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2 THE SHEPHERD • SEPTEMBER 2025 • SAINT SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO Dear Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, As we approach the beginning of the eccle- siastical calendar, I’d like to draw your atten- tion to an important upcoming event high- lighted in this month’s newsletter: the Min- istry Fair, which will take place on Sunday, September 7th in the Church Hall. This gathering was initially planned as a Youth Ministry Fair but has since grown into a parish-wide celebration, welcoming partic- ipation from many of our ministries. While you’ll find more detailed information else- where in the newsletter, I want to take a mo- ment to personally encourage you to attend. I’m reminded of the words of Art Balourdas, shared when he was honored with the Leon Balaban Award: “Just get involved!” My hope is that each of you will discover a ministry that resonates with your talents and interests, and in turn, find a meaningful way to serve our beloved parish. Scripture reminds us: “Now there are vari- eties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord” (1 Corinthians 12:4–5). Each of us has been entrusted with unique gifts, and the Church offers countless opportunities to put them to use for the glory of God and the building up of our community. We often speak of stewardship—the call to pass on to future generations the blessings we ourselves have inherited through the time, treasure, and talent of those before us. This fair is one way we can take that call to heart. I know from experience that involvement can feel daunting at first. When my wife, then serving as Sunday School Director, asked me to teach middle school Sunday School, I hesitated. As a mechanical engi- neer, I wondered, “What could I possibly offer in a classroom?” With some encouragement and the support of a friend who agreed to co-teach, I took the leap. What began with reluctance turned into more than a decade of service—years that deeply enriched my own understanding of the Faith and offered growth I never expected. It is my prayer that you, too, will take that step—whether small or bold—and discover the joy and fulfillment that comes from be- ing involved in parish life. In Christ’s Love and Service, Anthony Kyriakidis Parish Council President FROM THE PARISH COUNCIL PRESIDENT HAPPY NEW YEAR! Yes, that’s a greeting one usually receives in January, but in our Faith, the new year of the Church begins September 1, followed close- ly by the first feast of Our Lord’s year be- ginning with the celebration of the Nativity of the Theotokos on Sunday, September 8. And it’s also truly a new year for Women of the Word! The enthusiasm has been build- ing around the ways our new once-a-month format will allow more women of all ages to gather in meaningful study and fellowship with one another. Having a set day and time on our calendars will allow us to make a place to commit ourselves to one another and a wholehearted exploration of the Gospel as shown through the icons of the Church. So, it’s not too late to sign up for our study. We begin on Saturday, September 13, at 10:30 in the lounge room of the fellowship hall, beginning with a little coffee, tea, and a morning nibble followed by our study of Dr. Eve Tibbs’ book, Seeing the Gospel. Books will be provided for all those registered. You may pick up your reserved book at the book- store on Sunday, September 7, or receive it at our first meeting. Please consider being part of this new WOW adventure. To register or ask questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Kay Harkins at kay- harkins@mac.com . See you on Saturday the 13th! WOMEN WORD OF THE BOOKSTORE We hope you all had a restful summer! We’ve come full circle! Welcome back to the begin- ning. Each Ecclesiastical year we come full circle to the Indiction of the Church’s New Year, ever reminding us of our need to restart and refresh. How about restarting your Church New Year with a new book? We stock a wonderful book that you should all have in your home library: Thinking Orthodox, Understanding andAcquiring theOrthodox ChristianMind, written by, Dr. Eugenia Scarvelis Constanti- nou. Dr. Eugenia hosts the popular podcast “Search the Scriptures Live” on Ancient Faith Radio and holds master’s degrees in Theolo- gy. She is known to most of us as Presvytera Jeannie and has lifelong roots in our parish. She brings more than forty years’ experience as a professor, Bible teacher, and speaker to bear in explaining that Orthodox Chris- tianity is based on preserving the mind of the early Church, its phronema. Our WOW Ministry leader, Kay Harkins reviewed her book and states: Thinking Orthodox offers the reader a sweeping insight to the nature of Eastern Orthodox thought and a compre- hensive comparison to the prevalent mind- sets behind Western Christianity, both Ro- man Catholic, and Protestant. It serves as a guide for anyone exploring Orthodoxy, those who have converted, and those born into the Faith. Come check out this insightful book. As St Seraphim of Sobolev reminds us: “Do not adapt your faith to your life, but your life to the Faith.” Lastly, we would like to welcome Kaylin Kassiani Marino , our newest Bookstore staff volunteer. Stop by after Sunday Divine Litur- gy and give her a warm welcome! Stephanie Mourafetis, Mary Mastorakos, Pat Tsopanoglou, Francesca Captain, Hitomi Shue, and Kaylin Marino