Update for the week Friday, January 28, 2011 through Thursday, February 3, 2011
THIS WEEKEND
BAPTISM- Ann and Vassilios Bezzerides invite all St. Mary parishioners to join them for the baptism of Elias James Bezzerides on Saturday, January 29th at 2:30 pm at St. Mary Orthodox Church. There will be light refreshments in the church hall immediately following. this event. RSVP to abezzerides@gmail.comif you know you can come--but also just feel free to show up! Please, no gifts!
PARISH MEETING – The Annual Meeting of the Parish will be held this Sunday, January 30, after Liturgy. All members are urged to attend to approve the 2011 budget, review expenses for 2010, and hear committee reports and updates. Snow date is Sunday, February 13.
BAKE SALE FOR THEOPHANY SCHOOL – This Sunday, January 30, the 7th & 8th Grade Sunday School class is having a bake sale coffee hour in order to get school supplies for Theophany School in Needham. Please come before or after the parish meeting and purchase a baked good, make a donation, or bring a school supply for the school. Thanks.
BOOK SIGNING– Maria Khoury, author of the “Christina Book Series” will be with us in the Church Hall after the Parish Meeting this Sunday to introduce her new book, Meet the Evangelists, featuring a close up look at Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in simple language for children.
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
CHANT WORKSHOP – The Diocese of Worcester and New England is pleased to offer a Pre-Lenten “Introduction to Byzantine Chant” workshop at St. Mary’s on Friday February 11, 7:00 – 9:30pm and Saturday February 12, 9am – 2:30pm. The classes will be taught by Fr. Michael Vanderhoef, pastor of Annunication Greek Orthodox Church in Madison, WI and Charlie Marge, St. Mary’s Head Chanter and Director of the Boston Byzantine Choir. This is the same course they taught this past summer to 40 students of the Sacred Music Institute at the Antiochian Village. This course will focus on chanting from text in the characteristics of the eight tones and is appropriate for both beginners and those who have experience chanting and would like their questions answered. Suggested donation to cover materials: $10. For a registration form, please e-mail Charlie Marge, marge@alum.mit.edu.
THANK YOU – The Antiochian Village fundraising committee thanks the parishioners of St. Mary's for making our 'Village BBQ' a HUGE success! The Firehouse in Amesbury, owned by Jen Nahass’ brother, donated pulled pork and chicken with all the fix'ins. The program committee provided heartfelt testimonials, great chanting and singing as well as “Through the Years”, a video collection of pictures marking St. Mary's participation at the Village. And thanks to the generosity of many, we are thrilled to announce that we raised over $1300. Now that's truly amazing! There are many folks to thank for their hard work, contributions and support; but it was our teens who reminded us how a summer at the Antiochian Village can shape a young person's life. Thanks to you all, we are well on our way to realizing the Village Scholarship program. You can make a contribution any time to this important endeavor.
SCHOLARSHIPS - Syrian Lebanese Women’s Club of Greater Boston will make available a number of scholarship awards in the amount of $1000.00 each to young women of Syrian and Lebanese origin, residing in Massachusetts within a 50 mile radius of Boston, who plan to pursue a four-year college education. Applications are available in the Church Office or by calling or e-mailing Mary Winstanley O’Connor (617-523-1010 or moconnor@koilaw.com )
OCF REAL BREAK– College Students: Do something REAL this spring Break! The Real Break program provides alternatives to the “traditional” Spring Break for college students. It exists to provide students with the most authentic experience possible, and is modeled as a full Christian lifestyle, which includes fellowship, prayer within community, witness and service. Each Spring, over 100 students attend various trips, both domestic and international, to give of themselves to those less fortunate and to do something “real” for themselves and for God. OCF Real Break has been running since 2000 with over one thousand students participating in these life-changing opportunities. Past and current trips include: Mexico, Guatemala, Jerusalem, Constantinople, Raphael House, St. Basil Academy, Greece, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Romania, Buenos Aires, Alaska, and more. For information about the 2011 trips see http://www.ocf.net/wikis/programs/real-break-2011-trips.aspx
REMINDERS
EVENING LITURGY– On Tuesday, February 1, there will be an Evening Liturgy for the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple at 6:30 pm.
CHINESE NEW YEAR BREAKFAST– Join the FSJD for the 2011
Chinese New Year Missions Breakfast, to benefit the Chinese Translation
Project via the Orthodox Fellowship of All Saints of China (OFASC), onSunday, February 6, 2011. Suggested minimum donation is $5.00 per adult. RSVP to Nelson Mitrophan Chin at mitrophan@orthodox.cn or sign up on the sheet at the Bengarri by Wednesday, February 2.
CREATIVE ARTS FESTIVAL RETREAT – Church School students are invited to come on Saturday, February 5 for the Creative Arts Festival Afternoon Retreat. The Retreat will be from 3:00 – 5:00 pm, followed by Family Vespers and Confession. For more information see Arlene Marge or Andrea Popa.
MID-WINTER MEETINGS – The annual mid-winter meetings of the Fellowship of St. John the Divine, Antiochian Women, and Teen SOYO of the Archdiocese will be held at Antiochian Village Friday through Sunday, February 4 - 6, 2011.
SCHMEMANN LECTURE AT ST VLAD’S – St. Vladimir Theological Seminary will present its 28th annual Schmemann Memorial Lecture on Saturday, February 5, at 3:30. This year’s presenter is Metropolitan Hilarion, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Affairs, who will speak on The Meaning of ‘Icon’ in the Orthodox Church. The lecture is free and open to the public. For more information about His Eminence and about the event see http://www.svots.edu/events/bishop-hilarion-deliver-annual-schmemann-lecture
CHURCH SCHOOL TEACHER NEEDED – Due to the size of the 3rd & 4th grade class we need to split the class and are looking for a new teacher or team teachers willing to take one of the grades. Teaching in the Church School is a very rewarding and delightful experience. Please consider helping our children. If interested please see or e-mail Andrea Popa (apopa@bu.edu) or Arlene Marge (Lanciani@alum.mit.edu).
TEEN SOYO HELP NEEDED – Our Teen Advisor, Nadia Abuelezam, is currently studying for her PhD at Harvard and due to her current workload and exam schedule, is looking for someone to help her organize events and activities for the Teens throughout the Spring. If you are interested please see Nadia or e-mail her at nabuelez@hsph.harvard.edu.
PRE-LENTEN RETREAT– The Antiochian Women of the Diocese invite you to a Pre-Lenten Retreat on Saturday, February 12, 2011, at St. George Church in Norwood. Featured speaker will be Presvytera Maria Mossaides, Executive Director of Cambridge Family and Children’s Service and one of Massachusetts Law Weekly’s “Top Women of Law.” Her topic will be “The Reluctant Presvytera: My Life’s Journey in the Church.” To register, call Erin Kimmett at 781-775-0789. All are welcome, including men, women, teens, and clergy.
PARISH COUNCIL – The officers of the Parish Council for 2011 are Mary Winstanley O’Connor, President; Dino Takles, Vice President; Nicholas Bezreh, Treasurer; and Paul Nahass, Recording Secretary. Congratulations them all! The next meeting of the Parish Council will be Wednesday, February 16, at 7:30 pm.
BLESSING OF HOMES – Fr. Antony will be blessing homes after Epiphany (January 6) and between Pascha (April 24) and Pentecost (June 12). We bless homes to reveal the home as what God created it to be, a way to heaven; to rid the home of every evil; to show that the family is a small church unit in Christ; to consecrate the home and all activity in it to God; and to fill the home and all who live in it with the fullness of God. To schedule the blessing of your home, please use the form in the weekly Bulletin or call the church office at 617 -547-1234.
RETREATS AT ANTIOCHIAN VILLAGE– Two more retreats and conferences at the Village are coming up in February:
Marriage Enrichment Retreat February 18-20.
Winter Camp @ Antiochian Village, Theme: “We Need a Hero,” February 18-21
For more information see http://antiochianvillage.org/center/special_events/upcoming.html
ST. MARY’S ANTIOCHIAN VILLAGE CAMPAIGN, Part 2 – In support of the parish’s goal to provide financial help for all our children and teens interested in attending AV camp, St. Mary will host a Hafli on Saturday, February 26 at 7:30 in the church hall. Mitchell Kaltsunas and his band will be there for a night of dancing, mazza and wonderful company. Beer and wine and soda will be available for purchase. Ticket price is $40.00/person and includes hot/cold mazza. For tickets please call the Church Office at 617-547-1234, Mary Winstanley O’Connor, 617-523-1010 or Paul Nahass, 617-547-9065.
LENTEN FOOD SALE – The Women's Club is now taking orders for Hoomos (hummus), Mjadara (lentils with rice), and Spinach Triangles. Please use the order form in the Sunday bulletin. Order deadline is Sunday, February 27; pickup date is Sunday, March 13. If you would like to help make Spinach Triangles, join us on Saturday, March 12, at 9:00 am.
GIVING TO ST MARY:
Pledge Your Support - You may make your pledge for 2011
either by returning the Pledge Card you recently received to the
church, or by filling out the Pledge Form on our web site (www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org).
Envelopes - Pledge envelopes are available for pickup on the table downstairs outside the hall. Look for your name in alphabetical order. Remember: if you have chosen to pay periodically or through eGive, you have not been assigned a weekly envelope.
eGive - Please e-mail Jamil Samara (jamil@jamilsamara.com) or Charlie Marge (marge@alum.mit.edu) if you have any questions about giving to the Church online through eGive.
MISSION TEAM OPPORTUNITIES- The Orthodox Christian Mission Center has announced their 2011 Mission Teams. Teams will be heading to 9 locations around the globe to share the teachings of the faith and offer the gift of service through hands-on experience. For more information go to http://teams.ocmc.orgor call the OCMC at 877-463-6784.
PARISH LIFE CONFERENCE – This year’s New England Parish Life Conference will be held Friday, June 17, through Sunday, June 19, at the Resort & Conference Center in Hyannis, hosted by St. John of Damascus Church of Dedham.
CROSSROAD- Attention High School Juniors & Seniors: CrossRoad is an exciting summer vocation exploration program designed to help students discern their life callings and match their God-given gifts with the needs of the world. CrossRoad session dates for summer 2011 are June 18-28 (first session) and July 5-15 (second session). For more information and to download an application: www.crossroad.hchc.edu
STREAMING VIDEO- Divine Liturgy at St. Mary is broadcast live every week! Do come to church… but if you can’t, then join us on your computer! To see live broadcasts go to https://www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/livestream. Divine Liturgy starts at 10:00 am every Sunday September through June, and at 9:30 am during the summer.
If you are interested in helping, please contact Erick Straghalis (estraghalis@gmail.com).
PROTECT YOUR VALUABLES - Please do not leave valuables unattended in the Church Hall or Cloak Room.
FIRST IN, LAST OUT– Please do not park in the small lot behind the church unless you intend to stay through the end of coffee hour. The only way out is the single lane driveway. Please pull all the way in to the parking space, and please do not block the driveway – if the lot is full, you can park on the street or in the lot at the corner of Prospect Street and Bishop Allen Drive.
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
Communionby 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
and six people to hold cloths and baskets. If you would like to read
the Epistle or assist during 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.orgor 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 atliztutella@gmail.com phone 617-974-5005, or Tiffany Conroy at trattus1@gmail.com.
St Paul’s Food Pantry - Volunteers are needed each week in the food pantry at St Paul's Roman Catholic Church in Harvard Square, Saturday mornings from 9:30-11:45.
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.
Canned Goods-The annual Food For Hungry People canned food drive is held October through December each year. Bring in your 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.
"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
LITURGICAL SERVICE - Epistle: James Wilcox; Bread and Communion Cloth: Gabriel and Natasha Madigan, Dimitrios Antos, and others TBD
COFFEE HOUR – Antiochian Village Campaign BBQ
LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK
Saturday, January 29: Great Vespers 5:00 pm
Sunday, January 30: Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am; followed by Annual Meeting of the parish; 7th & 8th Grade Bake Sale coffee hour
SCRIPTURE READINGS for January 30, Synaxis of The Three Hierarchs: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, & John Chrysostom:
Epistle: St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 13:7-16
Brethren, remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God;
consider the outcome of their life, and imitate their faith. Jesus
Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever … For here we have no
lasting city, but we seek the city which is to come. Through him then
let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the
fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and
to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
Gospel: Luke 19:1-10
At that time, Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. And there
was a man named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector, and rich. And
he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd
because he was small of stature. … And Zacchaeus stood and said to the
Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I
have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold." And Jesus
said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a
son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to seek and to save the
lost."
Tuesday, February 1: Evening Liturgy for the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple 6:30 pm
LOOKING AHEAD
Saturday, February 5: Creative Arts Festival Afternoon Retreat 3:00, followed by Family Vespers and Confession
Sunday, February 6: Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am; Church School lesson 14; followed by Chinese New Year Missions Breakfast
Saturday, February 12: Pre-Lenten Retreat sponsored by Antiochian Women, at St. George, Norwood; No Vespers at St. Mary
Sunday, February 27: Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am; Church School lesson 16; followed by FSJD Meatfare Breakfast
Monday, March 7: Great Lent begins
Sunday, April 24: Holy Pascha
Sunday, May 1: vonHolzhausen Lecture 1:00
Friday-Sunday, June 17-19: Parish Life Conference
INSIGHT
The testimony of deeds is more likely to be believed than the testimony of words.
- Saint John Chrysostom
You see, to love of God is joined also love of neighbor: the person who
loves God doesn't neglect his brother; nor esteem money ahead of a limb
of his own but shows him great generosity, mindful of Him Who has said,
'Whoever did it to the least of My brothers did it to Me.' He is aware
that the Lord of all considers as done to Himself the service given to
his fellow servant, and so he will perform every service with great
enthusiasm and give evidence of great generosity in almsgiving,
considering not the lowliness of appearance but the greatness of the One
Who has promised to accept as done to Himself what is given to the
poor.
- St. John Chrysostom
Human beings have accumulated in their coffers gold and silver, clothes
more sumptuous than useful, diamonds and other objects that are evidence
of war and tyranny; then a foolish arrogance hardens their hearts; for
their brothers in distress, no pity. What utter blindness! . . . Attend
not to the law of the strong but to the law of the Creator. Help nature
to the best of your ability, honor the freedom of creation, protect your
species from dishonor, come to its aid in sickness, rescue it from
poverty .... Seek to distinguish yourself from others only in your
generosity. Be like gods to the poor, imitating God's mercy. Humanity
has nothing so much in common with God as the ability to do good.
- St. Gregory Nazianzen (the Theologian), On Love of the Poor
I cannot persuade myself that without love to others, and without, as
far as rests with me, peaceableness towards all, I can be called a
worthy servant of Jesus Christ.
– St. Basil the Great
The bread you do not use is the bread of the hungry. The garment hanging
in your wardrobe is the garment of the person who is naked. The shoes
you do not wear are the shoes of the one who is barefoot. The money you
keep locked away is the money of the poor. The acts of charity you do
not perform are the injustices you commit.
– St. Basil the Great