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1 THE SHEPHERD • OCTOBER 2022 • SAINT SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO FROM THE DESK OF FATHER ANDREW www.theshepherdnews.com The Shepherd Newsletter My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Each year, on October 18th the church cele- brates the feast day in honor of Saint Luke the Apostle, Evangelist and Gospel writer. As a reminder, throughout the summer months, during the Divine Liturgy, the Church reads the Gospel account of St. Mathew. Hence, Matthew’s Gospel is sometimes called the “Summer Gospel.” With the month of Octo- ber upon us the Church will begin to read the Gospel of St. Luke within the Divine Lit- urgy throughout the month of October until basically the new year. Because St. Luke is such an in uential Saint of the Church and we will be listening to his Gospel for the next several months, allow me a few words so you can better understand him. Saint Luke comes to us from the ancient city of Antioch, Syria. He was an educated man of the times and a physician. He was also an eloquent orator and an artist. He is in fact the patron saint of physicians and artists. roughout his many missionary journeys, St. Luke healed many people who came to him for help. He is also responsible for the icon he painted of the holy eotokos. It is the icon we hear about from the end of the Paraklesis service chanted during the “Fif- teen Days Of August.” It is the same icon said to be in the possession of the Patriarch of Constantinople. Even though St. Luke was a skilled physician, a creative artist and an excellent orator he is also known as an historian. He is responsible for giving to the world not only his Gospel account but also the New Testament book of Acts (of the Apostles). St. Luke wrote the Gospel account as he heard it from St. Paul and the other Apostles but his Account from Acts was from his own experience. From these two books the Church drew, and still draws, much in the way She expresses Her- self. Saint Luke devoted much of his life serving Christ and His Church. He died a peaceful death in Ephesus at the age of eighty-four and his relics were transferred to the City of Constantinople in the 4th century. “An ap- praisal of the contributions to Christianity by St. Luke cannot be measured by the num- ber of words he wrote, the many missionary miles he traveled, or the number of years he spent in exclusive dedication to Jesus Christ. St. Luke, like so many who have given so much to all of us, is not to be appraised, but only honored.” My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, from the third verse of the rst chapter we read Saint Luke’s introduction of his Gospel as he ad- dresses someone called Θεόφιλος translated “lover/friend of God.” …it seemed good to me to write an orderly account for you, the most excellent eophilos, that you may know the truth… (Luke 1:3; 4). Subsequently, if we claim to love God then St. Luke is addressing us as well and it is incumbent upon us to press upon Him to hear the word of God (Luke 5:1). As the crowd (assembly) of believers did so then, we too must press upon Him to hear His word , now. How? As they assembled and be- came the ekklesia (the Church) we too must assemble to become the Church; the people of God. Upon assembling we then hear the word of God through the reading of the Epis- tle and Gospel within the context of the Di- vine Liturgy (the assembly). Why? For every one who calls upon the Lord will be saved. But how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? And how can men preach unless they are sent? So, faith comes by what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preach- ing of Christ (or the word) (Romans 10:13- continues 3 IN THIS ISSUE FR. ANDREW ............................................. p. 1 PRESIDENT OF THE PARISH COUNCIL, PHIOPTOCHOS NEWS, VOLUNTEERISM ........................................ p. 2 DIVINE SERVICES, HOLY SACRAMENTS, DEATHS, MEMORIALS, WOMEN OF THE WORD, STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE.... p. 3 YOUTH MINISTRIES, SENIORS ............. p. 4 GREEK LANGUAGE SCHOOL ................ p. 5 CALENDAR................................................. p. 6 BOOKSTORE ............................................ p. 7 CONTACT INFORMATION ...................... p. 8 The Shepherd The official newsletter publication for the parish of Saint Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church of San Diego I S S U E 3 1 7 • O C TO B E R 2 0 2 2 SAVE THE DATE! Sunday, January 8, 2023 Epiphany Cross Dive & Luncheon Leon Balaban Honorees: Jim and Stella Pappas More details coming soon! SAVE THE DATE! Sunday, November 13 PHILOPTOCHOS THANKSGIVING LUNCHEON Stay tuned for details