Update for the month of June 2017

THIS MONTH AT ST. MARY'S

NO NEWSLETTER IN JUNE – Because the editor of this newsletter will be out of the country during most of the month of June, the St. Mary e-Newsletter will not be issued on June 8, 15, 22, or 29; publication is scheduled to resume on July 6. Meanwhile, information about St. Mary’s services and events can be found on the church’s website at https://www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org, and important announcements will be emailed to parishioners by the church’s secretary.

EVERY SUNDAY – Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am

   + Bible Bowl practice session right after church in the Library.

CHINESE DUMPLING MAKING - Adult volunteers are needed on Saturday, June 3 from 2:00-5:00, to help make dumplings for the Chinese luncheon on Sunday, 6/4. At the same time children can make dumplings that they will take home to enjoy.

CHANT CLASS, VESPERS, and YOUNG ADULTS – The Chant Class will meet at 3:30 on Saturday, June 3, followed by Great Vespers for the Feast of Pentecost at 5:00pm, followed by Young Adult Fellowship Night. This time the Young Adults will go to the Arlington Greek Festival, hosted by St. Athanasius Greek Orthodox Church.

CHURCH SCHOOL RECOGNITION and CHINESE LUNCHEON – Please join us on Sunday, June 4, as we close the 2016-2017 Church School year. Church School children will be recognized as they move up to the next grade or graduate. We have three graduating seniors this year, Rebecca Sayeg, Elias Orlovsky and Jessica Winstanley.

   + Then please plan to stay for the 2017 Chinese Martyrs Missions Luncheon to benefit the Chinese Translation Project via the Orthodox Fellowship of All Saints of China (OFASC). RSVP to Mitrophan at mitrophan@orthodox.cn ASAP.  We look forward to your support of this worthwhile project and seeing you at this event! Suggested minimum donation $8/adult, $16/family (Checks made payable to “St. Mary Orthodox Church-Hospitality” earmarked “Chinese Missions”).  

POTLUCK PICNIC - Please come join the Hospitality Group for our Annual Potluck Picnic on Sunday, June 11 at DANA PARK (10-20 McTernan St, Cambridge) - the same park as previous picnics! Bring a blanket, some eats or drinks to share, balls, frisbees, even bathing suits if you want splash in the sprinklers! Dana Park is a 5-10 minute walk south of the Church (walk down Magazine St), with an enclosed playground, hoops, water spouts, and a beautiful green. This is a great opportunity to relax and spend time with our church family. OPEN TO ALL AGES!!! For people who need assistance getting to the park, we will coordinate rides. If you would like to help us out, please email Diana Yousef (yousefd@post.harvard.edu

PARISH COUNCIL – The next meeting of the Parish Council is scheduled for Wednesday, June 21 at 7:30 in the church.

COFFEE HOUR VOLUNTEERS NEEDED – Please get your friends together and sign up to provide a coffee hour. Some do it to celebrate a special event or anniversary, but you don’t need a reason, and it can be as simple as coffee, juice, and cookies.  When no one volunteers, there’s no coffee!  Signup sheets are on the bulletin board downstairs outside the Hall. 

THIS MONTH ELSEWHERE

LOBSTER DINNER - St. George West Roxbury invites you to a Lobster Dinner on Friday, June 9, 5:00pm-7:00pm. Two boiled lobsters $25.95, children under 12 (1 lobster), $15.95.  Fish dinner will also be available.  For reservations call by June 8th to Michel/Evelyn Essa 617-266-0065.

PARENTING WORKSHOP – The Diocese of Worcester and New England invites you to a workshop, “Parenting within Orthodox Families,” on Saturday, June 10 (rescheduled from April 1), 9:00am-3:00pm in the hall at St. George Cathedral, 30 Anna St., Worcester. To register email stgeorgeworc@gmail.com or call 508-752-9150. Cost: $20/person, $30/couple.

PARISH LIFE CONFERENCE – The 2017 Diocese of Worcester and New England Parish life Conference will be hosted by St. George Cathedral, Worcester.  Dates: Saturday, June 17 (Pre-Conference: Creative Arts judging, Women’s meeting and Church School Teachers’ workshop) and Friday-Sunday, June 23-25 (Conference). All events will take place at St. George Orthodox Cathedral.  For more information and to register go to https://www.antiochianevents.org/143

   + There will be services at St. Mary’s as usual on Sunday morning, June 25.

NEXT MONTH AT ST. MARY

TANGLEWOOD OUTING – Join your music-loving friends from St. Mary’s as we carpool out to Tanglewood immediately after Liturgy on Sunday, July 16, 2017. We’ll picnic on the lawn and listen to music by John Williams, Tchaikovsky and Berlioz, featuring violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andris Nelsons. For more information see https://www.bso.org/Performance/Detail/85537 . The concert starts at 2:30; lawn tickets are $23.00 - pay at the door; children are free. Bring lawn chairs if you want them, and picnic food for yourself and to share.  For more information and to let us know you're coming, especially if you'll need a ride, contact Melissa Nassiff by email (mnassiff@gmail.com) or phone (508 877-7483). Note: Melissa will be unavailable June 2-28.

ARCHDIOCESE CONVENTION – The 53rd Biennial Archdiocese Convention, honoring His Grace Bishop ANTOUN, will be held Sunday, July 23 through Sunday, July 30, hosted by St. George Cathedral, Coral Gables, FL.  Visit www.AC2017Miami.org  for more details.

CHURCH SCHOOL TEACHER NEEDED - For Fall 2017 we are in need of a Teacher for 6th grade to work with Deno Takles. And we are always in need of substitutes.   Please consider being a teacher and helping with this very important ministry.  Contact Barbara Shoop in the Church office if you are interested.

YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY - The Young Adult Ministry is an active, dynamic group that hosts monthly social, spiritual, and outreach events and programs. We have lots of great plans for 2017, and we hope you'll join us! If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Jamil at 617-501-4427 or youngadults@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org.

COFFEE HOUR MADE EASY! - To make sponsoring a Coffee Hour a little bit easier, St. Mary’s offers a delivery service through “Instacart”, for the basic foods necessary to host a Coffee hour.  Simply select a date, mail a check to the office and we will order the food and have it delivered to the church on that Sunday between 9:00 and 10:00 am.  You will need to be at the church to accept the order and you will be required to set up for the coffee hour and clean up both the kitchen and hall at the end of the coffee hour.  Two menus will be offered.  Menu one will include: bagels, mini muffins, fruit, hummus/Syrian bread, juice and coffee for $160.  Menu two will include: bagels, juice and coffee for $70. Prices DO NOT include a 20% tip for delivery and are subject to change based on current market pricing of items.  Cream cheese, peanut butter, jam and coffee creamer are included with each menu.  As usual, St. Mary’s will provide the plates, cups, napkins, utensils, serving platters, and sweetener for coffee.  If you are interested in taking advantage of this service and signing up for a coffee hour please contact the office at 617-547-1234 or e-mail secretary@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org. 

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:

Greeter: Welcome people into the church and help to direct visitors upstairs to the Liturgy, as well as keeping an eye on the vestibule, hallways and entrance ways during Church. To volunteer contact Buddy Mabardy at 781-729-6303 or e-mail: buddy@cjmabardy.com, or call the church office at 617-547-1234

Liturgical Service – Epistle: The Epistle is read each Sunday by a volunteer parishioner. To volunteer please contact Jeff Wasilko, jeffw@smoe.org

Liturgical Service – Procession: Church School children or parishioners carry the candles, icon, and bread baskets in the great procession. For information about this ministry contact Teva Regule at teva@mit.edu

Liturgical Service – Communion: Volunteers are needed every Sunday to hold the Communion cloths and the Holy Bread baskets during Communion. To volunteer please contact Jeff Wasilko, 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 contact Linda Arnold, our Coffee Hour volunteer coordinator at MMarmee52@aol.com or 978-270-0346, or Barbara Shoop in the Parish Office at secretary@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org or 617-547-1234

Prison Ministry: For information about the Prison Ministry at St. Mary you can subscribe to our mailing list at http://groups.google.com/group/ocpm-concord. If you are interested in helping with this ministry, talk with Fr. Antony or Deacon Jeff. Another way to help is to donate Orthodox books, icon cards, and magazines (for security, please remove any personal mailing address) – Mitrophan Chin collects these to share with the inmates.

Hospitality Group: St. Mary's Donald D. Fiore Hospitality Group sponsors various events to welcome visitors and newcomers and to foster a spirit of fellowship and caring among all the people who worship here. To join us or to find out more, contact any of our officers: Julie Wasilko, President julie31415pi@gmail.com, Diana Yousef, Vice President dymartinek@gmail.com, Michael Decerbo, Treasurer michaeldecerbo@gmail.com, Socrates Deligeorges, Head Chef dr.socrates@gmail.com, Melissa Nassiff, eNewsletter editor mnassiff@gmail.com,

Choir: The St. Mary Church Choir is open to individuals interested in making a commitment to sing each Sunday at Divine Liturgy. Please feel free to join them and/or introduce yourself to the director, Michelle Mabardy, any Sunday after Liturgy.

Rides To Church For College Students: If you live near a college or university and are able to offer a ride to and from St. Mary Church for a student, or if you are a student in need of a ride, contact St. Mary’s Young Adult Ministry at 617-564-3344 or rides@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org to sign up or to learn more!

"As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me," says our Lord.