Weekly Newsletter for the week Friday, June 19, through Thursday, June 25, 2009
THIS WEEKEND
GRECIAN FESTIVAL - Ss. Constantine & Helen Church, Cambridge is having their Annual Grecian Festival this weekend, June 19, 20, 21, 2009, from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm each day, under the Big Tent!! Free Admission! Live Music, Greek Cuisine, Pastry, Crafts & Game Room.
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
PARISH LIBRARY - For several months David Vermette has been working to clean up and restore the Library, in order to create an appropriate classroom for the adult inquirers group and the teens, and also to create a functioning library for the parish. The project is just about complete now, and not only is the library functioning, but the entire collection has been cataloged online. You can log in by going to www.librarything.com (user name = StMaryParishLibrary; password = Clement). To see the "cloud" of subjects covered in the collection, click here: http://www.librarything.com/tagcloud/StMaryParishLibrary - note that the size of the word indicates the number of books on that subject! Many thanks to David and his helpers.
PARISH LIFE CONFERENCE -The 2009 Parish Life Conference for the Diocese of New England will be held next Thursday through Sunday, June 25-28, at the Wyndham Hotel in Andover, MA. St. George Church in Lawrence is our host. The schedule and more information can be found on St. George's website at www.stgeorgelawrence.org/Conf2009 Note that the St. Mary parish offices will be CLOSED during that time, and that there will be NO VESPERS here on Saturday and NO LITURGY on Sunday. Come join us in Andover for those services.
ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN PRISON MINISTRY - OCPM, the official prison ministry of SCOBA, announces the 2009 Convocation, which will take place July 28-30 in Denver , Colorado . The purpose of the convocation is to bring together the many Orthodox clergy and laity from throughout North America who are participating in prison ministry, or are interested in participating in prison ministry for a time of fellowship, education, encouragement, communal worship and the free exchange of ideas. To register, please visit www.ocpm-scoba.org. Financial assistance is available. If you have questions, please contact Liz Straghalis at liztutella@gmail.com.
REMINDERS
COFFEE HOUR VOLUNTEERS NEEDED - Please sign up to provide a coffee hour - it can be as simple as coffee, juice, and cookies, and it's easier now when summer attendance is lighter. Plenty of help is available! Signup sheets are on the bulletin board downstairs outside the Hall, or call Marilyn in the office.
APOSTLES' FAST - The Apostles' Fast, which began Monday, June 15, continues until the Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul on June 29.
ORTHODOX WOMEN'S RETREAT - Holy Resurrection Church, Allston, MA invites you to an Orthodox Women's Retreat on Saturday, June 27, 2009, from 9 am - 5 pm (Lunch Included). Topic: Facing the Challenges of Life with Faith and Joy - Learning from Lynette Hoppe & Capturing the Mission Spirit. Speaker: Fr. Luke Veronis Cost: $35 pre-paid registration; $40 at the door; $25 for students. For more information, contact P. Paula Tishel: ptishel@yahoo.com or www.hrocboston.org or 617-680-5658. Registration deadline: June 22.
VACATION CHURCH SCHOOL - St. George Church, West Roxbury, MA, will be having a four-day summer program for Pre-School (at least age 3 & potty trained) through 4th grade to learn more about their faith. Dates are Monday - Thursday, June 29 - July 2, 2009, from 8:45 am to 1:00 pm. Theme is "Traveling on the Ark of Salvation." Each day includes a lesson, snack time, singing, playtime, crafts, and lots of fun! Snacks will be provided each morning, and participants should bring a bag lunch on Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday. Lunch will be provided on the last day (Thursday) to celebrate the end of the program. The suggested Registration Donation is $15 for one child; $20 for two children; $25 for three children. Any questions: Khalil Samara 617-323-0323 or khalil@stgeorgeboston.org
TANGLEWOOD OUTING - Join your music-loving friends from St. Mary's as we carpool out to Tanglewood after Liturgy and the Trisagion prayers for Steve's mom, on Sunday, July 12. We'll picnic on the lawn and listen to music by Beethoven, Bruch and Dvorak, with violinist Joshua Bell. (For more information see http://www.bso.org/bso/mods/perf_detail.jsp;jsessionid=3X3WSE4LGCMGMCTFQMGSFEQ?pid=prod2880017 ) The concert starts at 2:30; lawn tickets are $19. Bring lawn chairs if you want them, and picnic food for yourself and to share. For more information and to let us know you're coming, especially if you'll need a ride, contact Melissa Nassiff by email (mnassiff@gmail.com) or phone (508 877-7483).
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.
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, Monday, September 14, for an enjoyable evening of discussion, refreshments and fellowship!
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
June 20: If you are interested in helping in the food pantry at St Paul 's Roman Catholic Church in Harvard Square , Saturday mornings from 9:30-11:45, please contact Christian Alcala at cmalcala1989@yahoo.com, or (617) 876-5684.
LITURGICAL SERVICE
June 21: 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
June 21: FSJD
LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK
Saturday, June 20: Great Vespers 5:00 pm
Sunday, June 21: Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am
SCRIPTURE READINGS for June 21:
Epistle: St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 2:10-16 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. When Gentiles who have not the law do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or perhaps excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
Gospel: Matthew 4:18-23 At that time, as Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
LOOKING AHEAD
Thursday, June 25 - Sunday, June 28: Parish Life Conference at Wyndham Hotel, Andover - NO SERVICES AT ST. MARY (no Vespers, no Liturgy); church offices closed
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 12: Memorial for Barbara Walker (mother of Subdeacon Steve Walker)
Sunday, July 19: 40 day memorial for Bob Hamwey
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
In creating man God implanted in him something Divine - a certain thought, like a spark, having both light and warmth, a thought which illumines the mind and shows what is good and what bad. This is called conscience and it is a natural law. By following this law - conscience - the patriarchs and all the saints pleased God, even before the law was written. But when, through the fall, man covered up and trampled down conscience, there arose the need of written law, of the holy Prophets, of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, to uncover and raise it up, to rekindle this buried spark by the keeping of His holy commandments.
- St. Abba Dorotheos
...if a man seeks God with obedience, questioning and wise humility, he will always be protected from harm by the grace of Christ, Who desires all men to be saved.
- St. Gregory of Sinai, Instructions to Hesychasts
Beloved, are you a Christian through God's grace? Keep the commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ; for it is written, In truth I understand that God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation one who fears him and works justice is acceptable to him.
- St Ephrem the Syrian, 'To the Monks in Egypt," 2nd Exhortation
He who gives alms in imitation of God does not discriminate between the wicked and the virtuous, the just and the unjust, when providing for men's bodily needs.
- St. Maximos the Confessor
...there is not a fraction of a moment during which He, as the All-perfect, Most-wise, All-merciful, Omniscient, Omnipresent, Almighty Spirit, does not shower benefits and wisdom upon His creatures. There is not a fraction of a moment during which He does not apply His wisdom and omnipotence, for God is a Self-acting Being, infinitely productive. Thus you look upon the world, but look upon it and observe everywhere in it its Author - God, everywhere present in it, filling everything, moving in everything, and ordering everything.
- St. John of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ