St. Mary e-Newsletter for Friday, November 13, 2020
PRAYER AND WORSHIP
Every Sunday Orthros is at 8:45am, followed by Divine Liturgy at 10:00am. Members of St. Mary’s laity may attend Sunday services in rotation by invitation, with appropriate physical distancing throughout the nave.
Please visit our church webpage under “News,” “COVID-19 Safety
Directives and Policies” (https:// www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/news/covid19safety) to review the procedures for attendance.
All the Divine Services held in St. Mary’s Church can also be seen live-streamed at www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/live or www.facebook.com/stmarycambridge or www.youtube.com/stmarycambridge
Monday–Saturday you can join Morning Prayers on Zoom with James & Brooke Wilcox. They write: “Morning Prayer has now become part of our daily routine, where we are joyfully able to participate with others in the St Mary’s community. And thanks to the power of the internet, and the influence of other participants, we now have people joining us each morning from Chile, Arizona, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Florida, New York City and other portions of Massachusetts as well. We are always happy to add more!”
We run morning prayers for 15 minutes each morning, Monday through Saturday, beginning at 8:45am: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/377381275 password: 28052020
Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos – There will be Vesperal Divine Liturgy for the Entrance of the Theotokos Into the Temple on Friday, November 20 at 6:30pm. Sign up on EventBrite using this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vesperal-liturgy-for-the-entrance-of-the-theotokos-tickets-128867942485 password: 0815
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Free Lecture tonight
Fr. Michael Plekon, who gave the Fr. John von Holzhausen lecture at St. Mary a few years ago, will be giving the annual lecture of the Orthodox Theological Society in America in honor of Georges Florovsky. His lecture, a webinar entitled “Community as Church, Church as Community: Death and Resurrection in the Parish Today,” will be delivered on Friday, November 13, at 7:30pm. Registration is free and open to the public: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-Wa3hCnpTDCXusfHpdO_AQ
Sound System
THANK YOU to all who have donated to replace our sound system. We have now collected over $14,000 toward our $15,000 goal. You can donate to this effort by using this link: https://www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/audio-upgrades
Donations to the Church One-time donations to the church (For the Good Health of, In Memory of, etc.) can be made on our website using this new form: https://www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/donate/donate-now
In addition to bank ACH transfers, we now accept credit cards for these donations, but kindly ask that you check the box to cover the 2.6% fee incurred by the church for this convenience. For pledge contributions, please sign up for eGive to make ACH transfers.
Donations for the Holy Nativity
If you would like to donate toward the Poinsettias and Nativity decorations, please provide us with your name, telephone, and email, and whether the donation is for the Good health of [name], Continued good health of [name], or in Memory of [name], and mail with your check to St. Mary Church, 8 Inman Street, Cambridge, MA 02139-2407. Or you can use the new form on our website: https://www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/donate/donate-now
In addition to bank ACH transfers, we now accept credit cards for these donations, but kindly ask that you check the box to cover the 2.6% fee incurred by the church for this convenience. For pledge contributions, please sign up for eGive to make ACH transfers. Donations will be printed in the December 20, 2020 Bulletin. Deadline is December 13, 2020.
Parish Christmas Card
Let the Women's Club send a lovely Christmas card on your behalf to our parishioners. Save yourself time, let us do the work, and have all proceeds benefit the Antiochian Women's Project 2020: Building a New Cathedral at Antiochian Village. You will receive this card with the names of parishioners, like yourself, who are wishing a Blessed Nativity and a Merry Christmas to all. You can use the form in the Sunday bulletin or simply write us a note, telling us how you want your name to appear on the card, and send it with a check in any amount payable to St. Mary Women’s Club. Mail them to St. Mary Church - Women’s Club, 8 Inman St., Cambridge MA 02139-2407. Deadline: Sunday, November 29.
Young Adult Ministry
The Young Adults of St. Mary’s have started a book club. They finished discussing their first book this week; their next book will be Becoming a Healing Presence. They will meet via Zoom to discuss this book on December 2nd, 9th, and 16th from 7:30-8:30. If you are interested in joining, please email Cali Touloumes at cpantazis91@gmail.com
Enquirers Class
The St. Ignatius Catechetical course – Enquirers’ Class is currently postponed due to the illness of Bob Kowalik, its leader.
Orthodoxy 102
Orthodoxy 102 is an adult education class designed for Christians who have spent many years in the Orthodox church, but have never had any formal teaching on the theology and liturgical structure of Eastern Christianity. This is the second year the class is being offered. It 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 want to join, please email drjamesis@gmail.com (or introduce yourself to Subdeacon James on any Sunday following the liturgy, if you’re there in person). The class begins at 7:00pm every Monday on Zoom.
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. 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.
REFLECTION
He that loves Me, says the Lord, will keep My Commandments; and "this is My commandment, that you love one another." He therefore who does not love his neighbor does not keep the commandment. Nor is he that does not keep the commandment able to love the Lord.
- St. Maximos the Confessor
Love reveals itself in works of mercy. Among such works are to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked, to visit and help the sick and the imprisoned, to give refuge to the homeless, and to be concerned about orphans. All this should be done with sincere and unselfish love, without any boasting or expectations of gratitude. The Savior teaches regarding this: "Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly" (Matt. 6:3-4).
- St. Innocent of Irkutsk, Indication of the Way into the Kingdom of Heaven
You see, to love of God is joined also love of neighbor: the person who loves God doesn't neglect his brother; nor esteem money ahead of a limb of his own but shows him great generosity, mindful of Him Who has said, 'Whoever did it to the least of My brothers did it to Me.' He is aware that the Lord of all considers as done to Himself the service given to his fellow servant, and so he will perform every service with great enthusiasm and give evidence of great generosity in almsgiving, considering not the lowliness of appearance but the greatness of the One Who has promised to accept as done to Himself what is given to the poor.
- St. John Chrysostom
Such are the souls of the saints: they love their enemies more than themselves, and in this age and in the age to come they put their neighbor first in all things, even though because of his ill-will he may be their enemy. They do not seek recompense from those whom they love, but because they have themselves received, they rejoice in giving to others all that they have, so that they may conform to their Benefactor and imitate His compassion to the best of their ability; "for He is bountiful to the thankless and to sinners" (cf. Luke 6:35).
- St. Peter of Damascus