Weekly Newsletter for the week Friday, May 8, through Thursday, May 15, 2009

THIS WEEKEND

FOOD FOR HUNGRY PEOPLE - If you haven't yet returned your Food for Hungry People boxes (filled with money!), please leave them at the Bengarri or give to Violet Robbat this Sunday.  

PENTECOST RETREAT AT NEW SKETE - The Fellowship of St. John the Divine is sponsoring a community building retreat for St. Mary's (and friends) at New Skete Monastery, Cambridge, NY, May 22-24 (Friday night until Sunday afternoon).  In the spirit of the Paschal/Pentecost season, the theme for the weekend is "Gifts of the Spirit," taken from 1 Cor. 12:7:  "To each one has been given the Gifts of the Spirit for the Common Good."  Plans for the weekend include talks focusing on the theme with personal reflective time and group discussions as well as one introducing retreatants to the community and liturgical life of the monastery, opportunities to join the New Skete Communities for worship, and free time for hiking, journaling, playing with the dogs, etc.  Opportunities for personal spiritual direction and/or sacramental confession are also available.  For more information about the weekend and/or to reserve a spot, contact Tiffany Conroy (trattus1@gmail.com).  Retreatants will be housed at the various monastic communities' guest facilities (and possibly, nearby hotels).  Contact Teva Regule (teva@mit.edu) to reserve housing at the monastery.      Please RSVP by this Sunday.

BBC CD's - Two of the Boston Byzantine Choir's CD recordings will be available for purchase this Sunday in the Church Hall after Liturgy. Cost is $15 each or 4 for $50.  

MARROW DONOR NEEDED - There is a young boy of Middle Eastern descent who is in need of a bone marrow transplant. He is the son of one of Fr. Ephraim's friends.  Sadly, potential donors of Orthodox ethnicities are scarce.  A preliminary screening has been set up with the Caitlin Raymond International Registry for this coming Sunday, Mother's Day, at Saint George Cathedral, 30 Anna Street, Worcester, MA 01604, from 11:45 am to 2:00 pm.     If you cannot participate on Sunday, but want more information, please contact the Registry at 508-334-8969 or www.crir.org, or send an email to aknight@crir.org.  This could be  a life-giving Mother's Day gift to those in need.

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

WOMEN'S CLUB - The Women's Club will meet this coming Monday, May 11, at 7:30 pm in the kitchen.  Please join us;  there is a lot to be discussed - Book Club suggestions,  2009 - 2010 calendar,  new officers, and date for end-of-year dinner (join us for an evening of fun!).

NEW SKETE RETREAT - There will be  a short meeting for all those going to the St. Mary-New Skete Pentecost retreat (see above) next  Sunday, May 17 during coffee hour.  We will review the schedule of events, coordinate rides, and all the other particulars for the retreat at this time.

CHURCH SCHOOL GRADUATION AND CLOSING- Next  Sunday, May 17, immediately following Divine Liturgy, we will be celebrating the close of the Church School year with awards, food and festivities.  Join us downstairs after the Awards for Hot Dogs and Hamburgers and Nahass Tie-Dye! The entire parish is invited to attend -   Church School Students FREE; Adults:  Good-Will Donation.

BLESSING OF GRAVES - On Memorial Day, Monday, May 25,  Fr. Antony will be blessing graves at Fairview Cemetery in Hyde Park, MA. starting at 9:00 am.  If you would like him to bless the graves of loved ones in other cemeteries, please let him know by calling the Church Office at 617-547-1234 or e-mail frawhj@gmail.com

ANTOCHIAN WOMEN  SCHOLARSHIPS- Scholarships of $500 or more are available from the North American Board of Antiochian Women to females over 25 years of age, in good standing and actively involved in their parish, applying for or registered in an academic or trade program of study and in financial need.  Deadline is June 1, 2009.  Applications are available through St. Mary Church Office. 

REMINDERS

HOLY WEEK VIDEO and PHOTOS-Most of the Holy Week services at St. Mary's were broadcast over the web.  In fact, nearly 200 people logged in to watch a variety of services throughout the week!  If you missed any of the services or would like to watch video recorded from our live Holy Week broadcasts, visit https://www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/live. 

As we continue to seek out new ways to extend the ministry of the Church beyond our walls, we ask you to help us by providing your feedback.  If you had the opportunity to view any of the services (whether live or pre-recorded) on the church's web site, please send us an email describing your experience.  In your email, please include: the circumstances for watching the services online, what you think of this ministry, whether you would be interested in the continuation of this type of ministry, and any suggestions you may have for bettering this ministry if it were to continue.  Send your feedback via email to: webmaster@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org

Photographs from Holy Week and Pascha are also available for viewing on the St. Mary website. See  https://www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/multimedia/photogalleries/pascha2009

NO FASTING - There is no fasting on Wednesday and Friday, not only during Bright Week, but for the whole forty days from Pascha until the Feast of the Ascension on May 28.  (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.

SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS - Applications are currently being accepted for the N. G. Beram Veterans Association, Inc. 2009 Scholastic Achievement Award program. Applications can be downloaded from the web page at www.stjohnd.org/ngberam , and completed applications must be postmarked by June 1, 2009. Applicants must be high school seniors and planning to attend an accredited 4 year college oruniversity full-time. $1,000 awards are presented at the Association's banquet in November 2009.  For further information see Arthur N. Mabbett, call 781-391-6530, or email at mabbett@mabbett.com.

SUMMER CONFERENCE AT ST. VLADIMIR'S - St. Vladimir's Seminary, Yonkers, NY, has announced a Summer Conference for Clergy & Laity, June 18 - 20, 2009 Keynote:  Archpriest Alexander Garklavs. Topic: "The Council & the Tomos: 20th Century Landmarks towards a 21st Century Church." E-mail or call 914-961-8313 Ext. 343.  To register:  www.svotsedu or email: events@svots.edu   See flyer on church bulletin board.

PARISH LIFE CONFERENCE - St. George Church in Lawrence will be hosting the 2009 Parish Life Conference for the Diocese of New England, June 25-28, at the Wyndham Hotel in Andover , MA .  Singles and Doubles:  $95.  Triples: $105 and Quads: $115.  Hotel reservation deadline is June 4, 2009; mention Parish Life Conference for special rates.   More information can be found on St. George's website at www.stgeorgelawrence.org/Conf2009     

ANTIOCHIAN VILLAGE CAMP - Schedules have been announced for the 2009 camping program at the Village - see http://www.antiochianvillage.org/camp.html

CROSSROADS - High School Juniors and Seniors:  The Office of Vocation & Ministry at Hellenic College is now accepting applications for its summer CrossRoad program.  Two sessions are offered:  June 20 - 30 and July 7 - 17, 2009.  For more information and application see  www.crossroad.hchc.edu or call 617-850-1309. 

ARCHDIOCESE CONVENTION - The national convention for the whole Archdiocese will be held July 19 - 26 at Desert Springs JW Marriot Hotel, Palm Desert , California, hosted by St. Michael Church, Van Nuys. Check out their website at www.archdioceseconvention2009.org  for more information.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR SERVICE

There are a number of ways you can help the Church, your fellow worshippers and those in need.  Consider serving in one of these ways:

PARTICIPATION

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.  All Orthodox Christians in the Parish are welcome and encouraged to participate. We usually need one Epistle reader and six people to hold cloths and baskets.  If you would like to read the Epistle or assist during the Communion, please contact Jeff Wasilko, 781-820-0882, jeffw@smoe.org. 

Coffee Hour - People are needed every week to provide coffee, juice and cookies, or more if desired, and set it up Sunday morning. 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 Robbat in the Parish Office and she will write your name in. If you need any help with figuring out what to bring or do, check the list below the signup sheet (also printed in the Bulletin), or ask Marilyn at secretary@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org or 617-547-1234.

VOLUNTEERING

Holy Resurrection Open Doors - The Holy Resurrection Open Door Meal Ministry in Allston needs volunteers every Monday evening (there is a special need in the summer).  The official hours of the project are 4:30 pm-7:30 pm, but it is fine to come anytime and leave any time.  Best times would be 5:30-5:45 to 7:15-7:30 pm.  You can serve meals, coffee and tea to the people who arrive for dinner (6-7 pm) or just stay behind the scenes doing set-up and clean-up.  It is a very rewarding, hands-on, face-to-face way to serve the community with (mostly) other Orthodox Christians-we even chant the Our Father together before the meal begins. Church info can be found at  http://hrocboston.org.  

 Questions? Please contact Liz Straghalis at liztutella@gmail.com  phone 617-974-5005,  or Tiffany Conroy at trattus1@gmail.com, 617-990-7162.

St Paul's Food Pantry - Two to four volunteers help each week in the food pantry at St Paul 's Roman Catholic Church in Harvard Square , Saturday mornings from 9:30-11:45.  If you are interested in helping, please contact Christian Alcala at cmalcala1989@yahoo.com, or (617) 876-5684.

DONATIONS

Food and Clothing - Holy Resurrection in Allston takes donations of non-perishable food items and clothing to distribute at the Open Door Ministry on Monday evenings.  You can bring your donations by on Monday nights between 4:30 pm and 7:30 pm or contact Tiffany Conroy, trattus1@gmail.com, 617-990-7162, for more information.

- St. Paul 's Food Pantry in Harvard Square , where volunteers from St. Mary help every Saturday, depends upon regular donations of canned and packaged foods.  To help, contact Christian Alcala at cmalcala1989@yahoo.com, or (617) 876-5684.

Monetary Contributions - The Agape Canister Program is an Orthodox non-profit development program of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center .  It is dedicated to meeting the needs of children, families, and communities throughout the world, regardless of race, color, or creed. All funds collected by the Agape Canister Program are earmarked for medical care and clinics, water wells, agricultural development, food and clothing, support personnel (e.g. doctors, nurses, teachers), the construction of schools, and the education of indigenous people in their own communities.  Please contribute each Sunday - A clear plastic box is on the Bengarri.

"As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me," says our Lord.

THIS WEEK'S VOLUNTEERS

FOOD PANTRY

May 9:  Sandra Kondratiuk and John Rodriguez

LITURGICAL SERVICE

May 10:   Epistle:  Brooke Wilcox;  Left Cloth: Lete Med and Teva Regule;   Right Cloth: James and Brooke Wilcox;  Left Bread: Amy Clay;  Right Bread: Josh Cole

COFFEE HOUR

May 10:   The families of Agnes Battit, Mary Mabardi, Zahie Mabardi  & Selma Winstanley

LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK

Saturday, May 9:  Great Vespers 5:00 pm

Sunday, May 10:  Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am; Last day of Church School

SCRIPTURE READINGS for May 10, Sunday of the Paralytic: 

Epistle:  Acts of the Apostles 9:32-42  In those days, as Peter went here and there among them all, ...  he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years and was paralyzed. And Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed." And immediately he rose. ... Now there was at Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which means Dorcas. She ... fell sick and died ... Peter ... knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, rise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.

Gospel: John 5:1-15  ... One man was there, who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" ... Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your pallet, and walk." And at once the man was healed, and he took up his pallet and walked.

LOOKING AHEAD

Saturday, May 16:  Great Vespers 5:00 pm
Sunday, May 17:  Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am;  Church School Graduation and Festivities
Friday, May 22 - Sunday, May 24:  Pentecost Retreat at New Skete
Saturday, May 23: NO Vespers at St. Mary
Thursday, June 25 - Sunday, June 28:  Parish Life Conference

INSIGHT

But Saint John [Chrysotostom] was mighty in deeds as well as words. Once a woman named Eudia, whose only son was ill with a fever and about to die, took her child to the saint and begged him to heal the boy. The saint took water and thrice made the sign of the Cross with it over the sick boy, sprinkling him in the name of the Holy Trinity. Immediately the fever died down, and the child arose and then prostrated himself before the saint. ... There was another man named Eucius, who from childhood was unable to see with his right eye. He came to the monastery where the blessed John lived, and received the monastic tonsure. John said to this man, "May God heal you, Brother, and may He illumine the eyes both of your soul and body."  No sooner had the saint said this than Eucius' blind eye was opened, and he could see clearly. When the brethren realized this, they marveled and exclaimed, "Truly John is God's servant, and the Holy Spirit dwells in him!"

   - St. Demetrius of Rostov,  "The Life of Our Father Among the Saints, John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople," from The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints

"Prayer is a harbor in the storms of life, an anchor for those who are storm-tossed, the treasure of the poor, the security of the rich, the healing of the sick, the preservation of health. Prayer banishes evil things, and preserves the good."

   - St. John Chrysostom

The merciful person is he who gives to others what he has himself received from God, whether it be money, or food, or strength, a helpful word, a prayer, or anything else that he has through which he can express his compassion for those in need. At the same time he considers himself a debtor, since he has received more than he is asked to give.

   - St. Peter of Damascus

"There are no casual encounters: either God sends us those we need, or, without our knowledge, we ourselves are sent to others by His will."

   - Fr. Alexander Elchaninov, The Diary of a Russian Priest

If a single word of an earthly king causes great deeds to come to pass in his kingdom -- he speaks, the work begins and is accomplished -- then will not the word of the Lord of all material and spiritual, visible and invisible creatures, accomplish everything He desires? Shall He speak and it not be created? Shall He speak and it not be done? O Almighty Power, able to accomplish everything in one single moment, do not leave us on account of our sins, and above all on account of our incredulity and despair, to be tormented by our own infirmities, lest we be destroyed like earthen vessels. Grant that we may not doubt in the fulfillment of our every right request.

   - St. John of Kronstadt, My Life of Christ