Newsletter of St. John’s Greek Orthodox Church
1000 Spruce, Pueblo, CO 81004 PO Box 3011, Pueblo, CO 81005
May God keep everyone well and keep St. John the Baptist Church alive and vibrant for future generations to embrace and enjoy.
Schedule of service May 2025
4/27- Thomas Sunday
Orthros at 8:20 a.m. Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m.
• Acts 5:12-20
• John 20:19-31
5/4- Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women
Orthros at 8:20 a.m. Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m.
• Acts 6:1-7
• Mark 15:43-47; 16:1-8
**Fr. Stephen and Presbytera Ashley will be on vacation May 8-23 celebrating their 48th Anniversary.
5/11- Sunday of the Paralytic (Happy Mother’s Day)
Fr. Stephen Close will be serving
Orthros at 8:20 a.m. Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m.
• Acts 9:32-42
• John 5:1-15
5/18- Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
Fr. Lorenzo Lucero will be serving
Orthros at 8:20 a.m. Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m.
• Acts 11:19-30
• John 4:5-42
5/25- Sunday of the Blind Man
Orthros at 8:20 a.m. Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m.
• 2 Corinthians 4:6-15
• John 9:1-38
5/29- Thursday – Holy Ascension
Orthros at 8:20 a.m. Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m.
• Acts 1:1-12
• Luke 24:36-53
6/1- Fathers of the 1st Ecumenical Council
• Acts 20:16-18; 28-36
• John 17:1-13
Orthros at 8:20 a.m. Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m.
• Acts 5:12-20
• John 20:19-31
5/4- Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women
Orthros at 8:20 a.m. Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m.
• Acts 6:1-7
• Mark 15:43-47; 16:1-8
**Fr. Stephen and Presbytera Ashley will be on vacation May 8-23 celebrating their 48th Anniversary.
5/11- Sunday of the Paralytic (Happy Mother’s Day)
Fr. Stephen Close will be serving
Orthros at 8:20 a.m. Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m.
• Acts 9:32-42
• John 5:1-15
5/18- Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
Fr. Lorenzo Lucero will be serving
Orthros at 8:20 a.m. Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m.
• Acts 11:19-30
• John 4:5-42
5/25- Sunday of the Blind Man
Orthros at 8:20 a.m. Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m.
• 2 Corinthians 4:6-15
• John 9:1-38
5/29- Thursday – Holy Ascension
Orthros at 8:20 a.m. Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m.
• Acts 1:1-12
• Luke 24:36-53
6/1- Fathers of the 1st Ecumenical Council
• Acts 20:16-18; 28-36
• John 17:1-13
Prosforo
May 4 - Chad 2
May 11 - Elizabeth 1 and Pam 1
May 18 – Sheri 1 and Kathleen 1
May 25 – Kathleen 1 and Elizabeth 1
May 29 – Presbytera Ashley (only need 1)
June 1 – Sheri 1 and Fran 1
May 4 - Chad 2
May 11 - Elizabeth 1 and Pam 1
May 18 – Sheri 1 and Kathleen 1
May 25 – Kathleen 1 and Elizabeth 1
May 29 – Presbytera Ashley (only need 1)
June 1 – Sheri 1 and Fran 1
Church News
St. John’s Ladies’ Retreat, June 13-14, 2025
Theme: “Women Saints”
The Holy Monastery of Our Lady & St. Laurence, aka Ladyminster
North of Canon City, Colorado, and West of Highway 9.
This is an Orthodox Benedictine Monastery in the Antiochian jurisdiction, Western Rite Vicariate. It is 65 miles from Pueblo West and takes about 1 hour, 20 minutes to get there. We can car pool.
We will be learning about some of the women saints and discussing how to apply what we learn to our own lives.
Meals will be provided by the Monks. We will attend the church services except for maybe the one at 4:30 am. The retreat begins at 10 am, Friday, June 13 and concludes at 2 pm on Saturday, June 14. They can accommodate 12 women, sharing rooms and three bathrooms, and possibly 14 women if I can find two twin beds before the retreat to replace one queen bed and one couch. We will have free time to walk and explore some of the 600 acres as well as visit the bookstore, cemetery and reliquary, if we like. The altitude there is around 7,500 feet.
If you have questions, see Ashley or Lynnette. We need your reservation by May 23rd. The cost is $100 per person. If you want to go and would like a partial scholarship, talk to Fr Stephen.
Theme: “Women Saints”
The Holy Monastery of Our Lady & St. Laurence, aka Ladyminster
North of Canon City, Colorado, and West of Highway 9.
This is an Orthodox Benedictine Monastery in the Antiochian jurisdiction, Western Rite Vicariate. It is 65 miles from Pueblo West and takes about 1 hour, 20 minutes to get there. We can car pool.
We will be learning about some of the women saints and discussing how to apply what we learn to our own lives.
Meals will be provided by the Monks. We will attend the church services except for maybe the one at 4:30 am. The retreat begins at 10 am, Friday, June 13 and concludes at 2 pm on Saturday, June 14. They can accommodate 12 women, sharing rooms and three bathrooms, and possibly 14 women if I can find two twin beds before the retreat to replace one queen bed and one couch. We will have free time to walk and explore some of the 600 acres as well as visit the bookstore, cemetery and reliquary, if we like. The altitude there is around 7,500 feet.
If you have questions, see Ashley or Lynnette. We need your reservation by May 23rd. The cost is $100 per person. If you want to go and would like a partial scholarship, talk to Fr Stephen.
Our 2025 kouvouklion was – as usual – just beautiful! The myrr-bearing ladies decorated it Friday morning and we enjoyed seeing it all day. After liturgy Friday evening, we learned another new rule given by Metropolitan Constantine. All the flowers had to be gone before we left that evening and the tomb was to be back as just a wooden structure. We were not to move it to the side until Ascension to use the flowers for their varied purposes. There were many surprised people that came to church for liturgy on Saturday morning!
Because of the weather, distance, and health, many people never had a chance to see the decorated kouvouklion so this picture is included here for everyone to see and appreciate.
Because of the weather, distance, and health, many people never had a chance to see the decorated kouvouklion so this picture is included here for everyone to see and appreciate.
Graduates? We have graduates!
St. John’s is pretty educated these days! We have 6 brand new graduates that we celebrated on April 27 with a party and presents. Here are our accomplished people:
Kyria Orton: Kyria graduates from Pueblo Classical Academy in Pueblo as a HS graduate and is attending PCC where she will receive an Applied Science degree this fall! She can then work as a Library Technician while pursuing a degree in either History or Archeology at Willamette University. She has really planned ahead! Good thinking!
Hazel Taylor: Hazel graduates from Central HS in Pueblo. She will attend Creighton University to pursue her B.S. in Pre-dental Medicine and then on to Dental School also at Creighton. This summer she will be in France to study at the University of Caen. A very busy lady who wants us to keep brushing our teeth!
Reagan Hatfield: Reagan graduates from Custer County HS in Westcliffe where she was an outstanding volleyball player and also Homecoming Queen.
She will also be very busy travelling this summer as she will be attending Ionian Village in Greece. This fall she will attend Holy Cross College in Massachusetts.
We’ll look to her to lead the dance at Greek Night!
Ryan Regan: Ryan is way past High School – he graduated from Pikes Peak State College with a degree in Diesel Technology! He is already working in his chosen field but now he’s ready to tackle the BIG engines and has a good-looking future ahead. Hang out with Ryan if you want those necessary engines to keep working!
Shelby Seitzinger: Shelby graduated from Colorado Mountain College in Leadville with a BS in Ecosystem Science and Stewardship. She already has a new job with Lake County as a GIS Surveyor. And then? She will eventually go into the Forest Service. Shelby doesn’t get to St. John’s often (distance, you know) but we can feel good about the forest and mountains where she is located looking after them!
Last but definitely not least is our sixth graduate: Kayla Reynolds.
Kayla received a BA in Psychology, Minor in Sociology from CSU-P.
She is currently already working at an Autism Center and looking to expand her career at this point by applying for different jobs. She wants to keep working with people who have Autism or get back into working with the offender population. As she’s making that decision, she’ll also be deciding on what to get her Master’s in so she can get started on that next year. Kayla is going to make a difference with the people she works with and they will be blessed to have her with them.
Kyria Orton: Kyria graduates from Pueblo Classical Academy in Pueblo as a HS graduate and is attending PCC where she will receive an Applied Science degree this fall! She can then work as a Library Technician while pursuing a degree in either History or Archeology at Willamette University. She has really planned ahead! Good thinking!
Hazel Taylor: Hazel graduates from Central HS in Pueblo. She will attend Creighton University to pursue her B.S. in Pre-dental Medicine and then on to Dental School also at Creighton. This summer she will be in France to study at the University of Caen. A very busy lady who wants us to keep brushing our teeth!
Reagan Hatfield: Reagan graduates from Custer County HS in Westcliffe where she was an outstanding volleyball player and also Homecoming Queen.
She will also be very busy travelling this summer as she will be attending Ionian Village in Greece. This fall she will attend Holy Cross College in Massachusetts.
We’ll look to her to lead the dance at Greek Night!
Ryan Regan: Ryan is way past High School – he graduated from Pikes Peak State College with a degree in Diesel Technology! He is already working in his chosen field but now he’s ready to tackle the BIG engines and has a good-looking future ahead. Hang out with Ryan if you want those necessary engines to keep working!
Shelby Seitzinger: Shelby graduated from Colorado Mountain College in Leadville with a BS in Ecosystem Science and Stewardship. She already has a new job with Lake County as a GIS Surveyor. And then? She will eventually go into the Forest Service. Shelby doesn’t get to St. John’s often (distance, you know) but we can feel good about the forest and mountains where she is located looking after them!
Last but definitely not least is our sixth graduate: Kayla Reynolds.
Kayla received a BA in Psychology, Minor in Sociology from CSU-P.
She is currently already working at an Autism Center and looking to expand her career at this point by applying for different jobs. She wants to keep working with people who have Autism or get back into working with the offender population. As she’s making that decision, she’ll also be deciding on what to get her Master’s in so she can get started on that next year. Kayla is going to make a difference with the people she works with and they will be blessed to have her with them.
Pascha 2025
New rules, old ways, expensive eggs, missing people,
snow, wind, rain, late nights, on and on.
Christ wins, death loses, our souls saved.
Blessings we don’t deserve.
snow, wind, rain, late nights, on and on.
Christ wins, death loses, our souls saved.
Blessings we don’t deserve.
