Weekly Newsletter for the week Friday, July 3, through Thursday, July 9, 2009

THIS WEEKEND

NO VESPERS - There will be no Vespers this Saturday, the 4th of July.

SUMMER HOURS - Summer hours at St. Mary begin this Sunday, July 5.  Orthros will start at 8:15 am  and Divine Liturgy at 9:30 am.  (Regular hours resume Sunday, September 6.)

FR. GREGORY PHELAN MEMORIAL -20-Year Trisagion Prayers of Mercy will be offered after Divine Liturgy for Fr. Gregory Phelan, who served as priest at St. Mary from 1981 until his death from cancer at age 47,  in 1989. There will also be a special Coffee Hour this Sunday in his memory.

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

CONGRATULATIONS!!!! - Representatives from St. Mary won several competitions at last week's Parish Life Conference:

BIBLE BOWL - Teen Team:  Thomas Marge, Theo Smith, Gabe Smith, Victoria Sayeg (Alternate), coached by Violet Robbat

BIBLE BOWL - Adult team:  Rev. Dn. Jeffrey Smith and Charles Marge

CREATIVE ARTS FESTIVAL - Grade 4-5-6:  This class won the Archangel Award, the  highest award given, receiving  100 points out of a potential 100 points!  Justin Aroyan, Tommy Bezreh, Christine Dibrova, Kiely Goss, Rachel Bargoot, James Jabbour, Anthony Marge, John Mekonnen, Carolyn Mabardy, Lukas Nahass, Nathan Nebiye, Luke Porr, James Bezreh, Bridgette Goss, Julia Medwar, Rebecca Sayeg, Jessica Winstanley; teacher  Mary Winstanley O'Connor, with special thanks to Kate Jellinghaus.

CREATIVE ARTS FESTIVAL - Grade 7 & 8: Julia Shoop, Thomas Marge, Sophia Nahass, Sabrina Nebiye, Victoria Sayeg, Gabriel Smith and Jillian Winstanley; teacher Peter Nassiff.

Congratulations to all our winners!  Later this month our teen Bible Bowl team will be representing our Diocese at the Archdiocese Convention in the Fellowship of St. John the Divine- North American Council (NAC) Bible Bowl.

PILGRIMAGE TO NEW SKETE -  The Monastic Communities and Chapel Community members of New Skete Monastery in Cambridge, New York, invite you to join them for a day of prayer and reflection celebrating their feast day on Saturday, August 8, 2009 (rain or shine).  The theme of the pilgrimage is "Jesus: The Heart of Renewal." 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 healing service will be held at approximately 4:15 pm.  Two main presentations will be held in the afternoon--"Christ in Theology: Conversion and Purification" with Dr. Peter Bouteneff, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, who will bring a theological perspective to the theme and "The Face of Christ in the World" given by Sr. Rebecca, a nun of New Skete, who will explore the theme through the lens of iconography. In addition, the day will include tours of the monastery Churches, a demonstration of the monks' dog program, and 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, contact Teva Regule at teva@mit.edu.

SONIA'S RUN - You are invited to take part in an inaugural 5K road race to benefit the Theophany School, in honor of its beloved friend Sonia Belcher, on Saturday, September 19, 2009.  "Sonia's Run ... Building on a Dream" will start and end at St. George Church, West Roxbury, and includes both a 5K run starting at 9:00 am and a kids' 50-yard dash which starts at 8:30 am.  For more information, go to:  www.SoniasRun.org

NEW CD AVAILABLE - The Voice of the Lord:  Selected Hymns from the Feast of Theophany is a new CD recorded by the Friends of the Theophany School under the direction of Rassem El-Massih. Each CD sells for $15 and all proceeds will benefit the "Building on a Dream" campaign for the Theophany School in memory of the school's founder, Sonia Daly Belcher.  To place an order online or listen to sample tracks, visit www.theophanyschool.org/cd.   For bulk orders (10 or more),  contact them directly at music@theophanyschool.org or 617-470-0546.

REMINDERS

CROSSROADS - High School Juniors and Seniors:  The Office of Vocation & Ministry at Hellenic College offers its summer CrossRoad program July 7 - 17, 2009.  For more information see  www.crossroad.hchc.edu or call 617-850-1309. 

TANGLEWOOD OUTING - Join your music-loving friends from St. Mary's as we carpool out to Tanglewood after Liturgy and the Trisagion prayers for Steve's mom, next Sunday, July 12. We'll picnic on the lawn and listen to music by Beethoven, Bruch and Dvorak, with violinist Joshua Bell.  (For more information see http://www.bso.org/bso/mods/perf_detail.jsp;jsessionid=3X3WSE4LGCMGMCTFQMGSFEQ?pid=prod2880017 )  The concert starts at 2:30; lawn tickets are $19. Bring lawn chairs if you want them, and picnic food for yourself and to share.  Please let us know if you're coming so we can save plenty of space in the shade, and let us know if you'll need a ride - contact Melissa Nassiff by email (mnassiff@gmail.com) or phone (508 877-7483). 

**Weather note: In case of rain, this trip will be cancelled.**

Note:  A second trip is planned for Sunday, August 2. Watch for further information.

MARROW REGISTRATION - A Bone Marrow Donor Registration Drive will be held at St. George Church, 55 Emmonsdale Rd., West Roxbury, on Sunday, July 12,  from noon until 2:00 pm.  To register you must be between 16  and 60 years old and in general good health.  Please bring your health insurance card with you.  Sponsored by The Caitlin Raymond International Registry - see www.crir.org or call 508-334-8969 for more information.

ARCHDIOCESE CONVENTION - The national convention for the whole Archdiocese will be held July 20 - 26 at Desert Springs JW Marriot Hotel, Palm Desert , California, hosted by St. Michael Church, Van Nuys.   Check their website for more information:  www.archdioceseconvention2009.org (note corrected web address)

St. Mary Church Offices will be closed Monday through Friday, July 20 - 24.

ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN PRISON MINISTRY - OCPM, the official prison ministry of SCOBA, announces the 2009 Convocation, which will take place July 28-30 in Denver , Colorado .  The purpose of the convocation is to bring together the many Orthodox clergy and laity from throughout North America who are participating in prison ministry, or are interested in participating in prison ministry for a time of fellowship, education, encouragement, communal worship and the free exchange of ideas.  To register, please visit www.ocpm-scoba.org. Financial assistance is available. If you have questions, please contact Liz Straghalis at liztutella@gmail.com.

WOMEN'S CLUB SUMMER READING -  This summer Women's Club members (and anyone else who'd like to join us) will be reading Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, a New York Times best seller. Read the book over the summer, and join us in the fall, Monday, September 14, for an enjoyable evening of discussion,  refreshments and fellowship!

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

July 4:   Ilyana Sawka and Christian Alcala

LITURGICAL SERVICE

July 5:   Epistle: Trish Orlovsky;  Left Cloth: Victoria Sultani and Jonathan Hill;  Right Cloth: Trish and Elias Orlovsky; Left Bread: Melissa Nassiff;  Right Bread: Linda Arnold

COFFEE HOUR

July 5:   The Marge, Orlovsky, Jabbour, and Kaldas families and Bob Kowalik

LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK

Saturday, July 4:  NO Vespers at St. Mary (note change)

Sunday, July 5:  Summer hours begin - Orthros 8:15 am, Divine Liturgy 9:30 am

SCRIPTURE READINGS for July 5: 

Epistle:  St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 6:18-23  ... When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.  But then what return did you get from the things of which you are now ashamed?  The end of those things is death.  But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is sanctification and its end, eternal life.  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Gospel: Matthew 8:5-13  ...  But the centurion answered him, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith. ..."

LOOKING AHEAD

Saturday, July 11:  Great Vespers 5:00 pm

Sunday, July 12:  Orthros 8:15 am, Divine Liturgy 9:30 am, followed by for Barbara Walker (mother of Subdeacon Steve Walker)

Sunday, July 19: 40-day Trisagion Prayers of Mercy for Bob Hamwey

Monday-Friday, July 20-24: St. Mary Church Offices closed (Archdiocese Convention)

Saturday, July 25:  No Vespers at St. Mary (Archdiocese Convention)

INSIGHT

Remember that while you pray, God expects from you a positive answer to His question: "Do you believe that I can fulfill your prayer?" You must be able to answer from the bottom of your heart: "Yes, I believe, O God," and then you will be answered according to your faith.

   - St. John of Kronstad

Faith is the door to mysteries. What the bodily eyes are to sensory objects, the same is faith to the eyes of the intellect that gaze at hidden treasures.

   - St. Isaac the Syrian

Through faith man apprehends all that is invisible and apprehensible by the mind. Faith is a free conviction of the soul as to the truth of what is proclaimed from God.

   - St. Antony the Great

Faith is not a supposition that something might be true, but the assurance that someone is there.

   - Bishop Kallistos Ware, The Orthodox Way

When humility delivers a man from attachment to his own works and his own reputation, he discovers that perfect joy is possible only when we have completely forgotten ourselves. And it is only when we pay no more attention to our own deeds and our reputation and our own excellence that we are at last completely free to serve God in perfection for His sake alone.

   - Fr. Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation

The kingdom of God is always present for him who desires and wills it. When a man's disposition and way of life are like that of an angel, most assuredly this is the kingdom of God. For God indeed is said to rule as King when nothing worldly meddles in the governing of our souls and when in every respect we live not of this world. This manner of life we have within us, that is to say, we have it within us when we desire and will it. We do not need to wait a long time, or until our departure from this life; instead, faith and a God-pleasing life which accompanies faith are very near us.

   - Blessed Theophylact