Weekly Newsletter for the week Friday, April 20, 2007 through Thursday, April 26, 2007
Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
FRIDAY EVENING COFFEEHOUSE - Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in Allston is sponsoring an Evening Coffeehouse on Friday, April 20 at 9:00 p.m. Come to 62 Harvard St. in Allston for an evening of live music, munchies, and magnificent company. Click here to see the flyer: https://www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/newsevents/2007-04-coffeehouse.pdf
MORE PHOTOS - Jeff Wasilko has posted photos from the Paschal Feast on his website: http://www.smoe.org/jeffw /gallery-new/holyweek_pascha _2007_paschal_feast
Photos of this year's Holy Week celebrations can be viewed on the St. Mary website: https://www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/ Special thanks to Jeff Wasilko, Erick Straghalis, and webmaster Jamil Samara.
CONCERT - The Boston Byzantine Choir will give a benefit concert for St. Athanasios Greek Orthodox Church in Arlington on Saturday, May 5, at 7:00 p.m. The program of Paschal hymns will be preceded by Paschal Vespers at 6:00 p.m. (no Vespers at St. Mary's that evening). Suggested donation $10. St. Athanasios is located at the corner of Mass Ave and Appleton Streets in Arlington . For more information see Charlie Marge: charlie.marge@verizon.net .
MISSIONARY COFFEE HOUR - On Sunday, May 6 the Fellowship of St. John the Divine will sponsor a coffee hour to help raise funds for a much-needed new orphanage building for the Hogar Rafael Ayau in Guatemala. Many of you know Orthodox families who have adopted children from this orphanage, and therefore know firsthand of the amazing work that happens there. Michelle & Mitrophan Chin will present a video of their summer 2002 missionary trip to the Hogar during the coffee hour. You can learn a little more about the orphanage at http://www.hogarafaelayau.org/
The cost is your free-will donation (for a tax-deductible receipt, make check payable to OCMC with memo "Hogar Rafael Ayau - MFC") If you are able to contribute food items or your time (cooking, set-up, clean-up), please contact FSJD Chair Abra Greene at abrayanti@gmail.com or call 617-718-9616.
VON HOLZHAUSEN LECTURE & DINNER - Please join us for the 2007 Father John Von Holzhausen Memorial Lecture & Dinner on Saturday, May 19, after Vespers (5:00 pm).
Jeff Kaiser, former St. Mary's parishioner and currently a PhD candidate at McGill University , will speak on "With Eyes Unveiled: Seeing the Glory of God in the New Testament." This event is sponsored by the Fellowship of St. John the Divine at St.Mary's, and is open to anyone who wishes to come.
FOOTLAMPS - The next talk in the Footlamps Monthly Lecture Series will be held Saturday, May 19, at St. Michael Church, Cotuit , MA . Speaker will be Dr. John Chirban. Open to everyone. Vespers service begins at 5:00 pm followed by lecture and light refreshments. Suggested Donation $5. For more information and to RSVP please Contact Ghada Khouri at 781-275-7244 or nerfellowship@yahoo.com
REMINDERS
HIERARCHICAL VISIT - St. George Church, West Roxbury will be celebrating its Patronal Feast Day with Metropolitan PHILIP on Saturday and Sunday, April 21 - 22. Services will include Great Vespers on Saturday at 6:00 p.m., and Hierarchical Divine Liturgy 10:00 a.m. Sunday, as well as dinners and a concert. Consequently there will be no Vespers at St. Mary on that Saturday.
NO FASTING - There is no fasting on Wednesday or Friday, not only during Bright Week, but for the whole forty days until the Feast of the Ascension on May 17. (This is the decision of the Holy Synod of the Church of Antioch .) This cessation of fasting, however, is purely voluntary; you may fast if you wish.
PARISH LIFE CONFERENCE - The 2007 Diocesan Parish Life Conference will be June 28 through July 1, at the Radisson in Plymouth , MA Theme: Missions and Outreach (All proceeds will go toward establishing a Mission Endowment Fund for our Diocese.) Plans are underway for a joint venture with our entire Diocese hosting the conference, led by co-chairpersons Paul Nahass (pnahass@comcast.net) and Michael Marge (michael_marge@yahoo.com) Next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 24, location to be announced. Please come and help us in this joint effort.
To see the schedule of events and register for the conference, click on www.WorcesterDiocese.net
DIOCESAN MEETINGS - Next Meeting of the Diocese of Worcester & New England will be held on Saturday, April 28, at St. Mary Church, Pawtucket , RI . A short church service will be held at 10 a.m. with meetings following at 10:30 a.m. for Antiochian Women, Fellowship of St. John the Divine and Teen SOYO.
THEOPHANY SCHOOL ANNIVERSARY - In celebration of its 10th anniversary, Theophany Orthodox Christian School is holding a Gala Evening and Auction, hosted by Maria Stephanos, on Sunday, April 29, at 4:00 p.m. at the Greek Orthodox Annunciation Cathedral Center , 162 Goddard Avenue , Brookline , Massachusetts . Tickets are $40 per person (includes appetizers, dinner, dessert, wine & non-alcoholic beverages) and $15 per child (with children's menu).
There is also a raffle for a 2007 Mercedes-Benz C230 Sport Sedan; only 500 tickets will be sold. To donate items or services for the auction, or to sponsor an ad, see http://www.theophanyschool.org/docs/2007%20item%20donation%20form.pdf . All proceeds will directly benefit Theophany School , the first pan-Orthodox Christian preschool serving the needs of families of the greater Boston area. If you have any questions, you can contact Michelle Chin at javachip23@hotmail.com, or call the school.
PARISH PICNIC - On Sunday, May 20, immediately following Divine Liturgy, we will be celebrating the close of the Church School year with a "family style" picnic in the Church parking lot, under a big tent. Festivities will include Bar-B-Que hot dogs & hamburgers; Silly Willy the Clown with a magic show, balloon sculptures & face painting; DJ's Peter and Nick Gonchar; raffle prizes; crafts, backgammon, and more. The entire parish is invited to attend. Please contact Michelle Mabardy at mmmabardy@aol.com or 781-860-8899 if you can help.
FOOD FOR HUNGRY PEOPLE - If you have not yet remembered to return your boxes and canisters, filled with money, and pass them in at the Bengarri, you can still do so this Sunday.
COFFEE HOUR - Several upcoming Sundays are available, so please sign up to sponsor a coffee hour, individually or with friends. Some do this to celebrate a special event or anniversary, others simply as an act of hospitality. It can be as simple as coffee, juice, and cookies. Signup sheets are on the bulletin board downstairs outside the Hall.
LITURGICAL SERVICE - Each Sunday, members of the congregation are needed to read the Epistle and assist during Communion by holding the Communion Cloths and Holy Bread baskets. Six people are needed each week, in addition to the reader. If you would like to read the Epistle or assist during the Communion, contact Maria McDowell at 617-921-6395 or email: mariagwyn@gmail.com
ATTENTION COLLEGE STUDENTS - BU Orthodox Christian Fellowship invites college students and college-bound high school seniors to attend a panel: "Sacred to Secular: Discerning Your Orthodox Vocation in Today's World" on Saturday, April 14, 11:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided. Location: TBA. Any questions, call 609-703-4909 or email bdynamis@bu.edu.
SCHOLARSHIPS - Attention High School Seniors: The Fellowship of St. John the Divine gives out scholarships each year to high school seniors who are planning to attend a four-year college in the fall. Please contact the Church Office at secretary@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org or (617) 547-1234 so that an application may be mailed to you directly from the FSJD.
INSIGHT
You have heard, dearly beloved, that holy women who had followed the Lord came to the sepulcher with spices. They had loved Him when He was alive, and they showed Him their eager tenderheartedness even when He was dead. Their deed points to something that must be done in our holy Church. Thus as we hear of what they did, we must also think of our responsibility to imitate them. We too, who believe in Him Who died, approach His sepulcher with spices if we are strengthened with the sweet smell of the virtues, and if we seek the Lord with a reputation for good works. And the women who came with spices saw angels, since those who advance toward God through their holy desires, accompanied by the sweet smell of the virtues, behold the citizens from on high.
- St. Gregory the Great, Forty Gospel Homilies
The women, with mingled joy and fear, rejoicing and sorrow, turned away from the tomb, as the Bible teaches, to meet the apostles; and they said: "Why are you disheartened? Why do you hide your faces? Lift up your hearts; Christ is risen. Form choruses and say along with us: 'The Lord is risen.' He has shone forth, He Who was created before the dawn." So not be downcast, but take courage. Spring has appeared - come to bloom, ye branches, producing fruit and not misery. Let us all clap our hands and say: "He has returned to life, He Who offers resurrection to the fallen."
- St Romanos the Melodist, On The Resurrection VI
Do you wish to honor the body of the Savior? Do not despise it when it is naked. Do not honor it in church with silk vestments while outside you are leaving it numb with cold and naked. He who said "this is my body," and made it so by his word, is the same that said, "You saw me hungry and you gave me no food. As you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me." Honor him then by sharing your property with the poor. For what God needs is not golden chalices but golden souls."
- St. John Chrysostom
LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK
April 21: No Vespers at St. Mary's - Vespers at St. George, West Roxbury , with Metropolitan PHILLIP
April 22: Orthros 8:45 a.m.; Divine Liturgy 10:00 a.m.
SCRIPTURE READINGS for April 22:
Epistle: Acts of the Apostles 6:1-7 And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." (The entire reading may be found at http://www.goarch.org/en/chapel/lectionary.asp?type=epistle&code=46&event=1067
Gospel: Mark 15:43-16:8 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Salome, brought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. (The entire reading may be found at http://www.goarch.org/en/chapel/lectionary.asp?type=gospel&code=15&event=1067&DL=EN )
LOOKING AHEAD
April 28: Great Vespers 5:00 p.m.
April 29: Orthros 8:45 a.m.; Divine Liturgy 10:00 a.m.
May 5: No Vespers at St. Mary's - Vespers and BBC at St. Athanasios Church, Arlington 6:00 p.m.
May 16: Evening Liturgy for the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord 6:30 p.m.
May 19: von Holzhausen lecture (Vespers, dinner and lecture), sponsored by FSJD
May 20: Parish Picnic and Closing of Church School/Graduation
June 28 through July 1: Parish Life Conference
VOLUNTEER SCHEDULES
FOOD PANTRY
Two to four volunteers help each week in the food pantry at St. Paul 's RC Church in Harvard Square , Saturday mornings from 9:30-11:45. If you are willing to help, contact Christian Alcala at cmalcala1989@yahoo.com or (617) 876-5684.
April 21: David Vermette, Socrates Deligeorge, and Lan Hu
EPISTLE READERS
The Epistle each Sunday is read by a member of the congregation. If you would like to be one of the readers, please contact Maria McDowell at mariagwyn@gmail.com or 617 921-6395.
April 22: Melissa Sayeg
April 29: Kate Jellinghaus
COFFEE HOUR
To sign up for an available Sunday, please put your name on the signup sheet on the bulletin board outside the Hall or call Marilyn in the Office 617-547-1234 and she'll write your name in.
April 22:
April 29: The Kouyoumjian family
May 6: FSJD fundraiser for Rafael Ayau Orphanage
May 13:
May 20: Parish picnic
May 27:
TABLES AND CHAIRS
These volunteers will take the lead each week in getting the tables and chairs put away and the floor swept after Coffee Hour. Please help them - the more people there are doing it, the easier it is for all. To volunteer, please contact Abra Greene at abrayanti@gmail.com
April 22: Abra Greene
April 29: Peter & Melissa Nassiff
May 6: FSJD
May 13: Andy Whittacre
May 20: picnic
May 27: