Weekly Newsletter for the week Friday, September 4, through Thursday, September 10, 2009
THIS WEEKEND
REGULAR HOURS RESUME - Starting this Sunday, September 6, Orthros will begin at 8:45 am, with Liturgy at 10:00 .
TEEN SOYO SERVICE PROJECT - St. Mary's Teen SOYO will kick off 2009-2010 by making dinner and serving it to the clients at the Boston Rescue Mission this Sunday, September 6th. We'll gather directly after church and carpool to the Rescue Mission. Teens will arrive back at St. Mary's around 6:00 pm. We need all the teens we can get! If you are interested in helping out, please RSVP immediately to Liz Straghalis at (617) 974-5005 or elizabeth.straghalis@gmail.com. (We are also accepting donations from parishioners - we will be making a spaghetti dinner for 150 people! Monetary and/or food donations will be gladly appreciated.)
LITURGY AND POTLUCK - Join us Monday, September 7 for Evening Liturgy for the Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos at 6:30, followed by a pot-luck fellowship meal sponsored by the Fellowship of St. John the Divine. All are welcome. Please bring food (salads, main dishes, fruit, desserts) and/or beverages (juice, seltzer, etc.) There will be a yoga class in the hall from 6-7pm, so please bring your items in through the back way. We will also need people to come down directly after Liturgy to help set up tables and chairs, etc., and people to pitch in afterward to clean up.
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
CHURCH SCHOOL - Registration for Church School will be next Sunday, September 13. Classes will begin the following Sunday, September 20.
WOMEN'S CLUB BOOK DISCUSSION - The Women's Club will meet on Monday, September 14 at 7:00 pm, followed by a discussion of the book, Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, a New York Times best seller, at 7:45 pm. Join us for an enjoyable evening of discussion, refreshments and fellowship!
PARISH COUNCIL - The next meeting of the Parish Council will be Wednesday, September 16, at 7:30 pm
INQUIRER'S CLASS - The St. Ignatius of Antioch Catechetical Group: Inquirer's Class at St. Mary's is open to any Non-Orthodox adult who is interested in learning more about the Orthodox Church. It meets each Sunday from Sept. to May from 9:00 until 10:00 a.m. Classes will begin September 27, 2009. The class meets in the St. Mary library which is next to Fr. Antony's office. For more information please contact David Vermette: dgvermette@sysmatrix.net or 617-776-5635.
CHURCH CLEANUP - Please plan to stay after coffee hour on Sunday afternoon, September 27, and help clean up the church in preparation for the Bishop's visit the following week. If many people help, it shouldn't take more than a couple of hours.
FURNITURE AVAILABLE - Gently-used furniture in need of good homes - all free, all clean, requires your car or truck & your selected family/friends to help you move it. Please email Susan Holman at sholman@hsph.harvard.edu or povertystudies@aol.comto arrange a time you can come and take away what will be useful to your daily life: mattresses -- two clean twin-size, each with a box spring; bed frames - twin size, 4 head-footboard combos, from the 1940s/1950s with wooden slats that go under the box spring; may have one old double-size brass bedstead with large spring base (probably need a small truck or van for this item); dishes - probably a full set of ordinary plain cream-colored stoneware for about 6-8 people; one huge old dresser that is sort of an antique but has had its share of wear; has a beautiful intact mirror and a good surface and huge drawers; some chairs and little side tables (functional but nothing special); 5-6 aluminum lawn chairs from the early 60s; and an old wardrobe--quite bulky but functional & a conversation piece
REMINDERS
TICKETS ARE GOING FAST - Tickets for the Welcome Reception and Cocktail Party for Bishop ALEXANDER'S visit to St. Mary are going fast - better order yours quickly! See "Bishop Alexander To Visit St. Mary" under Reminders, below, for more information.
ST. MARY 80th ANNIVERSARY VIDEO - UPDATE - We are still looking for materials (photos, video, etc.) and historical information for our research committee - both recent and not-so recent!
1. Materials - if you have
photographs, documents, booklets, brochures and/or video of the past 80 years
at St. Mary's, please contact Juliet Burch (juliet.burch@gmail.com) who is coordinating
the archiving committee, and will ensure your materials are returned to you
once they have been scanned. If you have video, please let them know the
format it is currently in (VHS, Mini-DV, Hi8, or DVD). Juliet and her
team will be on hand Sunday to collect any materials you may have - Please
bring them in a clearly marked box or bag so that your items may be archived
and returned.
2. Research Questionnaire - If you have any information on the
past 80 years (both recent history and not-so-recent), we need your
help!!! Please fill out the questionnaire online at http://StMaryVideo.ErickStraghalis.com . It should only take
about fifteen minutes. If you have any questions regarding the
questionnaire, please contact Tiffany Conroy (trattus1@gmail.com).
For all other questions, please contact Erick Straghalis (stmaryvideo@erickstraghalis.com). Thank you and God Bless!
SONIA'S RUN - You are invited to take part in an inaugural 5K road race to benefit the Theophany School, in honor of its beloved friend Sonia Belcher, on Saturday, September 19, 2009. "Sonia's Run ... Building on a Dream" will start and end at St. George Church, West Roxbury, and includes both a 5k Run starting at 9:00 am and a Kids' 50-yard Dash which starts at 8:30 am. For more information, go to: www.SoniasRun.org
METROPOLITAN VISITING ST. GEORGE, NORWOOD - Metropolitan PHILIP will visit St. George, Norwood, on September 19th and 20th. On Saturday evening, Vespers will be at 6:00 pm, followed by a banquet at the Apollo Restaurant in Norwood to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Ladies of Saint George. On Sunday, His Eminence will serve the Liturgy at 10:00 am, including the one-year memorial for Father Nifon Abraham. Dinner on Saturday is $55 and includes your choice of roasted prime rib or broiled haddock. Please send your reservation to the Ladies of Saint George, c/o Beverly DiFlaminies, 35 Elm Street, Norwood, 02062. For information phone 781-762-4396, see their website, www.StGeorgeNorwood.org or email Linda Thomas at LMThomas9@gmail.com
ANTIOCHIAN VILLAGE: ST. THEKLA PILGRIMAGE - The annual St. Thekla pilgrimage will take place over the weekend of September 25-27, 2009, at Antiochian Village. This year's theme will be The Domestic Church, and His Grace Bishop JOSEPH of the Diocese of Los Angeles and the West will preside over the pilgrimage. His Grace will preach on the Pilgrimage theme at services on Saturday. Also on Saturday, participants may join in small group talks including:
- Dedicating your "house as something holy to the Lord": The Lives of Saintly Families
- Dragging the Faith Home: Making God Real in the Orthodox Home
- When It All Goes Wrong: Living the Faith in the Midst of Family Crisis
- The Shack: Encountering God (A discussion of the New York Times Best-Seller)
Mother Alexandra of the recently established St. Thekla Convent will also attend the Pilgrimage and participate in services and group talks.
For more information email barli@antiochianvillage.org or call: 724-238-3677 x425. For prices, complete schedule or to register, please download the St. Thekla Pilgrimage registration form at http://www.antiochianvillage.org/assets/files/center_pdf/Pilgrimage%2009%20Brochure.pdf .
BISHOP ALEXANDER TO VISIT ST. MARY- On the evening of Saturday, October 3, 2009, we will welcome His Grace Bishop ALEXANDER for a visit to St. Mary's. The evening will begin with Vespers at 6:00 pm, followed by a Welcome Reception and Cocktail Party at 7:30 pm. The ticket price of $35.00 per person will include a wide array of hot and cold hors d'oeuvres, open bar, dessert and Arabic dancing. Prepaid reservations only - no tickets will be sold at the door. Tickets will be limited to 175 people. For tickets and table reservations of eight, contact Renay DiFiore at (617) 327-6361, Melissa Nassiff at mnassiff@gmail.com or Mary Winstanley O'Connor at either (617) 523-1010 or moconnor@koilaw.com.
On Sunday, October 4, His Grace will be with us for Orthros at 8:45 am and Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at 10:00 am, followed by a celebratory Coffee Hour.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR SERVICE
There are a number of ways you can help the Church, your fellow worshippers and those in need. Consider serving in one of these ways:
PARTICIPATION
Liturgical Service - Each Sunday, members of the congregation are needed to read the Epistle and assist during Communion by holding the Communion Cloths and Holy Bread Baskets. All Orthodox Christians in the Parish are welcome and encouraged to participate. We usually need one Epistle reader and six people to hold cloths and baskets. If you would like to read the Epistle or assist during the Communion, please contact Jeff Wasilko, 781-820-0882, jeffw@smoe.org.
Coffee Hour - People are needed every week to provide coffee, juice and cookies, or more if desired, and set it up Sunday morning. To sign up for an available Sunday, please put your name on the signup sheet on the bulletin board outside the Hall or call Marilyn Robbat in the Parish Office and she will write your name in. If you need any help with figuring out what to bring or do, check the list below the signup sheet (also printed in the Bulletin), or ask Marilyn at secretary@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org or 617-547-1234.
VOLUNTEERING
Holy Resurrection Open Doors - The Holy Resurrection Open Door Meal Ministry in Allston needs volunteers every Monday evening (there is a special need in the summer). The official hours of the project are 4:30 pm-7:30 pm, but it is fine to come anytime and leave any time. Best times would be 5:30-5:45 to 7:15-7:30 pm. You can serve meals, coffee and tea to the people who arrive for dinner (6-7 pm) or just stay behind the scenes doing set-up and clean-up. It is a very rewarding, hands-on, face-to-face way to serve the community with (mostly) other Orthodox Christians-we even chant the Our Father together before the meal begins. Church info can be found at http://hrocboston.org. Questions? Please contact Liz Straghalis at liztutella@gmail.com phone 617-974-5005, or Tiffany Conroy at trattus1@gmail.com.
St Paul's Food Pantry - Two to four volunteers help each week in the food pantry at St Paul 's Roman Catholic Church in Harvard Square , Saturday mornings from 9:30-11:45. If you are interested in helping, please contact Christian Alcala at cmalcala1989@yahoo.com, or (617) 876-5684.
DONATIONS
Food and Clothing - Holy Resurrection in Allston takes donations of non-perishable food items and clothing to distribute at the Open Door Ministry on Monday evenings. You can bring your donations by on Monday nights between 4:30 pm and 7:30 pm or contact Tiffany Conroy, trattus1@gmail.com, for more information.
- St. Paul 's Food Pantry in Harvard Square , where volunteers from St. Mary help every Saturday, depends upon regular donations of canned and packaged foods. To help, contact Christian Alcala at cmalcala1989@yahoo.com, or (617) 876-5684.
Monetary Contributions - The Agape Canister Program is an Orthodox non-profit development program of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center . It is dedicated to meeting the needs of children, families, and communities throughout the world, regardless of race, color, or creed. All funds collected by the Agape Canister Program are earmarked for medical care and clinics, water wells, agricultural development, food and clothing, support personnel (e.g. doctors, nurses, teachers), the construction of schools, and the education of indigenous people in their own communities. Please contribute each Sunday - A clear plastic box is on the Bengarri.
"As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me," says our Lord.
THIS WEEK'S VOLUNTEERS
FOOD PANTRY
September 5:
LITURGICAL SERVICE
September 6: Epistle: Melissa Nassiff; Left Cloth: Meg Butler and Martin Scrivener; Right Cloth: Melissa Nassiff and Anthony Marge; Left Bread: Rose Njuguna; Right Bread: James Wilcox
COFFEE HOUR
September 6: The Boyko Family
LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK
September 5: Great Vespers 5:00 pm
Sunday, September 6: Regular hours resume - Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am
SCRIPTURE READINGS for September 6:
Epistle: St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 16:13-24, Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. ... Greet one another with a holy kiss.
Gospel: Matthew 21:33-42 The Lord said this parable: "There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country. When the season of fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to get his fruit; and the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. ... Afterward he sent his son to them, saying 'They will respect my son.' ... And they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?"
Monday, September 7: Evening Liturgy for the
Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos 6:30,
followed by Pot-Luck Supper
Tuesday, September 8: Feast
of the Nativity of the Theotokos (no services)
LOOKING AHEAD
Saturday, September 12:
Great Vespers 5:00 pm
Sunday, September 13:
Orthros
8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am
Monday, September 14: Feast
of the Elevation of the Holy Cross
Saturday, September 19:
No Vespers at St. Mary (Vespers with Metropolitan PHILIP in Norwood 6:00
pm)
Saturday, September 26: No
Vespers at St. Mary
INSIGHT
The Lord sojourns in the hearts of the meek, while a rebellious soul is the seat of the devil.
- St. John Climacus, Ladder of Divine Ascent
In the whole world, throughout the whole of history, even among religious men and among saints, Christ suffers dismemberment. His physical Body was crucified by Pilate and the Pharisees; His mystical Body is drawn and quartered from age to age by the devils in the agony of that disunion which is bred and vegetates in our souls, prone to selfishness and to sin. ... There are two things which men can do about the pain of disunion with other men. They can love or they can hate. Hatred recoils from the sacrifice and the sorrow that are the price of resetting the bones. It refuses the pain of reunion.
- Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation
There is no shorter ascent to the royal and Divine mansions...than through subduing the five passions hostile to obedience, namely: disobedience, argumentativeness, self-gratification, self-justification and pernicious high opinion of oneself...Disobedience is the mouth of hell; argumentativeness its tongue, whetted like a sword; self-gratification is its sharp teeth; self-justification its throat; high opinion of oneself, which casts one into hell, is the belching of its all-devouring belly. But he who, through obedience, conquers the first, by one stroke cuts off all the rest and with one stride reaches heaven.
- St. Gregory of Sinai, Texts on Commandments and Dogmas no. 121
May Christ our true God, Who emptied Himself, leaving the bosom of the Father to assume our mortal nature and deify it, then ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of our God and Father; Who sent the Holy Spirit, co-eternal divine and of equal power and glory, upon His holy disciples and Apostles, thus illuminating them, and through them the whole universe, through the prayers of His all-holy and blameless holy Mother, the holy, glorious, illustrious, divine heralds and Spirit-bearing Apostles, and of all the Saints, have mercy on us and save us in His goodness.
- Kneeling Vespers of Pentecost: The Dismissal