NorCalCopts

New Website!

2011-03-15T16:29:00.001-07:00

The Whole Website is now located completely at www.NorCalCopts.org

2010-08-31T17:17:00.001-07:00

Master Calendar of Events

Use the arrow on the top right corner of the calendar to select which church(es) you would like to see events for.

Not sure which calendar belongs to which church?

SMSJ COC: St. Mary & St. John COC (Pleasanton, CA)
SMS Logos: St. Antonius COC (Hayward, CA)
StMarkChurch@gmail.com: St. Mark COC (Monterey, CA)

Other churches not currently on Google Calendar:

St. Mary, Sacramento - Contact Fr. Arsanios
Archangel Michael & Gabriel, Fresno

The Fast of St. Mary

2010-08-17T23:12:00.001-07:00

During the month of August, we live a period of fasting, bearing the name of the Holy Virgin, the Mother of Light.We celebrate her feast on August 22nd (Mesori 16th). The Fast of St. Mary, the Feast of the Holy Virgin, and talking about the Mother of the Savior are all beloved subjects to the soul. Even those who are not accustomed to observing all the Church’s fasts, observe St. Mary’s Fast and may even increase their asceticism during this period.

During this fast, the churches, especially the ones bearing the name of the Holy Virgin, are all filled with worshippers during the Divine Liturgies and at the other services, which are held almost daily. They thank God and glorify Him, Who was incarnate of the Holy Virgin, for our salvation, and that He made His mother a mother for all of us. When He was on the cross, what Christ said to St. John the Beloved, “Behold your mother,” is something that applies to all those who follow in St. John’s footsteps.Like St. John the Beloved, we also take the Holy Virgin to dwell in our hearts and become a mother, who cares for us and intercedes on our behalf before her Beloved Son.

2010-06-14T15:01:00.000-07:00

Fast of the Apostles

2010-05-26T23:30:00.000-07:00

The Pentecost, descent of the Holy Spirit, is immediately followed by the Apostle’s fast which lasts from the Monday after Pentecost to July 12th (Abib 5th). The apostles started preaching after the reception of the Holy Spirit.

The book of Acts does not end with the word “Amen,” unlike most other books in the bible. This is significant because the preaching of the apostle did not stop at the end of the book. It is continued everyday through our works. The Apostles’ Fast is a great opportunity for one to be reminded of the works that the Holy Spirit did through the Apostles, such as, St. Peter’s sermon, which converted approximately three thousand people. During St. Peter’s sermon, a man fell asleep, fell off a a building, but through prayer and the Holy Spirit, the man was brought back alive. Also, the many miracles of St. Peter and St. Paul are constantly brought up during this season to motivate one’s spiritual struggle.

The fast always terminates on Abib 5th because that is the day for the commemoration of the martyrdom of St. Peter and St. Paul. Although their lives on earth was ended on that day, their work on earth is perpetuated by Christians. It is our duty to preach as they preached, and if necessary we may use words. Their stories always prove inspiration; their struggles are incredibly inspirational. Their lives are truly a model for every Christian. Their faith was truly firm.

It is of great importance to remember that all the works of the apostles were through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The same is with every decision made in church nowadays: It is always in light of the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Any decision made otherwise is unwise; thus, it is vital to continually ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance in our life.

We pray that God may bless us throughout this fast, and that the prayers, intercessions, and blessings of all the apostles be with us all. Amen.

Glorious Feast of Resurrection

2010-04-06T01:50:00.001-07:00

Today we rejoice as we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ, Who by His death trampled down death, and bestowed eternal life upon those in the tomb.

At the beginning of this year, the Church offered a group of righteous martyrs in Nag Hammadi. We pray that God may repose their pure souls in the Paradise of Joy. We also pray for their families that God may grant them the joy of the Resurrection and the heavenly consolation. We also pray for their murderers so that God may open their eyes and lead them to the way of truth. Today, as we remember the victims of Nag Hammadi, it is not to mourn the viciousness of the crime and the injustice that is falling on our brothers and sisters the Christians there, but rather to see our martyrs through the light of the power of the resurrection of our Living Christ.

The resurrection of Christ is a great power. It is one that changes sadness to joy. A power that changes suffering for the sake of Christ to joy in the fellowship of His suffering. It is a power that changes the blood of the martyrs to become the seeds for the growth of the Church. St. Paul the Apostle, who was martyred for the name of Christ, experienced the power of the resurrection in his life and said, “that I may know Him and power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” (Phil. 3: 10) St. Paul called all those, who struggle or are persecuted for the sake of Christ, to look upwards to Christ, “..let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb. 12: 1-2)

The Power of Christ’s Resurrection Changed Martyrdom in Christianity to Joy and Evangelism

The martyrs rejoiced in martyrdom, because through Christ’s death and resurrection, He defeated death. St. Athanasius said, “Before the divine sojourn of the Savior, even the holiest of men were afraid of death, and mourned the dead as those who perish. But now that the Savior has raised His body, death is no longer terrible, but all those who believe in Christ tread it underfoot as nothing, and prefer to die rather than to deny their faith in Christ, knowing full well that when they die they do not perish, but live indeed, and become incorruptible through the resurrection.”

St. Stephen the Protomartyr received his persecutors with an angelic face. Rather than look at their faces full of evil, instead “he being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7: 55) Because his heart was full of joy and peace, he did not curse those who stoned him, but asked for their forgiveness. With the martyrdom of St. Stephen, a great persecution fell on the Church in Jerusalem and many were scattered in Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Did the Church weaken? Did evangelism stop? Actually, what happened was the opposite, “those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.” (Acts 8:4)

St. Ignatius of Antioch, who was martyred in 108 A.D. when Emperor Trajan ordered that he be presented to the fierce animals in Rome, was joyful. And when the soldiers came to bind him he kneeled down and cried with a joyful voice, “I thank you, O Master Lord, for You granted me the honor of loving You fully and permitted me to be bound in iron chains like Your apostle Paul.” On the way to Rome, he wrote a letter to the Christians in Rome expressing his joy and desire to present himself as a sacrifice to God on the altar of divine love, and he begged them not to interfere, because of their love for him, and stop the imperial decision to throw him to the wild beasts. Here are a few words of what St. Ignatius said, “The truth is, I am afraid it is your love that will do me wrong. For you, of course, it is easy to achieve your object; but for me it is difficult to win my way to God, should you be prevent my martyrdom…Grant me no more than that you let my blood be spilled in sacrifice to God, while yet there is an altar ready…How glorious it is to leave this world so I may rise again in His presence!” When St. Ignatius reached Rome, he kneeled down and asked Christ to lift the persecution from the churches. Then they released two lions, which devoured him immediately.

St. Justin Martyr witnessed that martyrdom is evangelism and said, “You can clearly see that when we are beheaded, crucified, thrown to the wild beasts, bound in chains, thrown in fire, or any other means of torture, we don’t relent in our faith. The more we face these sufferings, the more people become Christians and join our faith in the name of Jesus Christ.” The martyrs saw that this was a fulfillment of our Lord Jesus Christ’s saying, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it produces much grain.” (Jn. 12:24) St. Augustine reflected on our Lord Jesus Christ’s saying to His disciples, “Behold, I send you as lambs among wolves.” (Lk. 10:3) and said, “There was a flock of wolves and a few lambs. When the many wolves preyed upon the few lambs, the wolves changed to lambs.”

My Beloved Brothers and Sisters,

• Let us rejoice today in the power of the resurrection of our Good Savior and Living Christ.

• Let us rejoice with the joyful martyrs as they meet the Resurrected Christ.

• Let us pray that God may grant to enlighten us with His resurrection so we may be ready to carry the cross and may have a fellowship in His suffering.

• Let us pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters that God may strengthen their faith and sustain them in their struggle.

• Let us pray for the peace of the One, holy, catholic, and Apostolic Church.

• Let us pray for our beloved father and vigilant shepherd, H.H. Pope Shenouda III that God may keep him for many years and give him health and strength.

Wishing you many happy returns.

Bishop Serapion

St. Mark's Summer Youth Competition

2009-05-26T23:22:00.000-07:00

Since 2008, we have participated in St. Mark's Summer Competition (Mahregan El-Keraza) as done in Egypt. Make sure to speak with your church representative to get involved as a servant or participant in the competition. Click below for preparatory materials.

History of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Northern California

2009-05-06T16:44:00.000-07:00

Coming soon....

Sermons

2000-07-19T18:08:00.000-07:00