Update for the week Thursday, April 12 - Wednesday, April 18, 2018

THIS WEEK AT ST. MARY


BRIGHT WEEKMonday 4/9 through Saturday 4-14 is Bright Week. There is no fasting on Wednesday or Friday during Bright Week, and until the Feast of the Ascension (May 17) - for the entire forty days.  (This is the decision of the Holy Synod of the Church of Antioch.) This cessation of fasting, however, is purely voluntary.  You may fast if you wish.

SUNDAY 4/15 – Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am; Church School lesson 21.
   + Easter Party to Welcome the Newly illumined, their sponsors and families – Please join us for a Slavic Easter celebration and house blessing on St. Thomas Sunday, April 15, 2:00-6:00pm at the home of Deacon Jeffrey, Natasha, Theo and Gabriel Smith: 1342 Lowell Rd, Concord, MA  01742. Limited public transportation is available to Concord Center, 3 miles from our home. 617 803 1490 You must RSVP to Natasha at nasmith05@gmail.com to coordinate food.

MONDAY 4/16 – The next meeting of the Women’s Club will be Monday, April 16 at 7:30

WEDNESDAY 4/18 – The next meeting of the Parish Council is scheduled for Wednesday, April 18, at 7:30.

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS


NEWLY ILLUMINED - Congratulations to our newly Illumined Orthodox Christians: Jonathan & Meredyth Didier, Anastasia & Joshua Frane, Ronald Lund, Paige Odette McLean, Evan Northrup Buso-Jarni, and Jorge Santana

ROAD RACE – On Sunday, April 22, the Spring Classic 5K road race will restrict access to parking around the church and behind the Post Office.  The race starts at 9:30am.  The end of Inman St. will be closed off to accommodate runners on Massachusetts Ave. until approximately 10:30am.  Traffic will be diverted on Inman but if you advise the police officers that you are attending services at St. Mary’s they will let you down Inman to the church only(you may not be able to get onto Mass. Ave). Please plan accordingly. To view the route log on to  https://runsignup.com/Race/MA/Cambridge/SpringClassic5K

TALK ABOUT THE FEMALE DIACONATE - For nearly 1000 years, women served as deacons in our church, and over the past 100 years there have been calls to revive this ministry to meet the pastoral needs of the Church for today. The Church of Alexandria took steps in that direction last year by consecrating five women deaconesses. You are invited to stay for a talk entitled “The Female Diaconate in the Orthodox Church? The State of the Questionon Sunday April 22 after coffee hour, with speakers Teva Regule, MDiv, PhD and Dr. Ioana Popa, MD. The talk will examine the history of this order, calls for its restoration, arguments for its revitalization (both positive and negative), and how such a ministry might look today. (The talk is informational; it does not imply that the Orthodox Church and/or the Antiochian Archdiocese is currently moving in this direction.) 

MUSICAL RECEPTION - All that Jazz, a musical reception to benefit IOCC, will be held at the Maliotis Cultural Center at Hellenic College, Brookline, on Sunday April 22, with Hors d’oeuvres followed by live jazz.  Tickets: $25, students and under 21 $10.

BIBLE STUDY – The next meeting of the Bible Study/Adult Education group will be Wednesday, April 25 at 7:00. We learn about the word of God, pray and have fellowship together.  Everyone is welcome to attend. For questions, study materials, or to be added to the email list, contact Ioana Popa at drioanapopa@gmail.com  or Steve Walker at smwalk@gmail.com

CHINESE NEW YEAR BREAKFAST - Please join us Sunday May 6 for the 2018 Chinese New Year Missions Breakfast to benefit the Chinese Translation Project via the Orthodox Fellowship of All Saints of China (OFASC). RSVP to Nelson Mitrophan Chin at mitrophan@orthodox.cn by Wednesday May 2.  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”).

PARISH LIFE CONFERENCE – The Diocese of Worcester and New England Parish life Conference will be held Saturday and Sunday June 23-24 and hosted by St. John of Damascus, Dedham.  All events will take place at St. John. Register online at www.antiochianevents.com/Worcester 

SUMMER CAMP FOR ADULTS – Antiochian Village Adult Camp for ages 21+ will be Friday-Monday, September 14-17. Adult Camp is open to all adults who want to spend the weekend in an Orthodox Christian environment growing in their faith.  Cost of $195 includes lodging, food and activities.  More information can be found at https://avcamp.org/other-programs/adult-camp.  Registration opens May 1.
 
REMINDERS


FOOD FOR HUNGRY PEOPLE – If you have not turned in your Collection Boxes for collecting alms for the hungry, please pass them in at the Bengarri ASAP.

BIBLE BOWL - All Teens ages 13-19, and Pre-Teens ages 10-12, interested in competing in this year's Bible Bowl please call Violet Robbat at 781-862-4388 for further instruction.  This year we will be studying Acts as found in the Orthodox Study Bible.  We look forward to having two great teams once again this year!

VESPERS and YOUNG ADULTS – Great Vespers will be celebrated at 5:00 pm on Saturday, May 5.  Young Adults Coffeehouse and dinner will follow at 6:00 pm.

SCHOLARSHIPS & AWARDS
  
- Francis Maria Scholarship - The Archdiocese will be awarding several Scholarships of $2500 each to students attending an accredited 4year college.  This scholarship is available on the Archdiocese Scholarship page, www.antiochian.org/scholarships.  Applications must be postmarked by May 15.
   - Antiochian Women’s Scholarships are available to females 26 years of age and older in good standing of the Antiochian Archdiocese, actively involved in their parish and who demonstrate need.  The application deadline is June 1.  Applications are available in the Church Office.  E-mail lferris130@yahoo.com with any questions.
   - Nicholas G. Beram 2018 Scholastic Achievement Awards are available for high school seniors of our Arab American Community planning to attend a 4-year college full time.   Applications are available online at www.stjohnd.org/ngberam/index.htm .  Application deadline is June 1.

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.

JOIN US ONLINE - St. Mary’s Church services are broadcast live each week through an internet video stream. If you can't attend a service in person, or want to share this ministry with a friend or loved one, the live stream can be viewed at www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/live during regularly scheduled service times (see the schedule of services or online). If you have questions or comments about this ministry please contact us at live@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org
 
REFLECTION
Christ is Risen!  Truly, He is Risen!
Arabic:          Al Maseeh ‘Am!  Ha’an ‘Am!
Greek:          Christos Anesti!  Alithos Anesti!
Slavonic:      Khristos Voskrese!  Vo Istinu Voskrese!
Romanian:   Hristos a Înviat!  Adevǎrat a Înviat!
Tigrinian:       Kristos Tensiu!  Behake Tensiu!
Cantonese:   Gaydolk Folkwoot Leew!  Ta Koksut Folkwoot Leew!
Spanish:       Christo ha Resucitado!  En Verdad ha Resucitado!
French:         Le Christ est ressuscité!  En vérité, il est ressuscité!
Amharic:      ChristosTenesa!  Bergit Tenesa!

Divine compassion brought it about in a wonderful way that when the doubting disciple touched the wounds in his Master's body, he cured the wounds of our unbelief. Thomas' unbelief was of more advantage to our faith than the faith of the believing disciples because when he was led back to faith by touching Jesus, our minds were relieved of all doubt and made firm in faith. And so after His resurrection Jesus allowed His disciple to doubt. But He did not desert him in his doubt. It is much the same as when before His birth He desired that Mary have a husband, who had not yet married her. The disciple who doubted and touched became a witness to the truth of the resurrection in just the same way as the husband of His mother had been the guardian of her perfect virginity.
   - St. Gregory the Great, Forty Gospel Homilies

The words of my companions were for me night and deep shadow, for they did not touch my spirit nor bring to light the lamp of the miracle which I now behold beyond all hope, for I see Christ again though the doors were closed. … O the marvel! the forbearance! the immeasurable meekness! The Untouched is felt; the Master is held by a servant, And He reveals His wounds to one of His inner circle. Seeing these wounds, the whole creation was shaken at the time. Thomas, when he was considered worthy of such gifts, lifted up a prayer to the One Who deemed him worthy, saying, "Bear my rashness with patience, have pity on my unworthiness and lighten the burden of my lack of faith, so that I may sing and cry, "Thou art our Lord and God.'"
   - St. Romanos the Melodist, On Doubting Thomas