Update for the week Thursday, January 29 through Friday, February 6, 2015
THIS WEEK
SATURDAY, 1/31 – The Antiochian Women will hold a Diocesan Meeting on Saturday, January 31 at 10:30am at the Chancery with Bishop JOHN, 2 Lydia’s Path, Westborough, MA. Luncheon will follow the meeting.
+ Great Vespers 5:00 pm
SUNDAY, 2/1 – Enquirers Class (St. Ignatius Catechetical Group) 9:00 am; Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am, Church School lesson 14.
+ The Annual Meeting of St. Mary's Parish will be held this Sunday immediately after Liturgy (postponed from last Sunday because of snow). It is important that all members of St. Mary’s Church attend this meeting to approve the 2015 budget.
THURSDAY, 2/5 – The Bible Study group will meet at 7:00 pm in the church library, as we continue looking at the book of Joshua and consider the question, “Why all the killing in this book?”
The Bible Study at St. Mary meets every other Thursday, and is based on a very interesting 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:mksayeg@gmail.com ). New members are always welcome.
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
CHURCH SCHOOL TEACHERS MEETING – The brief meeting for Church School teachers and assistants has been rescheduled – it will be next Sunday, February 8, following Liturgy.
SCOUT SUNDAY – Calling all scouts! If your son or daughter is involved in Scouting (boy scout, cub scout, girl scout) and would like to participate in Scout Sunday on February 8, please e-mail Charlie Marge: marge@alum.mit.edu.
LENT BEGINS IN FEBRUARY – Mark your calendars: This year Meatfare Sunday is February 15, Cheesefare Sunday and Forgiveness Vespers are February 22, and Lent begins on Monday, February 23.The first week of Lent includes the Great Canon of St. Andrew on Tuesday and Thursday at 7:00 pm, Presanctified Liturgy on Wednesday at 6:30 pm (and subsequent Wednesday during Lent) with Potluck Supper afterward, and Akathist (Madayeh) service on Friday at 7:00 pm (and every Friday during Lent).
Lazarus Saturday will be April 4, Palm Sunday on April 5, and Pascha will be celebrated April 11-12.
LENTEN POTLUCKS - Every Wednesday during Lent, beginning February 25, there will be a Presanctified Liturgy at 6:30 pm, followed by a Potluck Supper.
We need a lead for each potluck on February 25, March 4, 11, 18, and April 1. Being a lead simply means a) providing a main dish, b) coordinating what others bring if they ask, c) coordinating setup and cleanup, d) checking the Sunday before to ensure ample utensils/plates/cups. Similar to coffee hour, if there is no potluck lead, then there is no potluck.
Everyone else, please bring a dish to share. Any Lenten fare is welcome: main courses, sides, salads, desserts, as well as beverages and snacks. This is a wonderful opportunity for fellowship during Lent, plus we get to sample each other's Lenten recipes. Contact Julie Wasilko (julie31415pi@gmail.com) to sign up to be a lead for a potluck.
DIOCESAN DELEGATES MEETING – There will be a General Assembly Meeting of Teen SOYO, Fellowship of St. John the Divine and Antiochian Women on Saturday, February 28 at St. John of Damascus Church, Dedham. Watch for further details.
REMINDERS
HOUSE BLESSING - Fr. Antony will be blessing homes after Theophany, and between Pascha (April 12) and Pentecost (May 31). We bless homes to reveal the home as what God created it to be, a way to heaven; to rid the home of every evil; to show that the family is a small church unit in Christ; to consecrate the home and all activity in it to God; and to fill the home and all who live in it with the fullness of God. To schedule the blessing of your home, please use the form in the weekly Bulletin or call the church office at 617-547-1234.
UNDERSTANDING THE OTHER ... IN CRISIS AND CONFLICT - Hellenic College will sponsor a Faith & Learning Symposium on Saturday, February 7 from 9:30 am-3:30 pm. The Symposium is entitled Understanding the Other: Perspectives on Religious Freedom, Extremism and Suffering in Crisis and Conflict. This event is free to all college and graduate students. For more info and to sign up: https://www.facebook.com/events/879521905394214
CHINESE NEW YEAR BREAKFAST - Please join us on Sunday, February 8, for the 2015 Chinese New Year Missions Potluck Breakfast to benefit the Chinese Translation Project via the Orthodox Fellowship of All Saints of China (OFASC). Suggested minimum donation is $5 (checks can be made payable to “St. Mary Orthodox Church,” please put “Hospitality/CNY” on the memo line.)
RSVP to Mitrophan Chin at mitrophan@orthodox.cn by Wednesday, February 4. Also let us know if you can donate a dessert or main dish, or provide a helping hand with setup, food prep or cleanup. We look forward to your support of this worthwhile project!
WOMEN'S CLUB - The next meeting of the Women’s Club will be Monday, February 9 at 7:00pm in the Church. We welcome all women of the parish to join us!
DIOCESAN RETREAT AND FAMILY DAY - A Diocesan Pre-Lenten Retreat and Family Day will be held at Saint John of Damascus in Dedham, on Saturday, February 14, 11:30am-5:00pm. This event is sponsored by the Antiochian Women and the Missions Council. The featured speaker will be Fr. Ted Pulcini. Cost is $20, under 18 free. For questions or to register, contact ErinMaryK@aol.com. Please RSVP by February 7.
MEATFARE SUNDAY BREAKFAST - Our annual Meatfare Sunday Breakfast will be Sunday, February 15. The suggested donation – $8 per person, $15 per family – will help support the many activities of the Hospitality Group at St. Mary's.
We need the following volunteers for this event:
Feb 14th (Sat.) food preparation from 12:00- 2:00 pm: need 3 volunteers for food prep
Feb 15th (Sun.) during Liturgy: need 4-5 volunteers for remaining food prep & serving
Feb 15th (Sun.) after the breakfast: need 4 different volunteers for cleanup
Contact Chef Socrates (dr.socrates@gmail.com) to sign up to help.
PARISH COUNCIL – The next meeting of the Parish Council will be Wednesday, February 18, at 7:30 pm in the church.
+ Newly elected members of the Parish Council are Renay DiFiore, Jennifer Nahass, Mary Winstanley O’Connor, Diane Mabardi and Raymond Sayeg.
The newly elected officers for 2015 are Deno Takles, President; Ray Sayeg, Vice President; Nick Bezreh, Treasurer; and Mary Winstanley O’Connor, Recording/Corresponding Secretary. Congratulations to them all!
YES FAMILY DAY – There will be a YES (Youth Equipped to Serve) Family Day at St. Mary’s on Saturday, February 28, from 9:00 to 4:00. This event is organized and led by YES Program Director Katrina Bitar of FOCUS, for parents and their Children (ages 8 and up). We’ll begin with breakfast and orientation; followed by a service project and lunch in Cambridge; and concluding with Vespers at St. Mary's. Registration Contribution: $5 per person, max of $20 per family. For more information and to register, contact Panayiotis Sakellariou at psakellariou@yahoo.com or 617-606-0750
PARISH COUNCIL WORKSHOP - The Diocese of Worcester and New England is holding a Parish Council Workshop at St. John of Damascus Church in Dedham, on Saturday, February 28, from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. Our own Richard Robbat will be the Facilitator.
SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE - Scholarships ($1,000) are available to young women of Syrian and Lebanese origin, residing in Massachusetts within 50-mile radius of Boston, who plan to pursue a four-year college education. Scholarships are based on outstanding academic achievement, extra-curricular activities, charitable and civic involvement and good character; and applicants must be in good academic standing in her school and possess those personal attributes, which best serve the community. Applications are available through the Church Office and must be postmarked by March 31, 2015. If you have any questions, contact Mary Winstanley O’Connor at 617-523-1010 or email at moconnor@koilaw.com .
ANTIOCHIAN VILLAGE SUMMER CAMP - Summer Camp registration is now open. Last year most sessions were full by the end of February, so make sure you register right away! There are currently over 300 campers registered. Please visit the Registration Page for instructions on how to register. Please note that you are not registered until they receive a deposit and you receive a confirmation email. For more information go to http://www.antiochianvillage.org/camp.html
ARCHDIOCESE CONVENTION – The 52nd Antiochian Archdiocese Convention, hosted by St. Mary Church, will be held Sunday, July 19, 2015-Sunday, July 26, 2015 at the Sheraton Boston Hotel, Boston, MA. The convention room rate is $199.00 per night, plus tax. To book rooms at the hotel, register for the convention, purchase convention event tickets and tickets for Boston excursions and obtain forms to place a message in the Souvenir Journal, go to www.acboston2015.com. Rooms are booking quickly for this historic convention. Please call the church at (617) 547-1234 with any questions.
THANK YOU, GREETERS – Thanks to all the greeters who have helped over the past few years to provide a warm welcome on Sunday morning to St. Mary's parishioners and visitors - in particular, Marc Patacchiola, Deno Takles, Barbara Shoop, Alyssa Shoop, Buddy Mabardy, Andrew Bargoot, Jeanne Brickman, Jan Randolph, George Mayah, Ray Sayeg, Paul Demerjian, Richard Robbat, Paul Nahass, Mike Decerbo, Bob Kowalik and Azeb Mitiku.
Please consider joining this list – contact Buddy Mabardy at buddy@cjmabardy.com or 781-729-6303. or call the Church office 617-547-1234.
THIS WEEK'S VOLUNTEERS
Greeter: Azeb Mitiku
Liturgical Service:
Procession: Tycho Traumann-Davis, Gabi Mazzoni, Senai & Birkiti Kahsai, Michaela Mazzoni, Alex Cueller-Goss, Panayiotis Sakellariou
Epistle: Jamil Samara
Communion: Bob Kowalik and others TBD
Coffee Hour: No coffee hour; stay for the Annual Meeting instead
SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR THIS SUNDAY, February 1, First Sunday of the Lenten Triodion
Epistle:
... Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? ... For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not according to a legal requirement concerning bodily descent but by the power of an indestructible life. For it is witnessed of him, “Thou art a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”
- Hebrews 7:7-17
Gospel:
The Lord said this parable, "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men...' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other...”
- Luke 18:10-14
REFLECTION
Even without any other passion, self-esteem can ruin a man; and in the same way, if we have formed the habit of judging, we can be utterly ruined by this alone; for indeed, the Pharisee was condemned for this very thing.
- St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent
As for the Publican [tax collector], he humbles himself and his humility justifies him before God. … But what is humility? The answer to this question may seem a paradoxical one for it is rooted in a strange affirmation: God himself is humble! … It is almost impossible to put across to the modern man, fed on publicity, self-affirmation, and endless self-praise, that all that which is genuinely perfect, beautiful, and good is at the same time naturally humble; for precisely because of its perfection, it does not need "publicity," external glory, or "showing off" of any kind.
- Alexander Schmemann, Great Lent
All the holy Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, Monastic Saints, and Righteous ones, old and new, would not have attained salvation without humility. All their deeds, their virtues, their labors, their sweat, their struggles, their prayers, their fasts, their almsgiving would not have benefited them, as they did not benefit that proud and boastful Pharisee.
- Blessed Elder Archimandite Philotheos Zervako
O Lord, Thou didst reproach the Pharisee when he justified himself, boasting of his deeds; and justified the Publican when he approached humbly, seeking forgiveness with sighs; for Thou dost not draw near to arrogant thoughts, nor turn away contrite hearts. Wherefore, we also kneel before Thee meekly, O Thou Who didst suffer for our sakes. Grant us forgiveness and thy Great Mercy.
- Doxasticon from Orthros, Tone 8