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3 THE SHEPHERD • SEPTEMBER 2026 • SAINT SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO DIVINE SERVICES SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6: 14th Sunday of Matthew Orthros 9:00 AM ✟ Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM Epistle : II Corinthians 1:21-24; 2:1-4 Gospel : Matthew 22:2-14 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8: The Nativity of the Holy Theotokos Orthros 9:00 AM ✟ Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM Epistle : Philippians 2:5-11 ✟ Gospel : Luke 10:38-42, 11:27-28 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13: Sunday Before Holy Cross Orthros 9:00 AM ✟ Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM Epistle : Galatians 6:11-18 ✟ Gospel : John 3:13-17 The procession of the Life-Giving Cross will take place on this day SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20: Sunday after Holy Cross Orthros 9:00 AM ✟ Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM Epistle : Galatians 2:16-20 ✟ Gospel : Mark 8:34-38; 9:1 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27: 1st Sunday of Luke Orthros 9:00 AM ✟ Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM Epistle : II Corinthians 6:16-18; 7:1 ✟ Gospel : Luke 5:1-11 MEMORIALS SEP 20: Anastasios Miserlis 40 days Stamatela Avlonitou 1 year Christiana Harrison 6 years Reveka Kotselas 2 years Ioannis Kotselas 20 years SEP 27: Marina Pegas 1 year Emmanuel Pegas 4 years CHRISMATIONS AUG 9: Marek (Nektarios) Jankowski Sponsor: Alexander Maron DEATHS AUG 11: Anastasios Miserlis 82 years old AUG 23: Marion Demos 88 years old Dear Friends of the Choir: September is here, and everything is once again back in full swing! School is underway, schedules are filling up, rehearsals have resumed, and our parish life is busy once again. We also wish everyone a very Happy Ecclesiastical New Year! As we begin this new church year, may it be filled with faith, good health, love, and many blessings for all of our parish families. Our Youth Choir rehearsals have re- sumed, and it is wonderful to have our young people back together and singing again. Our adult choir is also back at work, and we are especially happy to say welcome back to our Jim Staunton! Jim has been gone for a while, but certainly never for- gotten. We have missed him and are so happy to have him back where he belongs, singing with us once again! We are also very happy to welcome our newest choir members, Dr. Mary Louis and Shadee Hemaiden. We are so glad to have you join our choir family and look forward to making beautiful music together! Our Centennial celebration is be- ginning to come together, and there is so much to look forward to as we prepare to celebrate 100 years of St. Spyridon. It is going to take many hands—and many voices—to make this milestone year as special as it de- serves to be. If you have ever thought about singing with us, now is the time! Come join us. There is always room for another voice in our choir family. And believe it or not, we have offi- cially entered the “ber” months— September, October, November, and December—which means the holi- days will be upon us before we know it! There is a lot of beautiful music ahead, and both our youth and adult choirs are excited about everything we are preparing for this very special season and the year ahead. Birthday wishes this month go out to our very own La Mesa Mayor, Mark Arapostathis. May God grant him many years filled with health, happi- ness, and continued blessings! NEWS LOFT FROM THE WEDDINGS JUL 25: Rachel Pich & Maxwell Schwarz Koumbaroi: Georgia & Nicholas Samouris Congratulations to Sara and Brian Johnson on the birth of their daugh- ter Luna Aleesia born April 3, 2026, 2026, 6 lbs. 1 oz., 18.1 in.). Proud grandparents are Berhe Teklai & Al- ganesh Giorgis and (late) Nancy Ives and Kenneth & Lorraine Johnson. BIRTHS 40-DAY BLESSINGS AUG 16: Alana and Gianna Daughters of Elizabeth & Gilbert Garcia AUG 23: Luna Aleesia Daughter of Sara & Brian Johnson CAMPUS SECURITY As part of our ongoing commitment to providing a safe, secure, and welcoming environment for all who worship at St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church, the Parish Council, in collaboration with the Security Committee, has approved the addition of a licensed professional security officer during Sunday Divine Liturgy, begin- ning in September. The security officer will work in coordination with our Narthex Ministry Team and will conduct routine patrols of the church campus throughout worship services. This additional layer of security is intended to enhance the safety and well-being of our parish family while preserving the warm spirit of hospitality and fellowship that has always defined our parish community. We want to reassure everyone that there have been no recent threats or incidents involving our parish or the surrounding com- munity. This decision is purely a proactive measure and reflects the Parish Council’s commitment to prudent planning and re- sponsible stewardship in today’s environment. In addition to the security officer, several other security enhance- ments have been implemented. Keypad-controlled access has been installed on most exterior gates to help prevent unautho- rized entry to the campus. The Parish Council has also approved the installation of eleven (11) high-definition, motion-activated security cameras strategically positioned throughout the church grounds to further strengthen campus security. The safety of our parishioners, guests, clergy, staff, and children remains one of our highest priorities. These measures are intend- ed to provide peace of mind while allowing everyone to worship, participate in ministries, and enjoy fellowship with confidence. We are grateful for your continued support, understanding, and trust as we faithfully fulfill our responsibility to care for all those whom God has entrusted to our parish family. With gratitude, The Parish Council of Saint Spyridon continues 7