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1 THE SHEPHERD • JANUARY 2025 • SAINT SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO www.theshepherdnews.com The Shepherd Newsletter The official newsletter publication for the parish of Saint Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church of San Diego I S S U E 3 4 4 • J A N UA R Y 2 0 2 5 IN THIS ISSUE FROM THE DESK OF FR. ANDREW ...... p. 1 PRESIDENT OF THE PARISH COUNCIL, WOMEN OF THE WORD, BOOKSTORE .............................................. p. 2 NEWS FROM THE LOFT , DIVINE SERVICES, HOLY SACRAMENTS, DEATHS, MEMORIALS ............................p. 3 YOUTH MINISTRIES ................................. p. 4 GREEK LANGUAGE SCHOOL, AHEPA ......................................................... p. 6 DANCE & CHORAL .................................. p. 7 PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS .......................... p. 8 YOUNG AT HEART SENIORS ................. p. 9 PARISH CALENDAR ................................. p. 10 CONTACT INFORMATION....................... p. 12 FROM THE DESK OF FATHER ANDREW The Feast of Epiphany is of great spiritual signifi- cance. It is not the mere commemoration of a historical event because in the Orthodox Chris- tian faith, everything is in the present, here and now, for our Lord Jesus Christ is with us here and now, as our inseparable Companion and Comforter; just as He promised. The living God we commemorate at Epiphany was manifest as the Trinity at the Baptism of Jesus Christ. In the Holy Scriptures, we hear the voice of God the Father, God the Son, in the presence of Christ, the Logos, and God the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove (Mt. 3:16; Lk. 3:22; Mk. 1:10; & Jn. 1:33). The Feast of Epiphany originated in the East and is celebrated throughout the world even today. For over 2000 years the Day of Epiph- any is commemorated and honored in the Orthodox Church with the “Blessing of the Waters.” Just as Jesus Christ blessed the wa- ters of the Jordan, we too ask that the waters presented be blessed as well. Thus, the bless- ed waters become a vehicle of the sanctifying Spirit of Christ in which we are purified and cleansed; sanctified and illumined; protected and healed. The highlight of the Epiphany season is two- fold: 1) we receive this blessed water following the services of Epiphany and 2) we invite the priest to bless our homes and/or our place of business. This allows the cleansing power of Christ, through the Holy Spirit, to help the faithful establish a fresh new start to the New Year by consecrating/rededicating their lives, homes, and businesses to God. Hence, this is a focused time when Orthodox Christians look within to renew their own baptisms, renewed and refreshed through the manifestation of the Supernatural Holy Trinity. In the calendar year 2025, the 6th of January falls on a Monday. After the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, we will offer up our prayers and ask God to bless the waters. On that day, we will ask the same Holy Spirit, present at Je- sus’ baptism, to be present with us. On that day we will pray t hat the water may become for us a gift of sanctification, and deliverance of sins, for the healing of soul and body, that it (the water) may be for the averting of every snare of the enemy, those seen and unseen; for those who draw of it and take it for the sancti- fication of their homes, let us pray to the Lord. AS A REMINDER – I will begin to bless homes following the celebration of Epiphany on Monday, January 6, 2025 , and will end be- fore the season of the Triodion begins ( Sunday, February 9th ). For those who would like me to visit their home or place of business during the season of Epiphany, please call the church office. Χρόνια Πολλά − Μany Good Years to you and your family in the New Year and always. +A