Update for the week Friday, May 10, through Thursday, May 16, 2013
THIS WEEK
BIBLE STUDY – Our Bible Study meets every other Thursday and is sponsored by the Fellowship of St. John the Divine. Join us this evening – Thursday, May 9, in the church library, for a discussion about what is and isn’t in the Canon and why (http://orthodoxbiblestudy.info/the-canon-part-3 and http://orthodoxbiblestudy.info/the-canon-part-4). For more information contact Greg Patrick (greg@dailytradealert.com) or Fr. Antony (frawhj@gmail.com).
NEW ENGLAND’S GOT TASTE AND TALENT – Attention All
Talents & Chefs!! If you have a hidden talent or can cook an award
winning appetizer, showcase your talent at this year's New England's Got Taste and Talent
event hosted by Saint George Antiochian Orthodox Church - Lowell, held
on Friday, May 17 at 6:00 pm at St. John Church in Dedham, MA! Download
the document and please review our rules and details of the event on the
website: http://www.saintgeorgelowell.org
Everyone – get your tickets for New England's Got Taste and Talent by Friday,
May 10. Tickets will NOT be sold at the door. They are $20 for Adults
and $10 for Children under 12. Please send in the ticket purchase form
along with your checks; you can find this form at the end of the New
England's Got Taste and Talent Document located on the Saint George
Lowell website.
NO VESPERS – There will be NO Vespers service this Saturday, May 11.
NEW CD – The Boston Byzantine Choir has announced the release of its 5th recording: Lenten Journey. See Charlie Marge after Liturgy this Sunday, May 12. The cost of the CD is $15, or you can purchase it together with their Holy Week and Pascha recordings, Thy Passion and Thy Resurrection, for $40.
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
CHRIST IS RISEN! – Truly, He is Risen!
Arabic: Al Maseeh Qam! Haqan Qam!
Greek: Christos Anesti! Alithos Anesti!
Slavonic: Khristos Voskrese! Vo Istinu Voskrese!
Romanian: Hristos a Înviat! Adevǎrat a Înviat!
Albanian: Krishti u Ngjall! Vërtet u Ngjall!
Tigrinian: Kristos Tensiu! Behake Tensiu!
Cantonese: Gaydolk Folkwoot Leew! Ta Koksut Folkwoot Leew!
Spanish: Christo ha Resucitado! En Verdad ha Resucitado!
Amheric: Kiristos Tenesa! Be Erget Tenestowal!
MEMORY ETERNAL – We regret to advise of the falling
asleep in the Lord of Mary K. (Teebagy) Robbat of Andover, formerly of
Somerville, who passed away unexpectedly on May 7, 2013 at the age of
81. Mary was the wife of the late Albert Robbat; the mother of Albert
Robbat and wife Karen of Andover, Corinne Hamwey of Sudbury and her late husband Robert,
Joan Buonomo and husband John of Malden, Paul Robbat and wife Linda of
North Andover, Mary Ann Robbat and husband Matthew Belge of Lincoln,
and Phyllis Russell and husband William of Centerville; the sister of
Lorrice Iavicoli and husband Tony of Quincy, Jeannette Teebagy of Arlington and the late Anthony, and James and Spiro Teebagy. She is also survived by many loving nieces, nephews, including Richard Robbat and Michael Robbat, grandchildren, including Alex and Jaclyn Hamwey, and friends.
Visiting hours are Sunday, May 12, from 4 – 7 pm, at St. Mary
Church, with Funeral Services on Monday, May 13, at 10:00 am.
Interment will follow at Fairview Cemetery, Hyde Park. In lieu of
flowers, please make contributions to St. Mary Church or to St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. May her memory be eternal.
CHURCH SCHOOL GRADUATION – Church School Closing and Graduation Festivities will be held next Sunday, May 19. Families willing to contribute food should contact Larissa Patacchiola at larisademshuk@yahoo.com
WOMEN’S CLUB – May is the end of our meetings until
next Fall. We usually go out together at the end of the year, and we
plan this year to go to dinner on Tuesday, May 21, 2013
at 7:00 pm at Sichuan Gardens Restaurant, Waverly Oaks Rd., Waltham for
the delicious Chinese Buffet. EVERYONE IS WELCOME - any woman who is
interested in going out with us, please call Priscilla Goss at
781-762-1527 or Renay DiFiore at 617-327-6361.
Think about joining us next year!! We meet only once a month (usually not in the winter - if there is snow!) We would love to have you with us!!
NO FASTING – There is no fasting on Wednesday or Friday, not only during Bright Week, but until the Feast of the Ascension (June 13), for the whole forty days. (This is the decision of the Holy Synod of the Church of Antioch.) This cessation of fasting, however, is purely voluntary; you may fast if you wish.
REMINDERS
COOKING FOR “NEW ENGLAND GOT TASTE” – The Fellowship of St. John the Divine invites you to a cooking night, to prepare St. Mary’s entry (Unstuffed Cabbage) for the New England’s Got Taste contest (see Reminders, below). Come help cook at Natasha’s home in Brookline, on Thursday, May 16, at 7:00 pm. For more information contact Natasha at nasmith05@rcn.com.
SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS – The Syrian-Lebanese Women’s Club of Greater Boston will hold its annual scholarship awards ceremony on Thursday, May 16, 2013 at 7:00 pm, at St. John of Damascus Church, 300 West St., Route 135, Dedham, MA. The Club is pleased to have as its keynote speaker our own Arthur N. Mabbett, President of Mabbett & Associates, Inc. of Bedford, MA, a distinguished professional and humanitarian. For information, please contact Mary Winstanley O’Connor at 617-523-1010.
RETURN YOUR "FOOD FOR HUNGRY PEOPLE" BOXES – Please return your filled boxes to the Bengarri as soon as possible. And please be very generous in your contribution to the Food for Hungry People program of our Archdiocese – He who feeds the hungry also feeds God.
REQUEST FROM FR. ANTONY - Please take time to go to our website and link to the White House petition at https://www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/news/events/2013/white-house-petition-orthodox-bishops concerning the kidnapped Archbishops and the war in Syria. We need 100,000 signatures by May 27. Pass the word to all your friends and all the peace-loving people you know. Pray for the Church of Antioch and for Metropolitans Boulos and Youhanna.
SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS – The Nicholas G. Beram Veterans Association announces its 47th annual Scholastic Achievement Awards, a program to encourage and support the education of students of Arabic-speaking backgrounds. High school seniors can obtain an application with instructions by visiting the web page at: www.stjohnd.org/ngberam (note corrected website address) or by contacting our Church Office. All applications must be postmarked no later than June 1, 2013.
PRISON MINISTRY: Please donate unwanted past issues of Orthodox magazines such as The Word, OCMC or other periodicals to prison ministry to hand out to inmates. Please remove any personal mailing address for security purposes and give them to Mitrophan Chin.
STREAMING VIDEO – 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 below or online). If you have questions or comments about this ministry please contact us at live@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org.
VIDEO EDITING HELP WANTED – We are looking for volunteers to assist with some basic video editing to post the sermons and lectures from St. Mary's online. If you have experience with digital video editing, please let Jamil Samara or Erick Straghalis know you are interested in helping by emailing live@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org.
PHOTOGRAPHERS AND GRAPHIC DESIGNERS WANTED – Are you a photographer or a graphic designer and want to share your talents with St. Mary Church and her ministries? We are looking to get you involved to help photograph the divine services and events and to design promotional material for events and programs at our parish. Please contact Jamil Samara at webmaster@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org with any questions and to let him know that you are interested in getting more involved.
ROOMMATE WANTED – Jerred Endsley and Tom Perkins are looking for a roommate to move in in June. Nice three bedroom apt, 2 baths, spacious kitchen, fireplace. Near BC and on the T line in Brighton. Call Jerred @ 317-938-3543 if interested or if you know someone who might be. Thank you.
PARISH LIFE CONFERENCE – The 2013 Parish Life Conference for our diocese will be held June 27 – 30, 2013,
at the Wyndam Hotel in Andover, MA, hosted by St. George Church,
Lowell. Room Rate is just $99.00 per night – this special price ends May 30. Book your hotel rooms at: http://www.wyndham.com/groupevents2013/BOSAM_STGEORGE/main.wnt.
For Registration, please go too: https://www.antiochianevents.org/event/96, or go to St. George’s site: http://www.saintgeorgelowell.org. Please feel free to e-mail the Chairperson, Soraya or Co-Chair, +Rt. Rev. Fr. Leonard at: LowellPLC2013@gmail.com.
ARCHDIOCESE CONVENTION – The 2013 national convention of the Antiochian Archdiocese will be held July 21-28 in Houston TX, hosted by St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church. For information and registration see http://www.achouston2013.com.
ST. MARY ON FACEBOOK - Did you know St. Mary is on Facebook (www.facebook.com/StMaryCambridge)? If you are already a Facebook member, Like our page to get timely updates on scheduled services, quick access to video sermons, learn about events of interest in the greater Boston area and more! If you’re not on Facebook, don’t worry; you can always access this information through our website at www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org.
THIS SUNDAY'S VOLUNTEERS
GREETER: Paul Demerjian
COFFEE HOUR: Karen Noonan & Family and Michelle Mabardy & Family
LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK
Saturday, May 11: No Vespers at St. Mary
Sunday, May 12, Thomas Sunday: Matins 8:45 am; Divine Liturgy 10:00 am; Church School lesson 22
SCRIPTURE READINGS for Sunday, May 12:
Epistle: Acts of the Apostles 5:12-20
In those days, many signs and wonders were done among the people by the
hands of the apostles… The people also gathered from the towns around
Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits,
and they were all healed. But the high priest rose up and all who were
with him, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and filled with jealousy
they arrested the apostles and put them in the common prison. But at
night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out
and said, "Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the
words of this Life."
Gospel: John 20:19-31
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being
shut where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood
among them and said to them: "Peace be with you." When He had said
this, He showed them His hands and His side… Now Thomas, one of the
twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other
disciples told him: "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them:
"Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and place my finger
in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in His side, I will not
believe." Eight days later, His disciples were again in the house, and
Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood
among them, and said: "Peace be with you." Then He said to Thomas, "Put
your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it
in my side; do not be faithless, but believing." Thomas answered Him,
"My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to Him: "Have you believed because you
have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."
LOOKING AHEAD
Saturday, May 18: NO Vespers at St. Mary
Sunday, May 19: Matins 8:45 am; Divine Liturgy 10:00 am; followed by Church School Graduation and festivities
Saturday, May 25: Great Vespers 5:00 pm
Sunday, May 26: Matins 8:45 am; Divine Liturgy 10:00 am
Monday, May 27, Memorial Day: Blessing of Graves at Fairview Cemetery 9:00 am.
REFLECTION
Divine compassion brought it about in a wonderful way that when the
doubting disciple touched the wounds in his Master's body, he cured the
wounds of our unbelief. Thomas' unbelief was of more advantage to our
faith than the faith of the believing disciples because when he was led
back to faith by touching Jesus, our minds were relieved of all doubt
and made firm in faith. And so after His resurrection Jesus allowed His
disciple to doubt. But He did not desert him in his doubt. It is much
the same as when before His birth He desired that Mary have a husband,
who had not yet married her. The disciple who doubted and touched became
a witness to the truth of the resurrection in just the same way as the
husband of His mother had been the guardian of her perfect virginity.
- St. Gregory the Great, Forty Gospel Homilies
A man who sits in stillness and who receives experience of God's
kindness has little need of persuasive argument, and his soul is not
sick with the disease of unbelief, like those who are doubtful of the
truth. For the testimony of his own understanding is sufficient to
persuade him above endless words having no experience behind them.
- St. Isaac of Syria, Ascetical Homilies
You cannot be a man of faith unless you know how to doubt. You cannot
believe in God unless you are capable of questioning the authority of
prejudice, even though that prejudice may seem to be religious. Faith is
not blind conformity to a prejudice – a "pre-judgment. " It is a
decision, a judgment that is fully and deliberately taken in the light
of a truth that cannot be proven. It is not merely the acceptance of a
decision that has been made by someone else.
- Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation
The words of my companions were for me night and deep shadow, for they
did not touch my spirit nor bring to light the lamp of the miracle which
I now behold beyond all hope, for I see Christ again though the doors
were closed. … O the marvel! the forbearance! the immeasurable meekness!
The Untouched is felt; the Master is held by a servant, And He reveals
His wounds to one of His inner circle. Seeing these wounds, the whole
creation was shaken at the time. Thomas, when he was considered worthy
of such gifts, lifted up a prayer to the One Who deemed him worthy,
saying, "Bear my rashness with patience, have pity on my unworthiness
and lighten the burden of my lack of faith, so that I may sing and cry,
"Thou art our Lord and God.'"
- St. Romanos the Melodist, On Doubting Thomas