Update for the week Thursday, July 18- Wednesday, July 24, 2019

THIS WEEK AT ST. MARY’S

SUNDAY 7/21 – Orthros 8:45am, Divine Liturgy 10:00am 

THIS WEEK ELSEWHERE

ANTIOCHIAN ARCHDIOCESE NATIONAL CONVENTION – This year’s Convention will be in Grand Rapids, MI, July 21-28, 2019. See https://ac2019gr.org 
   + Fr. Antony will be attending the Convention from July 22-27.  In case of emergency contact Deno Takles at 617-650-2417 or takles67@yahoo.com.  You can also contact the Church Office during office hours, 9:30am-2:00pm.
 
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

MEMORY ETERNAL - We regret to inform you of the falling asleep in the Lord of lifelong parishioner Charlie Arbeely on Monday, July 15. Charlie was the husband of the late Amy (Sakey) and the father of Charles Arbeely and his wife Tami of Wilmington, and of Douglas Arbeely and his wife Michelle of Wellesley and grandfather of Amelia, Jessica, Aaron and Ava. Visiting hours will be Friday July 19 at St. Mary’s church, from 5:00-8:00pm.  Charlie’s funeral will be held Saturday July 20 at 10:00am at the church.  His obituary can be found at https://www.kfouryfuneral.com/notices/Charles-Arbeely.  In lieu of flowers, contributions in Charlie’s memory may be made to St. Mary’s.   Our parish family extends heartfelt sympathies to Charlie’s family.

MEMORY ETERNAL – As we informed you last week, Mark Ayoub fell asleep in the Lord on Tuesday, July 9. Family and friends are invited to pay their respects on Thursday, July 18 from 4:00pm to 8:00pm at the Church of St. John of Damascus, 300 West St. (Rte 135 at Rte 95), Dedham, MA. Funeral Service will be held at St. John of Damascus on Friday, July 19 at 10:00am. Mark will be buried in Needham Cemetery. His obituary can be found at https://www.kfouryfuneral.com/notices/Mark-Ayoub  In lieu of flowers, contributions in Mark’s memory may be made to http://www.miles4migrants.org/Mark. Our parish family extends heartfelt sympathies to Gretchen and her family.

PARISH COUNCIL – The next meeting of the Parish Council is scheduled for Wednesday, September 18

REMINDERS

DORMITION FAST and FEAST – The fast preceding the Feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Theotokos, our patronal feast day, begins on Thursday, August 1 and continues through Wednesday, August 14.
   + Paraclesis for the Dormition will be held on Wednesday, August 7 at 6:30pm
   + On the eve of the Dormition Feast, Wednesday August 14, we will have Vespers at 4:15pm, Orthros with Lamentations at 5:30pm, and Festal Divine Liturgy at 7:00pm, followed by a Dormition feast in the church hall, hosted by Mary Winstanley O’Connor

TANGLEWOOD OUTING – Join your music-loving friends from St. Mary’s and carpool out to Tanglewood after Liturgy on Sunday, August 4. We’ll picnic on the lawn and listen to music by Rachmaninoff and Sibelius, featuring pianist Yefim Bronfman with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. For more information see https://www.bso.org/Performance/Detail/100161. The concert starts at 2:30; lawn tickets are $22.00 - pay at the door; children are free. Bring lawn chairs if you want them, and picnic food for yourself and to share.  For more information and to let us know you're coming, contact Melissa Nassiff at mnassiff@gmail.com.

NEW SKETE PILGRIMAGE – The annual New Skete Pilgrimage is set for Saturday, August 10 this year (the Saturday after Transfiguration).  In years past, a number of St. Mary people have gone out for the weekend (this year, 8/9-11, 2019) to help the Communities with this event—to be extra sets of “helping hands” for the day.  They are hoping a number of us will do so again this year. In the past, this has been a wonderful community building activity for all of us.  Moreover, if you have never been to the monastery, this may be a good way to be introduced to their life and work.  In addition to the services, there are tours of the church and talks by various members of the communities about their lives.  The main talk will be given by Gayle Woloshak, Ph. D. who is a Professor of Radiation Oncology, Radiology, and Cell and Molecular Biology at the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University.  (In addition, she is Past President of the Orthodox Theological Society of America and Treasurer of the International Orthodox Theological Association and wears MANY other “hats” in the Orthodox world.  (Her ecclesial resume is quite long…) Her talk is entitled, “Good Earth: Caring for God’s Creation."  There are also the dogs, great hiking trails, nearby tubing, and more (e.g. usually a picnic at Hedges Lake on that Sunday), etc.  More information about the Pilgrimage can be found here: https://newskete.org/events.
   Once again, Teva Regule (teva@mit.edu) will be coordinating the Boston helpers and as much housing as she can. (In particular, any women wanting to "camp out" at the nuns’, let her know.  The Emmaus house is now a guest house - anyone wishing to stay there should contact Br. Gregory directly at brgregory@newskete.org)  Housing is first come, first served.

TRANSFIGURATIONNote change: Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Transfiguration will not be celebrated at St. Mary’s on Monday, August 5. The Feast will be celebrated at St. George W. Roxbury with Orthros at 5:30p and Divine Liturgy at 6:30p.

CHURCH SCHOOL – Registration for new students, and for children who have reached the age of 3, will be held on Sunday, September 8.  Classes will begin on Sunday, September 15 with a short lesson after the Procession of the Holy Cross.
   + Please contact Deno Takles, our new Church School Superintendent (at takles67@yahoo.com) if you would be interested in helping with the Church School. We are looking for a Teacher and an Assistant for Grades 2/3, and a Teacher for Grades 4/5.

ADULT CAMP – Antiochian Village Adult Camp is summer camp for adults at the Village, Friday-Monday, September 13-16. Adult Camp is open to all adults ages 21+ who want to spend the weekend in an Orthodox Christian Environment growing in their faith.  Cost of $195 includes lodging, food and activities.  More information can be found at https://avcamp.org/other-programs/adult-camp.      
 
“ORTHODOXY 102” – Orthodoxy 102 is an Adult Sunday Class designed for Christians who've spent many years in the Orthodox church, but have never been given any formal teaching on the theology and liturgical structure of the Eastern Christian faith. Beginning September 22 at 9:00am, this new class will meet weekly to journey through the structure of the Divine Liturgy, while taking an in-depth look at Scripture, the Ecumenical Councils, our iconography, and the meaning and application of Orthodox theology. If you would like more information or would care to join, please email drjamesis@gmail.com (Or introduce yourself to Subdeacon James on any given Sunday following the liturgy).

FAMILY CAMP – You’re invited to Diocese Family Camp Friday 10/4 through Sunday 10/6 at St. Methodios Faith & Heritage Center in Contoocook, NH,. Families from our Diocese come together for a weekend of camp activities, prayer, relaxation, fellowship, and learning.  More information and pictures can be found at www.soyofallcamp.org Registration information will be posted soon.

FREE TABLE - If anyone is interested in the antique wood table in the back room by the kitchen please see Barbara in the Church Office.  It was the altar table when the church was a Congregational church.
 
JOIN US ONLINE - 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 or online). If you have questions or comments about this ministry please contact us at live@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org

REFLECTION

Let it be understood that those who are not found living as He taught are not Christian - even though they profess with the lips the teaching of Christ.
   - Justin Martyr
 
If we truly think of Christ as our source of holiness, we shall refrain from anything wicked or impure in thought or act and thus show ourselves to be worthy bearers of His name. For the quality of holiness is shown not by what we say but by what we do in life.
    - St. Gregory of Nyssa
 
When you supplicate Him with faith, He will hear you, and you will learn that it is God who rescued you. Then you will understand that your Creator strengthens you and guards you.
   - St. Isaac the Syrian
 
Thus the kingdom of heaven is not a reward for works, but a gift of grace prepared by the Master for his faithful servants.'
   - St. Mark the Ascetic