Vision Statement

Our Vision at St. Gregory of Nyssa Greek Orthodox Church is to manifest in the East San Diego County area the Body of Christ, the fellowship of all Orthodox Christian believers, by learning and living the teachings of Jesus Christ and His Church.

We do this by worshipping (liturgia), witnessing (martyria), serving (diakonia) and socializing (koinonia) together. We do this by caring for family, friends and others, by comforting those in need and encouraging one another toward a strong moral and spiritual life.

By striving for personal sanctification, to make real the image and likeness of God in our own lives, we seek to make God’s Kingdom real in our community.

Goals & Objectives:

• To learn the Faith
• To live the Faith
• To share the Faith
• To build participation in our community and worship
• To build our own Church, community center, classrooms & offices.

Sunday Bulletin

Online Chapel
Read today's prescribed Epistle and Gospel passages and learn about the saints commemorated by the Church on this day

Orthodox Calendar
Our online calendar listing the major saints, feasts, and fasting periods in the Orthodox Church for this month

Featured Video
Enjoy a weekly video feature by GOTelecom on our Church's faith and life.

Iconograms
Send electronic icon greeting cards to your family, friends or loved ones on their name day or any special occasion.

Weekly Schedule

• Saturday Evening Great Vespers 5PM
  • Church Family Potluck and Teaching follow Vespers
• Sunday Orthos at 9 AM
• Memorials from 9:50 AM
• Sunday Divine Liturgy 10 AM

From the Desk of Fr. Simeon

Why I Pray

Why did our Lord Jesus Christ come? Why did the very Word of God become Incarnate? The Creed declares: “For our sake and our salvation!” In the beautiful discourse that our Lord had with the Jews, at the very heart of John’s Gospel, He states: “… I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (John 10:10b) This, then, is the briefest answer to the question: Why do I pray? I pray because I want life and I want it most abundantly. Through the personal experience of my life, I have concluded that Jesus is Who He says He is: The Way, the Truth and THE LIFE. There is no real, true or abundant life without our Lord. I pray because I want Jesus and everything He offers: Communion with His Father and my Father through the Holy Spirit.

The most basic way we enter into this Communion through our Lord Jesus Christ is in prayer. This is why the Disciples asked Him, “…Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” (Luke 11:1b) They followed Him because they wanted what only He could give, true and abundant life. Many of them had already previously been John’s Disciples. Obviously, for them, the most important thing John had taught them was “how to pray”. The very source of John’s Spirit-filled life was prayer. St. John the Baptist even recognized His Lord and leapt in his Mother (St. Elizabeth’s) womb at the sound of the voice of our Lord’s Mother (The Theotokos). What imbued this Holy Family with such perception and the gifts of the Holy Spirit while being “knit together” in his mother's womb but prayer? John’s greatest gift to his Disciples was to “prepare the way of the Lord”, to steer them toward his cousin, our Lord. To be able to physically follow Him was the achievement of true prayer. This was the fulfillment of John’s life, ministry and prayer. John was not The Life, but he points the way most clearly to He Who Is. I’m telling you “why I pray” because I realize that my job is much like John the Baptist's. I, most definitely, am not the life but I’m more and more convinced I know Who Is. I want all those that I love and care about to receive what only He can give. The only way I know how to do this is to actually do it; offer prayer, supplications, worship and thanksgiving. The only way I can teach you how to pray, or how you, in turn, can teach your children is simply… to pray! We don’t even have to “make it up as we go along”. Jesus, through His Scripture and His Living Body, the Church, teaches us how to pray: “When you pray say: Our Father…”

This is how I began the ministry here three years ago. I made sure that everyone had the means to pray. I actually printed up the most basic daily (morning and evening prayers) for everyone to use. If you do not have a regular prayer life, come and I will help “prepare the way” for you. As we are blessed to enter this New Church Year on September the 1st, it is MY prayer that you know prayer, that you know this most fundamental way to receive and live in abundant life. Come, not only Sunday, but to every Great Feast of our Lord and His Mother this year. Take every opportunity to learn, not because your priest is nudging you, but because you want what he wants… Life… ABUNDANT LIFE. May He Who Is our Life bless this year and may we use it to learn to pray, follow Him and receive all that He has for us.

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