a sack lunch and your apron.  More dates will be announced for other items soon.


NEW: CONNECT!

We now have three new Facebook Groups for you to consider:

  • Families - for parents (and grandparents) to keep in touch and plan events.
  • Newbies - for catechumens and new people in our community.
  • Military - for families of the military in the area, both active and retired.

These are closed groups. Add your friends who might enjoy being part of them or, to join, please contact Julia Wheeler.


SERVING THESE SUNDAYS

The teams on duty these coming Sundays are:

August 6
   Welcoming:  Anne Zavitsanos
   Parish Council Member:  Hussam Ibrahim
   Fellowship: Team 1 (Gold) – always 1st Sunday of the month

August 13
   Welcoming:  Katherine Shaw
   Parish Council Member:  Alexandra Mouzas
   Fellowship: Team 2 (Pink) – always 2nd Sunday of the month


SUNDAY SCHOOL SUMMER BREAK

The Sunday School will enjoy the summer break until September. See you in church!


AMAZON SMILE

If you already shop on Amazon, or if you’re looking for the perfect gift for a loved one, we invite you to shop at smile.amazon.com and choose Saint John the Baptist Church Carmel as your charity of choice and 0.5% of your purchase will be donated to Saint John’s. This is no cost to you. Below you can read about how to use Amazon Smile.

How Does it Work?

1. Visit smile.amazon.com.
The entire shopping experience is the same and most products available on amazon.com are available at Amazon Smile. Link to https://smile.amazon.com/ch/94-6136359.

2. Sign in and Choose Saint John the Baptist Church Carmel

The screen will look slightly different depending on whether you’re already signed into Amazon. If you’re already signed in, you’ll see a screen like the one below. Simply search for “Saint John the Baptist Church Carmel” and proceed to step 3.

3. Begin Shopping

 


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Transfiguration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
The Reading is from Luke 9:28-36

At that time, Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his countenance was altered, and his raiment became dazzling white. And behold, two men talked with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, and when they wakened they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah" - not knowing what he said. As he said this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, my Beloved; listen to him!" And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silence and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. 4th Mode. Psalm 103.24,1.
O Lord, how manifold are your works. You have made all things in wisdom.
Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul.

The reading is from St. Peter's Second Universal Letter 1:10-19.

BRETHREN, be more zealous to confirm your call and election, for if you do this you will never fall; so there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Therefore I intend always to remind you of these things, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to arouse you by way of reminder, since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. And I will see to it that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased," we heard this voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word made more sure. You will do well to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.


Gospel Reading

Transfiguration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
The Reading is from Matthew 17:1-9

At that time, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain apart. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is well that we are here; if you wish, I will make three booths here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah." He was still speaking, when lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces, and were filled with awe. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and have no fear." And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Tell no one the vision, until the Son of man is raised from the dead."


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Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion for Holy Transfiguration in the Grave Mode

You were transfigured upon the mountain, O Christ our God, showing to Your disciples Your glory as much as they could bear. Do also in us, sinners though we be, shine Your everlasting light, through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Giver of light. Glory to You.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Grave Mode

Upon the mountain were You transfigured, and Your disciples beheld Your glory as far as they were able, O Christ our God; so that when they would see You crucified they might understand that Your Passion was deliberate, and declare to the world that in truth You are the Father's radiance.
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Saints and Feasts

Transfiguration
August 06

Transfiguration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

Our Lord had spoken to His disciples many times not only concerning His Passion, Cross, and Death, but also concerning the coming persecutions and afflictions that they themselves would endure. Since all these evils were near at hand, but the enjoyment of good things which they hoped to receive in their stead was yet to come, our Savior desired to give them full assurance, evidently and openly, concerning that glory which is prepared for those who endure to the end. Therefore, fulfilling that which He had promised shortly before, that "there be some standing here which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in His Kingdom" (Matt. 16:28), He took His three foremost disciples and ascended Mount Tabor, where He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as the light. Suddenly, together with this dread and marvelous effulgence of light, there appeared those pinnacles of the Prophets, Moses and Elias, who spoke with the Lord Jesus concerning His saving Passion which was about to take place. Standing before Him as reverent servants, they showed that He is the Lord of both the living and the dead, for Moses came forth from Hades, having died many centuries before, and Elias, as it were from heaven, whither he had been taken up while yet alive. After a little while a radiant cloud overshadowed them and out of the cloud they heard that same voice which had been heard at the Jordan at the Baptism of Christ, testifying to the Divinity of Jesus and saying: "This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well-pleased; hear ye Him" (Matt. 17: 5).

Such are the marvels, truly worthy of God, celebrated in this present feast, which is an image and prefiguring of the future state of the righteous, whose splendor the Lord spoke of, saying: "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun" (Matt. 13:43). It is because of this that the Kontakion of this Feast is said daily (when there is not a great feast) in the Service of the Typica in perpetual commemoration of the glory that will be the lot of the Saints. According to tradition, the Lord's Transfiguration came to pass forty days before His Crucifixion; this is why the Transfiguration is celebrated forty days before the Exaltation of the Cross.


Allsaint
August 09

The Holy Apostle Matthias

After Judas by transgression fell from his apostleship (Acts 1: 25), and hanging himself out of despair ended his life with a wretched and shameful death (Matt. 27: 5), then, that the number of the Twelve not be lacking, all the disciples gathered in one place after the Ascension of the Savior (the number of men and women being 120), and they chose two men from among them, Joseph, called Barsabas, who was also surnamed Justus, and Matthias, and they set them in the midst. Then they prayed to God and cast lots, "and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven Apostles" (Acts 1: 15-26). And thus, having taken the place of Judas, Matthias fulfilled the work of apostleship and the prophecy concerning Judas, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David: "And his bishopric let another take" (Ps. 108:7). After this, it is said, Matthias preached the Gospel in Ethiopia, and completed his life there in martyrdom.


Allsaint
August 10

Laurence the Holy Martyr & Archdeacon of Rome

This Saint, who was born in Spain, was the Archdeacon of the Church of Rome, caring for the sacred vessels of the Church and distributing money to the needy. About the year 257, a harsh persecution was raised up against the Christians by Valerian. Pope Sixtus, who was from Athens, was commanded to worship the idols, and refused; before his martyrdom by beheading, he committed to Laurence all the sacred vessels of the Church. When Laurence was arrested and brought before the Prefect, he was questioned concerning the treasures of the Church; he asked for three days' time to prepare them. He then proceeded to gather all the poor and needy, and presented them to the Prefect and said, "Behold the treasures of the Church." The Prefect became enraged at this and gave command that Laurence be racked, then scourged with scorpions (a whip furnished with sharp iron points - compare II Chron. 10:11), then stretched out on a red-hot iron grill. But the courageous athlete of Christ endured without groaning. After he had been burned on one side, he said, "My body is done on one side; turn me over on the other." And when this had taken place, the Martyr said to the tyrants, "My flesh is now well done, you may taste of it." And when he had said this, and had prayed for his slayers in imitation of Christ, he gave up his spirit on August 10, 258.


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Wisdom of the Fathers

It is therefore possible for the same Lord not to appear in the same way to all who stand before Him, but to appear to some in one way and to others in another way, according to the measure of each person's faith.
St. Maximos the Confessor
Second Century on Theology, 13., 7th Century

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