St. Matthew Orthodox Christian Church
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese
Torrance, CA

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Learning Opportunities

1st Sunday of the Month Parish Teaching

  • Following the Divine Liturgy on the first Sunday of each month Fr. John gives a teaching to the community during the Agape Meal. All are welcome.

Weekly Bible Studies

  • A study of the scriptures in light of the anceint commentators takes us to a deeper relationship with Christ and understanding of the Christian faith. Currently Bible Studies are on Friday mornings from 7am yill 

Introduction to Orthodox Christianity and Catechism

  • Instruction about Orthodox Christianity and the Catechism process takes place on an individual/family bases with Fr. John. After meeting, a schedule will be establised for meeting regularly.
  • Please feel free to contact Fr. John if you have particular questions or to discuss the process of becoming an Orthodox Christian.

Great Lent Wednesday Night Teaching

  • During the Lenten season a teaching will be offered on Wednesday night during the Agape Meal which takes place immediately following the Presanctified Liturgy.
Activities & Minitries

Hot Meals for the Homeless
Hot Meals For The Homeless is an opportunity to help others in need.
Held on the 2nd Saturday of every month, members of various churches come together to provide lunches and a hot meal for those in need. As the economy slows, more people will be in need of a meal, just to get them through the week.
Come prepare sandwiches, or serve food, or make a dish for those less fortunate than ourselves. The meal is from 9:30 am to 1:00 pm, so come help, even if just for an hour.
The meal is served Saturday morning at Walteria United Methodist Church in south Torrance.
3646 Newton Street, Torrance
For more information, e-mail JoAnn or Jim Ramirez at songoku2@verizon.net

Agape Meal Teams rotate in the offering of the Agape meal following the Divine Liturgy on Sundays. Contact the Church office if you would like to be added to a meal team. 

The Ladies of St. Matthew is a fun and vibrant group that conducts many activities throughout the year. Bake sales, church meals, party planning and support are just some of what they do. Contact the church office for the time and location of their next meeting!

The Sunday School Ministry takes on the important task of teaching our youth, from new borns to High Schoolers, the ancient Christian faith and how to live into the calling of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Sunday School gathers on Sundays immediately following Holy Communion until 12 noon.

Our Men's Fellowship Group meets on the second to last Tuesday of each month at 6:30pm. Following a potluck dinner the group gathers to read about and discuss subjects of importance to Christian men. Contact the church office for more details and locations.

Our Women's Fellowship Group meets on the last Tuesday of each month at 6:30pm. Following a potluck dinner the group gathers to read about and discuss subjects of importance to Christian women. Contact the church office for more details and locations.

Our Senior's Fellowship (50+) meets monthly at a local resturant for fellowship and teaching. Check the Church google calendar for upcoming gathers.

Arabic Orthodox Education is an opportunity to learn the beauty and depth of the Orthodox Christian faith in the Arabic language. The group meets once a month at a different home and enjoys dinner, fellowship, teaching, and discussion.

 

House Blessings
 
With the Feast of Theophany, Christ's baptism in the Jordan, we celebrate the coming of Christ into this world to sanctify ALL of creation. As such, it is customary and essential, to arrange for the priest to bless your home / apt / business / dorm room, etc with holy water. Contact Fr. John directly to make arrangements. Here is some information to help you prepare:

Before the Priest arrives, prepare by cleaning your home/business and opening and lighting all the rooms. Have the following items ready for the house blessing: 

  • Icon of Christ
  • Candle
  • Small bowl half full of water to which the Priest will add the "Jordan" Holy Water.
  • Incense burner
  • Incense
  • Charcoal
  • A sprig of basil leaves (available at the grocery store.) or other fragrant greenery that the priest can use to bless your home.
  • A list of the Living and Departed in the family you wish the priest to pray for in the blessing

Many of these items can be purchased in the church bookstore. If you don't know how to use the incense at home, this is a great time for the priest to help you learn! (If having these items (Censer, basil, etc.) is not possible, the priest will have these in his blessing bag).

Place the items on a small table in your icon corner.

Upon the arrival of the Priest, he is to be greeted by all of the family members, each of whom asks the Priest’s blessing and kisses his right hand. The priest will begin the short prayer service, bless with the incense,and say the Theophany blessing prayer. Then, using the basil sprig dipped in water as a sprinkler, he will go to each room, lead by a family member holding a candle, and sprinkle holy water on all 4 sides, blessing the home with the grace of the Holy Spirit which also protects you from evil spirits. After blessing the home, all gather back at the table for the final prayers, dismissal, and blessing of each person in the family. 

Save some of the holy water in a bottle in your ikonostasi (home altar) and pour the remainder on plants. Although ideal, all family members do not need to be present for the house blessing. House Blessings are a yearly tradition. It is customary, although not required, for the head of the household to discreetly present the Priest with an envelope containing an honorarium and a list of the Living and Departed for whom the family requests his prayers during the New Year.

The goal is to bless every dwelling of the faithful by March 1st. (While you are free to invite the priest (and his family if you like) for a meal after the blessing, by NO means is this necessary. We can just simply come and bless, have a cup of tea (or not), spend a little time, and leave at your convenience.

If several families live in close proximity to each other, it is helpful to coordinate with each other to have the priest come and bless multiple homes at one time then, if you would like (but not necessary), all gather together for a potluck meal afterwards. 

Call, Text or Email Fr. John

Today's Commemorations
Spyridon the Wonderworker of Trymithous, Holy New Martyr Peter the Aleut, John (or Joachim), Bishop of Zichni
Today's Scripture Readings
ST. PAUL'S LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS 5:8-19
Brethren, walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is a shame even to speak of the things that they do in secret; but when anything is exposed by the light it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it is said, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light." Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart.
JOHN 10:9-16
The Lord said, "I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd.
Today's Thought

"There is one God Who created man from dust. He has ordered all things, both visible and invisible, by His Word and His Spirit. The Word is the Son of God, Who came down upon the earth on account of our sins. He was born of a Virgin, He lived among men, and suffered and died for our salvation, and then He arose from the dead, and He has resurrected the human race with Him. We believe that He is One in Essence with the Father, and equal to Him in authority and honor. We believe this without any sly rationalizations, for it is impossible to grasp this mystery by human reason." – St. Spiridon