Update for the week Thursday, May 23 - Wednesday, May 29, 2019

THIS WEEK AT ST. MARY’S

SUNDAY 5/19 - Orthros 8:45am, Divine Liturgy 10:00am
   + Please welcome Deacon Simon Menya, visiting from Uganda. See New Announcements, below, for more information.

FRIDAY-MONDAY 5/24-27 – Family camp at Antiochian Village.  The theme is “Fostering a Healthy Family” with Speaker Fr. Nicholas Louh.  Visit www.avcamp.org for more information.

MONDAY 5/27 – Fr. Antony intends to bless graves at Fairview Cemetery in Hyde Park, MA starting at 9:00 am.  If you would like him to bless the graves of loved ones in other cemeteries, please let him know by calling the Church Office at 617-547-1234 or e-mail frawhj@gmail.com
 
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

ASCENSION – The Feast of the Ascension is June 6.  Divine Liturgy will be celebrated on Wednesday, June 5 at 6:30pm.

WOMEN’S CLUB DINNER – The Women’s Club will have its end-of-the-year dinner at the Cheesecake Factory in the Mall of Chestnut Hill, on Monday, June 17 at 7:00pm

SACRED MUSIC INSTITUTE – This year’s Sacred Music Institute will be held Wednesday-Sunday, July 10-14, at Antiochian Village .  The theme this year is “Sacraments and Song.” Contact Charlie Marge with any questions: charlie.marge@verizon.net.  Online registration is available through the Village website.

PARISH COUNCIL – The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on Wednesday, July 17 at 7:30.

FOUND – A gold earring with 3 pearls was found in the church office area.  Please see Barbara, our parish secretary, if you lost this earring.   

DEACON SIMON MENYA – Deacon Simon is a recent graduate of St. Vladimir Orthodox Theological Seminary in New York. He is the first from Uganda, Africa, to attend this Orthodox Seminary. As a young person in northern Uganda, Deacon Simon lived through civil wars and unrest that brought devastation throughout the country. He will be ordained to the Priesthood on July 28, 2019, in the newly created Diocese of Gulu and Eastern Uganda of the Patriarchate of Alexandria. He will be responsible for establishing a new Orthodox community with limited support other than his strong faith and education. His plan is to establish a “self-sufficiency” project where community members are given the opportunity to grow crops, raise livestock, and establish small businesses such as candle making or sewing (vestments and other items), all in an attempt to help the people earn an income and to begin to tithe to the Church. This is a tremendous undertaking which requires “seed” funds to initiate this “self-sufficiency” project. Deacon Simon is here today requesting assistance with the blessing of Metropolitan Isaiah. You may support this mission effort with donations to:  Lift Up Uganda, a 501c3 charity, 950 10thStreet, Berthoud, CO 80513 with “Deacon Simon” in the memo.  Deacon Simon will be available after Divine Liturgy to discuss this project in more detail and to answer questions. Please pray for him and this ministry.

REMINDERS

NO FASTING – There is no fasting on Wednesday or Friday, not only during Bright Week but for the entire forty days from Pascha until the Feast of the Ascension, June 6. (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.

SCHOLARSHIPS
 
 +Antiochian Women’s Scholarship: 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 Saturday, June 1.  Applications are available at the Bengarri and in the Church Office.  E-mail lferris130@yahoo.com with any questions.
   + Nicholas Beram Scholastic Achievement award: applications are available for high school seniors of our Arab American Community planning to attend a 4-year college full time.  Applications are available on-line at www.stjohnd.org/ngberam/index.htm and in the church office.  Application must be postmarked by Saturday, June 1.
 
CHURCH SCHOOL RECOGNITION – Church School Recognition following Liturgy, and a cookout sponsored by the Parish Council, will be Sunday, June 2. Church School children who attend church school on a regular basis will be recognized as they move up to the next grade or graduate.

ORATORICAL FESTIVAL - The Diocese of Worcester & New England Oratorical Festival will be held on Saturday, June 8 at St. George, Norwood

PARISH LIFE CELEBRATION – The Diocese of Worcester & New England Parish Life Celebration will be held on Saturday, June 22 at St. George, West Roxbury, hosted by St. Stephen Church, Springfield and Emmanuel Church, Warren. Register online at www.antiochianevents.com/worcesterhtml. Registration forms are also available at the Bengarri.

CROSSROAD SUMMER INSTITUTE - CrossRoad Summer Institute, a 10-day academic summer institute for Orthodox high school juniors and seniors to help them grow closer to Christ, will be held June 15-25 and July 2-12 at Hellenic College Holy Cross.  Apply today at www.crossroadinstitute.org  

ANTIOCHIAN ARCHDIOCESE CONVENTION – This year’s Convention will be in Grand Rapids, MI, July 21-28, 2019. See https://ac2019gr.org 

HOSPITALITY GROUP – The St. Mary’s Donald DiFiore Memorial Hospitality Group works to build community among the larger St. Mary’s Congregation, so that we can come together in service, celebration and fellowship outside of liturgy and coffee hour.  We need members to join us, and help with planning fellowship events such as Lenten Potluck Suppers, the Dormition Feast, our annual Picnic, etc. Even if you could commit to just one event per year, this would help strengthen the sense of community and family in our parish. We also welcome new ideas for fellowship gatherings. If interested, please email Tiffany Conroy (dr.taconroy@gmail.com)
 
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

Having passed through half the Paschal season, we entreat you, O Source of Life: Let our thirsty souls partake of the waters of piety and true devotion, for you invite everyone to come to you and drink.  O Fountain of Life, O Christ, our God, glory to You.
   - Troparion of Mid-Pentecost
 
You who are hidden and concealed within me, reveal within me your hidden mystery; manifest to me your beauty that is within me. O you who have built me as a temple for you to dwell in, cause the cloud of your glory to overshadow inside your temple, so that the ministers of your sanctuary may cry out, in love for you, ‘holy!’ as an utterance which burns in fire and spirit, in a sharp stirring which is commingled with wonder and astonishment, activated as a living movement by the power of your being.
   - John of Dalyatha (aka John Saba, the "Elder"), Prayer
 
It is just possible that we are the only copy of the Gospel that a given person will meet.
   - Brother David

 
Paschal Greetings:
            English:                     Christ is Risen!                        Truly, He is Risen!
            Albanian:                   Krishti u Ngjall!                         Vërtet u Ngjall!
            Amharic:                    Kristos Tenesa!                        Bergit Tenesa!
            Arabic:                       Al Maseeh Qam!                      Haqan Qam!
            Cantonese:              Gaydolk Folkwoot Leew!          Ta Koksut Folkwoot Leew!
            French:                     Le Christ est ressuscité!          En vérité, il est ressuscité!
            Greek:                       Christos Anesti!                       Alithos Anesti!
            Romanian:                 Hristos a Înviat!                       Adevǎrat a Înviat!
            Slavonic:                   Khristos Voskrese!                  Vo Istinu Voskrese!
            Spanish:                    Christo ha Resucitado!           En Verdad ha Resucitado!
            Tigrinian:                   Kristos Tensiu!                        Behake Tensiu!