Saint John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2024-12-08
Bulletin Contents
Schedule of Services
Stewardship News
You are Invited
Special Services
News & Events
Assembly of Bishops News
Saints and Feasts
Gospel and Epistle Readings

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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

Priest: Father Ion Coman


[email protected] | 408.605.0621

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, December 6 Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker
    6pm Akathist to Saint Nicholas

Saturday, December 7
    5pm Vespers
Sunday, December 8 Parish Assembly /PC Elections
    8:30am Matins
    9:45am Liturgy
    12pm Catechism Class - CANCELLED
    12pm Parish Assembly and Parish Council Elections
    12pm Sunday School
Monday, December 9 Conception by Saint Anna of the Mother of God
    9am Church University: Prayers and Bible Study (online)
    7pm p.m. Book Forum: Beginning to Pray
Tuesday, December 10
    9am Church University: Prayers and Bible Study (online)
    9am Food Bank Distribution - Community Service
    9am Church University: Prayers and Bible Study (online)
    7pm Parish Council Meeting
Wednesday, December 11
    9am Church University: Prayers and Bible Study (online)
    10am a.m. Book Forum: Beginning to Pray
    6pm Vespers
    6:45pm Faith and Fellowship: Joshua
Thursday, December 12 Saint Spyridon the Wonderworker
    9am Church University: Prayers and Bible Study (online)
    6pm Vespers + Liturgy
Friday, December 13 Saint Herman of Alaska
    9am Church University: Prayers and Bible Study (online)
    6pm Akathist (2): Saint Spyridon the Wonderworker
Saturday, December 14
    5pm Vespers
Sunday, December 15 11th Sunday of Luke Saint Eleutherios
    8:30am Matins
    9:45am Liturgy
    12pm Catechism Class
    12pm Sunday School

Zoom with video here.

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

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Stewardship News

THIS SUNDAY: FALL PARISH ASSEMBLY/ ELECTION OF PC MEMBERS

Our Fall Parish Assembly and PC Elections are now scheduled for this Sunday, December 8, immediately following the Liturgy and the Agape Meal. Please make every effort to attend.


2024 SHRINKING THE GAP

A Ministry Led by Mary Kanalakis

Thanks to the generosity of some of our members, the estimated gap (operating expenses) for the end of this year is down to $17,000. There is still room to make a difference. Please help us close this gap. Thank you.

Living the Gospel


STEWARDSHIP 2025

We now turn our attention towards stewardship for the upcoming year, when we all re-evaluate our commitment to serve the Lord and cast our pledge for 2025.  

Fill in the 2025 Pledge Card for 2025 HERE.

As a community, we are working toward tithing. What does this mean? How do you do that?

Tithing means giving 10% of your first fruits to God.  At first, giving 10% might seem difficult. But it is something that can be eased into very easily. We suggest you begin slowly.

Become a percentage giver: Look at how you are doing right now. Our Stewardship web site has a calculator you can use (CLICK HERE).  

  • Enter what you give each month, or year and let the calculator tell you the percent you are currently giving. 
  • Next, round up your percent giving to the next whole percent for 2025. If it was 5%, commit to at least 6%. If it was 6.2% round up to 7%.
  • NOW, increase by 1% every year, you will be on your way to tithing.

 

Fill in the 2025 Pledge Card for 2025 HERE.

Living the Gospel


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You are Invited

MONASTERY PILGRIMAGE

Mark your calendar and check with Father Ion before making any reservations. The plans for the pilgrimage will be finalized this coming week. For now it is tentative as follows:

  • Departure: Monday, December 16 early in the morning.
  • Services: for Saint Daniel the Prophet and the Three Youth.
  • Lodging: at Saint Nicholas Ranch.
  • Return: Tuesday, December 17 or later if you chose to stay longer.
  • Carpooling available.

Community


HOLY UNCTION SERVICE

For the healing of soul and body

and in preparation for the Holy Nativity:

Friday, December 20, 6pm


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Special Services

Our community was recently affected as three members lost their parents in a time window of ten days. Below is the information about the funerals for the departed ones. 

1. For Diana Dair (Melanie's mother) - see the full obituary here.
  • Viewing: Thursday, December 12, 9am-1pm at The Rose Chapel, Oak Hill Cemetery, San Jose.
  • Memorial Service: Thursday, December 12, 10am at The Rose Chapel, Oak Hill Cemetery, San Jose.
  • Please contact Father Ion if you would like to carpool.

2. For Jesus (Jesse) Juarez (Jesse's father):

  • Viewing: Friday, December 13, 9:30-11am at the Alta Vista Mortuary in Salinas
  • Funeral: Friday, December 13, 11am at the Alta Vista Mortuary in Salinas
  • Interment - following the funeral at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Salinas.

3. For Luigi (Louie) Carnazzo (Damian's father):

  • Vigil: Thursday, December 26, 5pm at San Carlos Cathedral.
  • Funeral Mass followed by burial: Friday, December 27, 9:30am at San Carlos Cathedral.
  • Reception after burial at The Elks Club, around 11:30am.

May their memory be eternal!

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News & Events

NEW: BOOK FORUM TO BEGIN NEW BOOK AND TO OPEN EVENING MEETINGS

A Ministry led by Kathy Shaw

This week we start the new book.  We will also have discussions on two days of the week: Mondays and Wednesdays. We are adding the Monday evening time in order to make it available to those who work during the day. The same reading will be covered in both sessions every week - no need to attend both! The new expanded hours are:

  • Mondays, from 7pm
  • Wednesdays, from 10:00am

We will read Beginning to Pray, by Archbishop Anthony Bloom. It is a short, yet powerful text. We have a few copies at the bookstore. You may check it out online here. 

 Education, Community

 


ADVENT FAITH AND FELLOWSHIP

A Ministry Lead by Father Ion

Join the Faith and Fellowship small groups discussions this Wednesday, after the evening service to learn from the book of Joshua.

Sign up HERE!

Spiritual Life, Community, Relationships


ADULT SUNDAY EDUCATION

A Ministry led by Father Ion

The classes are open to all and they will take place after lunch in the chapel of Saint Nektarios.

 Living the Gospel


OUTREACH MINISTRIES

Ministries led by Despina Hatton

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

LADIES I-HELP:  Tuesday, JANUARY 7. 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


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, December 8 
   Parish Council: Ali Castanada
   Greeter: Nadia Zajicek
   Agape Meal: GOLD TEAM – Thank you to Ita, Christine T, Presbytera Ana, Miriam, and Angelina.  Additional help is requested this particular week

Sunday, December 15
   Parish Council:   Dr.. Michael Bachik
   Greeter: Mary Kanalakis
   Agape Meal: PINK TEAM - Thank you to Nadia, Maria, Rania, Irene, and Christine D, 

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

 


GETTING IT?

Have you been receiving communication from the church via text? If not, it is becasue you have not signed up yet. It is brief, fast and simple. Simply text #yes# to 22300.

Note: You must be already enrolled for phone calls from the church in order to extend to text messaging. Let Father Ion know if you would like to sign up for both services.


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Saints and Feasts

December 08

10th Sunday of Luke

December 09

The Conception by Saint Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos

According to the ancient tradition of the Church, since Saint Anna, the Ancestor of God, was barren, she and her husband Joachim remained without children until old age. Therefore, sorrowing over their childlessness, they besought God with a promise that, if He were to grant them the fruit of the womb, they would offer their offspring to Him as a gift. And God, hearkening to their supplication, informed them through an Angel concerning the birth of the Virgin. And thus, through God's promise, Anna conceived according to the laws of nature, and was deemed worthy to become the mother of the Mother of our Lord (see also Sept. 8).

December 12

Saint Spyridon the Wonderworker of Trymithous

Spyridon, the God-bearing Father of the Church, the great defender of Corfu and the boast of all the Orthodox, had Cyprus as his homeland. He was simple in manner and humble of heart, and was a shepherd of sheep. When he was joined to a wife, he begat of her a daughter whom they named Irene. After his wife's departure from this life, he was appointed Bishop of Trimythus, and thus he became also a shepherd of rational sheep. When the First Ecumenical Council was assembled in Nicaea, he also was present, and by means of his most simple words stopped the mouths of the Arians who were wise in their own conceit. By the divine grace which dwelt in him, he wrought such great wonders that he received the surname 'Wonderworker." So it is that, having tended his flock piously and in a manner pleasing to God, he reposed in the Lord about the year 350, leaving to his country his sacred relics as a consolation and source of healing for the faithful.

About the middle of the seventh century, because of the incursions made by the barbarians at that time, his sacred relics were taken to Constantinople, where they remained, being honoured by the emperors themselves. But before the fall of Constantinople, which took place on May 29, 1453, a certain priest named George Kalokhairetes, the parish priest of the church where the Saint's sacred relics, as well as those of Saint Theodora the Empress, were kept, took them away on account of the impending peril. Travelling by way of Serbia, he came as far as Arta in Epirus, a region in Western Greece opposite to the isle of Corfu. From there, while the misfortunes of the Christian people were increasing with every day, he passed over to Corfu about the year 1460. The relics of Saint Theodora were given to the people of Corfu; but those of Saint Spyridon remain to this day, according to the rights of inheritance, the most precious treasure of the priest's own descendants, and they continue to be a staff for the faithful in Orthodoxy, and a supernatural wonder for those that behold him; for even after the passage of 1,500 years, they have remained incorrupt, and even the flexibility of his flesh has been preserved. Truly wondrous is God in His Saints! (Ps. 67:3 5)

December 13

Saint Herman the Wonderworker of Alaska & First Saint of America

Saint Herman (his name is a variant of Germanus) was born near Moscow in 1756. In his youth he became a monk, first at the Saint Sergius Hermitage near Saint Petersburg on the Gulf of Finland; while he dwelt there, the most holy Mother of God appeared to him, healing him of a grave malady. Afterwards he entered Valaam Monastery on Valiant Island in Lake Ladoga; he often withdrew into the wilderness to pray for days at a time. In 1794, answering a call for missionaries to preach the Gospel to the Aleuts, he came to the New World with the first Orthodox mission to Alaska. He settled on Spruce Island, which he called New Valaam, and here he persevered, even in the face of many grievous afflictions mostly at the hands of his own countrymen in the loving service of God and of his neighbour. Besides his many toils for the sake of the Aleuts, he subdued his flesh with great asceticism, wearing chains, sleeping little, fasting and praying much. He brought many people to Christ by the example of his life, his teaching, and his kindness and sanctity, and was granted the grace of working miracles and of prophetic insight. Since he was not a priest, Angels descended at Theophany to bless the waters in the bay; Saint Herman used this holy water to heal the sick. Because of his unwearying missionary labours, which were crowned by God with the salvation of countless souls, he is called the Enlightener of the Aleuts, and has likewise been renowned as a wonderworker since his repose in 1837.

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Second Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Mark 16:1-8

When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint Jesus. And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?" And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back - it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, He is not here; see the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples and Peter that He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see Him, as He told you." And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Grave Mode. Psalm 28.11,1.
The Lord will give strength to his people.
Verse: Bring to the Lord, O sons of God, bring to the Lord honor and glory.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 2:14-22.

Brethren, Christ is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Gospel Reading

10th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 13:10-17

At that time, Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years; she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your infirmity." And he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and she praised God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, said to the people, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed, and not on the sabbath day." Then the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?" As he said this, all his adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.

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