Weekly Newsletter for the week Friday, June 6, 2008 through Thursday, June 12, 2008

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

FR. ANTONY AWAY - Fr. Antony will be at the Antiochian Village this weekend, and Fr. John Katsoulis will be celebrating the Divine Liturgy on Sunday in his absence.  In case of emergency June 6 - 8,  please contact Fr. Timothy Ferguson of St. George Church, West Roxbury at 617-323-0323.

SUMMER HOURS - Summer hours at St. Mary's begin June 22 this year. Orthros will begin at 8:15 a.m., Divine Liturgy at 9:30.

PILGRIMAGE TO NEW SKETE - The Monastic Communities and parishioners of New Skete Monastery (OCA) in Cambridge , New York , invite you to join them for a day of prayer and reflection celebrating their feast day on Saturday, August 9, 2008 (rain or shine).  The theme of the pilgrimage is "Healing: New Life in Christ." As is the rule of monastic life, the day will begin and end with prayer-- Matins at 8:30 am, followed by the celebration of the Divine Liturgy at 9:30 am, and Vespers and Vigil at 5:30 pm.  In addition, a special healing service will be held at approximately 4:15 pm.  Two main presentations will be held in the afternoon--"Perspectives on Healing" with Dr. Demetra Velisarios Jaquet and Fr. Steven Voytovich and "Holy Unction: Human Illness, Healing, and Wellness" given by Rev. Dr. Alkiviadis Calivas.  In addition, the day will include tours of the monastery Churches, a demonstration of the monks' dog program, as well as time for hiking, conversation, reflection and quiet.  Activities for children and teens are also planned. Traditional ethnic and American style food will be available for purchase. For more information (or to be part of the band of volunteers from the area), see the flier on the church bulletin board and/or contact Teva Regule at teva@mitlns.mit.edu.

REMINDERS

FASTING IN JUNE - Fasting on Wednesday and Friday resumed after the Feast of the Ascension on June 5, and continues until the Feast of Pentecost on June 15.  During the week after Pentecost, June 15-21, there is again no fasting.  Then the Apostles' Fast begins on June 23 and continues until the Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul on June 29.

PARISH LIFE CONFERENCE - The 2008 Diocesan Parish Life Conference will be June 26 through 29, at the Mariott Hotel in Providence , RI , hosted by St. Mary Church, Pawtucket . Keynote speaker will be Rev. Dr. Emanuel S. Chris.  To see the schedule of events and register for the conference, click on  http://worcesterdiocese.net/conferences/2008-plc.html - you can register either online or on paper.  To register for the hotel call 866-807-2171. 

The church offices will be closed, and no services will be held at St. Mary's, during the Parish Life Conference.

CONGRATULATIONS - Our Fourth Grade Sunday School class came in First for their grade in the Creative Arts Festival, with a perfect score!  The students in this class are Anthony Marge, James Jabbour, Luke Porr, Rachel Bargoot, Carolyn Mabardy, Lukas Nahass, Nathan Nebiye, and Jonathan Mekinon; their teacher is Paul Joseph.  Congratulations to them all!

NEW CHANDELIERS (updated) - New Chandeliers have been ordered for the Church, and we hope to have them installed in time for our 80th Anniversary Celebration in October. There will be one large chandelier, which has been donated, and six smaller chandeliers, three of which have been donated.  We are presently looking for donations to cover the cost of the additional three  chandeliers, which are $10,000 each.   Donations can be made through the Bengarri or you can speak with Ray Sayeg or Mary Winstanley O'Connor. 

VONHOLZHAUZEN LECTURE - If you missed Brett Grainger's popular lecture on Fundamentalism last month, you can read a transcript of it on the St. Mary website at https://www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/index.php

ST. MARY'S 80th ANNIVERSARY - We will be celebrating our 80th anniversary the weekend of October 24 - 26, 2008.  If you are interested in working on the planning committee, please call Mary Winstanley O'Connor  at work:   617-523-1010  or  at home:  781-641-2967.

LITURGICAL SERVICE - Each Sunday, members of the congregation are needed to read the Epistle and assist during Communion by holding the Communion Cloths and Holy Bread Baskets. If you would like to read the Epistle or assist during the Communion, contact Jeff Wasilko, 781-820-0882, email: jeffw@smoe.org and/or use the sign-up sheet on the Bengarri. 

FOOD DONATION NEED CONTINUES - Please continue to bring cans, jars, and boxes of food and place them in the container outside the Church Office. The need is still great at St. Paul 's Food Pantry in Harvard Square , where volunteers from St. Mary help every Saturday.  To help, contact Christian Alcala at cmalcala1989@yahoo.com or (617) 876-5684.

SOUP KITCHEN - Three or four St. Mary's volunteers are needed to help each week at the Open Doors Meal Ministry at Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in Allston, Mondays any time between 4:00 pm and 7:30. Contact Liz Tutella at 617-974-5005 or ETutella@sovereignbank.com.  

INSIGHT

When thou didst fulfill the dispensation for our sake and unite earth to heaven, thou didst ascend in glory, O Christ our God, in no way parted from those who love thee but remaining with them and crying:  I am with thee and no one will be against thee.

   - Kontakion of the Ascension, Tone 6

 [Jesus prayed] "that they may be one, as We are." In this perfect unity, not only the all-conquering power of the faithful but also the glory of God will be seen; yes, and God's very being. As the Father and the Son are one in essence, differing only in Person, so let it be among the faithful, many and varied in person, but essentially one in love, will and mind.

   - St. (Bp.) Nikolai Velimirovic, Homilies

Thus, as has been said, the holy Church of God is an image of God because it realizes the same union of the faithful with God. As different as they are by language, places, and customs, they are made one by it through faith.

   -  St. Maximus the Confessor, Selected Writings (On the Church's Mystagogy)

These, then, are the things in which you must stand firm and follow the Lord's example: be steadfast and immovable in the faith; love the brotherhood; cherish one another; be united in the truth; with the meekness of the Lord give precedence to one another; despise no one. When able to do a work of charity, do not put it off; for almsgiving delivers from death. One and all, submit to each other's rights; for life among the gentiles must be beyond reproach; thus by your good example you will win praise for yourselves and the Lord will not be blasphemed on your account.

   - St. Polycarp, Epistles to the Philippians

LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK

Saturday, June 7:  No Vespers at St. Mary's

Sunday, June 8:  Orthros  8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am

SCRIPTURE READINGS for June 8:

Epistle:  Acts of the Apostles 20:16-18,28-36   And now I [Paul] commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by so toiling one must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, "it is more blessed to give than to receive."

Gospel: John 17:1-13 At that time, Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. ... Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. ... But now I am coming to you; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves."

LOOKING AHEAD

Saturday, June 14:  No Vespers at St. Mary's

Sunday, June 15:  Feast of Pentecost - Orthros  8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am, with Kneeling Prayers. No fasting during the following week

Sunday, June 22:  Summer hours begin - Orthros  8:15 am, Divine Liturgy 9:30 am

Monday, June 23:  Apostles' Fast begins (until June 29)

Thursday-Sunday, June 26-29:  Parish Life Conference at Marriott Hotel, Providence , RI

       (St. Mary church and offices closed)

VOLUNTEER SCHEDULES

FOOD PANTRY

Two to four volunteers help each week in the food pantry at St. Paul 's RC Church in Harvard Square , Saturday mornings from 9:30-11:45.  If you are willing to help, contact Christian Alcala at cmalcala1989@yahoo.com or (617) 876-5684.

June 7:  David Vermette and Amelia Perkins

LITURGICAL SERVICE

The Epistle each Sunday is read by a member of the congregation, and six members of the congregation hold the cloth and Holy Bread baskets during Communion.  If you would like to help with these services,  please contact Jeff Wasilko at jeffw@smoe.org or 781-820-0882.

June 8:  Epistle: Melissa Nassiff; Left Cloth: Larisa and Marc Patacchiola; Right Cloth: Anthony Marge and Tiffany Conroy; Left Bread: James Wilcox; Right Bread:  Danielle Miller

COFFEE HOUR

To sign up for an available Sunday, please put your name on the signup sheet on the bulletin board outside the Hall or call Marilyn in the Office 617-547-1234 and she'll write your name in.

June 8:  Dino Takles, Bob Kowalik, David Vermette & Juliette Burch