Update for the week Friday, July 29, through Thursday, August 4, 2011
THIS WEEKEND
CONVENTION – St. Mary Church and offices are closed through Friday, July 29, because the 50th Antiochian Archdiocese Convention is this week. There will be no Vespers at St. Mary on Saturday, July 30, but Fr. Antony will return in time for Liturgy on Sunday morning.
In case of emergency while Fr. Antony is away, please contact Dino Takles, Vice President of the Parish Council, at 617-650-2417 (cell).
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
BIBLE BOWL- Our Bible Bowl team (Thomas Marge, Anthony Marge and Theo Smith, coached by Violet Robbat) placed 4th out of 7 dioceses, proudly representing our Diocese of New England for the third year in a row! As always, it was a tight competition. Diocese of the East represented by Virgin Mary in Yonkers, NY was the winning team again this year with 100 out of a possible 105 points. Ottawa came in second with 96 points, followed by Midwest with 94 and our team with 93. (Thanks to Charlie Marge for the news flash.)
MORE CONVENTION NEWS– Our own Violet Robbat was installed as President of the Antiochian Women of the whole Archdiocese, and our own Mary Winstanley O’Connor was installed as president of the Order of St. Ignatius. Mary is the first woman ever to hold that post at the national level. Congratulations to both our presidents!
REMINDERS
COFFEE? – Volunteer!
NEW SKETE PILGRIMAGE–The Monastic Communities and Chapel Community members of New Skete Monastery in Cambridge, New York (www.newskete.org), invite you to join them for a day of prayer and reflection celebrating their feast day on Saturday, August 13, 2011 (rain or shine). The theme of the pilgrimage is "Preparing for Life: Exploring End of Life Questions." 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 Diving Liturgy 9:30 am (Close of Transfiguration) and end with Vigil of the Resurrection (Preparation for Dormition) at 5:00 pm. In addition, a special Healing Service with Anointing will be held at 4:00 pm. Fr. George Gray, Priest at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, Portland, Oregon, and a lecturer on end of life issues will deliver the feature presentation and Sr. Macrina, Ph. D. of the Nuns of New Skete, will give the response and lead the discussion. In addition, the day will include tours of the monastery churches, a talk on monastic life, a demonstration of the monks' dog training program and opportunities for puppy socialization, as well as 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. (The Monks, Nuns, and Companions of New Skete are a Stavropegial monastery under Metropolitan Jonah of the Orthodox Church in America.) For more information, contact Teva Regule (teva@mit.edu).
In years past, a number of us have gone out for the weekend to help the Chapel Community with the "leg-work" for the day. They are hoping a number of us will do so again this year. Let Teva Regule (teva@mit.edu) know if you are interested as she will be coordinating the Boston helpers and arranging housing for all of us. For those wishing to stay the weekend, there is a parish picnic on that Sunday afternoon to which we are all invited. DEADLINE: RSVP to Teva no later than this Friday, July 29, 2011.
In addition, a few of us will be trekking out there two weekends before the event (7/29-31) to help with the clean-up on that Saturday. Let Teva know right away if you can help for the clean-up weekend as well.
DORMITION – The Dormition of the Blessed Theotokos is our patronal feast day. The Dormition fast begins on Monday, August 1, and continues through Sunday, August 14. During the fast there will be a Paraclesis Service at 6:30 pm each Wednesday evening, August 3 and August 10. On Sunday, August 14, we will celebrate the Feast with a Festal Divine Lituirgy, followed by a celebratory coffee hour provided by Charlie Arbeely.
TRANSFIGURATION – On Friday, August 5, at 6:30 pm there will be an Evening Liturgy for the Feast of the Transfiguration, with Blessing of Grapes. Saturday, August 6, there will be regular Vespers at 5:00 pm.
SUMMER HOURS FOR CHURCH AND OFFICE – During the summer, Orthros is at 8:15 am, and Divine Liturgy at 9:30 am. The church office will only be open on Tuesday, Thursday & Friday, from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm. Regular hours will resume in September.
CHURCH SCHOOL HELP NEEDED– St Mary’s Church School needs teachers or co-teachers for several classes for next year, as well as two administrative assistants to help with administrative tasks such as Church School calendar and registration. If you would like to be considered for a teaching or assisting role, please contact Andrea Popa at maryandreapopa@gmail.comor Arlene Marge at lanciani@alum.mit.edu.
STREAMING VIDEO – St. Mary’s Church services are broadcast live each week through an internet video stream. If you can't attend a service in person or want to share this ministry with a friend or loved one, the live stream can be viewed at www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/live during regularly scheduled service times (see the schedule of services below or online). If you have questions or comments about this ministry please contact us atlive@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org.
DONATE VIA eGIVE – Recently we have had special collections for Japan, for Seminarians, for the Antiochian Women’s project: the Convent of St. Thekla, and other causes. If you didn’t have a chance to contribute to those collections, or would like to give more, you can do so through eGive at www.egive-usa.com. If you have not yet set up an account, you can do it there, or contact Charlie Marge (marge@alum.mit.edu) for help. The Recipient Organization is “St. Mary’s Orthodox Church,” and when you get to Step 4 after selecting that, you have the option of designating how your gift will be used.
PROTECT YOUR VALUABLES – Please do not leave valuables unattended in the Church Hall or Coat 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 notblock 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:
GREETERS –The Parish Council has enacted the Greeter Program, similar to other churches, to greet and aid parishioners, guests and visitors each Sunday. As a Greeter, you will welcome people into the Church and help to direct visitors upstairs to the Liturgy, as well as keeping an eye on the Vestibule, Hallways and Entrance ways during church. If you would like to help and volunteer as a Greeter once every few months, please contact Buddy Mabardy at 781-729-6303 or email at Buddy@cjmabardy.com
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 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.org or 617-547-1234.
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
"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: If you would like to read the Epistle or assist during Communion, please contact Jeff Wasilko, 781-820-0882, jeffw@smoe.org.
COFFEE HOUR – FSJD
LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK
Saturday, July 30: No Vespers at St. Mary
Sunday, July 31: Summer Hours - Orthros 8:15 am, Divine Liturgy 9:30 am
SCRIPTURE READINGS forJuly 31:
Epistle: St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 15:1-7
Brethren, we who are strong ought to bear with the failings of
the weak, and not to please ourselves; let each of us please his
neighbor for his good, to edify him. For Christ did not please himself;
but, as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached thee fell
on me."
Gospel: Matthew 9:1-8
… When he entered the house, the [two] blind men came to him; and Jesus
said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to
him, "Yes, Lord." Then he touched their eyes, saying, "According to your
faith be it done to you." And their eyes were opened. … And Jesus went
about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and
preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every
infirmity among the people.
LOOKING AHEAD
Monday, August 1: Dormition Fast begins
Wednesday, August 3: Paraclesis 6:30 pm
Friday, August 5: Evening Liturgy for the Feast of the Transfiguration, with Blessing of Grapes 6:30 pm
Saturday, August 6: Great Vespers 5:00 pm
Sunday, August 7: Summer Hours - Orthros 8:15 am, Divine Liturgy 9:30 am
Wednesday, August 10: Paraclesis 6:30 pm
Saturday, August 13: No Vespers at St. Mary
Sunday, August 14: Festal Orthros 8:15 am; Lamentations 9:30 am, followed by Liturgy for the Feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Theotoko
INSIGHT
Do
not regard the feelings of a person who speaks to you about his
neighbor disparagingly, but rather say to him: “Stop, brother! I fall
into graver sins every day, so how can I criticize him?' In this way you
will achieve two things; you will heal yourself and your neighbor with
one plaster. This is one of the shortest ways to the forgiveness of
sins; I mean, not to judge. `Judge not, and ye shall not be judged.”
- St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Is it not true that Christ draws near with love to those who turn away
from him? That he struggles with them, begs them not to scorn his love,
and if they show only aversion and remain deaf to his appeals, becomes
himself their advocate?
- Dionysius the Areopagite
True faith, then, is an unconditional orientation of the whole person
toward the will of God, but it is an orientation that must be desired,
freely sought and freely accepted.
- Archbishop Lazar Puhalo, The Neurobiology of Sin
Holiness is the result of our interaction with God and with the others
in our lives. This is not new in religious history, but what this looks
like and how it is accomplished may be different today. Lacking the
glitz, the unusual features of patterns of sanctity from the past and
perhaps the romance as well as the cultural and social supports, I think
that the believer today has a greater challenge but also greater
possibilities.
- Michael Plekon, Hidden Holiness