Salt & Light Ministry - Mar Yosip Parish

09/08/2026

Our parish priest Fr. John discussed Matthew 7:13-14 and the theme of salvation as taught by Christ in Scripture. Fr. John emphasized how as Christians we must be vigilant and not lax when it it comes to God’s warnings about salvation and who will be saved. Referencing 1 Peter 3:20 and 2 Peter 3:9, we discussed how the Lord is long suffering and patient, and truly desires all mankind to be saved. However, as St. Paul encourages in Philippians 2:12, we must work out our own salvation, meaning that it is our responsibility and choice to be saved from damnation. And the reason why many people will not be saved is because we are not really interested in attaining eternal life in Heaven. As Christians, our eternal destiny is Heaven in the presence of God. But the choice is ours. Because God loves us, he will not force salvation upon anyone, since we have been endowed with free will.

Touching upon 1 Timothy 2:4, John 8:32, and John 17:17, Fr. John summed up the discussion that the knowledge of the truth will save us, and that this truth is Jesus Christ, the Eternal Som of God and Savior of Mankind. And Christ’s instructions to enter by the narrow gate is not simply about the difficulty of the Christian life, but an invitation to follow Jesus, since the narrow way is the way of the Cross. The Cross reveals that the path to eternal life is not the path of comfort, ease, popularity or self-interest. Rather, it is the path of obedience, humility, and repentance. And when we journey the path of the Cross, Christ does not merely tell us to walk the narrow way- He walks it with us. When the road is difficult, He strengthens us. When we fall, He lifts us. And when we remain faithful to Him, the way of the Cross leads us to the joy of the Resurrection and eternal life with Jesus.

09/07/2026

This weeks’s Parish Ministries and Events at a glance. We pray to see you at our various ministries starting with Tuesday Vespers at 630pm. As well, we wish all our members and beloved Assyrian Community a Happy and Blessed Labor Day!

08/31/2026

Join us on Thursday, September 3rd, for our biweekly Young Adults Bible Study and fellowship. This week's Bible study will be led by Rev. Fr. Youkhannan Piro. Bring your friends! God bless you all and hope to see you!.

08/26/2026

To our faithful parishioners and Assyrian community of the Bay Area:

We are overjoyed and blessed to have our beloved spiritual father, His Holiness Mar Awa III Catholicos-Patriarch, with us to celebrate the Divine Liturgy.

Prior to the Divine Liturgy, His Holiness will ordain Subdeacon Ninous Aprim to the clerical rank of Deacon, by the laying-on of his right hand. We pray to see you in attendance during this most sacred and Biblical tradition of ordination in the Church.

“And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.” (Acts of the Apostles 6:5-6)

08/24/2026

This week’s upcoming ministries and events for the parish, highlighted by the visit of our beloved Catholicos - Patriarch His Holiness Mar Awa III Royel, for the Diaconate Ordination of Subdeacon Ninous Aprim to the clerical rank of Deacon. We pray to see our beloved Assyrian community and faithful in attendance, and look forward to receiving blessings from our Holy Father the Patriarch.

08/22/2026

This week’s Bible study was led by Rev. Fr. Allen, following the commemoration of St. May last week. During the session, we discussed Virgin Mary as the Ark of the New Covenant.

The Ark of the Old Covenant carried the tablets of God’s Word, the Manna from heaven, and Aaron’s priestly staff. The Holy Virgin Mary carried their fulfillment in her womb: Jesus Christ—the Word made flesh, the Living Bread from heaven, and our Great High Priest. By comparing the Old Testament passages about the Ark of the Covenant with New Testament events in St. Mary’s life, there are many parallels that reveal her true holiness and unique role in God’s plan of salvation. She was neither chosen by accident nor she is merely a mean of giving birth to Christ.

The Assyrian Church of the East places the highest honor to the Holy Virgin Mary amongst the saints and not apart from or equal to Christ, but because of Christ. Her humility, trust, and obedience remain the model of true discipleship, as she continues to direct every believer to her Son: “Do whatever He tells you”.

May the prayers, supplications and intercession of our Holy Mother, the Virgin Mary, the mother of Christ, be with us all.

08/17/2026

We are excited to announce our upcoming weekly ministries at the parish! We invite everyone in our parish community—children, youth, young adults, families, and adults—to come together each week for prayer, worship, Bible study, fellowship, and spiritual growth. These ministries are an opportunity for us to strengthen our relationship with God, grow together in faith, and build one another up as a church family.

This will be a weekly flyer that will provide a complete schedule and ministry times, and we encourage you to join us and invite your family and friends. We look forward to worshipping, praying, growing, praying, learning, and serving together! May the prayers of Mar Yosip our patron saint be with us all!

08/17/2026

Young Adults: join us on Thursday August 20th, at 7:30pm for our weekly Salt & Light Ministry Bible study led by Rev. Father Allen Youssefi on the topic of "Mary, the Ark of the New Covenant", in honor and reverence of the Commemoration of our Holy Mother, Virgin Mary the Mother of Christ.

Bible study will be followed by dinner and fellowship in the parish hall. Bring your friends!

08/04/2026

Please note that this Thursday, there will be celebration of Divine liturgy @ 7pm for the Feast of Transfiguration. There will be no Bible study, but let us come together to attend the Holy Qurbana.

Join us this Thursday August 6 as we celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration (E’eada d’Gilyana) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The Divine Liturgy (Raza Qaddisha) will commence at 7pm at the parish. We look forward to your attendance so that together we can commemorate this Lordly Feast.

07/26/2026

This week’s Bible study focused on the life of Mar Yosip Khnanisho, Metropolitan and one of the 20th century saints of the Assyrian Church of the East. He was a faithful shepherd formed through prayer, worship, discipline, and perseverance and despite war, exile, and displacement, he remained beside his scattered flock, the sons and daughters of the Assyrian Church of the East and nation, preserving the Church’s faith, liturgy, and apostolic heritage for future generations. May Mar Yosip’s example inspire us not just to admire the faith, but to receive it deeply, live it faithfully, and pass it on courageously. Through his prayers, may God strengthen His Holy Church.

In the Holy Church, we revere saints and request their intercession, but worship only God alone. Saints do not replace or compete with Christ. God performs miracles, the saints intercede and pray for us as the Scriptures command us to pray for each other (James 5:16 & Romans 15:30), and all glory returns to Jesus Christ, who is the one true Good Shepherd. Saints are not dead but have fallen asleep in Christ’s hope of resurrection (Ref Mark 5:39), and therefore, they can pray for us.