St. Mary Orthodox Church

Update for the week Friday, September 30, through Thursday, October 6, 2011

THIS WEEKEND

NO VESPERS - There will be no Vespers at St. Mary this Saturday, October 1.

DANCING WITH THE STARS - The American Arabic Benevolent Association is having a “Dancing with the AABA stars” on Saturday, October 1. Each parish will have one contestant; St. Mary will be represented by Karen Winstanley Noonan. The winner will be determined based on each entrant’s dancing and the amount contributed by sponsors. 

“WELCOME BACK COLLEGE STUDENTS" BREAKFAST – After Liturgy this Sunday, October 2, the Fellowship of St. John the Divine (FSJD) will host a special breakfast to welcome college students back to their "Church home away from home." Please join us in welcoming and supporting students who strive to remain connected to the Church while away from their families.  All are welcome! A suggested minimum donation of $5 will be gratefully accepted from non-students.

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

OCTOBER IS YOUTH MONTH and SEMINARY MONTH - Our Teens will be helping with Liturgical Service by reading the Epistle, taking the Collection, assisting at Communion and giving sermonettes.  Following Liturgy this Sunday, a collection will be taken to support Seminarian Education.

FSJD NEWS – The Fellowship of St. John the Divineheld their 2011-2012 organizational meeting last Sunday. If you didn’t make it but would like to be considered a member and be on the distribution list for FSJD communications, please contact Melissa Nassiff at mnassiff@gmail.com.We do not hold regular meetings, but we work together on a variety of projects and events. For example, help is needed for this Sunday’s “Welcome Back” breakfast: Volunteers are needed to come in Saturday afternoon around 1:30 to help with prep work; Sunday morning at 9:30 to help with cooking; and after church on Sunday to help serve. Please let Socrates Deligeorges (dr.socrates@gmail.com) know when you can help.  Volunteers are also needed after coffee hour, to put away tables and chairs and make sure the floor is swept and garbage taken out.

FALL DELEGATES MEETING – The Fellowship of St. John the Divine, Teen SOYO and Antiochian Women will have a General Assembly on Saturday, October 29, at St. George, West Roxbury. Morning Prayers at 10:00 am; Meetings following at 10:30 am

TEEN SOYO APPLE PICKING – After the Delegates meeting on Saturday, October 29, our teens will go apple picking with members from the entire diocese! This will be a great opportunity for fellowship and fun. Chaperones are needed to help take kids to St. George and also to apple picking. Please let Nadia (nabuelezam@gmail.com) know if you are interested in volunteering your time that day! It'll be lots of fun! 

OUT OF DAMASCUS – On Thursday, October 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the Church Hall at St. George Church, West Roxbury, Fr. Timothy Ferguson will share a summary and photographic presentation of his recent trip to Damascus, Syria.  Contact Fran Stack for more information at 617-323-0323.

FUNDRAISER HAFLI – Come to a fundraiser Hafli featuring Mitchell Kaltsunas and ensemble on Saturday, November 12, 2011 at 7:30 pm, here at St. Mary’s. This event will raise funds to help send our children to Antiochian Village. Your donation of $35.00 per person includes a mazza/appetizer plate, beer, wine and soft drinks. Reserved tables of 8 may be booked in  advance ($250.00 per table, prepaid) and are available by calling Mary Winstanley O’Connor at (617) 523-1010, emailing her at moconnor@koilaw.com  or calling the church office at (617) 547-1234. Tickets are limited. The evening is donated and all funds raised will be used for camper scholarships.  

TEEN SOYO SPAGHETTI DINNER – The Teen SOYO Spaghetti dinner is set to take place on Sunday, November 13th. If you are interested in helping guide the teens prepare the meal before/during liturgy that day or to going shopping for the ingredients before Sunday morning, please contact Nadia (nabuelezam@gmail.com). This would be a wonderful help!

CANNED FOOD DRIVE – The annual FOOD FOR HUNGRY PEOPLE Canned Food Drive will be held October through December, 2011. 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. 42 pounds of food will feed a family of four for 3 days - since 1984 we have collected over 3,281,200 pounds of food!

REMINDERS

INQUIRERS CLASS - The St. Ignatius Catechetical Group has begun meetingon Sundays at 9:00am in the library (next door to Fr. Antony’s office). The group is for non-Orthodox adults who are interested in exploring the Christian Faith as it has been - and continues to be - understood, preached, and lived by members of the Holy Orthodox Church, who descend from the early Christian community of Antioch, where “the disciples were for the first time called Christians” (Acts 11:26).  Bob Kowalik will be teaching the group, using materials developed and piloted by St. Mary catechist emeritus David Vermette.  If you would like to participate, please talk to Bob during coffee hour; or get in touch by phone 617-889-3436 or e-mail r.kowalik@comcast.net. (For those seeking to be received into the Orthodox Church, participation in the group and Fr. Antony’s blessing are required.) It’s not yet too late to join!

CHURCH SCHOOL CHANGES - St Mary's Church School is off to a strong start this school year with 92 students registered, age 3 through grade 12! We welcome several new teachers this year including Karen Noonan, Rose Njuguna, Amy Clay and Cassandra Chiriac. In addition, we are pleased to announce a couple of changes to the church school administrative team: Andrea Popa will continue to coordinate church school classes and administrative matters. Lea Crea will be taking the lead on Church School-sponsored events, and Doreen Bargoot will be coordinating opportunities for church school students and families to participate more regularly in liturgy.  If you haven't registered your child yet, it's not too late! Classes will run September through May.

CHURCH SCHOOL SUBS STILL NEEDED - Due to the size of our church school enrollment, we are still seeking a two more persons to serve as subs and assistants for certain age groups. Interested in getting involved? Contact Andrea Popa at maryandreapopa@gmail.com.

SFEEHA AND KIBBEH SALE  - The Women’s Club is offering for purchase freshly made Sfeeha (ground lamb-meat pizza pies with onion, pine nuts & seasonings) and Kibbeh (8 ½” x 11” tray made with ground lamb-meat and burghul).  Everything is cooked with the finest of ingredients and ready to eat now or freeze for the holidays!  Please use the order form in the  Sunday bulletin, or contact the church office for a copy.  Order deadline is next Sunday, October 9.  Pick-Up Dates are  Sunday, October 23  for Sfeeha, and Sunday, October 30, for Kibbeh.

ST. GEORGE WEEKEND -  St. George Orthodox Cathedral of Worcester invites you to join them for the weekend of October 13-16, for the celebration of St. George weekend with a visit from his Eminence, Metropolitan PHILIP, the Bishops of our Archdiocese, and members of the Archdiocese Board of Trustees.  Thursday night is a women’s fashion show, Saturday Vespers will be followed by a grand banquet, and Sunday Hierarchical Divine Liturgy followed by a luncheon. The one-year anniversary of Fr. Milad’s ordination to the priesthood will also be celebrated. This weekend is sponsored by the University of Balamand Education Foundation to benefit the Metropolitan PHILIP Saliba Scholarship Fund. For more information and registration form, see http://www.stgeorgeworcester.org/st-george-weekend/site-content/articles/st-george-weekend.html  Note that there will be no Vespers at St. Mary that weekend.

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 4, at 3:00 p.m.  Tickets are just $20. We will carpool to Symphony Hall after Liturgy and have lunch together before the concert.  Those who have done this before have thoroughly enjoyed it - not only do we hear a world-class orchestra and chorus with famous soloists singing glorious words (taken directly from the Bible), but we also have an opportunity to spend time getting to know some fellow parishioners we normally may not encounter.  Good seats go fast - please contact Melissa Nassiff at mnassiff@gmail.com  by Sunday, October 16, or order your own tickets online at http://www.handelandhaydn.org.

HELP MAKE SFEEHA – Please come to the church on Saturday, October 22, starting at 9:30 am to help make meat pies with the Women's Club.   Lots of help will be needed – young and old, women and men are all welcome - and it's always lots of fun.Come learn some techniques, help and have lunch!  

ORTHODOX INSTITUTE – The Orthodox Institute for 2011 will be held at Antiochian Village Thursday through Sunday, November 3-6. Topic: Scripture through the lens of the Holy Land. Keynote Speaker will be Fr. Thomas Hopko and Tour Guide  Dr. Maria Khourey. Additional speakers will be our own Dr. Ann Bezzerides, as well as Kh. Gigi Shadid, Dr. Nicolae Roddy and Kh. Myra Kovalak.  For more information see   www.antiochian.org/christianeducation/oi2011

REGULAR REMINDERS

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 – Did you know that you can make your donations to St. Mary through eGive, and haveno more envelopes or checks to worry about ?   If you have not yet set up an account, you can do it at www.egive-usa.com, or contact Charlie Marge (marge@alum.mit.edu) for help. The Recipient Organization is “St. Mary’s Orthodox Church.”

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:

BE A GREETER -  The Parish Council is continuing the Greeter Program, similar to other churches, to greet and aid parishioners, guests and visitors into the Church 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, arriving at Church at 9:45 am.  Greeting time ends when Communion starts.  We need volunteers.  If you would like to be a Greeter, a Sign-Up Sheet is posted on the Church Bulletin Board.  If you have any questions, please contact Buddy by e-mail buddy@cjmabardy.comor call him at 781-729-6303. “I was a stranger, and you invited me in………”   (Matthew 25:35)  

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.orgor 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:  The youth of our parish 

COFFEE HOUR:  FSJD Welcome Back College Students breakfast

LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK

Saturday, October 1:  NO Vespers at St. Mary

Sunday, October 2:  Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am; Church School lesson 3

SCRIPTURE READINGS forOctober 2: 
Epistle: St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 6:1-10
… as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labors, watching, hunger; by purity, knowledge, forbearance, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute.

Gospel: Luke 6:31-36
The Lord said, "And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. … But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful." 

LOOKING AHEAD

Saturday, October 8: Great Vespers 5:00 pm

Sunday, October 9: Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am; No Church School

Saturday, October 15:  No Vespers at St. Mary’s.  Vespers at St. George Cathedral, Worcester,  with Metropolitan PHILIP at 6:00 pm.

 
INSIGHT

Those who do not co-suffer with those who live in great pain are suffering from the most fatal of spiritual illnesses ... Mercilessness.
   - Elder Paisios the New, of Mt Athos

For God has created us for that purpose, he says, to make us partake in His own divinity (2 Peter 1:4) and for that purpose he came on earth. And as the divine Gregory of Nyssa says to Harmonius, Christ put on our nature for the reason that “He received the rejected into sonship and the enemies of God into partnership with His divinity.”
   - St. Gregory Palamas, On Perfection 280B

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that"
   - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Instead of the tithes which the law commanded, the Lord said to divide everything we have with the poor. And he said to love not only our neighbors but also our enemies, and to be givers and sharers not only with the good but also to be liberal givers toward those who take away our possessions.
   - Irenaeus

God Himself does not propose to judge a man until he is dead. So why should you?
   - Anonymous