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1 THE SHEPHERD • NOVEMBER 2025 • 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 4 • NO V E MB E R 2 0 2 5 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, HOLY SACRAMENTS, DEATHS, MEMORIALS, CHOIR .............. p. 3 YOUTH MINISTRIES ................................. p. 4 GREEK LANGUAGE SCHOOL, DANCE & CHORAL .................................................. p. 6 PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS .......................... p. 7 PARISH CALENDAR ................................ p. 10 YOUNG AT HEART SENIORS, STEWARDSHIP CORNER ........................ p. 11 CONTACT INFORMATION....................... p. 12 FROM THE DESK OF FATHER ANDREW My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, The month of Novem- ber is the month that most parishes in the Greek Archdiocese be- gin their stewardship campaigns for the new year 2026. When considering your 2026 pledge commitment to your parish, please pause to say a prayer as you reflect upon your 2026 offering to your beloved Church. Stewardship giving, like attending the Divine Liturgy, is not an option . Stewardship is not for someone else. Stewardship is for each and every Orthodox Christian; it is our sa- cred obligation freely given to Christ and His Church here on earth (Eph. 1:22-23). Our responsibility toward stewardship should not be offered grudgingly or with condi- tions but should be given freely and joyfully (II Cor. 9:6-7). From both the Old and New Testaments and from the life of the Church throughout the ages (Holy Tradition), we are reminded that our stewardship offering should be from our first fruits and not from our leftovers . As we freely offer our first fruits with joy, we come to realize that we are truly fulfilling part of our vocation as Orthodox Christians and thus opening a path for God’s blessing to appear in our lives. Sometime during the month of November, each and every one of you will receive your 2026 “Stewardship Packet.” As we draw clos- er to the new calendar year, I, together with the dedicated Stewardship Committee and the devoted Parish Council, encourage each and every one of you to once again give seri- ous consideration to your 2026 stewardship pledge commitment to Christ’s Church here on Park Boulevard. As you reflect upon your 2026 pledge, we must all pull together as a faith community in our individual steward- ship efforts to reach our individual and com- munal goals. Remember, stewardship is for everyone . +A METROPOLIS GALA The Greek OrthodoxMetropolis of San Francisco hosted its biennial Gala, “Celebrating Our Min- istries and Honoring Extraordinary Leadership,” on Saturday, October 11, 2025, at the JW Mar- riott Anaheim Resort. Our Saint Spyridon Church was represented at the Gala which brought together 520 guests from across the Metropolis to celebrate the dynamic ministries that enrich parish life – Christian Education, Church Music, Clergy Continuing Education, Family Wellness, Folk Dance & Choral Festival, Greek Language and Culture, Greek Village, Missions & Evangelism, Orthodox Parish Leadership, Philoptochos, Young Adult League (YAL), Youth & Young Adult Min- istries – and to honor the faithful leaders whose dedication strengthens the Church’s mission. PHILOPTOCHOS CANDLES Two scents - 100% Soy Wax Packaged for gift-giving Proceeds benefit the Bishop Anthony Philoptochos Student Aid Endowment Fund Purchase online at anthousa.net or visit the Philoptochos table during fellowship hour