Weekly Newsletter for the week of Friday, September 7, 2007 through Thursday, September 13, 2007

ST. MARY UPDATE

Weekly Newsletter for the week

Friday, September 7, 2007 through Thursday, September 13, 2007

 

 

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

FR. ANTONY'S ORDINATION ANNIVERSARY - This Sunday, September 9, the Parish Council will offer a celebratory coffee hour in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Ordination of Fr. Antony to the Holy Priesthood.  May God grant many years to Fr. Antony and Khourieh Carol and their family. AXIOS!

INQUIRERS CLASS - The St. Ignatius Catechetical Group adult inquirer's class at St. Mary Church is for non-Orthodox persons who are interested in exploring the Orthodox Faith.  This group is for those who would like to be considered for reception into the Church, or for those who would like simply to learn more about our Faith.  We will explore the basic elements of Orthodox teaching and practice, through reading, talks, discussion, and question & answer.  The class will begin September 23, 2007 and meets from 9:00 until 10:00 a.m. on Sundays in the Library.  For more information please see the brochure available at the bengarri or contact David Vermette, phone: 617-776-5635 or e-mail dgvermette@sysmatrix.net .

OCF COLLEGE STUDENT SUNDAY -  The third Sunday of September every year (September 16 this year) has been designated as College Student Sunday by the SCOBA bishops - a day to support the Orthodox Christian Fellowship working on campuses in the area, and to welcome the college students among us.. Please make an effort to greet any students sitting near you in church, and invite them down to the Coffee Hour.  To read the Encyclical issued by The Hierarchs of SCOBA (the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas ) for this year's College Student Sunday go to http://www.goarch.org/en/news/NewsDetail.asp?id=1829

FAMILY CAMP - The Antiochian Village will be have a Family Camp on Friday through Monday, October 5-8, 2007 (Columbus Day Weekend). Family Camp is an opportunity for the whole family take a break from the stress and business of their daily lives, and enjoy time as a family at the Village in fellowship, worship, and fun.  For more information see http://www.antiochianvillage.org/camp.html

REMINDERS

NO EVENING LITURGY THIS FRIDAY - Fr. Antony is out of town through this Friday, September 7.  Therefore the evening Liturgy for the Nativity of the Theotokos scheduled for this Friday evening is cancelled.  In case of emergency during Fr. Antony's absence, please call Fr. Timothy Ferguson at St. George Church, West Roxbury at  617-323-0323.

CHURCH SCHOOL REGISTRATION - Attention Church School  Parents, Students & Teachers:  Church School Pre-Registration starts during Coffee Hour this Sunday, September 9.  Parents, please register your child(ren) and make sure their registration materials and information are up-to-date.  Teachers, please stay for teacher training after coffee hour. Church School lessons begin Sunday, September 16, 2007.

ATTENTION COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY STUDENTS - If you are a new or returning college or university student, please fill out a white College Student Address Form on the Bengarri (desk in the Narthex) so that we have your current addresses and information and you can receive announcements about activities at St. Mary's and on campus.  See Charlie Marge if you have questions.

WOMEN'S BOOK CLUB - This summer Women's Club members (and anyone else who'd like to join us) are reading A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini.  The author of The Kite Runner takes his storytelling powers to the next level with this instant classic. Following the lives of two Afghan women over 30 years, this beautiful, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting novel will sweep you away.  We'll be discussing it on Wednesday, September 19 - finish up your summer reading now!

WELCOME BACK BREAKFAST - After Liturgy on Sunday, September 23, the Fellowship of St. John the Divine will host a special Breakfast to welcome college students back to Cambridge and their "church home away from home." Please join us in welcoming and supporting students who strive to remain connected to the Church while away from their families.  All are welcome; a free-will donation will be gratefully accepted from non-students!  Please RSVP so we'll know how much food to prepare:  call the church office at 617-547-1234, or reply to this e-mail, or use the sign-up sheet on the Bengarri (the desk in the vestibule).

NATIONAL YOUNG ADULT RETREAT  -  Young adults age 18-35 are invited to a retreat September 14-16 at Hellenic College/Holy Cross, Brookline , MA   The keynote speaker is  Fr. Luke Veronis, whose  topic will be  Responding to God's Call: Love that Makes a Difference.  Information and online registration are available at www.yal.org

ST. THEKLA PILGRIMAGE - The 2007 St. Thekla Pilgrimage at the Antiochian Village will be September 21-23.  The keynote speaker is  H. Tristram Engelhardt, whose topic will be  Wholeness and Health in a Secular World.  Information and registration forms are available at

http://www.antiochian.org/2007-pilgrimage

SOUP KITCHEN - Three or four St. Mary's volunteers are needed to help each week at the Open Doors Meal Ministry at Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in Allston, Mondays any time between 4:00 p.m. and 7:30. Contact Liz Tutella at 617-974-5005 (note new phone number) or ETutella@sovereignbank.com.   

INSIGHT

The following quotations are taken from the sermon preached by Fr. Antony on Sunday, September 2, 2007.  The gospel lesson was Matthew 22:2-14.  

 

The Church is not a club for the elite, for the righteous few. We have a name for that sort of thing, and that is "cult."  The Church is not a cult; it is a hospital for souls.

Heaven has need of only one king.

I am grateful to God that worthiness is not a prerequisite to drawing near. There are only two: desire and humility. Everyone with desire and humility is welcome to draw near to God in this place, and it is not appropriate for any among us to determine who among them is wheat and who are tares.  The Lord taught that we must not try to distinguish the tares from the wheat and remove them because we might end up pulling up the wheat as well. Only God can tell the difference. Only God can judge with equity and wisdom.

We do not know all the reasons why we do the things we do, think the things we think, choose the things we choose. The human heart is an unfathomable mystery. So why do we, who do not even know the depths of our own hearts, dare to judge another person? ... Only God knows the human heart, and that is at least one good reason why only God is able to judge with equity. To us He says, "Do not go there!"

Wasn't Jesus often criticized by the Pharisees because he considered it better to hang out with the people they despised: social outcasts, sinners, the ritually impure and the poor?  They called him a sinner and demon-possessed for associating with them, but he did not see this as a cause for concern or shame. If the Lord really is here, we must expect all kinds of people to be drawn to us, and that is neither cause to fear nor reason to be ashamed.

All of Fr. Antony's sermons are available on the St. Mary website at https://www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/orthodoxy/sermons.php

LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK

Friday, September 7: NO Evening Liturgy for the Nativity of the Theotokos at St. Mary's

Saturday, September 8:  Great Vespers 5:00 p.m.

Sunday, September 9:  Orthros  8:45 a.m., Divine Liturgy 10 a.m.

      Church School registration, and Blessing of Teachers

SCRIPTURE READINGS for September 9:

Epistle:  St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 6:11-18  But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.   (The entire reading may be found at  http://www.goarch.org/en/chapel/lectionary.asp?type=epistle&code=218 )

Gospel: John 3:13-17  For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.  (The entire reading may be found at http://www.goarch.org/en/chapel/lectionary.asp?type=gospel&code=336&event=1165&DL=EN )

LOOKING AHEAD

Thursday, September 13:  Evening Liturgy for the Elevation of the Holy Cross 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, September 15:  Great Vespers 5:00 p.m.

Sunday, September 16:  Orthros  8:45 a.m., Divine Liturgy 10 a.m.;    Church School classes begin

VOLUNTEER SCHEDULES

FOOD PANTRY

Two to four volunteers help each week in the food pantry at St. Paul 's RC Church in Harvard Square , Saturday mornings from 9:30-11:45.  If you are willing to help, contact Christian Alcala at cmalcala1989@yahoo.com or (617) 876-5684.

September 8:   Lan Hu and Christian Alcala

LITURGICAL SERVICE

The Epistle each Sunday is read by a member of the congregation, and six members of the congregation hold the cloth and Holy Bread baskets during Communion.  If you would like to help with these services,  please contact Jeff Wasilko at jeffw@smoe.org or 781-820-0882.

September 9:  Epistle - Ashley Clampitt

Communion Assistance - Bill and  Julie Warfield, Christian Alcala, Amelia Perkins, Luke and  David Porr

COFFEE HOUR

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 in the Office 617-547-1234 and she'll write your name in.

September 9:  Parish Council

September 16:  Church School parents

September 23:  Fellowship of St. John the Divine - Welcome Back breakfast