Weekly Newsletter for the week Friday, November 27 through Thursday, December 3, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving!

THIS WEEKEND

THANKSGIVING WEEK SCHEDULE - The Church Office is closed from Wednesday through Friday, November 25 - 27 of Thanksgiving Week 2009.    There will be no Akathist on Friday, no Vespers on Saturday, and no Church School on Sunday.  In case of emergency, Fr. Antony will be available.

N.G. BERAM AWARDS BANQUET: The N. G. Beram Veterans Association will present its Distinguished Service Award, Veterans Service Award and 13 Scholastic Achievement Awards at its banquet this  Saturday, November 28, 2009 at the Holiday Inn, Dedham from 12:30-5:00  pm.  For more information see http://www.stjohnd.org/ngberam/banquet/index.htm

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

THANK YOU FROM FR. ANTONY:

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

Carol and I wish to thank you for your kindness and concern during my surgeries and convalescence.  We deeply appreciate the ways in which you reached out to us as time went on. 

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Love and blessings,

Fr. Antony

PARISH COUNCIL ELECTION - Ballots have been mailed out to all eligible parishioners, and are to be returned no later than Tuesday, December 15, 2009.

CHURCH RESTORATION PROJECT - We are about to embark on another phase of restoration of the church.  This next phase, which will focus on the exterior of the church including work on the foundation,  roofing, siding, and exterior trim, will begin in Spring 2010.  More details to follow - please see Raymond Sayeg or Mary Winstanley O'Connor about contributing to this restoration project.

THANK YOU FROM THE WOMEN'S CLUB - Thank You to all those who baked, bought and/or donated toward our Thanksgiving Charity Bake Sale .  All of the $1200 proceeds will be sent to the Convent of Saidnaya in Syria , which was the seat of the ancient Patriarchate of Antioch.  The convent was founded about the year 547.  Pilgrims from all over the world seek Saidnaya for renewal of faith and for healing.  Christians and Mulsims from the region and from faraway places seek the Holy Lady of Siadnaya (Chaghoura) Shrine for healing.  St. Mary Parish has had a long-time connection with this holy place through our parishioner, Zahie Mabardi, one of its benefactors and fund-raisers.

REMINDERS

SCHAEFFER TO SPEAK - Frank Schaeffer, best-selling author of Keeping Faith and Crazy for God, a frequent commentator on MSNBC and other news outlets and contributor to The Huffington Post, will be speaking here at St. Mary on the evening of Saturday, December 5, 2009.  His talk, which promises to be both witty and provocative, will be entitled "Can Christianity Be Saved from the Christians?"    Great Vespers will begin at 5:30 pm, followed by the lecture at 7:00 pm in the Church Hall. For more information about Mr. Schaeffer and his latest book, see https://www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/newsevents/2009-frankschaeffer.php.

ST. MARY CHRISTMAS CARD - Save yourself time, let us do the work and have all proceeds  benefit Antiochian Women's  new Project 2009/2010:  The Convent of St. Thekla at Antiochian Village.   Let the Women's Club send a lovely Christmas Card on your behalf to our parishioners.  You will receive this card with the names of parishioners, like yourself, who are wishing a Blessed Nativity and a Merry Christmas to all.  Use the order form in the Sunday Bulletin.  Deadline is Sunday, December 6, 2009.

COME SEE THE MESSIAH - Join friends from St. Mary's for the Handel and Haydn Society's  annual performance of Handel's Messiah, on Sunday afternoon, December 6, at 3:00 p.m.  We will carpool to Symphony Hall after Liturgy and have lunch together before the concert.    You can order tickets online at http://www.handelandhaydn.org.

LESSONS AND CAROLS - The Fellowship of St. John the Divine cordially invites you to a service of prayers, scripture readings and Christmas Carols - Western Rite Evensong with Lessons and Carols - on Saturday,  December 12, 2009   (snow date: Saturday, December 19, 2009)   at 5:00 pm.  A festive Lenten Pot Luck Supper will follow - last names A-P please bring a main dish or salad, Q-Z please bring dessert.  For more information, contact Tiffany Conroy at trattus1@gmail.com

WOMEN'S CLUB CHRISTMAS OUTING - Join us for the Reagle Players' 40th Anniversary Season Christmas Show:  "It's Christmas Time!" with featured singer  Sarah Pfisterer, leading Broadway entertainer, on Sunday, December 13, 2009 at 4:00 pm  in Waltham, MA.  See MaryEllen Mabardy if questions, or call 781-729-6303. Information about the show can be found at http://www.reagleplayers.com/current.html

FOOD FOR HUNGRY PEOPLE - Canned Food Drive continues through December 27, 2009. Bring  in canned goods to the Church and place them in the large, blue plastic containers outside the Church Office.  They will be distributed to local food pantries in our area.  42 pounds of food will feed a family of four for three  days, and  37 million people in America need our help!

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.

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, 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: November 28:  John Rodriguez and Maggie Arnold
LITURGICAL SERVICE: Sunday, November 29
:  
COFFEE HOUR: Sunday, November 29: 
The family of Michael Ayoub

LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK

Friday, November 27:  No Akathist at St. Mary

Saturday, November 28:  No Vespers at St. Mary

Sunday, November 29:  Orthros 8:45 am; Divine Liturgy 10:00 am;  No Church School

SCRIPTURE READINGS for November 29:

Epistle:  St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 4:1-7   Brethren, I, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 

Gospel:  Luke 12:16-21   At that time, a man came testing Jesus and asking, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"  And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good?  No one is good but God alone.  You know the commandments:  'Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.'" 

Wednesday, December 2:  Paraclesis 6:30

LOOKING AHEAD

Friday, December 4:  Akathist 7:00 pm
Saturday
, December 5:  Great Vespers 5:30 pm, followed by Frank Schaeffer talk 7:00 pm
Sunday, December 6, Feast of St. Nicholas:
  Orthros 8:45 am; Divine Liturgy 10:00 am; Church School lesson in the Sanctuary with St. Nicholas festivities;  Pageant rehearsal 2
Wednesday, December 9:
Paraclesis 6:30 pm
Friday, December 11: 
Akathist 7:00 pm
Saturday
, December 12:  Western Rite Evensong with Lessons and Carols 5:00 pm, followed by Lenten Pot Luck Supper
Wednesday, December 16:
Paraclesis 6:30 pm
Friday, December 18: 
Akathist 7:00 pm
Wednesday, December 23:
Paraclesis 6:30 pm
Thursday, December 24:
  Royal Hours for the Nativity 9:00 am;  Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil  11:00 am;  Orthros 6:45 pm;  Divine Liturgy for the Nativity 8:00 pm
Friday, December 25,
  Feast of the Nativity of our Lord:  No services at St. Mary

INSIGHT

O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples!  Sing to him, sing praises to him, tell of all his wonderful works! Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!  Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his presence continually!  Remember the wonderful works that he has done, the wonders he wrought, the judgments he uttered  ...  Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!  For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be held in awe above all gods.

1 Chronicles 16: 8-12, 23-25

O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!  Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.  In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also.  The sea is his, for he made it; for his hands formed the dry land.  O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!  For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. O that today you would hearken to his voice!  

Psalm 95:1-7

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the lands! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord is God! It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him, bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 100

As therefore you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so live in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Colossians 2:6-7