Update for the week Friday, February 4, 2011 through Thursday, February 10, 2011

THIS WEEKEND

CREATIVE ARTS RETREAT POSTPONED–Due to the expected snow storm this Saturday, the Church School has postponed the Creative Arts Retreat. Please stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks for an alternate date. Students wishing to prepare creative art projects for entry to the Antiochian Archdiocese Creative Arts Festivals on their own (including entries in drawing, clay, fabric, photography, performance, poetry, or creative writing) should contact Andrea Popa at maryandreapopa@gmail.com or their church school teacher for further information.

SCOUT SUNDAY – The Boy Scouts of America designates the Sunday that falls before February 8 (Scouting Anniversary Day) as Scout Sunday, which is the primary date to recognize the contributions of young people and adults to Scouting.  Look for the scouts in our parish to be involved in liturgical service this Sunday.  Note: If your son is a Boy Scout or Cub Scout and would like to participate in Scout Sunday, please send an e-mail ASAP to Charlie Marge:  marge@alum.mit.edu.

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), this  Sunday, February 6, 2011.  Suggested minimum donation is $5.00 per adult. 

Also, please help out with preparing, serving and cleaning up! Many hands make light work!

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

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

FR. ANTONY TO BE AWAY - Fr. Antony will be out of town at a retreat in Michigan from Thursday through Sunday, February 10 – 13.  In case of emergency, please contact Fr. Timothy Ferguson at St. George Church, West Roxbury, MA at 617- 323-0323.

THANK YOU – Thanks to the generosity of St. Mary parishioners, the 7th & 8th Grade Sunday School class made over $200 last Sunday in their bake sale to raise funds for school supplies for Theophany School. Thank you to those who made baked goods, to those who bought them, to those who made monetary donations, and to those who donated school supplies!

COFFEE HOUR – Several upcoming Sundays are available,  so please sign up to sponsor a coffee hour, individually or with friends.  Some do this to celebrate a special event or anniversary, others simply as an act of hospitality. It can be as simple as coffee, juice, and cookies.   Signup sheets are on the bulletin board downstairs outside the Hall. Isn't it your turn by now?

IOCC FUNDRAISER - Come to  Lir on Boylston on Sunday, February 13, to watch the Bruins take on the Red Wings and celebrate with friends, food, and a chance to win awesome last minute Valentine's Day gifts! Tickets are $15 in advance at www.iocc.org or $20 at the door. This is a 21+ event. Feel free to email bostonmet@gmail.com if you have any questions or want to donate an item for the raffle!  Also, find our event page on Facebook!

PARISH COUNCIL –The next meeting of the Parish Council will be Wednesday, February 16, at 7:30 pm.

MEATFARE SUNDAY BREAKFAST – The annual Meatfare Sunday breakfast sponsored by the Fellowship of St. John the Divine will be  held on Sunday, February 27, 2011 after Liturgy.  Suggested donation: $7 per person, $14 max per family.

DIOCESAN SPRING MEETINGS– St. George, Lawrence, will be hosting the General Assembly meetings of the Fellowship, Women, and Teens on Saturday, March 5.  Morning prayers begin at 10:00 am, with meetings following at 10:30. 

VONHOLZHAUSEN LECTURE– The Fellowship of St. John the Divine  invites you to the annual vonHolzhausen Lecture following coffee hour on Sunday, May 1, 2011.   This year’s speaker will be   Fr. Michael Plekon, professor at Baruch College’s Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, Orthodox priest, and author.  Watch for more information.

REMINDERS

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 next Friday February 11, 7:00 – 9:30 pm and Saturday February 12, 9:00 am – 2:30 pm.  The classes will be taught by Fr. Michael Vanderhoef, pastor of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Madison, WI and our own 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.  Please download the registration form at https://www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/newsevents/2011-chantworkshop.php

PRE-LENTEN RETREAT– The Antiochian Women of the Diocese invite you to a Pre-Lenten Retreat next 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. 

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 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. 

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.

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) and must be postmarked by March 31, 2011.

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.

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

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. 

Prison Ministry– If you would like to find out more about Prison Ministry at St. Mary’s Church, please subscribe to our mailing list at http://groups.google.com/group/ocpm-concord

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:  Thomas Marge; Left Cloth:  Christina Blebea and Anthony Marge; Right Cloth: George and Mary Sioras;  Left Bread: Ben Crea;  Right Bread: Tobias Chin

COFFEE HOUR – Chinese New Year Missions Breakfast

LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK

Saturday, February 5:  NO Creative Arts Festival Retreat; Great Vespers 5:00

Sunday, February 6:  Orthros 8:45 am,  Divine Liturgy 10:00  am; Church School lesson 14;  followed by Chinese New Year Missions Breakfast

SCRIPTURE READINGS for February 6:

Epistle:  St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 6:16-7:1
Brethren, you are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Gospel:  Matthew 15:21-28
At that time, Jesus went to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon." …  She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly.

LOOKING AHEAD

Saturday, February 12:  Pre-Lenten Retreat sponsored by Antiochian Women, at St. George, Norwood;
No Vespers at St. Mary

Sunday, February 13:  Orthros 8:45 am,  Divine Liturgy 10:00  am; Church School lesson 15

Sunday, February 20:  Orthros 8:45 am,  Divine Liturgy 10:00  am;  NO Church School

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:  Pascha

Sunday, May 1:  vonHolzhausen Lecture 12:30

Friday-Sunday, June 17-19:Parish Life Conference

INSIGHT

When we humbly prostrate before God, when we know ourselves to be dust and ashes, when we ponder the weakness of our proper condition and do not adopt a stance of stiffness and pride, Almighty God through His Spirit raises us and sets us upon our feet.
   - St. Gregory the Great, Homilies on the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel

Behold, you have learned that you are clay, poor, and naked. Now, seek from Him Who is able to regenerate nature, to make you rich. And whether He gives you a lot or a little, acknowledge your Benefactor. And do not boast of foreign things as your own. You will receive grace with pain and tears. And then with tears, thanksgiving, and fear of God, you will keep it. With fervency and zeal it is attracted; with coldness and negligence is it lost.
    - Joseph the Hesychast,  Monastic Wisdom: The Letter of the Elder

Hold faith and humility fast within you; for through them you will find mercy, help, and words spoken by God in the heart, along with a protector who stands beside you both secretly and manifestly. Do you wish to obtain these things, which are a fountain of life? From the very onset take hold of simplicity.  
   - St. Isaac the Syrian, Ascetical Homilies

Inner and real humility is for one to feel that whatever he has - life, health, wealth, wisdom - all are foreign, are gifts of God.
   - Elder Joseph the Hesychast