Update for the week Thursday, August 1 - Wednesday, August 7, 2019
THIS WEEK AT ST. MARY’S
THURSDAY-WEDNESDAY 8/1-14 – The fast preceding the Feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Theotokos, our patronal feast day, begins today, Thursday, August 1 and continues through Wednesday, August 14.
SUNDAY 8/4 – Orthros 8:45am, Divine Liturgy 10:00am
WEDNESDAY 8/7 – Paraclesis for the Dormition 6:30pm
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
ENQUIRERS’ CLASS – The St. Ignatius Catechetical Group (Enquirers’ Class) will begin meeting on Sunday September 22 at 9:00am in the hall. Enrollment will be open until October 20. The group is for non-Orthodox adults who are interested in exploring the Christian Faith as it has been – and continues to be – understood, preached, and lived by members of the Holy Orthodox Church. Bob Kowalik will be teaching the group. If you would like to participate, please talk to Bob during coffee hour; or get in touch by phone 617-889-3436 or r.kowalik@comcast.net. For those seeking to be received into the Orthodox Church, participation in the group and Fr. Antony’s blessing are required.
MEN’S RETREAT – A Men’s Retreat will be hosted by the St. Stephen’s Group at St. Methodios Retreat Center, Contoocook, NH, on Friday-Sunday, September 20-22. This year’s topic is Relationships. Cost: $239 for 2 nights, meals included. For more info or to register contact Jeff St. Jean 413-348-2878 or jeffstjean11@gmail.com.
REMINDERS
NEW SKETE PILGRIMAGE – The annual New Skete Pilgrimage is set for Saturday, August 10 this year (the Saturday after Transfiguration). In years past, a number of St. Mary people have gone out for the weekend (this year, 8/9-11, 2019) to help the Communities with this event—to be extra sets of “helping hands” for the day. They are hoping a number of us will do so again this year. In the past, this has been a wonderful community building activity for all of us. Moreover, if you have never been to the monastery, this may be a good way to be introduced to their life and work. In addition to the services, there are tours of the church and talks by various members of the communities about their lives. The main talk will be given by Gayle Woloshak, Ph. D. who is a Professor of Radiation Oncology, Radiology, and Cell and Molecular Biology at the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University. (In addition, she is Past President of the Orthodox Theological Society of America and Treasurer of the International Orthodox Theological Association and wears MANY other “hats” in the Orthodox world. (Her ecclesial resume is quite long…) Her talk is entitled, “Good Earth: Caring for God’s Creation." There are also the dogs, great hiking trails, nearby tubing, and more (e.g. usually a picnic at Hedges Lake on that Sunday), etc. More information about the Pilgrimage can be found here: https://newskete.org/events.
Once again, Teva Regule (teva@mit.edu) will be coordinating the Boston helpers and as much housing as she can. (In particular, any women wanting to "camp out" at the nuns’, let her know. The Emmaus house is now a guest house - anyone wishing to stay there should contact Br. Gregory directly at brgregory@newskete.org) Housing is first come, first served.
VIGIL FOR THE DORMITION OF THE THEOTOKOS - On the eve of the Dormition of the Blessed Theotokos, Wednesday August 14, we will have Vespers at 4:15pm, Orthros with Lamentations at 5:30pm, and Festal Divine Liturgy at 7:00pm, followed by a Dormition feast in the church hall, hosted by Mary Winstanley O’Connor
WOMENS CLUB – The first meeting of the St. Mary Women‘s Club this year will be on Sunday, August 25, during Coffee Hour. If you are a woman and you attend St. Mary’s Church, you are one of us. Come to the meeting! This will be a brief one, with just one major agenda item. If you have any questions, please contact Melissa Nassiff (mnassiff@gmail.com).
CHURCH SCHOOL – Registration for new students, and for children who have reached the age of 3, will be held on Sunday, September 8. Classes will begin on Sunday, September 15 with a short lesson after the Procession of the Holy Cross.
+ Please contact Deno Takles, our new Church School Superintendent (at takles67@yahoo.com) if you would be interested in helping with the Church School. We are looking for a Teacher and an Assistant for Grades 2/3, and a Teacher for Grades 4/5.
ELEVATION OF THE CROSS – Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Elevation of the Cross will be celebrated on Friday, September 13 at 6:30pm
CHURCH SCHOOL – Church School classes begin with a short lesson on Sunday, September 15 after Communion and the Procession of the Holy Cross
ADULT CAMP – Antiochian Village Adult Camp is summer camp for adults at the Village, Friday-Monday, September 13-16. Adult Camp is open to all adults ages 21+ 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.
PARISH COUNCIL – The next meeting of the Parish Council is scheduled for Wednesday, September 18
“ORTHODOXY 102” – Orthodoxy 102 is an Adult Sunday Class designed for Christians who've spent many years in the Orthodox church, but have never been given any formal teaching on the theology and liturgical structure of the Eastern Christian faith. Beginning Sunday, September 22 at 9:00am, this new class will meet weekly to journey through the structure of the Divine Liturgy, while taking an in-depth look at Scripture, the Ecumenical Councils, our iconography, and the meaning and application of Orthodox theology. If you would like more information or would care to join, please email drjamesis@gmail.com (Or introduce yourself to Subdeacon James on any Sunday following the liturgy).
FAMILY CAMP – You’re invited to Diocese Family Camp Friday-Sunday, October 4-6 at St. Methodios Faith & Heritage Center in Contoocook, NH. Families from our Diocese come together for a weekend of camp activities, prayer, relaxation, fellowship, and learning. More information and pictures can be found at www.soyofallcamp.org Registration information will be posted soon.
FREE TABLE - If anyone is interested in the antique wood table in the back room by the kitchen please see Barbara in the Church Office. It was the altar table when the church was a Congregational church.
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
“He, being rich, became poor for your sake, that through His poverty ye might be rich” (2 Cor 8:9). Therefore, His poverty is my inheritance, and the Lord’s weakness is my virtue. He chose lack for Himself, that He may abound for all.
- Saint Ambrose of Milan
Let us always be ready to make a new start. If you fall, rise up. If you fall again, rise up again. Only do not abandon your Physician, lest you be condemned as worse than a suicide because of your despair. Wait on Him, and He will be merciful, either reforming you, or sending you trials, or through some other provision of which you are ignorant.
- St. Peter of Damascus
Christians should judge no one, neither an open harlot, nor sinners, nor dissolute people, but should look upon all with simplicity of soul and a pure eye. Purity of heart, indeed, consists in seeing sinful and weak men and having compassion for them and being merciful.
- Abba Macarius the Great