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Saint John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2024-03-31
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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, March 29
    5:40pm  Ninth Hour
    6:00pm  Presanctified Liturgy
    7:15pm  Potluck Dinner + Movie Night
Saturday, March 30
    5:00pm  Vespers
Sunday, March 31   🍇 Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas
    8:30am  Matins

    9:45am  Liturgy
Monday, April 1
    9:00am  Church University: Prayers and Bible Study (online)
    6:00pm  Great Compline
Tuesday, April 2
    9:00am  Church University: Prayers and Bible Study (online)
    4:00pm  IHELP - Ladies
    7:00pm  Missions and Evangelism Committee
Wednesday, April 3
    9:00am  Church University: Prayers and Bible Study (online)
    10:00am  Book Forum: Great Lent
    5:40pm  Ninth Hour
    6:00pm  Presanctified Liturgy
Thursday, April 4
    9:00am  Church University: Prayers and Bible Study (online)
Friday, April 5
    9:00am  Salutations to the Theotokos (3/4)
    5:40pm  Ninth Hour
    6:00pm  Presanctified Liturgy
    7:15pm  Potluck Dinner + Movie Night
Saturday, April 6
    5:00pm  Vespers
Sunday, April 7   Saint Savvas of Kalymnos /  🍇 Sunday of the Holy Cross
    8:30am  Matins
    9:45am  Liturgy
    11:30am  Philoptochos Supports the Holy Cross School of Theology

For more information, go to  //www.stjohn-monterey.org/parish-calendar

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Special Services

The Memorial Service this Sunday is for the servants of God:

  • Patricia Stella, mother to Nicholas Fettis (6 years).
  • Paraskevi (Voula), mother to Euthimios Saites (4 years).

May their memory be eternal!

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Stewardship News

STEWARDSHIP UPDATE

A Ministry Led by Mary Kanalakis

Let us take a quick look at how we are doing with our 2024 Stewardship:

  • Goal: $185,000 ($2,825 per Stewardship Family, as an average, or $235 per month)
  • Total pledged: $155,604 (85% of the Stewardship Goal)
  • Number of Stewards: 45 (We had 45 this time last year, but our goal was to have 100% signup at the first of the year!))
  • Median pledge: $1,750 (half pledged are above $1,750 and half pledged are below)
  • Percent of our operating expenses is covered by Stewardship: 68%!! Yes, this is too low.

Breakdown of pledges

  • 9 pledged more than $6,000 (totaling $79,000 (An average $11,000 per family)
  • 20 pledged $1,000 to $5,000 (totaling $48,800)  (An average $2,400 per family)
  • 16 pledged $40 to $800 (totaling $7,600)  (An average $470 per family)

What does this mean? We are trying to making progress in becoming a healthy parish, which usually means a tithing parish. We have an estimated 11% of our Stewards committed tithing.

 The concerning thing is that only 68% of our expenses are met through Stewardship. We have hopes for developing our ministries and being in a position to help those in need. So we look to your support on several of our projects to make that happen. You can do that by:

  • Considering and committing to tithing
  • Taking an active part in supporting our ministries throughout the year.
  • Being generous in helping to raise funds for special projects.

Please consider this when giving thanks to God for your many blessings. May He continue to bless you, your family and our community.

Living the Gospel


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News & Events

THIS FRIDAY: FAMILY NIGHT

A Ministry looking for a leader

Bring a lenten dish to share after the Presanctified Liturgy on Fridays. We will be enjoying dinner together, watching a movie and discussing it.

Community


LENTEN STOP #2: MORE ORTHODOXY

This second Sunday of Lent is dedicated to Saint Gregory Palamas (1296-1359), Archbishop of Thessaloniki.

Hymn from the Saturday evening Vespers:

Beacon of Orthodox belief, the strong support of the Church and her teacher inspired by God, you are the ornament of monks, the unassailable champion of theologians, O Gregory the Wonder-worker and the boast of Thessalonica, the messenger of grace. Forever earnestly entreat for the salvation of our souls.

Download the Hyperlinked diagram HERE.

 


WELCOMING AND HOSPITALITY: SERVING THIS SUNDAY

A Ministry led by Angelina Taylor

Sunday, March 31 (wine and oil)
   Parish Council: Dr Michael Bachik
   Greeter: Ita Williams
   Agape Meal: GOLD TEAM – Thank you to Ita, Christine T, Presbytera Ana, and Angelina.

Sunday, April 7 (wine and oil)
    Parish Council: Mary Kanalakis
    Greeter: Rania Zavitsanos
   Agape Meal: PINK TEAM - Thank you to Maria, Rania, Nadia, Christine D.

Community


CATECHISM CLASS THIS SUNDAY

A Ministry led by Father Ion

During Lent, the Catechism Class will meet on Sundays, after lunch. This Sunday's lecture is on The Holy Eucharist.

Living the Gospel, Community


CHURCH UNIVERSITY

A Ministry led by Father Ion

DEMYSTIFY LENT

Week days, 9:00am, Zoom.

Worship, Education, Community


THE BOOK FORUM GOES LENTEN

A Ministry Led by Kathy Shaw

 

We are studying the Great Lent - Journey to Pascha, a lecture so useful during this time of the year, to guide and help us engage with the Great and Holy Lent.

Join the club on Wednesday mornings from 10am, right after the Church University.

Adult Education, Community


OUTREACH MINISTRIES

Ministries led by Despina Hatton

FOOD BANK: Tuesday, April 9 9:00 -10:30am @St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Seaside.

LADIES I-HELP: Tuesday, April 2. Cooking - 4-5pm, Dinner with the ladies - 5-6pm. Plan to stay for prayers in the chapel after dinner.

Community


ONLINE RESOURCES

Most of our services and some ministry meetings are available online.
Witness remotely:
  1. Zoom with video here.
  2. By phone dial - add the following string to your address book: 16699006833,,9475885646#,,,,*871732#
Liturgical texts at Ages Initiatives here. Select the date and the service of interest. Then, choose pdf if you want to print, or DCS for viewing on the screen (which also has a night mode).
Lighting Candles remotely is possible through our Light a Candle website. Click this link: Light a Candle

 


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Saints and Feasts

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March 31

Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas

This divine Father, who was from Asia Minor, was from childhood reared in the royal court of Constantinople, where he was instructed in both religious and secular wisdom. Later, while still a youth, he left the imperial court and struggled in asceticism on Mount Athos, and in the Skete at Beroea. He spent some time in Thessalonica being treated for an illness that came from his harsh manner of life. He was present in Constantinople at the Council that was convened in 1341 against Barlaam of Calabria, and at the Council of 1347 against Acindynus, who was of like mind with Barlaam; Barlaam and Acindynus claimed that the grace of God is created. At both these Councils, the Saint contended courageously for the true dogmas of the Church of Christ, teaching in particular that divine grace is not created, but is the uncreated energies of God which are poured forth throughout creation: otherwise it would be impossible, if grace were created, for man to have genuine communion with the uncreated God. In 1347 he was appointed Metropolitan of Thessalonica. He tended his flock in an apostolic manner for some twelve years, and wrote many books and treatises on the most exalted doctrines of our Faith; and having lived for a total of sixty-three years, he reposed in the Lord in 1359.

His holy relics are kept in the Cathedral of Thessalonica. A full service was composed for his feast day by the Patriarch Philotheus in 1368, when it was established that his feast be celebrated on this day. Since works without right faith avail nothing, we set Orthodoxy of faith as the foundation of all that we accomplish during the Fast, by celebrating the Triumph of Orthodoxy the Sunday before, and the great defender of the teachings of the holy Fathers today.


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April 01

Saint Mary of Egypt

When Mary was only twelve years old, she left her parents and departed to Alexandria, where she lived a depraved life for seventeen years. Then, moved by curiosity, she went with many pilgrims to Jerusalem, that she might see the Exaltation of the venerable Cross. Even in the Holy City she gave herself over to every kind of licentiousness and drew many into the depth of perdition. Desiring to go into the church on the day of the Exaltation of the Cross, time and again she perceived a certain invisible power preventing her entrance, whereas the multitude of people about her entered unhindered. Therefore, wounded in heart by this, she decided to change her way of life and reconcile herself to God by means of repentance. Invoking our Lady the Theotokos as her protectress, she asked her to open the way for her to worship the Cross, and vowed that she would renounce the world. And thus, returning once again to the church, she entered easily. When she had worshipped the precious Wood, she departed that same day from Jerusalem and passed over the Jordan. She went into the inner wilderness and for forty-seven years lived a most harsh manner of life, surpassing human strength; alone, she prayed to God alone. Toward the end of her life, she met a certain hermit named Zosimas, and she related to him her life from the beginning. She requested of him to bring her the immaculate Mysteries that she might partake of them. According to her request, he did this the following year on Holy and Great Thursday. One year after this, Zosimas again went thither and found her dead, laid upon the ground, and letters written in the sand near her which said: "Abba Zosimas, bury here the body of wretched Mary. I died on the very day I partook of the immaculate Mysteries. Pray for me." Her death is reckoned by some to have taken place in 378, by some, in 437, and by others, in 522. She is commemorated also on the Fifth Sunday of Great Lent. Her life was recorded by Saint Sophronius of Jerusalem.


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Tenth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 21:1-14

At that time, Jesus revealed Himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and He revealed Himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas, called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach, yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any fish?" They answered him, "No." He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, for the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his clothes, for he was stripped for work, and sprang into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there with fish lying on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught." So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared ask Him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after He was raised from the dead. .


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. 2nd Mode. Psalm 117.14,18.
The Lord is my strength and my song.
Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 1:10-14; 2:1-3.

IN THE BEGINNING, Thou, Lord, didst found the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of thy hands; they will perish, but thou remainest; they will all grow old like a garment, like a mantle thou wilt roll them up, and they will be changed. But thou art the same, and thy years will never end." But to what angel has he ever said, "Sit at my right hand, till I make thy enemies a stool for thy feet?" Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation?

Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For if the message declared by angels was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him.


Gospel Reading

Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas
The Reading is from Mark 2:1-12

At that time, Jesus entered Capernaum and it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven." Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, "Why does this man speak thus? It is a blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question thus in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your pallet and walk? But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins"-he said to the paralytic-"I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home." And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"


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