Update for the week Friday, December 23, through Thursday, December 29, 2011

Update for the week Friday, December 23, through Thursday, December 29, 2011

BLESSED NATIVITY!

THIS WEEKEND

 BYZANTINE CHRISTMAS CONCERT-   A Byzantine Christmas Celebration, a concert of Byzantine chants and Greek carols, will be held at 8:00 pm this evening, Thursday, December 22, at First Church Cambridge. See http://www.firstchurchcambridge.org/pages/about/directions for directions. To purchase tickets contact the Greek Institute, 617-547-4770 or e-mail greekinst@verizon.net. Cost: $20 at the door, $7 student rush and $15 in advance.

NATIVITY SERVICES – St. Mary will celebrate the Nativity of our Lord with the following services:
-   On Friday, December 23,  Royal Hours for the Nativity will be at 9:00 am. 
-   On Saturday, December 24, the Eve of the Nativity,  Orthros will be at 5:30 pm; followed by Festal Divine Liturgy of St. Basil for the Nativity at 7:00 pm (Note the new time, an hour earlier than last year.)  On Christmas Day, Sunday, the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord, there will be no services.

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

FASTING SUSPENDED - From Christmas Day until January 4th, inclusive, there is a general dispensation from all fasting.

BIBLE STUDY – Fr. Antony’s Bible study will continue meeting monthly, with the next  meeting on Thursday, January 19, at 7:00 pm, at the home of Arthur & Beverly Mabbett, 37 Powder House Rd. Ext, Medford (phone 781-391-6530).  We will begin studying the Gospel of Mark.
If you would like to attend, please RSVP to the Church Office, 617-547-1234.

REMINDERS

COFFEE HOUR SIGNUP – A new signup sheet for coffee hours has been posted on the bulletin board outside the coat room.  There are plenty of dates to choose from – sign up now for the date you will sponsor the coffee hour! It can be as lavish or as simple as you wish.

FOOD DRIVE  – The annual FOOD FOR HUNGRY PEOPLE Canned Food Drive runs from Octoberthrough the end of this month, 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!

PLEDGE YOUR  SUPPORT FOR ST. MARY- Pledge Cards were mailed out last week.  You may make your pledge for 2012 either by returning the Pledge Card to the church or by filling out the ePledge card on our web site (www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org) as soon as possible, but no later than December 31, 2012.

HIERARCHICAL DIVINE LITURGY WITH OUR NEW BISHOP – Everyone is invited to St. George Cathedral, Worcester on Thursday, January 5 at 6:00 pm to celebrate the Feast of Holy Theophany with the Blessing of the Waters  (Orthros: 4:45 pm) with His Grace, Bishop John.  A Welcoming Reception will follow, with food and refreshments.  All are welcome.  For more information, contact the Cathedral Office 508-752-9150 or e-mail StGeoWorc@aol.com. 

PLEDGE ENVELOPES - Pledge envelopes are available for pickup on the table downstairs outside the hall.  Look for your name in alphabetical order.  If you have chosen to pay periodically or through eGive, you have not been assigned a weekly envelope.

PARISH MEETING – The Annual Meeting of the Parish will be held Sunday, January 22, after Liturgy.  All members are urged to attend.

CHINESE NEW YEAR BREAKFAST– Join the FSJD for the 2012 Chinese New Year Missions Breakfast, to benefit the Chinese Translation Project via the Orthodox Fellowship of All Saints of China (OFASC), on Sunday, January 29, 2012.  Suggested minimum donation is $5.00 per adult.  RSVP to Nelson Mitrophan Chin at mitrophan@orthodox.cnor sign up on the sheet at the Bengarri by Wednesday, January 25.

PARISH LIFE CONFERENCE – Next year’s Parish Life Conference will be held at The Cliff House, Ogunquit, Maine, June 21-24, 2012. Amazing Room Rate:  $149 (Regularly $310)  Call 207-361-1000 or visit their website www.CliffHouseMaine.com/attendees  User Name:  PARISH  Password: pa986B

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 at live@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org.

DONATE VIA eGIVE– Did you know that you can make your donations to St. Mary through eGive, and have no 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.

FELLOWSHIP OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE – Join the Fellowship!  It’s a great way to meet new people and be an integral part of our Parish life. 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. You can join our members’ email news list by contacting Melissa Nassiff at mnassiff@gmail.com.  Also, check us out on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/FSJD1

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.

LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK

Friday, December 23:  Royal Hours for the Nativity 9:00 am

Saturday, December 24:  Orthros 5:30 pm;  Festal Divine Liturgy of St. Basil for the Nativity  7:00 pm

SCRIPTURE READINGS for the Liturgy:
Epistle: St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 4:4-7
Brethren, when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son then also an heir of God through Christ.

Gospel: Matthew 2:1-12
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him." …  and lo the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

Sunday, December 25,  Feast of the Nativity of our Lord, Christmas Day: No Services

LOOKING AHEAD

Saturday, December 31, New Year’s Eve:  No Vespers

Sunday, January 1, 2012:  Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great 10:00 am; no Church School

Thursday, January 5:  Hierarchical Divine Liturgy 6:00 pm for the FEAST of Holy Theophany with the Blessing of the Waters  (Orthros: 4:45 pm), at St. George Cathedral, Worcester with His Grace, Bishop John.  Reception to follow.

Saturday, January 7:  Great Vespers 5:00 pm

Sunday, January 8:  Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am; Church School children remain upstairs for Blessing of the Water

Sunday, January 22:  Annual Parish Meeting

INSIGHT

Today He Who Is, is born! And He Who Is, becomes what He was not! For when He was God, He became man – while not relinquishing the Godhead that is His... And so the kings have come, and they have seen the heavenly King that has come upon the earth, not bringing with Him angels, nor archangels, nor thrones, nor dominions, nor powers, nor principalities, but, treading a new and solitary path, He has come forth from a spotless womb.
   - St. John Chrysostom,  The Nativity Sermon

His love for me brought low his greatness.
He made himself like me so that I might receive him.
He made himself like me so that I might be clothed in him.
I had no fear when I saw him, for he is mercy for me.
He took my nature so that I might understand him, 
my face so that I should not turn away from him. 
   - Odes of Solomon (2nd century, author unknown)

The incorporeal and incorruptible and immaterial Word of God entered our world. In one sense, indeed, he was not far from it before, for no part of creation had ever been without him who, while ever abiding in union with the Father, yet fills all things that are. But now he entered the world in a new way, stooping to our level in his love and self-revealing to us. 
   - St. Athanasius the Great