Weekly Newsletter for the week Friday, March 13, through Thursday, March 19, 2009
THIS WEEKEND
AKATHIST AND SPEAKER - Akathist service is at 7:00 pm this Friday, and continues every Friday during Lent. After the service we'll meet in the Church hall for refreshments and a Learning in Lent presentation (approximately 8-9:30 pm). This evening's speaker is Rev. Cameron Partridge; his topic is On the Church Fathers.
HELP BAKE SPINACH PIES -The Women's Club will be baking Spinach Triangles for the Lenten food sale this Saturday, March 14. If you would like to help and/or learn to make Spinach Triangles (Fatayer), join us at 9:30 in the Church Hall. Men are welcome too!
If you placed an order, you can pick it up in the church hall during coffee hour this Sunday. Any orders not picked up will be frozen.
OFF-SITE EVENTS:
HARVARD-RADCLIFFE CONCERT - The Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum Chorus will perform Paul Moravec's Songs of Love and War and Frank Martin's Mass, at Sanders Theatre on Friday, March 13 at 8:00 pm. Tickets are available through the Harvard Box Office, at http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~tickets or 617-496-2222
CONFERENCE ON THE FACE OF GOD - The community is invited to a Conference on the Face of God in Islam and Eastern Christianity from 2:00pm-5:00pm Friday, March 13, in the Braun Room, Andover Hall, Harvard Divinity School, 45 Francis Ave., Cambridge, MA. Keynote speakers include Professor Ali Asani (Harvard), Professor Aristotle Papanikolaou (Fordham), and Christopher Gosey, an Eastern Orthodox iconographer. Graduate Student presenters include Martin Nguyen, Daniel Majchrowicz, and Zachary Ugolnik. Opening remarks by Professor Charles Stang (Harvard) will begin the conference and a panel discussion will conclude the event. Reception to follow.
RETREAT AT NEW SKETE - New Skete Monastery is offering a one-day Lenten retreat on Saturday, March 14, entitled, "Self-discovery and Spiritual Growth." The number of retreatants is limited and available on a first come, first served basis. In addition, the monastery will celebrate the Liturgy of St. James (the ancient rite of Jerusalem) on Sunday, March 15.
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
BOSTON BYZANTINE CHOIR CONCERT - The Sound of Icons, a concert of Orthodox sacred chant in English before a visually expressive background of Orthodox Sacred Art, will be presented on March 28 at 7 p.m. at Ss. Constantine & Helen Church, 35 Lake Parkway, Webster, MA . The concert will be preceded by Vespers at 6 p.m. Goodwill donations will be welcomed.
BASKETS FOR BATTERED WOMEN - The Women's Club is requesting your support with monetary donations toward the purchase of items for our annual Baskets for the Battered Women's Family Shelter. Each year, gifts baskets are made up of household items and given to the families to facilitate their moves into new homes and apartments. Please see Louise Homsy or Shirley Bezreh at the Bengarri. Make checks payable to St. Mary Women's Club and earmark: Battered Women. Thank you.
RETREATS AT ST. VLADIMIR'S - St. Vladimir's Seminary, Yonkers, NY, has announced two public events:
Annual Public Lenten Retreat, Saturday, April 4: Speaker: V. Rev. Dr. Alexander Atty
Topic: "Good & Faithful Servants."
Summer Conference for Clergy & Laity, June 18 - 20, 2009 Keynote: Archpriest Alexander Garklavs. Topic: "The Council & the Tomos: 20th Century Landmarks towards a 21st Century Church." E-mail or call 914-961-8313 Ext. 343
Register: www.svotsedu or email: events@svots.edu See flyers on church bulletin board.
PALM SUNDAY FISH DINNER - The Fellowship of St. John the Divine is hosting its annual fish dinner on Sunday, April 20 after Liturgy. Instead of cooking, spend your Palm Sunday with your family and friends in Church. Watch for more information.
REMINDERS
ANTIOCHIAN WOMEN'S MONTH - March is Antiochian Women's Month throughout the Archdiocese. Women of the parish will be reading the Epistle, holding the Communion cloths and bread baskets, taking the collection, and delivering the homily.
LENTEN POTLUCKS - Every Wednesday during Lent there will be a Presanctified Liturgy at 6:30 p.m., followed by a Potluck Supper sponsored by the Fellowship of St. John. Do plan to come and bring something to share. Any Lenten fare is welcome: main courses, sides, salads, desserts, as well as beverages and snacks. This is a wonderful opportunity for fellowship during Lent, plus we get to sample each other's Lenten recipes. Please stay for supper even if you can't bring food--there's room at the table for everyone.
LEARNING IN LENT - The Fellowship of St John the Divine (FSJD) will offer its annual lecture series on the following Fridays in Lent. After Akathist, which starts at 7:00 pm, we'll meet in the Church hall for refreshments and a presentation (approximately 8-9:30 pm).
March 13: Rev. Cameron Partridge (Priest at St Luke's and St Margaret's Episcopal Church; Master of Divinity, Harvard; Master of Sacred Theology, Yale) - On the Church Fathers
March 20: Robert Kowalik (Master of Divinity, Holy Cross Seminary; Master of Arts in Religion, Yale Divinity School) - On Piety and Devotion
March 27: Teva Regule (Master of Divinity, Holy Cross Seminary) - Who are We? Christian Identity Formation in the Services of Pascha
April 3: David Vermette (St Mary's Catechism Director) - "The Problem of Evil" and the Orthodox Tradition
April 10: Brett Grainger (Doctoral candidate at Harvard Divinity School) - Talk topic TBA
LENTEN RETREAT WITH FREDERICA MATHEWES-GREEN - The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, Newburyport, MA, invites you to its 3rd Annual Lenten Retreat, Saturday, March 21, 2009 from 10:00 am- 2:00 pm with lunch. Topic: Transforming Our Life and Our World, with featured speaker, Frederica Mathewes-Green. Cost: $15 per person ($10: Students & Seniors) For more information or to RSVP by March 16, please e-mail annunciationlentenretreat@verizon.net or call Julie Ray at 978-462-5262.
LENTEN RETREAT WITH KYRIAKI K. FITZGERALD - St. Michael, Cotuit invites you to an Adult Lenten Retreat, Saturday, April 4, 2009 Topic: "Reflections on Psalm 50," with speaker, Kyriaki K. Fitzgerald, M.Div., Ph.D. Retreat & Luncheon cost: $20. Registration Deadline: March 31, 2009. For more information call Lorraine Reiley at 508-240-2412.
SYRIAN-LEBANESE SCHOLARSHIPS - The Women's Club of Greater Boston offers scholarships to young women of Syrian and Lebanese origin, living in Massachusetts within a 50-miles radius of Boston , who plan to pursue a 4-year college education. Awards ($1,000) are based on outstanding academic achievement, extra-curricular activities, charitable and civic involvement and good character. Each applicant must be in good academic standing in her school and possess those personal attributes which best serve the community. Applications are available through our Church Office or call Mary Winstanley O'Connor at 617-523-1010 or e-mail at her moconnor@koilaw.com Application must be postmarked by March 31.
ANTIOCHIAN WOMEN'S SPRING FLING - On April 4, 2009, the women of the diocese will sponsor a visit to the Museum of Russian Icons in Clinton, MA. Bus transportation is available, departing at 9:45 am from the Russian Church of the Epiphany at 961 South St . , Roslindale, and returning approximately 3:15 pm. The cost for this package, which includes bus transportation, museum admission with guided tour, and a $10 voucher for lunch at a local restaurant, is $49.95. For those who prefer to drive, the museum admission alone is $4. Please RSVP to Priscilla Goss, or contact her for further information, at pagoss@aol.com or phone 781-762-1527.
RETREAT AT NEW SKETE #2 - On May 22-24 (Memorial Day weekend), the Fellowship of St. John the Divine is sponsoring a weekend retreat Friday through Sunday at New Skete Monastery. The details of the retreat are still in the planning stages, but SAVE THE DATE! Please RSVP to Tiffany Conroy (trattus1@gmail.com or 617-990-7162) by April 1, or contact her for more information.
FOOD FOR HUNGRY PEOPLE - Money Boxes are on the Bengarri. Please be sure to pick one or two up and place them throughout your home. Our Church School Students have been given their own boxes to fill. Be generous with your contributions during this Lenten season. Return the filled FFHP boxes to the Bengarri or to Violet Robbat on Palm Sunday, April 12, 2009.
PARISH LIFE CONFERENCE - St. George Church in Lawrence will be hosting the 2009 Parish Life Conference for the Diocese of New England, June 25-28, at the Wyndham Hotel in Andover , MA . Singles and Doubles: $95. Triples: $105 and Quads: $115. Hotel reservation deadline is June 4, 2009; mention Parish Life Conference for special rates. More information can be found on St. George's website at www.stgeorgelawrence.org/Conf2009
ANTIOCHIAN VILLAGE CAMP - Schedules have been announced for the 2009 camping program at the Village - see http://www.antiochianvillage.org/camp.html
CROSSROADS - High School Juniors and Seniors: The Office of Vocation & Ministry at Hellenic College is now accepting applications for its summer CrossRoad program. Two sessions are offered: June 20 - 30 and July 7 - 17, 2009. For more information and application see www.crossroad.hchc.edu or call 617-850-1309.
ARCHDIOCESE CONVENTION - The national convention for the whole Archdiocese will be held July 19 - 26 at Desert Springs JW Marriot Hotel, Palm Desert , California, hosted by St. Michael Church, Van Nuys. Check out their website at www.archdioceseconvention2009.org for more information.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR SERVICE
There are a number of ways you can help the Church, your fellow worshippers and those in need. Consider serving in one of these ways:
PARTICIPATION
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. All Orthodox Christians in the Parish are welcome and encouraged to participate. We usually need one Epistle reader and six people to hold cloths and baskets. If you would like to read the Epistle or assist during the Communion, please contact Jeff Wasilko, 781-820-0882, jeffw@smoe.org.
Coffee Hour - People are needed every week to provide coffee, juice and cookies, or more if desired, and set it up Sunday morning. 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 Robbat in the Parish Office and she will write your name in. If you need any help with figuring out what to bring or do, check the list below the signup sheet (also printed in the Bulletin), or ask Marilyn at secretary@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org or 617-547-1234.
VOLUNTEERING
Holy Resurrection Open Doors - The Holy Resurrection Open Door Meal Ministry in Allston needs volunteers every Monday evening (there is a special need in the summer). The official hours of the project are 4:30 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. It is 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? Please contact Liz Straghalis at liztutella@gmail.com phone 617-974-5005, or Tiffany Conroy at trattus1@gmail.com, 617-990-7162.
St Paul's Food Pantry - Two to four volunteers help each week in the food pantry at St Paul 's Roman Catholic Church in Harvard Square , Saturday mornings from 9:30-11:45. If you are interested in helping, please contact Christian Alcala at cmalcala1989@yahoo.com, or (617) 876-5684.
DONATIONS
Food and Clothing - Holy Resurrection in Allston takes donations of non-perishable food items and clothing to distribute at the Open Door Ministry on Monday evenings. You can bring your donations by on Monday nights between 4:30 pm and 7:30 pm or contact Tiffany Conroy, trattus1@gmail.com, 617-990-7162, for more information.
- St. Paul's Food Pantry in Harvard Square , where volunteers from St. Mary help every Saturday, depends upon regular donations of canned and packaged foods. To help, contact Christian Alcala at cmalcala1989@yahoo.com, or (617) 876-5684.
Monetary Contributions - The Agape Canister Program is an Orthodox non-profit development program of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center . It is dedicated to meeting the needs of children, families, and communities throughout the world, regardless of race, color, or creed. All funds collected by the Agape Canister Program are earmarked for medical care and clinics, water wells, agricultural development, food and clothing, support personnel (e.g. doctors, nurses, teachers), the construction of schools, and the education of indigenous people in their own communities. Please contribute each Sunday - A clear plastic box is on the Bengarri.
"As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me," says our Lord.
THIS WEEK'S VOLUNTEERS
FOOD PANTRY
March 14: John Rodriguez and Sandra Kondratiuk
LITURGICAL SERVICE
March 15: Women of the Church - Epistle: Barbara Shoop; Left Cloth: Nadine Rebovich and Michelle; Right Cloth: Larisa Patacciola and Melissa Nassiff; Left Bread: Louise Homsy; Right Bread: Maria Walcott; Collection: Cindy Mazzoni and Arlene Marge; Homily: Marilyn Robbat
COFFEE HOUR
March 15: The Landon and O'Toole Families
LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK
Friday, March 13: Akathist Service 7:00 pm, followed by Learning in Lent
Saturday, March 14: Great Vespers 5:30
Sunday, March 15: Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am; Church School lesson 17
SCRIPTURE READINGS for March 15, Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas:
Epistle: St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 1:10-14; 2:1-3 ... But to what angel has he ever said, "Sit at my right hand, till I make thy enemies a stool for thy feet?" Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation? Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.
Gospel: Mark 2:1-12 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, ...
Monday, March 16: Lenten Compline at St. George, West Roxbury 7:00 pm
Wednesday, March 18: Presanctified Liturgy 6:30 pm, followed by pot luck supper
LOOKING AHEAD
Friday, March 20: Akathist Service 7:00 pm, followed by Learning in Lent (every Friday in Lent)
Saturday, March 21: Great Vespers 5:30
Sunday, March 22: Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am; Church School music lesson (downstairs)
Tuesday, March 24: Evening Liturgy for Feast of the Annunciation of the Theotokos 6:30 pm
Wednesday, March 25: Presanctified Liturgy 6:30 pm, followed by pot luck supper (every Wednesday in Lent)
Sunday, April 19: Holy Pascha
Saturday, May 2: FSJD von Holzhausen lecture
Thursday, June 25 - Sunday, June 28: Parish Life Conference
INSIGHT
Since the Word of God though His descent to us has brought the kingdom of heaven close to us, let us not distance ourselves from it by leading an unrepentant life. Let us rather flee the wretchedness of those who sit "in darkness and the shadow of death" (Isa. 9:2). Let us acquire the fruits of repentance: a humble disposition, compunction and spiritual grief, a gentle and merciful heart that loves righteousness and pursues purity, peaceful, peace-making, patient in toil, glad to endure persecution, loss, outrage, slander and suffering for the sake of truth and righteousness. For the kingdom of heaven or, rather, the King of heaven - ineffable in His generosity - is within us (cf. Luke 17:21); and to Him we should cleave through acts of repentance and patient endurance, loving as much as we can Him Who so dearly has loved us.
- St. Gregory Palamas
Without love the works of virtue are not praiseworthy or profitable to the man who practices them, and the same is true of love without works. St. Paul makes this fully clear with reference to works when he writes to the Corinthians, "If I do this and that, but have no love, it profits me nothing" (cf. I Cor. 13:1-3); and with reference to love the disciple especially beloved by Christ writes, "Let us not love in word or tongue but in action and truth." (I John 3:18)
- St. Gregory Palamas
The Holy Name contains within itself that divine energy which penetrates and changes a man's heart when it is diffused throughout his body.
- St. Gregory Palamas
Man, by virtue of the honor of the body created in the likeness of God, is higher than the angels.
- St. Gregory Palamas
Through the fall our nature was stripped of divine illumination and resplendence. But the Logos of God had pity upon our disfigurement and in His compassion He took our nature upon Himself, and on Tabor He manifested it to His elect disciples clothed once again most brilliantly. He shows what we once were and what we shall become through Him in the age to come, if we choose to live our present life as far as possible in accordance with His ways.
- St. Gregory Palamas