Weekly Newsletter for the week Friday, May 29, through Thursday, June 4, 2009
THIS WEEKEND
NO VESPERS - Great Vespers will NOT be held at St. Mary this Saturday, May 30 (note change from original schedule).
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 this Monday, June 1, 2009. Applications are available through St. Mary Church Office.
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 this Monday, 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.
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
BOB HAMWEY MEMORIALS - Contributions in memory of Bob Hamwey, who fell asleep in the Lord last Wednesday, May 20, 2009, may be made to St. Mary Church, 8 Inman Street, Cambridge, MA, 02139; or to the National Brain Tumor Society, 22 Battery St. #612, San Francisco, CA 94111. His funeral services were held here at St. Mary Church on May 26, with interment at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Sudbury, MA.
REMINDERS
FASTING AND FEASTS IN MAY AND JUNE - Normal Wednesday & Friday fasting resumed after the Feast of the Ascension on Wednesday of this week, and continues until the Feast of Pentecost, on June 7. During the week after Pentecost, June 8-13, there is again no fasting. The Apostles' Fast begins after that, on June 15, and continues until the Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, on June 29.
WOMEN'S CLUB SUMMER READING - This summer Women's Club members (and anyone else who'd like to join us) will be reading Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, a New York Times best seller. Read the book over the summer, and join us in the fall for an enjoyable evening of discussion, refreshments and fellowship!
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.
LIBRARY AND CLASSROOM RESTORATION PROJECT - With the approval of Parish Council and Fr. Antony, there is a project underway to clean up and restore the library. The aim is to create an appropriate classroom for the adult inquirers group and the teens and also to create a functioning library for the parish. This ongoing project will be completed by July 1, 2009. Parishioners can help by refraining from placing things randomly in the library and by taking with them anything they might bring into it. Thanks to everyone for your cooperation and especially to the many people who have helped with this project thus far. Please contact David Vermette (617-776-5635, dgvermette@sysmatrix.net) with any question of comments.
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.
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.
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
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 30: Kern Ormond
LITURGICAL SERVICE
May 31: Epistle: David Vermette; Left Cloth: Jonathan Hill and Elana Jabbour; Right Cloth: Linda Arnold and Melissa Nassiff; Left Bread: Marc Patacchiola; Right Bread: Larisa Patacchiola
COFFEE HOUR
May 31: Gretchen Ayoub & Family
LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK
Saturday, May 30: NO Vespers - note change
Sunday, May 31: Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am
SCRIPTURE READINGS for May 31:
Epistle: Acts of the Apostles 20:16-18, 28-36 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by so toiling one must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, "it is more blessed to give than to receive."
Gospel: John 17:1-13 "I have manifested your name to the men whom you gave me out of the world; yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you; for I have given them the words which you gave me, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you did send me. ... Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. "
LOOKING AHEAD
Saturday, June 6: Great Vespers 5:00 pm
Sunday, June 7, Feast of Pentecost: Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am, with Kneeling Vespers
Thursday, June 25 - Sunday, June 28: Parish Life Conference at Wyndham Hotel, Andover; NO SERVICES (no Vespers, no Liturgy) at St. Mary
Monday, June 29: Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul
Sunday, July 5: Summer hours begin - Orthros 8:15 am, Divine Liturgy 9:30 am
Sunday, July 19 - Sunday, July 26: 2009 Archdiocese Convention at Desert Springs JW Marriot Hotel, Palm Desert, California. Check their website for more information: www.archdiocesconvention2009.org
INSIGHT
"That they may be one, even as we are one. " In this perfect unity, not only the all-conquering power of the faithful, but also the glory of God, will be seen; yes, and God's very being. As the Father and the Son are one in essence, differing only in Person, so let it be among the faithful, many and varied in person, but essentially one in love, will and mind.
- St. (Bp.) Nikolai Velimirovic, Homilies, Vol. I
These, then, are the things in which you must stand firm and follow the Lord's example: be steadfast and immovable in the faith; love the brotherhood; cherish one another; be united in the truth; with the meekness of the Lord give precedence to one another; despise no one. When able to do a work of charity, do not put it off; for almsgiving delivers from death. One and all, submit to each other's rights; for life among the gentiles must be beyond reproach; thus by your good example you will win praise for yourselves, and the Lord will not be blasphemed on your account.
- St. Polycarp, Epistle to the Philippians in The Didache
Let none "seek what is his own, but what is another's," as the Apostle says, "Let each one of you please his neighbor for his good unto edifying." For the cementing of our unity cannot be firm unless we be bound by the bond of love into an inseparable solidity, because "as in one body we have many members, but all the members have not the same office; so we being many are one body in Christ, and all of us members one of another. " The connection of the whole body makes all alike healthy, all alike beautiful; and this connection requires the unanimity indeed of the whole body.
- St. Leo the Great, Letters
It will be shown that God's holy Church, an image conforming to its Archetype, does God's work in us. The men, women, and children coming into the Church, reborn and recreated by her in the Spirit, are just about infinite in number. They are very different from each other in race and appearance; they are of all languages, life styles, and ages; there are great differences in their mentalities, customs, and interests, their social station, their skills and their professions; their fortunes, their characters and their abilities are all very different; but the Church confers one and the same divine character and title equally on all: that they be, and be called, Christians. The Church bestows unity in that simple, indivisible relationship which comes from faith, and does not allow the many untold differences to stand out, even though they exist in every one.
- St. Maximus the Confessor, The Mystagogia