The 2009 Exercise Your Spirit 5K Run

On June 6, 2009, St. George & St. Shenouda Coptic Orthodox Church of Jersey City, NJ hosted it’s Second Annual ”Exercise Your Spirit” 5K Run. The race was held on a beautiful sunny day at Nomahegan Park in Cranford, NJ.

In addition to the many returning participants from last year, runners from all over the tri-state area joined us this year to support their sister church.  We hosted some 110 runners and 220 people at the BBQ.  We were blessed with the attendance of our Reverend Fathers, Fr. David Bebawy and Fr. Anthony Basily, who distributed awards to our fastest male and female runners.

Fastest Male Runner – Mena Francis, finishing in 22:30

Fastest Female Runner – Maryann Sous

Also this year, we witnessed the Lord’s hand working as the money raised nearly doubled over night. The 5K Run raised $44,759.05!  Five times the income of last year’s event!  With this in mind, we especially recognize and thank the great efforts of the top three fundraisers:

1. Nasheds (Mark Thomas Daniel) – $6,058.00

2. Safwat Shaker – $4,285.00

3. Ralph Toss – $4,265.00

Many thanks to all those who planned, worked, and labored for this event to be such a GREAT success!  A special thanks to our priests for their support and mentorship.

2009 5K Run Photo Album

Start of the 2009 5K Run Video

2009 Runners Awards Presentation Video

2009 Highest Fundraiser Award Video

Other Sources:

• http://5krun.nihov.org/2009
• http://sneakersandbooks.blogspot.com/2009/06/mena-francis-wins-exercise-your-spirit.html

Coptic Ordinations Pentecost 2009

On June 7, 2009, the Feast the Pentecost, H.H. Pope Shenouda III, the gathered Metropolitans, and Bishops ordained many bishops and priests.

They enthroned 2 existing bishops for dioceses as follows:

H.G. Bishop Timothaeus (Timothy), on the Diocese of El ZaaZeh, Egypt

H.G. Bishop Abakir, on the Diocese of Sweden

They also ordained 7 new bishops as follows:

H.G. Bishop Michael, on the Diocese of Virginia, United States

H.G. Bishop Daniel, on the Monastery of St. Shenouda, Australia

H.G. Bishop Theodosius, a General Bishop in the Diocese of El Giza, Egypt

H.G. Bishop Salib, a General Bishop in the Diocese of Meet Gamr, Egypt

H.G. Bishop Marcorios. on the Diocese of Girga, Egypt

H.G. Bishop Botros (Peter), on the Diocese of Shebeen El Anater, Egypt

H.G. Bishop Mina, a General Bishop

While ordaining the bishops,  As he places the bishops crown on every new bishop, H.H. breathes onto their faces and recites, “…  He said to them, As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.  And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:21-23)

They also ordained 37 new priests:

1. Father Daniel to serve Virgin Mary & St. Abraam’s Church in Ajax, Canada
2. Father Antonios, known as Nader Salib of East Brunswick, NJ to serve Virgin Mary & St. Kerolos’s Church in Pennsylvania, USA
3. Father John, formerly known as John Rizkalla of East Brunswick, NJ to serve Virgin Mary & St. Athanasius’ Church – Raritan, New Jersey, USA
4. Father Bishoy, known as Bishoy Lamie Mikhail to serve St. Antonios & St. Mina’s Church in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA
5. Father Mina, known as Mina Attwa to serve St. Mark’s Church in Nairobi, Kenya
6. Father Steven to serve St. Moses the Black’s Church in Lusaka, Zambia
7. Father Antony to serve St. Antonios’s Church in Lambo, Congo
8. Father Kerolos (Cyril) to serve St. Mark’s Church in Shoubra, Cairo, Egypt
9. Father Antonios (Anthony) to serve St. Mark’s Church in Shoubra, Cairo, Egypt
10. Father Mikhail (Michael) to serve St. Mark’s Church in Shoubra, Cairo, Egypt
11. Father Martiros to serve St. George’s Church in El Bortoeya, Egypt
12. Father Kerolos (Cyril) to serve St. George’s Church in El Bortoeya, Egypt
13. Father Mina to serve St. George’s Church in El Bortoeya, Egypt
14. Father Agnatios (Ignatius) to serve Vrigin Mary’s Church in Haret Zooela, Egypt
15. Father Polycarpos to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Garden City, Egypt
16. Father Yostos to serve St. Mark’s Church in Cleopatra, Cairo, Egypt
17. Father Antonios (Anthony) to serve St. Mark’s Church in Cleopatra, Cairo, Egypt
18. Father Mina to serve St. Mark’s Church in Cleopatra, Cairo, Egypt
19. Father Yousef (Joseph) to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Ard El Golf, Egypt
20. Father Youhanna (John) to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in El Sherooh, Cairo, Egypt
21. Father Angelos to serve Virgin Mary & St. Shenouda’s Church in Ard El Berka, Egypt
22. Father Gabrial (Gabriel) to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in El Uptamia, Cairo, Egypt
23. Father Rafael to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Deriaz, Cairo, Egypt
24. Father Ibraam (Abraham) to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Deriaz, Cairo, Egypt
25. Father Shenouda to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Deriaz, Cairo, Egypt
26. Father Moussa (Moses) to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Ezbet El Nakhl, Cairo, Egypt
27. Father Andrwais (Andrew) to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Ezbet El Nakhl, Cairo, Egypt
28. Father Philopateer to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Ezbet El Nakhl, Cairo, Egypt
29. Father Mina to serve St. George’s Church in Sawael, Luxor, Egypt
30. Father Ibraam (Abraham) to serve St. George’s Church in Sawael, Luxor, Egypt
31. Father Philopateer to serve Archangel Michael’s Church and Monastery in Kamoola, Luxor, Egypt
32. Father Moussa (Moses) to serve Archangel Michael’s Church and Monastery in Kamoola, Luxor, Egypt
33. Father Elia (Elijah) to serve St. Pachomios’s Church in Luxor, Egypt
34. Father Hedra to serve St. George’s Church in Armant, Egypt
35. Father Boules to serve Sinai, Egypt
36. Father Bishoy to serve St. Doolagi’s Church in Isna, Egypt
37. Father Gerges (George) to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Mahat El Fatekat, Egypt

They also elevated 2 priests to the rank of Hegomen:

1. Father Youhanna to serve St. Mark’s Church in Cleopatra, Cairo, Egypt

2. Father Antonios to serve Virgin Mary & John the Beloved’s Church in El ZaaZeh, Egypt

May the Lord continue to bless His Church and increase her service. We congratulate His Holiness Pope Shenouda III on the ordinations of these new servants of Christ. We also congratulate the newly ordained fathers the bishops, hegomens, priests, their families, and the congregations of these blessed churches.

Bishop Ordinations Video

Priest & Hegomen Ordinations Video

Kristos Anesti (The song)

Satan’s Meeting

As this year’s Lent is almost over and I realized how it has just passed by, I have decided to spend this last week of Lent and Holy Week differently.  I have been caught up with many things and I have been busy!  Like many of us, I needed a wake up call.  Well, a good friend shared this video with me and now I’m sharing it with you…

more about “Satan’s Meeting“, posted with vodpod

A Carrot, An Egg, and A Cup Of Coffee

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up; she was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, ‘Tell me what you see.’

‘Carrots, eggs, and coffee,’ she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, ‘What does it mean, mother?’

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

‘Which are you?’ she asked her daughter… ‘When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship, or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.

The happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can’t go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.

Live your life so at the end, you’re the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

May we all be COFFEE!!!!!!!

Coptic Priest Ordinations – March 2009

Today, March 3, 2009 at 1:45 am eastern standard time, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III ordained 19 new priests.  One priest to serve in North America and eighteen to serve in Egypt.  Here is what information I could gather:

1. Father Paul formerly known as Michael Girguis of Los Angeles, CA to serve St. Mark’s Church – Fairfax, Virginia, USA
2. Father Matta (Matthew) to serve St. Demiana’s Church in Baba Doblo, Shoubra, Egypt
3. Father Markos (Mark) to serve St. Demiana’s Church in Baba Doblo, Shoubra, Egypt
4. Father Salib (Cross) to serve Archangel Michael’s Church in Sheraton, Egypt
5. Father Marcorius to serve Archangel Michael’s Church in Sheraton, Egypt
6. Father Antonious (Anthony) to serve St. Abu Sefin’s Church in Hadayek El Kobba, Egypt
7. Father Samoeel (Samuel) to serve Virgin St. Mary’s Church in Maleeha, Egypt
8. Father Philemon to serve Virgin St. Mary’s Church in Maleeha, Egypt
9. Father Mikhail (Michael) to serve Virgin St. Mary’s Church in Maleeha, Egypt
10. Father Boules (Paul) to serve Virgin St. Mary’s Church in Amiriya, Al Iskandariyah, Egypt
11. Father Yostos to serve Virgin St. Mary’s Church in Amiriya, Al Iskandariyah, Egypt
12. Father Gawargios (George) to serve Virgin St. Mary’s Church in Amiriya, Al Iskandariyah, Egypt
13. Father Armia (Jeremiah) to serve St. Demiana’s Church in Bel Wayli, Egypt
14. Father Mousa (Moses) to serve St. Demiana’s Church in Bel Wayli, Egypt
15. Father Philopateer to serve Pope Athanasius the Apostolic and St. Pishoy’s Church in Belkosous, Egypt
16. Father Youssef to serve Pope Athanasius the Apostolic and St. Pishoy’s Church in Belkosous, Egypt
17. Father Athanasius to serve Pope Athanasius the Apostolic and St. Pishoy’s Church in Belkosous, Egypt
18. Father Angelos (Angel) to serve Virgin St. Mary and St. Abu Sefin’s Church in Esbeet El Hagana, Egypt
19. Father Mikhail (Michael) to serve Anba Balamon’s Church in Egypt

May the Lord continue to bless the Church and increase her service. We congratulate His Holiness Pope Shenouda III on the ordination of these new servants of Christ. We also congratulate the newly ordained fathers, their families, and the congregations of these blessed churches.

Full Video of Ordination

The Ordination of Fr. Paul Girguis

March 3, 2009 - Father Bishoy (right) with newly ordained Father Paul (left).

Anesti Productions is born!

In memory of Hegumen Fr. Sorial Sorial, on his one year memorial, St. George & St. Shenouda Coptic Orthodox Church of Jersey City, NJ distributed a collection of songs that were loved by Fr. Sorial.  They were recorded by his spiritual children and the CD was a great success.  Among the songs were 4 produced by Anesti Productions.

Anesti Productions is an up and coming production studio geared towards the creation of new and exciting Christian music, not forgetting our Coptic roots. Look out for its future website and release of its first album soon to come this year. Click below for a free download and listen to some of their latest material:

In The Midst Of The Raging Sea by David Bebawy

She Came With The Spices by Mary Loka

Ya Sayeh (O Seeker in Arabic) by Antonios Habib

Oh You Oh Great Potter by David Badie & Monica Sorial

Note – To download these songs, Right Click and click “Save Target As..”

Coptic Society Thanksgiving Dinner 2008 – Videos

Comedy Skit – For Za2

What are you thankful for?

Coptic Priest Ordinations – November 2008

On November 11, 2008 His Holiness Pope Shenouda III ordained 11 new priests. Ten priests to serve in North America and one to serve in Austria. Here is what information I could gather:

1. Father Kyrillos formerly known as Bassem Gobran to serve St. Mark’s Church – Boston, MA, USA
2. Father Samuel formerly known as Alex Hanna to serve St. Mark’s Church – Boston, MA, USA
3. Father Mark formerly known as Maged Iskander (a servant from Virgin Mary & St. Pachomius in Stoney Point) to serve St. Mary and St. Moses’ Church – Buffalo, NY, USA
4. Father Andrew formerly known as Ayman Awad to serve Virgin Mary & Archangel Michael’s Church – Hamden, CT, USA
5. Father Tadros formerly known as Sami Bishara to serve St. Mary & St. Demiana – Westchester, NY, USA
6. Father Anthony formerly known as Magdy Zaki to serve St. Mark’s Church – Myrtle Beach, SC, USA
7. Father Joseph to serve St. George & St. Rueiss’ Church – Toronto, Canada
8. Father Luke formerly known as Uncle Michail to serve Virgin Mary & St. Athanasius – Mississauga, Canada
9. Father David formerly known as Uncle Baheeg to serve Virgin Mary & St. Athanasius – Mississauga, Canada
10. Father Antonious to serve St. Mark’s Church – Montreal, Canada
11. Father Shenouda to serve our churches in Austria

May the Lord continue to bless the Church and increase her service. We congratulate His Holiness on the ordination of these servants in Christ.

Photos courtesy of Coptic.net

SMS Locate A Coptic Church

Have you ever wanted to visit a church and couldn’t find the address? Have you ever been on vacation or a business trip and wanted to find out if there was a church near you? Well, fear not with a new service called textmarks.com i was able to setup a SMS based search. It goes as follows:

1. Send an SMS to the number 41411 your message should always begin with LACC (Locate a Coptic Church), followed by the address or zip or city, state, etc… (I.E. LACC 07306 (shown below)…)*

Message Sent	Message Received

Try it out now! Send an SMS or try the online version http://www.textmarks.com/lacc.

Other Keywords Available: LACC, COPTICDIRECTORY, COPTICD, COPTICCHURCH
*Standard text message rates apply!