Schedule of Services

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

Friday, September 27
    6:00pm Akathist to Saints Peter and Paul
    8:00pm Orthodoxy 101: Journey to Fullness
Saturday, September 28
    5:00pm Vespers
Sunday, September 29 Saint. Kyriakos of Palestine
    8:30am Matins
    9:45am Liturgy + Blessing of the Five Loaves
Monday, September 30
    9:00am Church University: Prayers and Bible Study (online)
    5:30pm ME Metropolis Meeting
Tuesday, October 1   Chanters Recognition
    9:00am Church University: Prayers and Bible Study (online)
    4:00pm IHELP - Ladies
    7:00pm Missions and Evangelism Committee
Wednesday, October 2
    9:00am Church University: Prayers and Bible Study (online)
    10:00am Book Forum: Father Arseny
    6:00pm Paraklesis
Thursday, October 3
    9:00am Church University: Prayers and Bible Study (online)
Friday, October 4
    9:00am Church University: Prayers and Bible Study (online)
    6:00pm Akathist to Saints Peter and Paul
    8:00pm Orthodoxy 101: Journey to Fullness
Saturday, October 5
    5:00pm Vespers
Sunday, October 6 Thomas the Apostle
    8:30am Matins
   9:45am Liturgy

Zoom with video here.

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

Special Services

1. The Akathist to the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul will be prayed on Friday from 6pm. We will be turning to these missionary saints for their help with our Evangelism Season.

2. The Memorial Service this Sunday will be for members of Kathryn Walkowiec's family:

Rose Woloscak (40 years), Kathryn's mother;
Charles Walkowiec (13 years), Kathryn's brother;
Michael and the the other departed Walkowiec family members.

May their memory be eteranal!

3.Blessing of the Five Loaves (Artoklasia) will take place after the Memorial Service. The loaves will be offered by Charles in honor of his patron saint, Kyriakos of Palestine.

4. Witnesses in Christ: as our September-October Evangelism Season is unfolding, at the end of the services this Sunday we will be addressed by one more of our community, a recent convert to Orthodoxy - this Sunday: Angelina.

News & Events

SIGN UP FOR SMS/TEXTING COMMUNICATION

We are introducing communication by SMS/ texting. Please signup for this service. Simply text #yes# to 22300.

OUR EVANGELISM SEASON

We are ending the 4th week of our Evangelism Season, when we turn to God on behalf of those who are not in His house, the Church. Remember to pray the Prayer Cards and to participate in the Friday evening Akathist to Saints Peter and Paul.

Living the Gospel

ORTHODOXY 101 TONIGHT

A ministry led by Angela Wagoner

JOURNEY TO FULLNESS: An Introduction to the Fullness of the Original Christian Faith

Fridays, 8pm. Zoom only.

Adult Education

OUTREACH MINISTRIES

Ministries led by Despina Hatton

FOOD BANK: Tuesday, OCTOBER 08, 9:00 -10:30am @St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Seaside.

LADIES I-HELP: Tuesday, OCTOBER 1, OCTOBER 31. Cooking - 4-5pm, Dinner with the ladies - 5-6pm. Plan to stay for prayers in the chapel after dinner.

Community

CHURCH UNIVERSITY: EXODUS

A Ministry led by Father Ion

The Church University brings to light the beautiful, yet complex sides of Orthodoxy through prayer and the study of Scriptures, hymnography of the Church, lives of the saints and the writings of the Holy Fathers.

We continue to study the book of Exodus.

On week days without morning liturgies, 9am via Zoom.

Worship, Education, Community

THE BOOK FORUM: FATHER ARSENY

A Ministry led by Kathy Shaw

We will continue meeting on Wednesday at 10:00am.

Education, Community

ENDURING LOVE - A MARRIAGE CLASS

Our next meeting will be this coming Wednesday.

Enduring Love #9

Spiritual Life

Wednesday, 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

WELCOMING AND HOSPITALITY: SERVING THIS SUNDAY

Ministry led by Angelina Taylor

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 let Angelina know in advance so she can make other arrangements.

Sunday, September 29:
Parish Council: Euthimios Saites
Agape Meal: ORANGE TEAM - Thank you to Melanie, Mary, Jeré, and Marissa.

Sunday, October 6:
   Parish Council: Mary Kaalakis
   Greeter: Marissa Castanada
   Agape Meal: GOLD TEAM – Thank you to Mary, Christine T, Presbytera Ana, Miriam, and Angelina

Community

ONLINE RESOURCES

Most of our services and some ministry meetings are available online.

Witness remotely:

Zoom with video here.
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

You are Invited

MARRIAGE SERVICE

YAL FALL RETREAT

MONASTERY FUNDRAISER IN SAN JOSE

Monastery Fundraiser Dinner - Sunday, Nov 3rd - Community Center

Gerontissa Markella and her Sisterhood joyfully, with hope and thanksgiving for your constant support and many years of commitment, invite you to join us again for a Benefit Dinner. The Monastery of the Theotokos of the Life Giving Spring Fundraising Dinner will be on Sunday, November 3rd at the St. Nicholas Community Center at 5:00pm. Donation for tickets for adults $75, children 12 and under $35. All proceeds go to Monastery for essential support to the operation of the Monastery facility. For details or to RSVP, please contact Evagelia at: (408)499-3939, email at [email protected].

Holy Women of Byzantium - Online Course - Begins October 8th

A live, online course exploring the lives and legacies of Byzantine holy women from the mid-fourth through fifteenth centuries taught by Dr. Anysia Metrakos. Tuesdays, October 8, 15, 22, & 29th, 5:00pm PST.

Dr. Metrakos is a historian of the later Roman Empire whose work centers on the impact of Christianity on Roman society, gender, and law. She received her doctorate from the Graduate Group in ancient History and Mediterranean Archaeology from the University of California, Berkeley.

ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Prophet Elias Anniversary Celebrations - Santa Cruz - Sat, Oct 26th

Saints and Feasts

September 29

2nd Sunday of Luke

September 29

Saint Cyriacus the Hermit of Palestine

This Saint was born in Corinth in 448. He went to Palestine to the Lavra of Euthymius the Great, but because of his youth was sent by Saint Euthymius to Saint Gerasimus; after the death of Saint Gerasimus he returned to the Lavra of Saint Euthymius. Later he took on a more rigorous life of asceticism in the wilderness of Natoufa, where there was nothing to eat except the exceedingly bitter wild herb called squills, which, however, through his prayers, God made sweet for him and his disciple. He lived 107 years and reposed in the year 555.

October 01

The Feast of the Holy Protection of the Theotokos

The Feast of the Protection commemorates the appearance of the most holy Theotokos in the Church of Blachernae in Constantinople in the tenth century, as recorded in the life of Saint Andrew the Fool for Christ's sake. While the multitudes of the faithful were gathered in church, Epiphanius, the friend of Saint Andrew, through the Saint's prayers, beheld the Virgin Mary above the faithful and spreading out her veil over them, signifying her unceasing protection of all Christians. Because of this we keep a yearly feast of gratitude, imploring our Lady never to cease sheltering us in her mighty prayers.

The Feast is celebrated on October 1. In the 1950s, the Church of Greece began to observe the Feast on October 28.

October 01

Romanos the Melodist

Saint Romanos flourished during the reign of Anastasius (491-518). He was from Emesa of Syria, and apparently was born of Jewish parents, for a hymn written in his honour in Greek says he was "of Hebrew stock," and it has furthermore been noted that he uses many Semitic idioms in his writings. He was baptized an Orthodox Christian, and at some time became a deacon in the Church of Beirut. He was the first composer of the kontakia, the foremost of which is that of the feast of Christ's Nativity, On this day the Virgin .... In composing many of his kontakia. Saint Romanos was inspired by the hymns of Saint Ephraim of Syria.

October 03

Dionysios the Areopagite

This Saint was from Athens, a learned man, and a member of the famous judicial court of Mars Hill (in Greek Aeros Pagos, hence the name Areopagite (see Acts 17:19-34). When Saint Paul preached in Athens, he was one of the first there to believe in Christ, and, according to some, became the first bishop of that city. Others say -- and this may be more probable--that he was the second Bishop of Athens, after Saint Hierotheus, whom Dionysios calls his friend and teacher "after Paul" (On the Divine Names, 3:2). With Saint Hierotheus he was also present at the Dormition of the most holy Theotokos; the Doxasticon of the Aposticha for the service of the Dormition is partly taken from a passage in Chapter III of On the Divine Names. According to ancient tradition, he received a martyr's end (according to some, in Athens itself) about the year 96.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Third Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Mark 16:9-20

When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. But when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. After this He appeared to the eleven themselves as they sat at table and He upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw Him after He had risen. And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."

So then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen.

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal 1st Mode. Psalm 11.7,1.
You, O Lord, shall keep us and preserve us.
Verse: Save me, O Lord, for the godly man has failed.

The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 1:21-24; 2:1-4.

Brethren, it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has commissioned us; he has put his seal upon us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

But I call God to witness against me - it was to spare you that I refrained from coming to Corinth. Not that we lord it over your faith; we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith. For I made up my mind not to make you another painful visit. For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. For I wrote you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.

Gospel Reading

2nd Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 6:31-36

The Lord said, "As you wish that men would do to you, do so to them. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful."

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