
St. James' Newsletter
May 29- June 4, 2023 Issue No. 909
Looking Ahead
Scrip Gift Card Program
A large variety of scrip (gift) cards are available at the church hall following the liturgy. We have Amazon, Gas, Visa cards, your favorite restaurants and much more! By purchasing scrip cards, our church will receive a percentage or kick-back from the company.
Spiritual Corner
Upcoming Services
Saturday, June 3
+ Commemoration of the Dead
+ Holy Equal-to the-Apostles
Sts. Constantine and Helen 9:30am
Sunday, June 4
Divine Liturgy 10:00am
Trip to St. Anthony's Monastery - June 14-17th
With the blessings from Fr. Giris and the blessings from the fathers at St. Anthony's monastery, we plan to have a pilgrimage trip to St. Anthony's Monastery in Florence, Arizona in June. We plan to fly out from San Jose to Phoenix and back to San Jose. If interested, please reach out to Dcn. Joseph asap!!
Celebrating Fr. George Jweinat's 30th Year Anniversay
The Vicariate is proud to celebrate The Very Rev. Fr. George Jweinat's 30th year anniversary of priesthood. Dinner will be held this Sunday, June 6th at 6:00pm at St. George Cathedral in Daly City. For tickets, please contact Fr. Jeries or Dcn. Joseph.
Fasting Schedule
Wed. May 31 Fish allowed
Friday June 2 Fish allowed
Commemoration of the Dead - June 3rd
The service to commemorate the dead will be this Saturday, June 3 at 9:30am. Please bring an offering (bread, oil, or a donation) and a list of your loved ones who are asleep in the Lord. God bless!
Lunch Schedule
If you would like to sponsor a lunch, please contact Georgette at 408-406-3546
Looking Ahead
Church Picnic - July 15th
St. James would love to have you and your loved ones at our annual summer picnic on Saturday, July 15th at Pinewood Park in Milpitas (Area B). The board of trustees have made this event free for all to show their appreciation for all you do for our parish!
Church Clean up day - June 24th
Its time to get together and clean up the church. There is a lot of work and your help is greatly appreciated. The clean up event will be on Saturday, June 24th, between 9:30am and 1:30pm. If you are able to help, please lend hand. Thank you and God Bless.
Board Meeting
June 14th
St. Anthony Trip in Arizona
June 14 - 17th
Church Clean Up
June 24th
Summer Picnic
July 15th at 12:00pm
16th Annual Food Festival
September 15-17
Confessing
The gift of God's forgiveness is received through private prayer, corporate worship, the disciplines of prayer and fasting, penitential services and above all through the sacrament of Holy Confession. If you have not confessed in a while, you may call Fr. Jeries and schedule a time for confession. If you would like to confess on Sunday, confessions will be conducted between 8:45am to 9:20am.
Receive Text Messages
If you would like to receive service times, announcements and general information about events, please request from any board member or Dcn. Joseph to be added to the system and then text "Alert" to 22300.
Company Matching Donations
Many companies have special matching donation programs for non-profits. If your company offers this benefit, please contact Samer Abujoudom at (669) 238-8218 for help to get this set up.
Benefits of Amazon Smile
Amazon Smile is a great way to shop and help your preferred nonprofit organization. By selecting St. James Orthodox Church of Jerusalem as your preferred non-profit organization, our church will receive .05% of your total purchases. Below you will find instructions on how to connect St. James Orthodox Church to your Amazon account. In addition, below here is an example of how much St. James has received from just one account.


Amazon Smile
Select St. James as Your Preferred Nonprofit
Amazon donates 0.5% of the purchase price from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to a charity of your choice.
Follow these simple steps to link your Amazon Smile account to St. James Orthodox Church
1. Visit smile.amazon.com
2. Sign to your Amazon account
3. Choose St. James Orthodox Church of Jerusalem
4. Select your charity
Activating Amazon Smile on your phone/App
1. Open the app and find “Settings” in the main menu (☰)
2. Tap on “AmazonSmile” and follow the on-screen instructions to turn on AmazonSmile in the app.
Events
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Spiritual Corner
About Commemorating the Dead in the Orthodox Church
In the Orthodox Church, the commemoration of the dead is an important aspect of its liturgical and spiritual tradition. The Orthodox Church places great emphasis on praying for the departed and honoring their memory. Here are some key aspects of commemorating the dead in the Orthodox Church:
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Prayers for the Departed: The Church believes in the power of prayer and intercession for the souls of the departed. Prayers are offered regularly during church services, particularly during memorial services, Divine Liturgies, and special occasions like All Souls' Saturdays.
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Memorial Services: Memorial services, also known as Panikhidas or Parastas services, are held for the repose of the souls of the departed. These services involve the chanting of hymns, readings from Scripture, and prayers for the forgiveness and salvation of the departed.
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Liturgical Remembrances: Throughout the liturgical year, the Orthodox Church has specific days dedicated to the commemoration of the departed. For example, the Saturday before Pentecost (Soul Saturday) is a special day for remembering all the faithful departed.
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Memorial Saturdays: Orthodox Christians also observe Memorial Saturdays, which are designated days throughout the year for commemorating the departed. On these days, prayers are offered for the souls of deceased loved ones, and families often visit cemeteries to clean and decorate graves.
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Kolyva and Memorial Meals: Kolyva, a dish made of boiled wheat, honey, and nuts, is often prepared and shared during memorial services and memorial meals. These meals provide an opportunity for family and friends to gather, remember the departed, and offer prayers for their souls.
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Icons and Memorials: Orthodox Christians may have icons of their departed loved ones in their homes or in church. These icons serve as a reminder to pray for the souls of the departed and seek their intercession.
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Almsgiving and Good Deeds: In addition to prayers, Orthodox Christians believe in the efficacy of almsgiving and performing good deeds in memory of the departed. These acts of charity are seen as ways to honor the souls of the departed and demonstrate love and compassion for others.
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Commemorating the dead in the Orthodox Church is a way of expressing the belief in the communion of saints, the connection between the living and the departed members of the Church. It is a practice rooted in faith, love, and hope for the eternal rest and salvation of the departed souls.
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St. James
Orthodox Church
1-408-934-1794
195 North Main Street
Milpitas, CA 95035