Update for the week Wednesday, August 10 - Thursday, August 18, 2016
THIS WEEK AT ST. MARY'S
WEDNESDAY, 8/10 - There will be a Paraclesis service for the Dormition of the Theotokos this evening, Wednesday, August 10, at 6:30 pm.
THURSDAY, 8/11 - The Bible Study group will meet this Thursday at 7:00 pm in the church library. For more information contact Marianna Sayeg (mksayeg@gmail.com) or Fr. Antony (frawhj@gmail.com). The meeting after this will be Thursday, August 25. New members are always welcome.
SATURDAY, 8/13 – There will be a Great Vespers service this Saturday.
SUNDAY, 8/14, Dormition of the Theotokos (transferred from Monday) - Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am.
+ This is our patronal feast day. Please join us after Divine Liturgy for a Dormition Feast meal, sponsored by the Hospitality Group. Cost is $8 per person/$16 per family; make checks payable to St. Mary's Church with "Hospitality Group" on the memo line. We look forward to seeing you there!
+ We will need 5 volunteers to help prepare and serve the food - if you can help, please contact Socrates Deligeorges at dr.socrates@gmail.com. Some volunteers will also be needed Saturday afternoon.
THIS WEEK ELSEWHERE
FRIDAY-SUNDAY, 8/12-8/14 - Our Lady of the Cedars, 61 Rockwood St., Jamaica Plain, invites you to their Lebanese Festival on Friday-Sunday, August 12-14 Three days of entertainment, live music, Arabic food and drink, Gift shop and activities. For more info call 617-522-0225.
MONDAY, 8/15 - St. George Church in West Roxbury invites our children to join them for Vacation Church School Monday through Thursday, August 15-18, from 9:00am to 12:00pm. This is a 4-day-long summer program for Preschool (at least 3 years old and potty-trained) through 7th grade students to learn more about their faith. The theme for this year is Mary, the Mother of our God. Each day includes a lesson, snack time, singing, playtime, crafts, and lots of fun! Snacks will be provided each morning, but students should pack a lunch. Suggested registration donation is $30 for one child, $50 for two children, and $70 for three children. Click here for the registration form: http://www.stgeorgeofboston.org/assets/files/VCS/VBS2016RegistrationForm.doc
THURSDAY-SATURDAY, 8/18-20 - Next Thursday through Saturday, at St. George Orthodox Cathedral in Worcester, volunteers from all over the Diocese will be measuring and scooping 100,000 meals of MannaPack Rice, a scientifically formulated food that is culturally acceptable worldwide, for starving children. Organizations in nearly 70 countries distribute these meals to children in greatest need. We need 500 volunteers on that day as well as donations to help meet the $22,000 goal for the cost of the MobilePack Rice. This Humanitarian project is being conducted in conjunction with Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) a Christian non-profit organization committed to feeding God’s children hungry in body and spirit.
• Volunteers - Registration is live at www.fmsc.org/mobilepack.
• Donations - Donate online at www.fmsc.org/mobilepack. Also, checks made out to FMSC, Memo line Mobil Pack #1608-054, can be given at the Bengarri or church office.
Please consider volunteering and/or making a donation to this worthy cause. If you would like to learn more you can contact Fr. MiladSelim at St. George Worcester 508-752-9150 or fr.milad.selim@gmail.com
THURSDAY-SUNDAY, 8/18-8/21 - The Orthodox Young Professionals Conference is a four day conference hosted by the Young Adult Ministry of the Antiochian Archdiocese. Young Orthodox Christians from across the country and all jurisdictions are invited to join together in fellowship and fun. The conference committee has been working since 2015 to plan an amazing opportunity for spiritual growth, future friendships, lasting memories and more. The gathering will be held in New Orleans at the Drury Inn and Suites, Thursday-Sunday, August 18-21, 2016.
A Young Professional is a young adult who is beyond the college years navigating through the daily struggles of life as an Orthodox Christian in their mid-twenties through thirties. Visit the Website: http://www.oypc2016.com
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
THANK YOU - The Teen SOYO would like to thank everyone who contributed to our service project, Hygiene Kits For Syrian Refugees. Together we were able to put together and ship 75 hygiene packs to refugees in need through the IOCC.
CONGRATULATIONS - James Jabbour was recently voted President of New England Teen SOYO. In this position, James will play an integral role leading regional SOYO and planning events, fellowship and activities for our teens across the diocese. Congratulations, James!
HAPPY NEW YEAR! – On Thursday, September 1 we begin a new Liturgical Year.
NO VESPERS – There will not be a Vespers service at St. Mary’s on Saturday, September 3.
CHURCH SCHOOL REGISTRATION AND BREAKFAST – Registration for new students, and for children who have reached the age of 3, will be held on Sunday, September 11. Watch for information on a “Welome Back Breakfast” sponsored by the Hospitality Group, as well! The first day of Church School classes will be Sunday, September 18.
ELEVATION OF THE CROSS – There will be a Divine Liturgy on Tuesday, September 13, at 6:30 to celebrate the Feast of the Elevation of the Cross.
HELP WANTED - PT (or FT) Nanny & Mommy's helper (w/ car): A Cambridge family is seeking a part-time (or full-time) nanny for our 2 daughters (5.5yr, 8mo). Candidates should have a car and clean driving record. We are looking for someone very loving, energetic, dynamic, creative and an educator at heart. Must have good references, strong prior experience, and excellent communication skills. Ideally, we would like a fluent Spanish-speaker. Major responsibilities include: planning and engaging our children in educational, fun activities and play-dates; school pick-up; driving to/from activities; some meal-prep and light housework; some errands. For details on dates and time, compensation, and job qualifications & requirements, contact Diana Yousef (dymartinek@gmail.com).
REMINDERS
CHURCH SCHOOL TEACHER STILL NEEDED – A new teacher is still needed next fall for the Grade 2-3 class. If we have no volunteer to teach this class we will not be able to have a class for the 2nd and 3rd grade children. Please contact Barbara Shoop at barbara@dsaarchitects.com to volunteer or to learn more.
BYZANTINE CHANT WORKSHOP – On Saturday and Sunday, August. 20 and 21, there will be a Byzantine Chant Workshop at St. Michael the Archangel Church on Cape Cod led by vocal instructor Richard Barrett, starting after Matins at 9:00 am Saturday with the final session after Liturgy on Sunday. For more information, to reserve a spot, or for information on nearby lodging, please contact David Easa, preferably by e-mail at LoganTD@aol.com, or by phone at 774-313-0778. The cost is $40 per person.
NATIVITY OF THE THEOTOKOS – We will have a Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos on Wednesday, September 7, at 6:30pm.
WOMEN’S CLUB – Ladies, please consider joining the Women’s Club in the fall. Our first meeting will be Monday, September 12, at 7:30 at the church. At this meeting we will formulate our yearly calendar so come with any ideas you may have. We meet only once a month. We welcome all women of the parish to join us! The Women’s Club does charitable work both locally, nationally and internationally and supports the Church School. Call Marilyn (781-729-3033) or the church office (617-547-1234) if you have any questions or want to be a part of this wonderful group of Women.
SONIA’S RUN – The 8th Annual Sonia’s 5K Run/Walk and fall fair will be held at St. George Orthodox Church, West Roxbury, MA, on Saturday, September 17. The 5k road race benefits the Theophany School in honor of our beloved friend Sonia Belcher. The proceeds from Sonia's Run go towards Theophany School's "Building on a Dream" campaign, to fulfill Sonia's Dream of a permanent home for Theophany School. Be a sponsor, volunteer or vendor. For more information and how you can help visit the website http://www.soniasrun.org.
PART TIME POSITIONS AVAILABLE:
- Orthodox Christian Network is looking for a Producer and Program Coordinator in Boston, part-time. The OCN seeks a highly organized, detail-oriented individual who has experience with supervision, program development, production, and web-based content management systems. Be knowledgeable in operation of a DSLR camera. Have experience in multi-track audio editing using pro-level applications (Apple Logic, Adobe Audition, Pro Tools, other similar). If interested submit a cover letter and resume with the subject line “Producer & Program Coordinator Application” to elenialexiou@myocn.net. We will review applicants on a rolling basis until the position is filled. For more information go to http://myocn.net/producerprogramcoordinator/.
- A family is seeking a reliable person to drive their daughter (5 years old) on week-day mornings from their home in Cambridge to the Park School (down the street from Hellenic College). Candidates should have their own car and a clean driving record. They should also genuinely like children, be responsible and conscientious, and have excellent communication skills. For details on dates and time, compensation, and job qualifications & requirements, contact Diana Yousef (dymartinek@gmail.com).
COFFEE HOUR MADE EASY! - To make sponsoring a Coffee Hour a little bit easier, St. Mary’s is offering a delivery service through “Instacart,” for the basic foods necessary to host a Coffee hour. Simply select a date, mail a check to the office and we will order the food and have it delivered to the church on that Sunday between 9:00 and 10:00 am. You will need to be at the church to accept the order and you will be required to set up for the coffee hour and clean up both the kitchen and hall at the end of the coffee hour. Two menus will be offered. Menu one will include: bagels, mini muffins, fruit, hummus/Syrian bread, juice and coffee for $160. Menu two will include: bagels, juice and coffee for $70. Prices DO NOT include a 20% tip for delivery and are subject to change based on current market pricing of items. Cream cheese, peanut butter, jam and coffee creamer are included with each menu. As usual, St. Mary’s will provide the plates, cups, napkins, utensils, serving platters, and sweetener for coffee. If you are interested in taking advantage of this service and signing up for a coffee hour please contact the office at 617-547-1234 or e-mail secretary@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org.
+ In addition to the sign-up sheet, our contact Barbara in the church office and the Instacart option, we also have LINDA ARNOLD serving as our volunteer Coffee Hour Coordinator. Her contact information is MMarmee52@aol.com and 978-270-0346. Please feel free to let her know of your interest and be open to hosting a coffee hour especially if you have not done so in the past. She will be happy to guide you through the process!
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:
Greeter: 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. To volunteer contact Buddy Mabardy at 781-729-6303 or e-mail: buddy@cjmabardy.com, or call the church office at 617-547-1234
Liturgical Service – Epistle: The Epistle is read each Sunday by a volunteer parishioner. To volunteer please contact Jeff Wasilko, jeffw@smoe.org
Liturgical Service – Procession: Church School children or parishioners carry the candles, icon, and bread baskets in the great procession. For information about this ministry contact Teva Regule at teva@mit.edu
Liturgical Service – Communion: Volunteers are needed every Sunday to hold the Communion cloths and the Holy Bread baskets during Communion. To volunteer please contact Jeff Wasilko, 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 contact Barbara Shoop in the Parish Office at secretary@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org or 617-547-1234.
Prison Ministry: For information about the Prison Ministry at St. Mary you can subscribe to our mailing list at http://groups.google.com/group/ocpm-concord. If you are interested in helping with this ministry, talk with Fr. Antony or Deacon Jeff. Another way to help is to donate Orthodox books, icon cards, and magazines (for security, please remove any personal mailing address) – Mitrophan Chin collects these to share with the inmates.
Hospitality Group: St. Mary's Donald D. Fiore Hospitality Group sponsors various events to welcome visitors and newcomers and to foster a spirit of fellowship and caring among all the people who worship here. To join us or to find out more, contact any of our officers: Julie Wasilko, President julie31415pi@gmail.com, Diana Yousef, Vice President dymartinek@gmail.com, Michael Decerbo, Treasurer michaeldecerbo@gmail.com, Socrates Deligeorges, Head Chef dr.socrates@gmail.com
Choir: The St. Mary Church Choir is open to individuals interested in making a commitment to sing each Sunday at Divine Liturgy. Please feel free to join them and/or introduce yourself to the director, Michelle Mabardy, any Sunday after Liturgy.
Rides To Church For College Students: If you live near a college or university and are able to offer a ride to and from St. Mary Church for a student, or if you are a student in need of a ride, contact St. Mary’s Young Adult Ministry at 617-564-3344 or rides@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org to sign up or to learn more!
SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR THIS SUNDAY
Epistle:
Brethren, have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
- Philipians 2:5-11
Gospel:
At that time, Jesus entered a village; and a woman called Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve you alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her." As he said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked!" But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"
- Luke 10:38-42; 11:27-28
REFLECTION
The Virgin Mary is the most merciful sovereign of all the sons and daughters of men, as the daughter of God the Father, who is love; the mother of God the Word, of our love; the chosen bride of the Holy Spirit, who is love consubstantial with the Father and the Word. How can we do otherwise than have recourse to such a sovereign and expect to receive all spiritual blessings from Her?
- St. John of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ
The Lord Who, on Mt. Sinai, commanded by His Fifth Commandment: "Honor your father and your mother" (Exodus 20:12), showed by His own example how one should respect one's parent. Hanging on the Cross in agony, He remembered His mother and indicating to the Apostle John, said to her: "Woman behold your son" (St. John 19:26). After that, He said to John: "Behold your mother" (St. John 19:27). And so providing for His mother, He breathed His last.
- St. Nikolai Velimirovic, The Prologue of Ohrid
From Apostolic times and to our days all who truly love Christ give veneration to her [the Theotokos] who gave birth to Him, raised Him and protected Him in the days of His youth. If God the Father chose her, God the Holy Spirit descended upon her, and God the Son dwelt in her, submitted to her in the days of His youth, was concerned for her when hanging on the Cross - then should not everyone who confesses the Holy Trinity venerate her?
- St. John Maximovitch
Come forward, O ye people, and receive the glad tidings, clapping your hands together. Gather together today anxiously and joyfully, and shout ye all in joy for the Theotokos is about to rise in glory from the earth to the heavens. Let us ever glorify her with praises for she is the Theotokos.
- Troparion of the Forefeast of the Dormition
Neither death nor the tomb could hold the Mother of God, our watchful Protectress and our unfailing hope. Since she is the Mother of Life, Christ who dwelt in her ever-virginal womb lifted her up to eternal life.
- Kontakion for the Dormition