TSN4026

1 THE SHEPHERD • APRIL 2026 • 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 5 9 • A P R I L 2 0 2 6 IN THIS ISSUE FROM THE DESK OF FR. ANDREW ...... p. 1 PRESIDENT OF THE PARISH COUNCIL, WOMEN OF THE WORD, BOOKSTORE .p. 2 DIVINE SERVICES, BIRTHS, MEMORIALS, NEWS FROM THE LOFT .......................... p. 3 YOUTH MINISTRIES ................................. p. 4 GREEK LANGUAGE SCHOOL, DANCE & CHORAL .................................. p. 6 PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS .......................... p. 7 STEWARDSHIP CORNER, AHEPA ......... p. 8 GREEK FESTIVAL SPONSORSHIPS ....... p. 9 GREEK FESTIVAL COOKING & BAKING SCHEDULE ................................................. p. 11 ZATHAS FOUNDATION ......................... p. 12 PARISH CALENDAR ................................ p. 14 YOUNG AT HEART SENIORS ................. p. 15 CONTACT INFORMATION....................... p. 16 FROM THE DESK OF FATHER ANDREW 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; for you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified, He is not here, He has risen (Mark 16:5-6). My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Christ is Risen! Χριστός Ανέστη! As Orthodox Christians, and as we come to the glorious Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we will proclaim this above truth, Christ is Risen! Χριστός Ανέστη! for the next forty days. But how do we keep Him Risen throughout the whole year? Keeping Him Risen also means to do His will and to fulfill His plan for us. But what does this mean in our daily lives? The following are just a few Biblical examples of what God’s will is for us and/or what His plan is for us concerning how we keep Him Risen in our daily walk: …Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, vis- it the sick and those held in captivity (Matt. 25:31-46). Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with broth- erly affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Rejoice in your hope, be patient in trib- ulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:9-21). Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be cou- rageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love (Corinthians 16:13). Look to yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:1-2). Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and be- loved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meek- ness, and patience, forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiv- ing each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all this put-on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony (Colossians 3:12-17). But above all, my brethren, do not swear, ei- ther by heaven or by earth or with any other oath, but let your yes be yes, and your no be no, that you may not fall under condemnation (James 5:12). My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, with all the above examples from the New Testa- ment, and to be sure, much more indeed, we do God’s will and fulfill His plan for us; we keep Him Risen! And so, we will once again greet each other with the customary Christ is Risen! Let’s be attentive and do our best to keep Him Risen throughout the entire year. +A 11th century mosaic in the narthex of the Katholikon church at the Monastery of Hosios Loukas in Greece