Sunday, October 4, 2026 is National Church Music Sunday.  This is a particularly special year for the National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians as it celebrates its 50th Anniversary.

The National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians is the Archdiocesan ministry responsible for liturgical music activities and the development, support, and recognition of church musicians.  These include choirs, chanters, youth church music programs, and clergy.

On Sunday, October 4th we will have a special tray in the narthex for your support to keep these much needed services going. 

The National Forum also addresses specific church music needs of clergy, choir directors, organists, choir members, composers, church schools and congregations. As the musical arm of the Archdiocese, the National Forum also collaborates with other Archdiocesan departments to address church music needs. 

The National Forum has developed a number of new initiatives this year.

The Parish Music Leadership Initiative (commonly known as the MELI project) is an online program designed to educate and train the full gamut of our church musicians, youth and clergy. This program was recently debuted at the 2026 Clergy Laity Congress and received rave reviews, stressing the necessary step this is for our Archdiocese. 

Additionally, the youth portion of MELI will become part of the Archdiocese’s new Department of Religious Education (DRE) Kids Sunday Series hymn track.

Another major youth initiative established by the National Forum is the Saint Romanos Church Music Festival. Patterned after the successful Saint John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival, this festival will focus on the sacred hymnology of our church, creating the next generation of choir directors, choir members and chanters. 

Missions Ministry - Fall Event to Benefit Sister Nektaria and The Theotokos Orthodox Orphanage in Kolkata, India

Please join us for an evening of fellowship on Saturday, October 10, from 5:30 to 8:30 PM in the St. Nicholas Small Hall. The highlight of the evening is pumpkin decorating with real succulents, where you'll create a living arrangement to take home as a beautiful centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table.

Come to enjoy a warm, festive dinner, wine, and a friendly game of tavli. Activities for the children include coloring books, word games and puzzles, and a pizza dinner.

Bring your family, invite your friends, and come celebrate the season together as a parish community, while supporting a great cause.  Open donations. For questions and to RSVP for this event, please contact Maria Aji at 408-425-6967.

See the flyer in our website:  https://saintnicholas.org/events

Our next meeting will be on Sunday, October 11th from 11:30am - 12:15pm in GOYA Room 11 where we will vote for our officers for the year.

Please reach out to Eva Vathis at [email protected] with any questions.

As we come upon the Christmas holidays, it is time to start planning for our parish’s joyous tradition of greeting one another through the mailing of our Community Christmas Card. 

Paper forms have already been mailed out, and you can mail back the paper form to the church office with the names spelled clearly as you would like them to appear on the card, OR you can submit your entry online today by clicking on the link: https://saintnicholas.org/christmas_card

The deadline for submitting names for the Christmas Card is Tuesday, November 10, 2026.

Please prayerfully consider including a contribution towards the cost of making our card possible.  For any questions, please call the church office at 408-246-2770.

We are inviting any Middle to High Schoolers who are interested, in helping us on Sundays with Epistle readings in either Greek or English.  

This is a wonderful opportunity for our children to lend their voices to our liturgical services, and proclaim the Good News of the Apostles.  For a full calendar and more details please contact Fr. Nebojsa at [email protected].

Kindergarten Parents and Children! A new dance group is forming this year named Aνά Zωή at Saint Nicholas! If your child is 5 years old as of September 20th and also enrolled in Kindergarten, please contact Georgia Tassos, [email protected] with your name and contact information stating your interest! Information about practice and enrollment will be provided! Please, no T-K or children under the age of 5. 

Love working with children and sharing our Orthodox faith? Saint Nicholas is seeking a Sunday School Director to help guide our 100+ student program. You'll receive full training and ongoing support from our priests, current director, and the Sunday School Board. Our newly updated Archdiocese of America Sunday School curriculum is simple, engaging, and ready to implement. Serve just 3-5 hours a month and help strengthen this vital ministry. If interested, please speak with Father James or Father Nebojsa. 

The Missions Ministry is joining OCMC's Trek4Missions again this year, a fitness challenge that turns miles walked, run, or biked into support for Orthodox missionaries around the world. Every step helps fund the training and sending of missionaries who bring the Gospel to those who haven't yet heard it.

Join our team, set your own activity goal, and help us reach ours — whether you walk a mile a day or ride the whole distance, every contribution counts.

👉 Join our team here: https://give.ocmc.org/team/846337

Thank you for supporting missions with your feet and your faith! God bless!

Volleyball practices for our 21st Annual St Nicholas Volleyball Tournament have started, taking place in the Community Center.  Please join us!

Monday Nights
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm - Junior High
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm - High School 

Thursday Nights
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm - Adults 

Sunday Nights
7:00pm - Open Gym practices for High School, Young Adult and Adult

If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Chairman George Spilios (408) 806-1699.

Come join the fun!  The Volleyball Tournament is scheduled for the weekend of October 23rd-25th and features So-Tiri from New York and our own DJ Kanakis for the Volleyball Dinner entertainment.  Tickets available at coffee hour or call 408-806-1699.

Scholarships are available now to help our youth and young adults experience Orthodox retreats, conferences, summer camps, GOYA, and Young Adult League (YAL) programs.

We are blessed to offer scholarships for youth and young adults in our St. Nicholas community.  Whether you are already registered or still planning to attend, scholarship support applies to ALL.

Why apply?  

• Makes retreats, special programs, conferencesm or camps accessible for every family
• Supports faith, fellowship, and spiritual growth
• Encourages our youth and young adults to build lifelong friendships
• Ensures no child or young adult misses out due to financial barriers

Apply here!  Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church

RNR25_SJ_RCB_080826_cc (1).pdf

Please be aware of neighborhood road closures for the RocknRoll Half Marathon near the church on the weekend of Saturday, October 3rd - Sunday, October 4th.  Please click on the above link to see the road closure map.  In general, The Alameda, Naglee Ave, Park Ave, and Hedding Street near the church will be closed.  Those who normally take Highway 880 to church shouldn't find any impediments.

For quicker and easier access, you can add our website right to your phone’s home screen, just like an app. It only takes a few seconds. Once added, simply tap the icon for instant access to our schedule, bulletins, events, posts and more. 

Follow the steps on https://saintnicholas.org/phone_app_shortcut

We are pleased to announce that online Greek Language classes for adults have started for the new 2026-2027 academic year! 

In the schedule of classes outlined below, each course is listed by title, cohort, period (in PST time), and fluency level.

Modern Greek-1. Beginner – Cohort 1A: Monday, Sept. 7, 7:00 PM (A1-A2)

Modern Greek-2. Beginner – Cohort 1B: Tuesday, Sept. 8, 7:00 PM (A1-A2)

Modern Greek-3. Intermediate – Cohort 1: Wednesday, Sept. 2, 7:00 PM (B1-B2)

Modern Greek-4. Intermediate – Cohort 2: Sunday, Sept. 6, 9:00 AM (B1-B2)

Modern Greek-5. Intermediate – Cohort 3: Saturday, Sept. 5, 4:00 PM (B1-B2)

Modern Greek-6. Upper Intermediate/Advanced: Saturday, Sept. 5, 9:00 AM (B2/C1)

New Testament Greek: Friday, Sept. 4, 7:00 PM (A1-A2)

Ancient Greek: Sunday, Sept. 6, 7:00 PM (A1-A2)

For further information, please contact Dr. Peter Nanopoulos by email ([email protected]) or by phone (408-646-7308).

**Next class is on Wednesday, October 7th**

Please join Fr. Nebojsa Pantic as he shares with us his experience on his recent sabbatical.  We will find out about pilgrimage locations and have a brief introduction to the history of pilgrimage.  We will also discuss saints and miracles that were experienced by Father Nebojsa and his family.  

Wednesday Nights 

6:15 pm - 6:50 pm 

This will be a hybrid class.  For in-person please meet in the Conference Room of the Office.  For online, please use the same link we always have:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82339647563?pwd=giuEACpHVK2bZybba75QB5G6yANeKd.1 

For more information please contact [email protected] 

Sunday School registration is now open as we have started the school year on Sunday, September 20, 2026.  We’ve transitioned to the CCB registration form, and each child in grades K–12 must register using this link:  Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church

We are also seeking volunteers who feel called to share their love for our children and their faith.  All materials and support will be provided—your presence and willingness are the greatest gifts.  Please email: [email protected]

Thank you for helping us begin a wonderful year together.

This is a friendly reminder that registration for the 2026–2027 school year is open and the link is attached below. If you plan on joining us as a new student or return this fall, please take a few minutes to complete your registration so we can begin preparing class rosters and materials for the new year.  Please note that the annual tuition for school-age students includes all textbooks and classroom materials.

Registration Link:  https://saintnicholas.org/greek_school

We are excited for another year of learning, laughter, friendships, and celebrating our Greek language and culture together.

Thank you for being part of our Greek School family and we are so happy to have everyone back! Classes have begun for school-aged students. 

Additional information for our adult program, which follows a different calendar, will be shared separately.

Have a daughter between the ages of 14-28?  Consider having her join the Maids of Athena! It's a wonderful opportunity for her to connect with her Greek heritage, learn more about her culture and traditions, build lifelong friendships, and become part of a supportive community.

• Learn more about getting involved with the Maids of Athena!
• Become a member of our Ahepa family!

The Maids take great pride in:

• Sponsorship and support of philanthropic activities
• Leadership conferences
• Scholarship programs
• Travel opportunities
• Multiple social functions

For details, please contact Maria Pries-Chalioris at [email protected] or call 408-963-9649.

Our church website has upgraded to Pushpay for all online donations, tithes, and a number of other transactions - making giving simpler, faster, and more secure. 

Key Benefits for you:

• One-Click Giving: Set up recurring tithes in seconds or make one-time gifts with ease.
• Safe & Secure: Bank-level encryption protects your information.
• Text-to-Give: Simply text “GIVE” to (833) 921-7035 to donate instantly.
• Track Your Giving: View your donation history and print tax statements anytime.
• Give from Anywhere: Use your phone, tablet, or computer. 

 Visit https://saintnicholas.org/donate to donate and set up your account. 

 Your generosity fuels our ministries, outreach, and mission to love God and serve others.

To make a committment electronically, please visit our online stewardship: https://saintnicholas.org/stewardship

Donation link: https://saintnicholas.org/donate