Weekly Newsletter for the week Friday, July 25, 2008 through Thursday, July 31, 2008
THIS WEEKEND
FR. ANTONY IS AWAY - Fr. Antony is at the Antiochian Village through Friday, August 8. He'll be taking part in the Clergy Symposium through Friday the 25th, and then assisting in pastoral ministry to the young people attending the 4th session of Summer Camp starting July 27.
In case of emergency:
Through Saturday, July 26, contact Ray Sayeg at 781-769-6171 or 617-872-9774 (cell)
For emergencies from July 27 to August 9, contact Fr. John Teebagy of St. John Church , Dedham at 781-326-3046.
TANGLEWOOD OUTING - It's not too late to join your music-loving friends from St. Mary's as we carpool out to Tanglewood after Liturgy this Sunday, July 27. We'll picnic on the lawn and listen to violinist Sarah Chang and the Orchestra of St. Lukes. The concert starts at 2:30; lawn tickets are just $18. Bring 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) before Saturday, or see Subdeacon Steve Walker Sunday morning.
SUMMER MEETINGS AT THE VILLAGE - The Summer Meetings of Antiochian Women, Fellowship of St. John the Divine, and Teen SOYO are being held at the Antiochian Village this weekend, July 25 - 27. Some of the members of our parish will be attending.
NO VOLUNTEERS = NO COFFEE - There is no coffee hour this Sunday. Volunteers continue to be needed throughout the summer! If you've never given a coffee hour before, now's a good time to start. 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. Plenty of help is available if you need it.
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
NEW SCHOLARSHIP CELEBRATION - With the blessings of His Beatitude IGNATIUS IV, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and His Eminence Metropolitan PHILIP, the Balamand Educational Foundation is honored to announce "An Evening of Celebration" for the establishment of a new scholarship fund in the name of His Eminence, The Most Reverend Metropolitan PHILIP. This celebration will be held on Saturday, November 1, 2008, in the Westin Copley Hotel Ballroom, and will include cocktails, dinner, program, and music. The newly formed fund will benefit deserving and in-need students.
REMINDERS
ST. MARY'S ANNIVERSARY - The parish's 80th Anniversary Weekend is scheduled for October 24 - 26, 2008 . Mark your calendars and plan on attending the festivities! We will have planning meetings for the 80th Anniversary on Thursday, July 31; Thursday, August 21; Thursday, September 11; and Tuesday, October 14, 2008, beginning at 7:30 p.m., at the home of Mary Winstanley O'Connor, 781 Concord Turnpike in Arlington. If you plan to attend the meetings please let Mary know. Also, all who want to be on the committee need to provide their telephone numbers and email addresses to Marilyn Robbat at 617-547-1234 or secretary@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org, and/or Mary Winstanley O'Connor at 617-523-1010 (work) or moconnor@koilaw.com
PATRONAL FEAST DAY - The Dormition of the Blessed Theotokos is August 15, 2008. On Thursday, August 14, we will celebrate the Vigil for the Dormition with Vespers at 4:15 p.m. , Orthros with Lamentations at 5:30 p.m., and Divine Liturgy at 7:00 p.m. This will be followed by a Parish Dinner at 8:15 p.m. (with prior reservations), offered by Charles Arbeely. The cost for Adults & Students is $5.00; Children 12 and under are FREE. Please R.S.V.P. by August 7 to the Church Office at 617-547-1234. Paid Reservations are preferred.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY - The Diocesan Fellowship of St. John the Divine is sponsoring a day working with Habitat for Humanity on the Cape . When: Saturday, August 9th 8:00 am - 3:30 pm Where: one of two sites in Falmouth , MA . Stay tuned for more details!
PILGRIMAGE TO NEW SKETE - The Monastic Communities and parishioners of New Skete Monastery (OCA) in Cambridge , New York , invite you to join them for a day of prayer and reflection celebrating their feast day on Saturday, August 9, 2008 (rain or shine). The theme of the pilgrimage is "Healing: New Life in Christ." As is the rule of monastic life, the day will begin and end with prayer-- Matins at 8:30 am, followed by the celebration of the Divine Liturgy at 9:30 am, and Vespers and Vigil at 5:30 pm. In addition, a special healing service will be held at approximately 4:15 pm. Two main presentations will be held in the afternoon--"Perspectives on Healing" with Dr. Demetra Velisarios Jaquet and Fr. Steven Voytovich and "Holy Unction: Human Illness, Healing, and Wellness" given by Rev. Dr. Alkiviadis Calivas. In addition, the day will include tours of the monastery Churches, a demonstration of the monks' dog program, as well as time for hiking, conversation, reflection and quiet. Activities for children and teens are also planned. Traditional ethnic and American style food will be available for purchase. For more information (or to be part of the band of volunteers from the area), see the flier on the church bulletin board and/or contact Teva Regule at teva@mitlns.mit.edu.
MISSIONS AND EVANGELISM - The 20th Anniversary Orthodox Conference on Mission & Evangelism will be held August 29 - September 1, 2008 at University of California in Santa Barbara . The topic will be "The Bible and Evangelism." Speakers are Fr. Peter Gillquest, Fr. Jon Braun, and Fr. Dan Suciu. Check Church Bulletin Board for more information, or contact 888-968-4014 or missions@antiochian.org
ONE MORE CHANDELIER - New Chandeliers have been ordered for the Church, and we expect to have them installed by the end of the summer, in plenty of time for our 80th Anniversary Celebration in October. There will be one large chandelier, which has been donated as a memorial, and six smaller chandeliers, all but one of which have been donated so far. We are presently looking for someone to donate the one remaining chandelier, plus donations to cover the cost of the electrical work. Donations can be made through the Bengarri or you can speak with Ray Sayeg or Mary Winstanley O'Connor.
WOMEN'S CLUB SUMMER READING: This summer Women's Club members (and anyone else who'd like to join us) will be reading The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs, currently #2 on the New York Times best-seller list. Read the book over the summer, and join us Monday, September 29, for an enjoyable evening of discussion, refreshments and fellowship!
CELL PHONES FOR SERVICEMEN - The Lebanese-Syrian Ladies Aid Society is sending 150-minute international phone cards to our young people involved in the Iraq-Afghanistan War, or stationed elsewhere. If you know of any young people they can help, please provide names, parents' names, addresses and phone numbers. Please contact Rose Dow 671-323-6883 or Emily Eknoian 617-323-7135.
LITURGICAL SERVICE - Each Sunday, members of the congregation are needed to read the Epistle and assist during Communion by holding the Communion Cloths and Holy Bread Baskets. If you would like to read the Epistle or assist during the Communion, contact Jeff Wasilko, 781-820-0882, email: jeffw@smoe.org and/or use the sign-up sheet on the Bengarri.
MEAL MINISTRY - The Holy Resurrection Open Door Meal Ministry needs volunteers every Monday evening (there's a special need in the summer). The official hours of the project are 5:00 pm-7:30 pm, but it is fine to come anytime and leave any time. Best times would be 5:30-5:45 to 7:15-7:30 pm. You can serve meals, coffee and tea to the people who arrive for dinner (6-7 pm) or just stay behind the scenes doing set-up and clean-up, or ideally a combination of both. It's a very rewarding, hands-on, face-to-face way to serve the community with (mostly) other Orthodox Christians (we even chant the Our Father together before the meal begins). Church info can be found at http://hrocboston.org/ Questions? Call Tiffany Conroy, St Mary's FSJD, 617-990-7162
FOOD PANTRY - Please continue to bring cans, jars, and boxes of food and place them in the container outside the Church Office. The need is still great at St. Paul 's Food Pantry in Harvard Square , where volunteers from St. Mary help every Saturday. To help, contact Christian Alcala at cmalcala1989@yahoo.com or (617) 876-5684.
INSIGHT
This week we present "The Ancient Paths," a Bible study combining patristic passages and Scripture. It is provided periodically by Deacon Neal Hughes, Fr. Antony's brother. Deacon Neal maintains his own mailing list for "The Ancient Paths;" if you would like to receive them all, you may contact him at HughesKN@msha.com and request to be included on his list.
On Divine Mercy:
"The nature of things is measured by the interior disposition of the soul; that is, the kind of person one is will determine what he thinks of others. He who has attained to genuine prayer and love no longer puts things into categories. He does not separate the righteous from sinners, but loves all equally, and does not judge them, just as God gives the sun to shine and the rain to fall both on the just and the unjust."
St. Nikitas Stethatos, from the Philokalia
To the pure all things are pure, but to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure; their very minds and consciences are corrupted.
- The Epistle of St. Paul to Titus 1:15
43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
- The Gospel According to St. Matthew 5:43-48
33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary , there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. 34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
- The Gospel According to St. Luke 23:33-34
LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK
Saturday, July 26: No Vespers at St. Mary's
Sunday, July 27: Summer hours - Orthros 8:15 am, Divine Liturgy 9:30 am
SCRIPTURE READINGS for July 27:
Epistle: St. Paul 's Second Letter to Timothy 2:1-10 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier on service gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to satisfy the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hardworking farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will grant you understanding in everything.
Gospel: Matthew 9:1-8 And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on his bed; and when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven. ... For which is easier, to say 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say 'Rise and walk?' But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins," he then said to the paralytic, "Rise, take up your bed and go home."
LOOKING AHEAD
Friday, August 1: Dormition fast begins
Saturdays, August 2, 9, 23, and 30: No Vespers at St. Mary's
Sunday, August 3: Summer hours - Orthros 8:15 am, Divine Liturgy 9:30 am
Monday, August 11: Paraclesis for the Dormition of the Theotokos
Wednesday, August 13: Paraclesis for the Dormition of the Theotokos
Thursday, August 14: Vigil for the Dormition of the Theotokos - Vespers 4:15 p.m. ; Orthros with Lamentations 5:30 p.m.; Divine Liturgy 7:00 p.m. followed by Parish Dinner 8:15 p.m. (with prior reservations)
Saturday, August 16: Great Vespers 5:00 pm
Sunday, August 31: Last Sunday of summer hours
Sunday, September 7: Church School registration
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.
July 26: The Chin family and Bill Coyle
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.
July 27: TBA
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.
July 27: none