Update for the week Thursday, December 27, 2018 - Wednesday, January 2, 2019

THIS WEEK AT ST. MARY’S

SUNDAY 12/30  - Orthros 8:45am, Divine Liturgy 10:00am
   + No church school classes this Sunday.
   + This Sunday, 12/30, is the last day to turn in 2018 pledged contributions and have them deposited this year.
   + Deadline for the Food for Hungry People food drive is Monday 12/31. Please bring in canned goods and place them in the plastic bins in the room outside the kitchen (canned goods only, please) for distribution to food pantries in our area.
   + Pledge cards have been mailed; please return them to the church office or fill out the ePledge form on our website by Monday, December 31.  A new pledge card is requested each year, even if your financial and volunteer contributions aren’t changing. 
 
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - Celebrate The Twelve Days of Christmas with the help of our own Boston Byzantine Choir!  Listen to a hymn for each day of this fast-free period of celebration on their Facebook page: facebook.com\BostonByzantineChoir\

NYE 2019 CELEBRATION CANCELLED – St. John of Damascus will not be having a New Years Eve Celebration on Monday, December 31, as previously announced.

NEWLY ELECTED PARISH COUNCIL – Congratulations to the newly elected members of the Parish Council:  Andrew Bargoot, Madeline Homsy, Melissa Nassiff, Marc Patacchiola, and Ray Sayeg
 
REMINDERS

THEOPHANY – From Christmas Day until the Eve of Theophany, there is a general dispensation from all fasting.
   + There will be a Joint Diocesan Celebration of Theophany (also known as Epiphany) at St. George Cathedral, Worcester, on Saturday, January 5.  Orthros 9:00am, Hierarchical Divine Liturgy 10:00am with the Blessing of the Waters. A reception will follow. 
   + There will also be Festal Vespers for Theophany at St. Mary’s at 5:00pm, with 13 Old Testament readings
   + On Sunday, January 6 we will have a second Blessing of the Waters following Liturgy

BLESSING OF HOMES – Fr. Antony will be blessing homes after Epiphany (aka Theophany, January 6) and between Pascha and Pentecost.  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.

CHANT CLASS, VESPERS, AND YOUNG ADULTS – On Saturday, January 12 we will have Chant Class at 4:00pm and Great Vespers at 5:00pm, followed by Young Adult Fellowship Night with guest speaker Fr. Maximos Constas, a pizza dinner, and Paint Night. (More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/2115781295402610/ )

PARISH COUNCIL - The next meeting of the Parish Council has been scheduled forWednesday, January 16 at 7:30

WINTER FAMILY CAMP – Register now for Winter Family Camp at Antiochian Village to be held on Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend, January 18 – 21. Family Camp is an opportunity for your family to get away from everyday life and take a weekend as a family to grow closer to Christ.. Registration is now open at https://avcamp.org/other-programs/winter-family-camp/   Cost: $150/parent, $50/child, includes meals and lodging.

ANNUAL PARISH MEETING - The Annual Meeting of St. Mary’s parish will be held Sunday, January 27, immediately after Liturgy (snow date: Sunday, February 3). At this meeting the members of the parish will approve the Year 2019 budget. The proposed budget will be available on the previous Sunday, January 20. It is important that all members of St. Mary’s Church attend this meeting.

SUMMER CAMP – Registration for Summer Camp at the Antiochian Village is open NOW. See https://avcamp.org/summer-camp.  Be sure to register early, as sessions fill up quickly.  St. Mary’s children attend 3rd Session, July 14-26.

OFFERING ENVELOPES – If you use offering envelopes, the 2019 envelopes are now available for pick-up in the Hall. If you would like to learn about fulfilling your pledge through eGive, please e-mail stewardship@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org

SCHOLARSHIPS - Students graduating in 2019 from high school who are children of membersof St. Mary’s may apply for the Diocese of Worcester and New England Scholarship.  Deadline is March 31, 2019. Contact Mary Winstanley O’Connor at 617-523-1010 or email at moconnor@koilaw.com for more information, including what it means to be a member.
   + Scholarships ($1,000) are available from the Syrian-Lebanese Women’s club of Greater Boston 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, 2019.  If you have any questions, contact Mary Winstanley O’Connor at 617-523-1010 or email at moconnor@koilaw.com .

ST. MARY’S ANNIVERSARY – Save the date: On May 18, 2019 we will celebrate our 90thAnniversary at the Crown Plaza in Woburn.  Plan to join us for dinner, dancing and other festivities.  More details to follow.

2019 COFFEE HOURS - The 2019 Sign-Up Sheet for has been posted! Please sign up to provide a coffee hour – it can be as simple as coffee, juice, and cookies.   Plenty of help is available! Signup sheets are on the bulletin board outside the Hall, or contact Linda Arnold (mmarmee52@aol.com) or the Church Office (617-547-1234 or Secretary@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org ).  Remember, no volunteer = no coffee hour!

BE A GREETER - We could use your help in being a Greeter. This is a great opportunity to meet all the parishioners of St. Mary’s.  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. Sign up for one Sunday or several Sundays. If you are interested, contact Buddy Mabardy at buddy@cjmabardy.com or 781-729-6303, or the church office at secretary@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org or 617-547-1234.

JOIN US ONLINE - 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 or online). If you have questions or comments about this ministry please contact us at live@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org