Update for the week Thursday, April 17, through Thursday, April 24, 2014
THIS WEEK
HOLY THURSDAY
On Thursday, April 17, the evening service begins at 6:45 pm with Washing of the Feet, followed at 7:00 pm by Twelve Gospels, in which we hear by candlelight the entire story of Christ’s final teaching, passion, trial, walk to Golgotha, crucifixion and burial, from all four of the Gospel writers.
New Information: You are invited to bring flowers to leave at the foot of the Cross as an offering to the Lord, when you venerate the Cross this evening. Vases will be provided for this purpose.
HOLY FRIDAY
Spend the morning in fellowship and activities with friends and families at the St. Mary’s Holy Friday Retreat on Friday, April 18, 9:30-12:30. A variety of activities will be provided and luncheon served. Recommended for ages 5 through adult. Younger children welcome but must be accompanied by an adult. We welcome your energy and talent if you are able to provide a craft, read stories, or spend time coloring with the children as part of the morning’s activities. Teens and adults are welcome to assist with egg dying and pysanky decorating, crafts with the children, or decoration of the tomb upstairs. Fr. Antony will be available to hear the children’s and teens' confessions before lunch.
Lunch is provided for everyone ($5 donation per person donation requested - make checks payable to St. Mary Orthodox Church). RSVP by Palm Sunday, April 13, to Trish Orlovsky at t_orlovsky@hotmail.com or call 781-641-0182, if you plan to attend or can help with activities that day.
Your help is needed to decorate the bier 9:00 am – noon on Holy Friday. Volunteers can drop by for as little as a half hour; but no small children, please. (They should be at the Children’s Retreat, downstairs.) Any questions, contact Bob Kowalik at 617-889-3436 or e-mail: r.kowalik@comcast.net Parents: Come upstairs and help while your children are downstairs at their Retreat. You’re welcome to share lunch with the kids, but please let Trish know early in the week so there will be enough for everyone.
Royal Hours begins at 1:00 pm, followed by Unnailing Vespers at 3:00 pm, when the figure of Christ is removed from the Cross where it was nailed Thursday during the Twelve Gospels service, and is laid in the tomb, or bier.
Lamentations begins at 7:15 pm. During this service we will process with the Bier out of the church and down Massachusetts Avenue to Central Square, where we will meet worshippers from Ss. Constantine & Helen Greek Church carrying their bier, and join them for prayers and blessings before processing back to St. Mary.
New this year: Children ages 5-12 are invited to process in front of the bier on Holy Friday night, strewing flower petals along the way. Participants should be dressed up (white dresses are the tradition for girls as "myrrhbearers" but not required). Please contact Shannon Sakellariou (srsakellariou@gmail.com) if you plan to participate or have any questions.
Following the Lamentations Service on Holy Friday evening, St. Mary's Teen SOYO will hold an All-Night Vigil at the Church. All youth, ages 12-18 (grades 7-12), are encouraged to participate in reading Psalms, keeping watch at the tomb, and joining a discussion led by a special guest. The Vigil culminates Saturday morning with Vesperal Liturgy at 9:00 am. Teens across the Diocese will participate in similar vigils at their respective churches. The Church will be locked and several chaperones will remain with the Teens throughout the night, into the morning.
HOLY SATURDAY and GREAT AND HOLY PASCHA
Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil begins at 9:00 am on Saturday, April 19. This service includes fifteen lessons from the Old Testament, all prophesying the ultimate victory of God, and also includes Chrismation of our newest catechumens. We celebrate Christ’s triumph over evil and death, with the scattering of bay leaves and flowers. The service will be followed by a Coffee Hour/Reception, provided by Nadia and Bahig Kaldas.
Your help is needed to decorate the Church on Holy Saturday after the Liturgy and Coffee Hour, about 1:00 pm. We will be preparing the church for Pascha on Saturday afternoon. Please come, stay and help.
Saturday evening and into Great and Holy Pascha, all our Lenten efforts and Holy Week observances culminate in the celebration of Christ's resurrection. The services begin with the Vigil/Rush Service at 10:00 pm, followed by Resurrection Matins at 11:00 pm, and Divine Liturgy at 12:00 midnight. Paschal festivities, with plenty of food, will take place in the Church Hall after Liturgy.
Joint Agape Vespers (Baouth) on Easter Sunday morning will be held at 11:00 am here at St. Mary, with a reception following.
NATIONAL CONVENTION PREPARATION – Both Mary Winstanley O’Connor’s and Ray Sayeg’s committees will meet at the Church on Wednesday, April 23 and Wednesday, May 7 at 7:30 pm.
BIBLE STUDY – Join us next Thursday, April 24 - at 7:00 pm in the church library as we continue our study of Genesis, discussing Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Listen to the podcasts at http://orthodoxbiblestudy.info/genesis-isaac-and-jacob/ and http://orthodoxbiblestudy.info/genesis-joseph-part-1/. The Bible Study at St. Mary, sponsored by the Fellowship of St. John the Divine, meets every other Thursday, and is based on a series of talks originally broadcast on Ancient Faith Radio, entitled Search the Scriptures. For more information contact Marianna Sayeg (mksayeg@gmail.com) or Fr. Antony (frawhj@gmail.com ). New members are always welcome.
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
EXTRA HELP NEEDED WITH LIVE STREAMING – Help us be heard! Holy Week support is needed to set up audio equipment (portable speakers, microphone stands and portable power supply) for outdoor portions of services. No experience required... you just need to be on time and willing to help!
1. Audio for Friday night in Central Square - need 2-3 people to head out prior to the procession to make sure everything is set up (10-15 minutes roughly)
2. Audio for Saturday night outside the church - set up is done prior to the rush service (takes 15 minutes) and need someone to just keep an eye on the equipment so it doesn't "walk away".
Please contact Erick or Jamil at live@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org if you or someone you know wants to help!
NO FASTING – Fasting is not required, not only during Bright Week, but for the entire forty days until the Feast of the Ascension, May 29. (This is the decision of the Holy Synod of the Church of Antioch.) This cessation of fasting, however, is purely voluntary; you may fast if you wish.
FAREWELL LUNCHEON – You are invited to a Farewell Lucheon & Program to honor Greg Abdalah, Youth Director and Pastoral Assistant as he embarks on a new chapter in his life, following Divine Liturgy on Sunday, April 27, at St. George Cathedral, Worcester. Adults $15, Children 12 and under $8:00. For reservations call 508-752-9150.
THEOPHANY SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE – You are invited to an open house at Theophany School, 754 Greendale Ave., Needham, MA ,on Tuesday, April 29, 6:30-8:30pm. For more information visit their website, www.TheophanySchool.org.
CHURCH SCHOOL GRADUATION – Please plan to join us on Sunday, May 18 as we close the 2013-2014 Church School year. All Church School children who attended Church School for at least 50% of the School year will be recognized as they move up to the next grade or graduate.
REMINDERS
FOOD FOR HUNGRY PEOPLE – The 40th Anniversary Food for Hungry People collection boxes are due. Please turn them in at the Bengarri. “Whoever gives a hand to help his neighbor is helped by God’s own hand.” - St. Isaac the Syrian
NATIONAL CONVENTION OPPORTUNITIES – Letters have been mailed to all parishioners outlining the many opportunities for you to contribute to the 2015 Antiochian Archdiocesan National Convention. Please consider participating: volunteer your time and talent and/or financially support the event by sponsoring one of the many activities or placing an ad in the souvenir journal/ad book. Please complete the Volunteer Sign-up Sheet that was mailed to you and return it to Shirley Bezreh at the Bengarri/Narthex. Extra Sign-up Sheets are available on the table outside the hall.
WOMEN'S CLUB - The next Women’s Club meeting will be Tuesday, April 29, at 7:30 at the church. New members are welcome - any woman interested in joining may call Mary Ellen Mabardy at 781-729-6303.
PARISH COUNCIL – The next meeting of the Parish Council will be Wednesday, April 30, at 7:30 pm.
JOIN DROPBOX AND HELP OUT ST. MARY'S – Help St. Mary Cambridge's Online Video Ministry by signing up for Dropbox using the following link: https://db.tt/6EVs2OBe ! Each new referral gives both you and the parish an extra 500 MB of free online storage!
IOCC HEALTH/BABY CARE KITS - As the Lenten Season is upon us, the Women’s Club asks you to participate in our project to send HEALTH CARE KITS and BABY CARE KITS to the displaced families and orphans of the Syrian Conflict. The IOCC (International Orthodox Christian Charities) will handle the mailing and distribution. Our job is simply to buy and assemble the kits. This is a great way for our families and St. Mary’s parish to begin our Lenten journey, and show our children the true meaning of Christian charity. Shop with your children to make a kit, or more than one. If that’s not feasible, make a donation to the Women’s Club and we will do the shopping for you. Instructions for Kits can be found in the Sunday bulletin.
HELP FOR THE TRAUMANN-DAVIS FAMILY – Our own Elisabeth Traumann, wife of Seraphim Davis and mother of Isis, Thais and Tycho Traumann-Davis, has been diagnosed with stomach cancer and has started chemotherapy, to be followed by surgery in late spring/early summer. Her prognosis is good, but prayers are appreciated. For updates on Elisabeth’s condition, just friend Elisabeth on Facebook and then check this Facebook site: https://www.facebook.com/groups/197726897092134/
Anyone who would like to offer their help with meals, transportation, etc. may visit the family's Lotsa Helping Hands community at: https://www.lotsahelpinghands.com/c/713408/ New Information: If delivering a meal to Somerville would be difficult, you can bring it to Seraphim (or in his absence, to Natasha Smith) at the church on Sunday mornings, as long as you coordinate with them ahead of time.
SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE:
New England Region Fellowship of St. John the Divine Scholarships: The Fellowship is awarding scholarships to students who are faithful and active Orthodox Christians whose high school records indicate a potential for being successful in an accredited college and who are in need of financial assistance. Applications are available through the Church Office and must be received by the Scholarship Committee Chairperson by Thursday, May 1, 2014.
Antiochian Women’s Scholarship: Scholarships are available to females 25 years of age and older in good standing of the Antiochian Archdiocese, actively involved in their parish and who demonstrate need. The application deadline is Sunday, June 1, 2014. Applications are available in the Church Office. E-mail cindy@cnyhondas.com with any questions.
Nicholas G. Beram Scholastic Achievement Award - applications are available for high school seniors of our Arab American Community planning to attend a 4 year college full time. Applications are available in the Church office or on-line at www.stjohn.org/ngberam. Application deadline is June 1, 2014.
LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK
Holy Thursday, April 17: Vesperal Liturgy 7:00 am; Washing of the Feet 6:45 pm and Twelve Gospels 7:00 pm
Holy Friday, April 18: Children’s Retreat 9:30 am; Royal Hours 1:00 pm; Unnailing Vespers 3:00 pm; Lamentations 7:15 pm with Procession to Central Square; Teen Vigil overnight
Holy Saturday, April 19: Vesperal Liturgy 9:00 am, followed by coffee hour/reception
Saturday-Sunday, April 19-20: Vigil/Rush Service 10:00 pm; Resurrection Matins 11:00 pm; Great and Holy Pascha Divine Liturgy 12 midnight; followed by Paschal Festivities in the Church Hall
Sunday, April 20, Great and Holy Pascha: Joint Agape Vespers (Baouth) 11:00 am; reception following.
LOOKING AHEAD
Thursday, April 24: Bible Study 7:00 pm
Saturday, April 26: Great Vespers 5:00 pm
Sunday, April 27: Orthros 8:45 am, Enquirers' class 9:00 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am; Church School Creative Arts preparation
Saturday, May 3: Great Vespers 5:00 pm
Sunday, May 4: Orthros 8:45 am, Enquirers' class 9:00 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am; Church School Creative Arts preparation
Sunday, May 18: Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am; Church School Closing/Graduation with Luncheon following Liturgy
Thursday-Sunday, June 19-22: Parish Life Conference, Plymouth, MA
REFLECTION
Glory to Thee, Lord.
What shall I give Thee, Lord, in return for all Thy kindness?
Glory to Thee for Thy love.
Glory to Thee for Thy mercy.
Glory to Thee for Thy patience.
Glory to Thee for forgiving us all our sins.
Glory to Thee for coming to save our souls.
Glory to Thee for Thine incarnation in the Virgin's womb.
Glory to Thee for Thy bonds.
Glory to Thee for receiving the cut of the lash.
Glory to Thee for accepting mockery.
Glory to Thee for Thy crucifixion.
Glory to Thee for Thy burial.
Glory to Thee for Thy resurrection.
Glory to Thee who were preached to men and women.
Glory to Thee in whom they believed.
Glory to Thee who were taken up into Heaven.
Glory to Thee who sit in great glory at the Father's right hand.
Glory to Thee whose will it is that the sinner should be saved through Thy great mercy and compassion.
- St Ephrem, A Prayer of Glory to Christ
Christ is Risen! Truly, He is Risen!
Arabic: Al Maseeh ‘Am! Ha’an ‘Am!
Greek: Christos Anesti! Alithos Anesti!
Slavonic: Khristos Voskrese! Vo Istinu Voskrese!
Romanian: Hristos a Înviat! Adevǎrat a Înviat!
Tigrinian: Kristos Tensiu! Behake Tensiu!
Cantonese: Gaydolk Folkwoot Leew! Ta Koksut Folkwoot Leew!
Spanish: Christo ha Resucitado! En Verdad ha Resucitado!
Amheric: ChristosTeresa! Bergit Tenestwall!
Check out this site which has text and voice recordings for over 250 languages: http://www.srbigham.com/en/langues.html