Update for the week Friday, October 22, through Thursday, October 28, 2010

THIS WEEKEND

HELP MAKE KIBBEH -  Please  come at 9:00 Friday morning, October 22, to help the Women’s Club cook Kihbbeh.  Pick-up date  for  Kibbeh is Sunday, October 24.

IOCC EVENTS – This Sunday, October 24, there will be a special Coffee Hour with a presentation by Louis Zagami, Development Officer of International Orthodox Christian Charities.  Mr. Zagami will discuss IOCC’s history and worldwide programs, explain how your support makes a life-changing difference, and answer your questions.

On Sunday afternoon you are invited to Lir Irish Pub and Restaurant (903 Boyleston St, Boston) for a Sunday “Fun”raiser for IOCC – come any time after 2:00 to watch the Patriots game (it begins at 4:15), eat appetizers, have a chance to win Patriots tickets and hear a speaker at halftime. Donations $20, must be over 21. For more information see https://iocc.org/giving/event_boston10-24-10funraiser.aspx

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

COFFEE HOUSE – Come to the St. Mary Coffee House on Saturday, November 6. Vespers is at 5; the doors open for the coffee house at 6:30; acts begin at 7:00 pm...we will wrap up around 9:30.   Featuring: David Vermette,  Brooke Wilcox , Amy Clay and Josh Cole!   Offering baked goods, coffee and tea. No admission charge; donations to benefit the FSJD

CRR and AED TRAINING –  The Parish Councilis offering training in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) on Saturday, November 13 – CPR 1:30-3:30, and AED 3:30–5:00.  There is no cost for the training and certification, which has been generously donated by a family in the parish. We have 15 spots to fill.  Participants need no special equipment or knowledge, and should wear comfortable clothes and bring a desire to learn.  The instructor will supply models/dummies for the CPR training and exact replicas of the AED machine recently installed in the Church Hall.  Contact Ray Sayeg if interested:  rsayeg@dennerpellegrino.com   or 617-872-9774

COME SEE THE MESSIAH - Join friends from St. Mary’s for the Handel and Haydn Society’s  annual performance of Handel’s Messiah, on Sunday, December 5, at 3:00 p.m.  We will carpool to Symphony Hall after Liturgy and have lunch together before the concert.    Contact Melissa Nassiff at mnassiff@gmail.comfor discounted tickets – possibly separate from the rest of the St. Mary group - or order your own tickets online at http://www.handelandhaydn.org. Either way, plan to join us for lunch first!

PROJECT MEXICO – Project Mexico is an ongoing Orthodox Christian mission project. Groups of Orthodox Christians, led by experienced builder/leaders, build houses for poor Mexican families near St. Innocent Orthodox Orphanage in Rosarito, Mexico.  Families (with children at least 10 yrs. old), teens over 14, and adults are welcome to join a Home Building Team.    Anyone interested in forming a St. Mary's Project Mexico Home Building Team for August 2011 please contact Fr. Anthony, or Kera Dalton (a 2009 Project Mexico attendee and new member of St. Mary's) at billandkeradalton@comcast.net  or (781)789-8458. 

REMINDERS

YOUTH MONTH– October is Youth Month throughout the Antiochian Archdiocese. In our parish young people will be reading the Epistle, holding the Communion cloth and Holy Bread baskets, taking the collection, and giving sermonettes. 

DIOCESAN FELLOWSHIP DAY– The Antiochian Women, Fellowship of  St. John the Divine and Teen SOYO groups of the Diocese of Worcester and New England will meet here at St. Mary next Saturday, October 30, 2010 – Morning Prayer at 10:00 am, coffee “and” at 10:15,  and meetings  beginning at 10:30 am.  After lunch (at 12:30) there will be a brief talk by our own Fr. Antony. All are welcome to attend.

PARISH COUNCIL NOMINATIONS- Parish Council nominations and ballotswill be sent out soon.  Please note that there will be several vacancies next year and we are actively looking for  parishioners who would be willing to serve.  If you have any questions or would like to run, please see Ray Sayeg or e-mail him at rsayeg@dennerpellegrino.com

WOMEN’S CLUB BOOK DISCUSSION -  The Women's Club members (and anyone else who'd like to join us) are reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett.  Read the book  and join us on Tuesday, November 9  for an enjoyable evening of discussion,  refreshments and fellowship! Brief women’s club meeting at 7:30; book discussion will begin at 8:00 pm.

ORTHODOX INSTITUTE FOR CHRISTIAN EDUCATION- The Orthodox Institute welcomes all Christians who love icons to join them at the Antiochian Village  November 4-7. The topic of the Instuitute will be  Icons:  Windows to Heaven, and keynote speaker will be Frederica Mathewes-Green. For information and registration form see http://www.antiochian.org/christianeducation/oi2010#main

CANNED FOOD DRIVE– The annual FOOD FOR HUNGRY PEOPLE Canned Food Drive will be held  October 10- December 26, 2010.  Bring  in your canned goods to the Church and place them in the large, blue plastic containers outside the Church Office – they will be distributed to local food pantries in our area. Since 1984 we have collected over 3,281,200 pounds of food.

ON-LINE STEWARDSHIP SIGN-UP - There will be a table at Coffee Hour for the next few Sundays for those who would like to try eGive.  We’ll have a laptop to help walk you through the process on the spot.  All you need to bring is a sample check from your checking account.  Please e-mail Jamil Samara (jamil@jamilsamara.com) or Charlie Marge (marge@alum.mit.edu) if you have any questions.

COFFEE HOUR VOLUNTEERS NEEDED – Please sign up to provide a coffee hour – it can be as simple as coffee, juice, and cookies.  Lots of Sundays are available in the Fall, and plenty of help is available! Signup sheets are on the bulletin board downstairs outside the Hall, or call Marilyn in the office at 617-547-1234 or secretary@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org. 

STREAMING VIDEO- Divine Liturgy at St. Mary is broadcast live every week!  Do come to church…  but if you can’t, then join us on your computer! To see live broadcasts go to https://www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/livestream . Divine Liturgy starts at 10:00 am every Sunday September through June, and at 9:30 am during the summer.

This ministry is looking for more volunteers who can help set up the streaming service prior to Liturgy on Sunday mornings and potentially during other events (speakers, vespers, etc.).  Volunteers would rotate weekly, taking turns setting up the camera, computer and microphones each week.  Some technical expertise may be required, but training will be provided. If you are interested, please contact Erick Straghalis (estraghalis@gmail.com).   Thank you!

FIRST IN, LAST OUT– Please do not park in the small lot behind the church unless you intend to stay through the end of coffee hour. The only way out is the single lane driveway.  Please pull all the way in to the parking space, and please do not block the driveway – if the lot is full, you can park on the street or in the lot at the corner of Prospect Street and Bishop Allen Drive.

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 Communionby 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 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.orgor 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 atliztutella@gmail.com  phone 617-974-5005,  or Tiffany Conroy at trattus1@gmail.com.

St Paul’s Food Pantry - Volunteers are needed each week in the food pantry at St Paul's Roman Catholic Church in Harvard Square, Saturday mornings from 9:30-11:45. 

 
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, for more information.

Canned Goods-The annual Food For Hungry People canned food drive  is  held  October through  December each year.  Bring  in your canned goods to the Church and place them in the large, blue plastic containers outside the Church Office – they will be distributed to local food pantries in our area.

"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

LITURGICAL SERVICE – St. Mary Teens

COFFEE HOUR – Arthur & Beverly Mabbett (IOCC)


LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK

Saturday, October 23:  Great Vespers 5:00 pm

Sunday, October 24:  Orthros 8:45 am,  Divine Liturgy 10:00  am;  Church School Lesson 5

SCRIPTURE READINGS for October 24:
Epistle:  St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 6:11-18
But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

Gospel:  Luke 8: 26-39
At that time, as Jesus arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, there met him a man from the city who had demons; … Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how he who had been possessed with demons was healed.

LOOKING AHEAD

Saturday, October 30:  Morning Prayers 10:00 am, followed by Diocesan Fellowship meetings
Great Vespers 5:00 pm

Sunday, October 31:  Orthros 8:45 am,  Divine Liturgy 10:00  am;  Church School lesson 6;  Harvest Coffee Hour sponsored by the Church School

Saturday, November 6:  Great Vespers 5:00 pm

Sunday, November 7:  Orthros 8:45 am,  Divine Liturgy 10:00  am;  Church School Lesson 7

Saturday, November 13:  Church School Family Vespers and Confession, followed by pizza, 5:00 pm

INSIGHT

How many myriads there are of evil demons and how numberless are their varied wiles! . . . They urge us to speak evil of one another, or, speaking sweet words, to conceal bitterness in our hearts, to criticize the outer aspect of our brother, while we harbor a wild beast in ourselves, to quarrel among ourselves and oppose one another, wishing to have our own way and appear as the most upright. Every man who enjoys sinful thoughts falls willingly when he welcomes (as in sympathy with) the suggestions of the enemies and when he expects to justify himself solely by his visible deeds, while within he is the abode of the spirit of wickedness, who teaches him every evil. The body of such a man will be full of shameful uncleanness - for he becomes a prey to devilish passions, which he does not repulse from himself. Demons are not visible bodies, but we become their bodies when our souls accept dark thoughts from them. For, having accepted these thoughts, we accept the demons themselves and make them bodily manifest.
    - St Anthony the Great, from "Early Fathers From the Philokalia" by E. Kadloubovsky and G.E.H. Palmer

For nothing gives the demons and bad thoughts such power over us as nourishing and hiding them in our heart unconfessed.
   - St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent

It is not always possible to fulfill the usual rules; one must take circumstances into account and try to fulfill what they make possible, as far as one can. The demons themselves are not unmindful of this law. So, being in constant enmity with us, they prevent us from doing what is possible and urge us to do what is impossible.
   - Abba Evagrius the Monk ,  Texts on Active Life no. 28

When embarking upon the spiritual life, we must remember that among the demons there are those who even “interpret” the Holy Scriptures for us; they do this usually on the hearts of the vain, especially among learned people, and by gradually seducing them, they finally bring them to a state of heresy and blasphemy.
   - St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent

Since thou art a divine river of mercy, like unto a fathomless gulf of plentiful sympathy, O Bountiful One, manifest the divine streams of thy mercy, and heal all men. Pour forth abundantly fountains of wonders and cleanse all; for resorting ever unto thee, we fervently implore thy grace.
   - Kathisma for Wednesday of Holy Week