St. Mary e-Newsletter for Thursday, June 18, 2020
PRAYER AND WORSHIP
Every Sunday Orthros is at 8:45am, followed by Divine Liturgy at 10:00am. Both services are live-streamed - please join us by clicking the live broadcasts button on the church website: http://www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org. They can also be seen at facebook.com/stmarycambridge or youtube.com/stmarycambridge or https://bit.ly/stmarylive If you LIKE St. Mary on Facebook you’ll get advance notice of live-streamed services.
After Divine Liturgy every Sunday the Young Adult Ministry invites you to a virtual coffee hour. Please use this link to join it: https://zoom.us/j/392596633
Password: 0815
Monday–Saturday Morning Prayer on Zoom with James & Brooke Wilcox, who write: “We simply read the Trisagion Prayers, a Psalm, the NT reading for the day, we honor the Theotokos and the Saints of the day, and then say a prayer ‘waking from sleep,’ followed by prayers for the sick and the reposed (with names given from Orthodox parishioners and friends). And finally we close with ‘The Angel Cried.’ If anyone would like to join, we start at 8:45 each morning, Monday through Saturday, and go for about 15 minutes.” The link to join is:
https://zoom.us/j/377381275.
Password: 28052020
Every Tuesday at 6:30pm (note new time), Paraklesis to the Theotokos will be held in the church through the end of July. The Paraklesis service is traditionally sung during times of great distress.
This is the text for the service:
http://ww1.antiochian.org/sites/default/files/paraklesis_little-with_music.pdf
To attend in person, you must register on EventBrite. The link for Tuesday 6/23 is:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/paraclesis-to-the-theotokos-tickets-108687800136
Password: 0815
There are 20 distinct pew spots for family units/households. Each household only needs 1 ticket. The site will automatically suggest the closest pew. To change the selection, go to the map, deselect the ticket chosen and click on the pew number you would like instead.
Arrive between 6:15pm and 6:45pm.
Thursday evenings at 7:00pm there is an Adult Education program (“Orthodoxy 102”) with Subdeacon James: https://zoom.us/j/92020118216
Password: 0611
Also, you can pray the liturgical services at home - The Archdiocese has published online instructions for reader services (services without a priest present). You can find them at the Online Liturgical Guide. Look at the list of services on the right side of the page and click on the ones marked ‘Reader Service’.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Living space needed
A parishioner is in dire need of a room or an apartment, having recently lost his. If you have one or know of anyone who has one, please call Fr. Antony as soon as possible: 781-507-5938 or email frawhj@aol.com
If you haven’t already done so, Please Take Our Live Broadcasting Survey
We are asking that every parishioner take the following survey about our Live Broadcasting ministry. Your feedback is essential to help us improve what we are offering, both those who are tuning in and those who are not! It should take you less than 10 minutes to complete. To get started, please go to: https://forms.gle/RxYxq76znb1a3Usz5
People Helping People
A number of parishioners have made known their desire to help people who need assistance. The church office is keeping a list of volunteers. As of this writing we have 8 volunteers. Call the office if you would like your name added to the list of volunteers. There can’t be too many.
If you know of anyone who needs any sort of help call the church office (617) 547-1234 to make the connection. Remember, many people are ashamed/afraid to ask for help. Keep your eyes and ears open and ask about needs with kind concern.
Virtual Summer Camp
Antiochian Village is having a new kind of summer camp this year: virtual camp! Here’s the link for general information about the 8-week free virtual summer camp program: https://avcamp.org/sample-page/virtual-camp-2020/
REFLECTION
One who wants to be saved must remember, must never forget, the Apostolic commandment: "Carry one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the Law of Christ." This commandment is of great significance; one we must first and foremost strive to obey.
- Elder Amvrossy of Optina
For the man who believes, all things are possible because "Faith is counted as righteousness," and "Christ is the end of the Law." Belief in Him justifies and perfects the believer, for belief in Christ is considered to correspond to the works of the law. It is confirmed and witnessed by the evangelic precepts and so earns for the faithful a participation in eternal life, in Christ Himself.
- St. Symeon the New Theologian
Human beings have accumulated in their coffers gold and silver, clothes more sumptuous than useful, diamonds and other objects that are evidence of war and tyranny; then a foolish arrogance hardens their hearts; for their brothers in distress, no pity. What utter blindness! . . . Attend not to the law of the strong but to the law of the Creator. Help nature to the best of your ability, honor the freedom of creation, protect your species from dishonor, come to its aid in sickness, rescue it from poverty .... Seek to distinguish yourself from others only in your generosity. Be like gods to the poor, imitating God's mercy. Humanity has nothing so much in common with God as the ability to do good.
- St. Gregory Nazianzen, On Love of the Poor