Update for the week Friday, October 7, through Thursday, October 13, 2011

THIS WEEKEND

VESPERS - There will be Vespers this Saturday, October 8, at 5:00 pm.

NO CHURCH SCHOOL– Since this is Columbus Day weekend, there will be no Church School this Sunday.

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

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, originally this Sunday, has been EXTENDED to next Sunday, October 16.  Pick-up dates are Sunday, October 23 for Sfeeha, and Sunday, October 30, for Kibbeh.

BIBLE STUDY - Interested in joining an Orthodox Adult Bible Study Group conducted by Fr. Antony? Start date will be late November/early December; meetings will be on a weekday night from 7 - 8:30 pm, once per month at a private residence. Please contact the Church Office – secretary@stmaryorthodoxchurch.orgor call 617-547-1234 – no later than Sunday, October 30.

TEEN SOYO - Congratulations to our newly elected Teen SOYO Officers! The following members were elected to serve for 2011-2012: President: Theo Smith; Vice-President: Tatiana Dalton; Treasurer: Victoria Sayeg; Secretary: Esther Porr. Looking forward to a wonderful new year with our newly elected officers!

ORTHODOXY ON TAP, FALL EDITION - The 20/40 Fellowship of St. George Boson invites you to a three-part series of lectures and discussion at Roggies Brew and Grille (356 Chestnut Hill Ave in Cleveland Circle, Boston), on Thursdays at 7:30. First speaker in the series will be Dr. Aristotle Papanikolaou on Thursday, October 13. October 20 will be Dr. Anthony Bashir, and October 27 will be Dr. Philip Mamalakis. Admission is free, full bar and food menu will be available. Open to all (21+) in the Boston area.

N.G. BERAM AWARDS BANQUET – The N.G. Beram Veterans Association’s Scholastic Achievement & Distinguished Service  Awards Banquet will be held on Saturday, November 26, 2011, from 12:30-5:00 pm at the Holiday Inn in Dedham.  For adbook information see www.stjohnd.org/ngberam or call 781-784-3341.

CONSECRATION OF BISHOPS - The Elevation of Bishops-Elect John Abdalah, Anthony Michaels and Nicholas Ozone will take place on December 11 at the Patriarchal Church of Our Lady of Balamand Monastery, Lebanon. If you are interested in traveling for this historic event, please contact Fawaz El Khoury 508-864-4000 or 508-351-9000 as soon as possible. There is a limited number of spaces available.

REMINDERS

ST. GEORGE WEEKEND – St. George Orthodox Cathedral of Worcester invites you to join them next weekend, October 13-16, for the celebration of St. George weekend with a visit from his Eminence, Metropolitan PHILIP, the Bishops of our Archdiocese, our Bishop-elect Fr. John Abdalah, 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 next 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!  

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! 

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.

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.)Brochures are available on the rack behind Bengarri. It’s not yet too late to join!

FSJD COMMUNICATIONS – If you would like to be considered a member of the Fellowship of St. John the Divine 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, after coffee hour every Sunday we all pitch in to put away tables and chairs.  Also, check us out on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/groups/6722916525

CHURCH SCHOOL – If you haven't registered your child forSt Mary's Church School 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.

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

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 go 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!

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.com or 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:  When no one volunteers, there is no coffee hour. 

LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK

Saturday, October 8: Great Vespers 5:00 pm

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

SCRIPTURE READINGS for October 9: 
Epistle: St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 6:16 - 7:1
Brethren, we 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…”  Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, and make holiness perfect in the fear of God. 

Gospel: Luke 7:11-16
… As he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a large crowd from the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep." And he came and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you, arise." And the dead man sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother.

LOOKING AHEAD

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

Sunday, October 16: Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am; Church School lesson 4

Saturday, October 22: Great Vespers 5:00 pm

Sunday, October 23: Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am; Church School lesson 5  

INSIGHT

This [raising of the widow’s son] is one of three resurrections performed by our Lord as recorded in the Gospels (see also Luke 8:41-56; John 11:1-44). They confirm the promise given to the prophet Ezekiel that God will one day open the graves and raise all the dead (Ezk 37:1-14). Many people have exercised authority over the living; only the Son of God “has power over both the living and the dead.” While Christ has power through His word alone, (Jn 11:43), here He also touched the coffin to show that His very body is life-giving. This event prefigures Christ’s own Resurrection. As Mary would weep for Jesus at the Cross, yet her tears would be turned to joy by the Resurrection, here a widow’s only son is raised from the dead, putting an end to her weeping.
   - The Orthodox Study Bible, footnote to Luke 7:11-17

As Shepherd, O Savior and Creator, Thou has snatched from the fierce and all devouring wolf a man that had been four days dead; and through him, in Thy power as Lord, Thou has revealed beforehand the universal glory of Thy Resurrection on the third day.
   - Lazarus Saturday Matins Canon, Ode 4

If indeed the flesh possesses no useful function, why did Christ heal it? And why, in particular, did he go so far as to raise the dead to life? What was his purpose? Was it not to show us how the resurrection was to take place? How, moreover, did he raise the dead? Was it souls or bodies? Clearly, it was both together.
   - Justin

How could humanity on earth, enslaved by death, recover its wholeness?  It was necessary to give to dead flesh the ability to share in the life-giving power of God.  Now the life-giving power of God is the Word, the only Son.  He it was then whom God sent to us as Savior and Liberator … He, though he is Life by nature, took a body subject to decay in order to destroy in it the power of death and transform it into life. 
   - Cyril of Alexandria, Homily on Luke