Pictures from Palm Sunday 2014

Wishing everyone a Blessed Palm Sunday from St. Thomas Orthodox Church of Los Angeles.

Click here to see pictures from Service

Holy Qurbana - Fri., April 11th @ 6:30pm

40th Day of Lent and Lazarus Saturday

This is a reminder that there will be Holy Qurbana tomorrow, Friday, April 11th at 6:30pm.  We encourage all our families to attend and participate.

MGOCSM and Sunday School Lenten Retreat and Confession Day - April 5th

A Lenten Retreat for MGOCSM and Sunday School has been scheduled for April 5th at church.  Teachers and students should all participate as per the schedule below.  Dn. Saju Varghese and Fr. Yohannan Panicker will be the leaders.

 

TIME	GROUP/EVENT
1:00 PM	Retreat MGOCSM and Sunday School (Grades 8 and above)
4:00 PM	Retreat Sunday School (Grades Pre-KG to 7)
5:30 PM	Holy Confession for all Charity Project (Grades Pre-KG to 7) Make hygiene kits for Orange County Rescue Mission
6:30 PM	Evening Prayer Lenten Message

Father of Jolly Varughese Passes Away in India

We are very saddened to inform you that the father of Mrs. Jolly Varughese (Culver City) has passed away in India early this morning.  Both Sodharan and Jolly were in India when her father passed.  Our prayers go out to Jolly Varughese and her family.  

The St. Thomas Orthodox Church gives our heart-felt condolences to the families.  Please keep them in your daily prayers as they pass through this difficult time.

Great Lent Prayer Meeting - Sat., March 15th @ 6:30pm

A prayer meeting has been scheduled at church this Saturday.  Evening Prayer will begin at 6:30pm and a devotional talk after.  Please make every effort to attend with your family.

If you wish to host a prayer meeting at your home or at the church, please contact Mr. Abraham Mathew, Prayer Coordinator.

Week 2 of Great Fast - Devotional & Scripture

Devotional based on abridged Homilies of St. John Chrysostom “On Fasting” – part 2

Click here to view PDF Version.

For there exist, there really exist, ways which are even more important than abstinence from food which can open the gates which lead to God with boldness. He, therefore, who eats and cannot fast, let him display richer almsgiving, let him pray more, let him have a more intense desire to hear divine words. In this, our somatic illness is not a hindrance.

Let him become reconciled with his enemies, let him distance from his soul every resentment. If he wants to accomplish these things, then he has done the true fast, which is what the Lord asks of us more than anything else. It is for this reason that he asks us to abstain from food, in order to place the flesh in subjection to the fulfillment of his commandments, whereby curbing its impetuousness.

But if we are not about to offer to ourselves the help rendered by the fast because of bodily illness and at the same time display greater indifference, we will see ourselves in an unusual exaggerated way. For if the fast does not help us when all the aforementioned accomplishments are missing so much is the case when we display greater indifference because we cannot even use the medicine of fasting.

CALC Food Sale - Sun., February 23rd

The CAlifornia Leader Camp (CALC) Committee will be holding a food sale this Sunday, February 23 following the Holy Liturgy. We ask that all our families join together with us in this luncheon.  All proceeds will go towards funding of the California Leadership Camp, which will be hosted on July 23-26, 2014. This annual leadership camp of the Mar Gregorios Orthodox Christian Student Movement (MGOCSM) is a great opportunity for the young generation of the United States to be trained as future leaders of our communities and churches. We ask that you keep the progress of CALC in your prayers, and we appreciate all aspects of support that you have provided us.

MMVS Meeting - Sat., January 25th @ 4pm

The first meeting for MMVS of this year will be held on Saturday, January 25th from 4 to 6 pm at the Church. Very Rev. K.O. Philip Cor-episcopa will preside the meeting and give a devotional talk.  

Also, there will be a cooking class after the meeting mainly for our young adults.  For the cooking class, Mrs. Aleyamma Mathew will teach how to make Kerala style Fish Curry.  All the ladies are invited.

Mrs. Susan (Ammukutty) Varughese's Sister Passes Away

We are very saddened to inform you that the sister of Mrs. Susan (Ammukutty) Varughese, has passed away in India this evening. There will be a prayer meeting at the home of Mathew Varughese (Viji) tomorrow, Tuesday at 6:30pm. Please join us for the prayer.  

The St. Thomas Orthodox Church gives our heart-felt condolences to the family.  Please keep the family in your daily prayers as they pass through this difficult time.

Address: (Click here for directions)
9965 Princeton St.
Cypress, CA  90630
(714) 821-3677

Miracle Of Christmas Program - Sun., Dec 22nd @ 4pm

Miracle of Christmas Program will be held on Sunday, December 22nd at 4pm at the Bellflower Civic Auditorium.  Please try to bring at least one more family to the program.

Please remind all your family and friends to attend.  See you all there!

MGOCSM California Basketball Tournament - Sat., Nov 30th @ 1pm

The MGOCSM California Basketball Tournament will be held tomorrow, Saturday November 30, 2013 starting at 1:00 PM in the Brea Community Center (695 Madison Ave., Brea, CA 92621).  Please come out and support this event and enjoy a day out with your family.  See you all there!

Click here for directions

Funeral Details for Philipose Geevarghese

We are very saddened by the loss of our dearest Philipose uncle (79) on Saturday, October 19th. He is survived by his wife, Aleykutty, brothers, Kunjumon and Mathewkutty, sisters, Saramma and Kunjumol and children Jessy, Saji and Joice.  We pray for his soul and ask courage and strength for the families in this difficult time. The following are the details for the funeral:

Viewing/Funeral Services:
Sunday, October 27th, 5pm - 8pm
Forest Lawn Cypress
Church of our Fathers Chapel
4471 Lincoln Ave.
Cypress, CA 90630

Click here for directions

Burial Service/Final Resting Place

Monday, October 28th at 11:30am (No Viewing)
Forest Lawn Cypress
Church of our Fathers Chapel
4471 Lincoln Ave.
Cypress, CA 90630

Please participate in refreshments afterwards at the Cypress Room Hall in Forrest Lawn, Cypress.

Flowers can be sent to Forest Lawn Cypress, (800) 204-3131.

Mr. Philipose Geevarghese (Cerritos) Passes Away

It is with deepest sorrows that we inform you that our dearest friend, Mr. Philipose Geevarghese, 79 years old, passed away yesterday evening. He is survived by his wife, Aleykutty, brothers, Kunjumon and Mathewkutty, sisters, Saramma and Kunjumol and children Jessy, Saji and Joice.  Funeral details will follow as it gets finalized.

The St. Thomas Orthodox Church gives our heartfelt condolences to all the families.  Please pray for them during this difficult time.

Church Retreat - Sat., October 26th, H.G. Yuhanon Mar Meletius

A Retreat has been scheduled for Saturday, October 26th from 9am - 4pm at Church.  H.G. Yuhanon Mar Meletius will be visiting Los Angeles and will conduct the Retreat.  Please mark your calendars and plan to attend with your family.

Thirumeni will be celebrating the Holy Qurbana on Sunday, October 27th and will also be hoisting the flag for St. Gregorios Day Perunal which will be held the following weekend.

Divyabodhanam Class - Monday, October 7th at 6pm

A Divyabodhanam class will be held tomorrow, Monday, October 7th by Tele-Conference. Classes sessions are held for 1 hour every month . The topics to be covered are from the associated books. The time and the date is fixed on the First Monday of Every Month at 06:00 PM Pacific time.


Western Regional Coordinator:  Mr. Abraham Mathew, Fullerton

The tele-conference number is 1- 218-632-0187 Code 3703#

Please click here to see more details about Divyabodhanam.