Update for the week of July 13-20, 2017

THIS WEEK AT ST. MARY'S

SUNDAY 7/16 - Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am.

   + Some of your music-loving friends from St. Mary’s may carpool out to Tanglewood immediately after Liturgy this Sunday, depending on the weather. If possible, we’ll picnic on the lawn and listen to music by John Williams, Tchaikovsky and Berlioz, featuring violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andris Nelsons. For more details see https://www.bso.org/Performance/Detail/85537 . The concert starts at 2:30; lawn tickets are $23.00 - pay at the door; children are free. Bring lawn chairs if you want them, and picnic food for yourself and to share. For the latest information on who is going or not, contact Steve Walker at smwalk@gmail.com or talk to him at church.

   + If you don’t go to the concert but would like to hear it, you can listen to it on WCRB – see  http://www.bso.org/brands/bso/media/concert-broadcast-streams.aspx

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

OCF LEADERSHIP PROGRAM – The Orthodox Christian Fellowship is sponsoring a Summer Leadership Program designed for Orthodox college students, August 16-19 at  St. Iakovos Retreat Center, Kansasville, WI. Cost: $300.  To register go to www.ocf.net

GREETER MINISTRY- The Greeter Ministry is always looking for new people to greet on Sunday Mornings.  As a Greeter, you will welcome people into the Church and help to direct visitors upstairs to the Liturgy, as well as keeping an eye on the Vestibule, Hallways and Entrance ways during Church.  Arrive at Church 15 minutes before Liturgy (9:45am).  Greeting time ends when Communion starts. As a greeter you get to meet all the parishioners of St. Mary’s, whether old or new to the church. We hope you will consider joining this ministry! If you are interested, contact Buddy Mabardy at buddy@cjmabardy.com or 781-729-6303, or contact the church office at secretary@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org or 617-547- 1234.

WOMEN’S CLUB – The first Women’s Club meeting of the church year will be Monday, September 11 at 7:30. At this meeting we will formulate our yearly calendar, so come with any ideas you may have.  We meet only once a month, and welcome all women of the parish to join us.  The Women’s Club does charitable work both locally, nationally and internationally, and supports the Church School.   Call Priscilla (781-762-1527) or the church office (617-547-1234) if you have any questions or are interested in joining us.

REMINDERS

ARCHDIOCESE CONVENTION – The 53rd Biennial Archdiocese Convention, honoring His Grace Bishop ANTOUN, will be held Sunday, July 23 through Sunday, July 30, hosted by St. George Cathedral, Coral Gables, FL.  Visit www.AC2017Miami.org  for more details.

   + Our Bible Bowl winning teens - Gabrielle Mazzoni, Amanuel Kassa and Ben Crea – will be competing at the Convention in the National Archdiocesan Bible Bowl.  Good luck to them and to their coach, Violet Robbat!

DORMITION FAST and FEAST – The fast preceding the Feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Theotokos, our patronal feast day, begins on Tuesday, August 1 and continues through Monday, August 14, the eve of the Feast.

   + On Wednesdays, August 2 and August 9, there will be a Paraclesis for the Dormition at 6:30 pm

   + On Monday, August 14, we will observe the Vigil for the Dormition of the Theotokos with Vespers at 4:15 pm, Orthros with Lamentations at 5:30 pm, and Festal Divine Liturgy at 7:00 pm.

   + Immediately after the Liturgy please join us in the church hall for a Dormition Feast, sponsored by the Hospitality Group. Cost: $8 person/$16 family. Checks payable to St. Mary's with "Hospitality Group" on the memo line. 

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR DORMITION FEAST – For the feast on Monday, August 14, the Hospitality Group needs 5 volunteers - if you can help, please contact Diana Yousef at dymartinek@gmail.com . We look forward to seeing you there!

PARISH COUNCIL  - The next meeting of the Parish Council is scheduled for Wednesday, August 16, at 7:30.

SOCIAL JUSTICE MINISTRY – Save the date for a training session on building social justice ministry teams in the church on September 16, 2017 at St. Mary Orthodox Church in Cambridge, MA. More information will be forthcoming at www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org

CHURCH SCHOOL TEACHER NEEDED - For Fall 2017 we are in need of a Teacher and an Assistant for the 4th-5th grade class. And we are always in need of substitutes.   Please consider being a teacher and helping with this very important ministry.  Contact Barbara Shoop in the Church office if you are interested.

YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY - The Young Adult Ministry is an active, dynamic group that hosts monthly social, spiritual, and outreach events and programs. We have lots of great plans for 2017, and we hope you'll join us! If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Jamil at 617-501-4427 or youngadults@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org.

COFFEE HOUR MADE EASY! - To make sponsoring a Coffee Hour a little bit easier, St. Mary’s offers a delivery service through “Instacart”, for the basic foods necessary to host a Coffee hour.  Simply select a date, mail a check to the office and we will order the food and have it delivered to the church on that Sunday between 9:00 and 10:00 am.  You will need to be at the church to accept the order and you will be required to set up for the coffee hour and clean up both the kitchen and hall at the end of the coffee hour.  Two menus will be offered.  Menu one will include: bagels, mini muffins, fruit, hummus/Syrian bread, juice and coffee for $160.  Menu two will include: bagels, juice and coffee for $70. Prices DO NOT include a 20% tip for delivery and are subject to change based on current market pricing of items.  Cream cheese, peanut butter, jam and coffee creamer are included with each menu.  As usual, St. Mary’s will provide the plates, cups, napkins, utensils, serving platters, and sweetener for coffee.  If you are interested in taking advantage of this service and signing up for a coffee hour please contact the office at 617-547-1234 or e-mail secretary@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org.

REFLECTION

Love sinners, but hate their deeds, and do not disdain sinners for their failings, so that you yourself do not fall into the temptation in which they abide... Do not be angry at anyone and do not hate anyone, neither for their faith, nor for their shameful deeds... Do not foster hatred for the sinner, for we are all guilty... Hate his sins, and pray for him, so that you may be made like unto Christ, who had no dislike for sinners, but prayed for them.

   - St. Isaac the Syrian