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5 THE SHEPHERD • SEPTEMBER 2026 • SAINT SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO Engaging lessons & activities Orthodox Church foundation Crafts & games Snacks & fellowship Sunday School For more information: 2026-2027 Serving Youth from Preschool through 12th grade What to expect: Every Sunday All kids & teens welcome! After distribution of Holy Communion St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church Parish Website: stspyridon.org Youth Ministries Website: https://tinyurl.com/stspyridonyouth Phone/Text: 619-940-5167 facebook: Saint Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church instagram: @youthstspyridon & @st.spyridon_goya Scan for more information about the 2026-2027 School Year! Congratulations to Mr. Sotiros (Sam) Melero and Ms. Ioanna Kyriakidis on their beautiful and memorable wedding on the beautiful town and island of Batsi, Andros on June 28, 2026, that has a deep connection to me and many. Wishing them a life full of health, happiness, and prosperity. With much love, Anastasia Kyriakidis (a.k.a. yiayia) Sponsored Announcement around the globe. But let us not forget or be deceived; the world has been full of tragic events since the beginning of time. However, are we, or should we be able to live our lives without fear, having God’s promise that all tragedy, illness, corruption, trials, tribulations and ultimately death will be totally and finally eliminated at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, our Incarnate God. It is truly a blessing and very comforting to know that He who grants eternal life to those who truly believe; He who was proclaimed by the prophets, born of a Virgin and dwelt among men; He that was arrested as an innocent man, cru- cified, suffered and was buried; He who resurrected on the third day, appeared among His disciples and ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father; He who hears the prayers of the faithful; He who has promised that “who- ever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life, in a place where there is no pain, sorrow, or suffering” far away from the tragedies of this world. My brothers and sisters in Christ, this is the uplifting saving message of Jesus Christ, in the midst of any tragedy, that we as Orthodox Christians must first believe in, make it our own and then teach it to others, so that no matter what the trage- dy, we and others may find hope and comfort and peace and remember and say, “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24), amen. +A 1 FR. ANDREW