Update for the week Thursday, July 31, through Thursday, August 7, 2014
THIS WEEK
BIBLE STUDY – Come join us tonight (Thursday, July 31), at 7:00 pm in the church library as we continue our study of Exodus. Listen to the podcasts at http://orthodoxbiblestudy.info/exodus-part-9/ and http://orthodoxbiblestudy.info/exodus-part-10/. The Bible Study at St. Mary, sponsored by the Fellowship of St. John the Divine, meets every other Thursday, and is based on a course originally broadcast on Ancient Faith Radio, entitled Search the Scriptures. For more information contact Marianna Sayeg (mailto:mksayeg@gmail.com) or Fr. Antony (mailto:frawhj@gmail.com). New members are always welcome.
DORMITION FAST – The Dormition Fast begins Friday, August 1, and continues until Thursday, August 14, when we will celebrate the Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, our Patronal Feast (see Reminders, below).
PARACLESIS – On each Wednesday of the Dormition Fast (August 6 and August 13) there will be a Paraclesis service at 6:30 pm.
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
GREETERS NEEDED - In the next few weeks a Greeter Schedule for the Fall and Winter months will be assembled. Please find the time to let Barbara in the office or Buddy Mabardy know that you would be available to give your time to greet on Sunday. It is necessary to have NEW greeters as we can’t rely on the same people all the time. It would be great to have another 10 people to volunteer one hour on a Sunday. Please consider being a Greeter and helping with this important ministry. Thanking you in advance for your positive response!! Please contact Buddy Mabardy at 781-729-6303 or e-mail: buddy@cjmabardy.com. Or call the Church office 617-547-1234.
THEOPHANY SCHOOL - The Theophany School in Needham is looking for a preschool teacher for our youngest preschool classroom on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, from 8:30am-2:30pm throughout the school year. If you have any interest please call 781-444-3058 or e-mail Emily Pappas (theophanyschool@gmail.com )
REMINDERS
ROOMS NEEDED – Two women who will be starting graduate school this fall have contacted us asking for help in finding rooms and/or roommates. Please help them if you can:
1. Lianour Barakat, a Syrian student from the Antiochian Orthodox church in Mezze, Damascus, will be a graduate student at Northeastern this fall and is looking for a room or roommates in the Boston area. Please feel free to contact Lianour at 857-389-4313 or by e-mail: lia.barakat@gmail.com .
2. A young woman from Kentucky will be starting at Harvard this fall to work on an Ed.M. degree, and needs a place to live. If you, or anyone you know, are looking for a female roommate in the Cambridge/Somerville area, please let Fr. Antony know (frawhj@gmail.com) and he will put you in touch with her.
NEW SKETE PILGRIMAGE - The Monastic Communities of New Skete Monastery in Cambridge, New York (www.newskete.org), invite you to their Annual Pilgrimage on Saturday, August 9, 2014, between 8:30am - 6:00pm. The day will include Church Services, Church Tours, a Photo Exhibit, and a Healing Service with Anointing as well as talks by the monastics on Monastic Life and Iconography and by Chapel Community members on their relationship with the monastery. This year’s guest speaker will be Sr. Vassa Larin. She is a noted liturgical scholar and is now known popularly from her YouTube videos, "Coffee with Sr. Vassa." Her talk is entitled, "Mystery and History: Two Pillars of Tradition." A event flier can be found here: http://www.newskete.org/pdfs/2014%20Pilgrimage%20Schedule%20Poster%20FINAL.pdf
ICON WORKSHOP - St. Michael’s Orthodox Church, Woonsocket, RI, is offering an intense six day course Monday through Saturday, August 11-16, where the student will create an icon. Tuition $450. Class size limited to 10 students. For complete info and registration: archangelicons@verizon.net or 412-527-5359.
DORMITION OF THE THEOTOKOS – We celebrate the Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, our Patronal Feast, on the Eve of the Feast, Thursday, August 14. The Vigil for the Dormition of the Theotokos will include Vespers at 4:15 pm, Orthros with Lamentations 5:30, and Festal Divine Liturgy at 7:00 pm, followed by a “Dormition Feast feast.” The Fellowship of St. John the Divine will be providing the meal, and needs 5 volunteers to help – please contact Socrates Deligeorges at dr.socrates@gmail.com if you can help.
Meanwhile, you can order two new Dormition CDs:
(1) An audio CD of the hymns of Great Vespers, the Lamentations, and the Orthros hymns for the Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, chanted by Dr. Sam N. Cohlmia, Protopsaltis of the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America at St. George Cathedral in Wichita, KS. This CD is available for $15.00 by contacting Dr. Cohlmia at samcohlmia@yahoo.com
(2) Full of Grace: Great Vespers for the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, chanted by the St Vladimir’s Seminary Chorale – which includes St. Mary alums Brooke Wilcox, Sophia Stratakis Huling and Danielle Miller, among others. Cost is $18; for full information and to order, see http://www.svspress.com/full-of-grace-great-vespers-for-the-feast-of-the-dormition-of-the-theotokos/
FELLOWSHIP PICNIC - Come join FSJD on Sunday, August 17 for some fellowship and fun in the sun! WHAT TO BRING: blankets or lawn chairs, some eats or drinks (for yourself or to share), balls, frisbees, bathing suits (if you want splash in the sprinklers)! TIME: after church (rain-date September 14). LOCATION: Dana Park again (10-20 McTernan St, Cambridge, 5-10 minute walk from Church). Dana Park has an enclosed playground, hoops, water spouts, and beautiful green. WHY: This is a great opportunity to relax and spend time with our church family!!!
If you would like to help us out, please email Diana Yousef (yousefd@post.harvard.edu ).
PARISH COUNCIL - The next Parish Council meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, August 27 at 7:30 p.m. at the church.
MEN'S RETREAT WITH BP. JOHN – There will be a Men’s Retreat with His Grace, Bishop John, at the St. Methodios Center in New Hampshire on September 19-21. The retreat will be a four-part call to action addressing Jesus’ final commandment. Cost: $199, includes meals. Contact Jeff St. Jean at 413-348-2878 or mensgroup@stoc.org for more info.
SONIA'S RUN/WALK – The 6th annual Sonia’s 5K Run/Walk., at St. George Orthodox Church, West Roxbury, MA, will be held on Saturday, September 20. The 5k road race is held annually to benefit the Theophany School in honor of beloved friend Sonia Belcher. The proceeds from Sonia's Run go towards Theophany School's "Building on a Dream" campaign, to fulfill Sonia's dream of a permanent home for Theophany School. For details, registration, etc see http://www.soniasrun.org/ or contact Theophany School at 781-444-3058.
HELP PROVIDE A WARM WELCOME – Two things we do every week - all through the summer too! - to welcome visitors and newcomers, and to strengthen the bonds of fellowship with all who worship at St. Mary, are: 1.) Greet everyone who enters the church, and 2.) Provide coffee hour after Liturgy. We need more help with both of these ministries. To become a greeter please contact Buddy Mabardy at 781-729-6303 or email at Buddy@cjmabardy.com ; to provide a coffee hour please sign up on the sheet downstairs on the bulletin board or contact Barbara in the office at 617-547-1234 or secretary@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org .
PRISON MINISTRY - If you would like to find out more about Prison Ministry at St. Mary’s Church, please subscribe to our mailing list at http://groups.google.com/group/ocpm-concord.
Also - please donate unwanted Orthodox books, icon cards, and magazines to our prison ministry to share with inmates. Please remove any personal mailing address for security purposes and give them to Mitrophan Chin. Note: Our inmates are specifically interested in the recent June 2014 issue of The Word magazine, as they recognize Fr Antony, Bp John and couple of parishioners in one of the photos taken at St Mary's. They recollect with fondness the hierarchical Orthodox baptismal service performed a couple of years ago, for the first time in a Massachusetts correctional facility, for one of the inmates (Michael in baptism), and still remember the chanters Abraham and Thecla.
CHURCH SCHOOL TEACHERS NEEDED – The Church School is looking for Teachers, Assistants and Substitutes for the 2014-2015 school year. In particular, we are looking for 2 Assistants for 2nd and 3rd Grade. As an assistant you would help the Teacher during Church School as required or substitute when the Teacher is absent. Teachers are provided with all the materials they will need. Anyone interested in Teaching or being an Assistant or Substitute please contact Barbara@dsaarchitects.com. Being a Church School Teacher/Assistant can be a very rewarding and exciting opportunity.
THIS WEEK'S VOLUNTEERS
Liturgical Service - To Be Determined
Coffee Hour – No coffee hour; no one volunteered
LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK
Friday, August 1: Dormition fast begins (continuing until August 14)
Saturday, August 2: Great Vespers 5:00 pm
Sunday, August 3: Summer hours - Orthros: 8:15 am, and Liturgy: 9:30 am
Scripture Readings for Sunday, July 27:
Epistle: First Corinthians 1:10-17
Brethren, I appeal to you by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren. What I mean is that each one of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas," or "I belong to Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispos and Gaius; lest any one should say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any one else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
Gospel: Matthew 14:14-22
At that time, Jesus saw a great throng; and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a lonely place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves." Jesus said, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." They said to him, "We have only five loaves here and two fish." And he said, "Bring them here to me." Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Then he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.
LOOKING AHEAD
Tuesday, August 5: Vespers/Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Transfiguration 6:30 pm
Wednesday, August 6: Paraclesis for the Dormition 6:30 pm
Saturday, August 9: No Vespers at St. Mary
Wednesday, August 13: Paraclesis for the Dormition 6:30 pm
Thursday, August 14, Vigil for the Dormition of the Theotokos (Patronal Feast): Vespers 4:15 pm, Orthros with Lamentations 5:30, Festal Divine Liturgy 7:00 pm, followed by Dormition Feast
Saturday, August 23: No Vespers at St. Mary
Sunday, August 24: Last Sunday of summer hours
Thursday, August 28: Bible Study
Sunday, August 31: Regular hours begin – Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am
Sunday, September 14: Church School Registration
REFLECTION
The feeding of the multitudes in the desert by Christ is worthy of all admiration. But it is also profitable in another way. We can plainly see that these new miracles are in harmony with those of ancient times. They are the acts of one and the same power. He rained manna in the desert upon the Israelites. He gave them bread from heaven. "Man did eat angels’ food," according to the words of praise in the Psalms. But look! He has again abundantly supplied food to those who needed food in the desert. He brought it down, as it were, from heaven. Multiplying that small amount of food many times and feeding so large a multitude, so to speak, with nothing, is like that first miracle.
- St. Cyril of Alexandria
He multiplied in his hands the five loaves, just as he produces harvest out of a few grains. There was a power in the hands of Christ; and those five loaves were, as it were, seeds, not indeed committed to the earth, but multiplied by him who made the earth.
- St. Augustine
He [multiplies loaves] not only once [Matt 15:36] but also a second time [Matt 14:17], in order that we should know his strength. This strength by which he feeds the multitudes when he wishes and without bread finds its source in his divinity. He does this in order to bring them to believe that he himself is the one who earlier had fed Israel for 40 years in the wilderness. And Jesus not only fed them with a few loaves of bread, but he even produced a surplus of seven baskets, so that he might be shown as incomparably surpassing Elijah, who himself also caused a multiplication of the widow’s small quantity of oil and flour.
- St Theodore of Heraclea