Update for the week of October 6 - 12, 2017
THIS WEEK AT ST. MARY
SATURDAY, 10/7 – Chant class 3:30pm
+ Great Vespers 5:00pm
+ Young Adult Fellowship Night after Vespers. Join the Young Adults for a delicious potluck dinner and a discussion on vocation: “What is my Calling” with Nicholas Mamey. To learn more or to get involved, send an email to youngadults@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org or call/text Jamil (617-501-4427)
SUNDAY 10/8 – Enquirers’ Class 9:00 am, Orthros 8:45, Divine Liturgy 10:00; NO Church School
+ Trisagion prayers of mercy will be offered for Bishop ANTOUN and Mitchell Bezreh
MONDAY, 10/9 – Bible Study meets in the Fellowship Hall downstairs every other Monday at 7:00pm. At this Monday’s meeting we will discuss the podcasts found at http://orthodoxbiblestudy.info/bible-manuscripts-part-1/ and http://orthodoxbiblestudy.info/bible-manuscripts-part-2/ Everyone is welcome to attend. Contact Steve Walker at smwalk@gmail.com or Ioana Popa at drioanapopa@gmail.com for more information. Note: The church parking lot is rented until 8:00pm. We are allowed to park in open parking spaces only; we cannot stack park or block anyone.
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
MEMORY ETERNAL - We regret to inform you of the falling asleep in the Lord of Bishop ANTOUN, Bishop of Miami and the Southeast. As the senior, and for many years our only, auxiliary bishop, he traveled the width and breadth of our God-protected Archdiocese. He was sincerely loved by all, young and old, and he will be greatly missed.
WOMEN’S CLUB – DATE CHANGE – The next meeting of the St. Mary Women’s Club will be on Sunday, October 15 following Liturgy, instead of Monday, October 16 as previously scheduled.
MYRRH-STREAMING ICON – St. George Cathedral Worcester will host the Wonderworking and Myrrh-streaming Iveron Icon of the Virgin Mary on Wednesday, October 18. The Cathedral opens at 7:00am and remains open throughout the day. Paraklesis Service will be held at 7:00pm followed by the anointing of the faithful with the myrrh. For more information call 508-752-9150.
BENEFIT HAFLI – St. George Cathedral, Worcester will hold a Hafli to benefit the Church of the Prophet Elijah Al-Samiriyah in Lebanon, on Saturday, October 21. Doors open at 8:30pm, Mazza & Dinner at 9:30pm. Tickets: $40-$60. More information: hafli2009@gmail.com
FALL LITURGY RETREAT – We will have a Fall Liturgy Retreat for Church School Students and Families at St. Mary’s on Friday, November 10 (This is the observed day for Veteran's Day, when most students have the day off of school and some adults from work.) The theme of the retreat will be Liturgy as Healing: The Power of Reconciliation in Christ. Watch for more details.
REMINDERS
OCTOBER IS YOUTH MONTH – During the Month of October, at St. Mary and throughout the archdiocese, our teens will be taking an active role in the Liturgy.
TEEN SOYO ANNUAL RETREAT – Since in past years the annual Teen SOYO Retreat held during Lent has had to deal with too much snow, this year it is moving to the Fall. Now it will coincide with the Diocesan Family Camp at the St. Methodios Faith & Heritage Center in Contoocook, NH, Friday to Sunday, October 13-15. The campers will be staying at the Center and the teens (grades 7-12) will be staying in the cabins and have their own program and events. Everyone will come together for the services and most of the meals. The cost is $85 per teen. NOTE: Registration forms must be returned by October 1. For information or scholarship information, contact Fr. Joseph Kimmett, Diocese Spirituaul Advisor, at geonorwood@aol.com, 781-762-4396 or John Abud, Diocese Youth Director, at abudjohn@gmail.com, 810-252-5769.
DIOCESE FAMILY CAMP – Our first Diocese Family Camp will be held the weekend of Friday-Sunday, October 13-15, 2017 at the St. Methodios Faith & Heritage Center in Contoocook, NH. Our Family Camp is modeled after the program at Antiochian Village. We will have daily services, Christian Education for children, a Keynote Speaker (TBD) for the parents, and sports and games for the whole family to participate. Experienced AV Staff Members are being recruited to serve as counselors for the weekend. More registration details and tentative schedule are online at http://antiochian.org/FamilyCampNE . There is also a facebook event under the Diocese Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/events/1425084937546643
ANTIOCHIAN WOMEN DIOCESAN MEETING – The Fall Diocesan Delegates Meetings of Antiochian Women – General Assembly Meeting will be held on Saturday, October 14 at St. John of Damascus Church, Dedham, starting at 10:00am.
ENQUIRERS’ CLASS – The St. Ignatius Catechetical Group (Enquirers’ Class) meets every Sunday at 9:00am in the Fellowship Hall. The group is for non-Orthodox adults who are interested in exploring the Christian Faith as it has been – and continues to be – understood, preached, and lived by members of the Holy Orthodox Church. Enrollment will remain open until Sunday, October 15. If you would like to participate, please contact Bob Kowalik - 617-889-3436 or r.kowalik@comcast.net. Note: For those seeking to be received into the Orthodox Church, participation in the group and Fr. Antony’s blessing are required.
PARISH COUNCIL ELECTIONS – If you are interested in serving on the Parish Council please speak to Mary Winstanley O’Connor or Fr. Antony by Sunday October 22. To be eligible to serve you must be a member of St. Mary’s for two years and in good financial standing.
BAZAAR & FOOD FAIR – St. George West Roxbury is having their annual Bazaar and Food Fair on Friday October 20 through Sunday, October 22 - Friday and Saturday from 10am to 9pm, Sunday from 12pm to 3:pm. Admission is free. Middle Eastern cuisine and pastries, baked foods, country store, kids corner, photo booth
OLDIES DINNER DANCE – You are invited to an “Oldies Dinner Dance”, to benefit the St. George Norwood Building Fund. Event will be held at the Norwood Sportsman’s Club on Saturday, October 21, 6:30-11:00pm. Dinner, DJ, Cash Bar and Trivia. Tickets sold in advance, $25. Contact 508-488-0347 for tickets.
COME SEE THE MESSIAH! – Join friends from St. Mary’s for the Handel and Haydn Society’s annual performance of Handel’s Messiah, on Sunday afternoon, December 3, at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are just $25 – even less if we have a big enough group. We will carpool to (or meet at) Symphony Hall after Liturgy and have lunch together at a nearby restaurant before the concert. Those who have done this before have thoroughly enjoyed it - not only do we hear a world-class orchestra and chorus with famous soloists singing glorious words taken directly from the Bible, but we also have an opportunity to spend time getting to know some fellow parishioners we normally may not encounter. Good seats go fast - please contact Melissa Nassiff at mnassiff@gmail.com by Sunday, October 22 (in time to order group tickets).
PARISH COUNCIL – The next meeting of the Parish Council will be Wednesday, October 25 at the church.
SFEEHA SALE (NEW DATES) - The Women’s Club is offering for purchase freshly made Sfeeha (ground lamb-meat pizza pies with onion, pine nuts & seasonings). Everything is cooked with the finest of ingredients and ready to eat now or freeze for the holidays! This product contains pine nuts; no special orders will be accepted. Please use the REVISED order form in the Sunday bulletin, or contact the church office for a copy. New order deadline is Sunday, October 29. Pick-Up Date is Sunday, November 5. Note: no kibbeh will be available this year.
HELP MAKE SFEEHA – Please come to the church on Saturday morning, November 4 (not October 28 as originally announced), starting at 9:30 am, to help make meat pies with the Women's Club. Lots of help will be needed – young and old, women and men are all welcome – and it's always lots of fun.
BAZAAR - St. John of Damascus will be holding their Annual Bazaar, Friday through Sunday, November 3-5: Fri. 12pm-9pm, Sat. 10am-9pm and Sunday 12pm- 2pm, 300 West St. , Dedham. Middle Eastern Cuisine, Country Store, Christmas Corner and More.
BENEFIT FORTHEOPHANY SCHOOL – The 17th annual Benefit for Theophany School will be held Saturday, November 11, at 5:00pm at St. John of Damascus Church, Dedham. The evening includes cocktails, dinner and entertainment. The benefit defrays the cost of tuition by approximately $1000 per student, helping to provide families with excellent, affordable Orthodox education. To become a sponsor or to reserve tickets please contact the Director, Marybeth at 781-444-3058 or office@theophanyschool.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
This [raising of the widow’s son] is one of three resurrections performed by our Lord as recorded in the Gospels (see also Luke 8:41-56; John 11:1-44). They confirm the promise given to the prophet Ezekiel that God will one day open the graves and raise all the dead (Ezk 37:1-14). Many people have exercised authority over the living; only the Son of God “has power over both the living and the dead.” While Christ has power through His word alone, (Jn 11:43), here He also touched the coffin to show that His very body is life-giving. This event prefigures Christ’s own Resurrection. As Mary would weep for Jesus at the Cross, yet her tears would be turned to joy by the Resurrection, here a widow’s only son is raised from the dead, putting an end to her weeping.
- The Orthodox Study Bible, footnote to Luke 7:11-17