Update for the week Friday, April 27, through Thursday, May 3, 2012

 

THIS WEEKEND

ORTHODOXY ON TAP– Come to Roggie’s Bar & Grille in Brighton tonight (Thursday, April 26) at 7:30 pm. for the first installment of the spring 2012 edition of Orthodoxy on Tap. Tonight’s speakers will be Fr. Ted Barbas and Jon Resmini, on the topic, "Living Spiritually in the World."  Must be 21.  Admission: free.  Full bar & food available, plus stimulating conversation.   Future speakers will beHis Grace Bishop John Abdalah (May 3), and Dr. Elizabeth Prodromou, (May 10).  

ANTIOCHIAN WOMEN – The next Diocesan General Assembly meeting will be held at St. George, Lowell, on Saturday, April 28.  “Coffee and…” will begin at 10:00 am, with meetings following.

TEENS’ CREATIVE ARTS FESTIVAL EVENT – All teens are welcome to participate in putting the finishing touches on the Creative Arts Festival Photo Collage on Sunday,April 29, from 11:30 – 1:30 pm, immediately following Liturgy.  Lunch will be provided!  If you need instructions for photos or have questions, please contact Nadia Abuelezam (nabuelezam@gmail.com).

FASHION SHOW AND LUNCHEON – The Syrian-Lebanese Women’s Club will hold a Fashion Show and Luncheon on Sunday, April 29, at the Holiday Inn, Dedham, from 12:00 to 4:00 pm.  $50.pp.  Reservations: Carolyn Ganim (781-329-0830) or Mary Shagoury (617-323-4819).

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

FR ANTONY AWAY – Fr. Antony will be out of town from Wednesday to Sunday, May 2 - 6.  In case of emergency, please call Fr. Timothy Ferguson of St. George Church, West Roxbury  617-323-0323.

GUEST PRIEST - Orthros & Divine Liturgy will be celebrated at St. Mary next Sunday by Fr. Phillip Begley.

WOMEN’S CLUB NIGHT OUT – All women are invited to attend our end-of-the-year dinner at the Tavern in the Square on Mass. Avenue in Central Square, on Monday, May 7 at 7:00 pm. RSVP by May 3 to Priscilla Goss at 781-762-1527.

NEW ENGLAND’S GOT TALENT – One of the special and unique features of this year’s Parish Life Conference is New England's Got Talent.  This is a time to showcase your abilities.  There is a $500 first prize which will be given at the Awards Dinner at the PLC.  BUT FIRST, there is a preliminary round of the competition: this takes place on Sunday May 6th at 5:00 pm at Saint John of Damascus Church in Dedham.  Info and applications:  http://stgeorgenorwood.org/PLC2012/talent.html

NEW ENGLAND’S GOT TASTE -  In addition to the preliminary round of the talent contest, there will be New England's Got Taste, also on the 6th at Saint John's.  Chefs and cooks from all our churches are entering a contest and everyone who comes will help judge the food.  Info and applications:  http://stgeorgenorwood.org/PLC2012/talent.html

BE A JUDGE – Admission to New England’s Got Taste/Talent (see above) is only $15 and includes food, five votes and a chance to watch the talent.  Send an email by Monday, April 30th to reserve seats:  norwoodplc2012@gmail.com

REMINDERS

CHRIST IS RISEN!– Truly He is risen! To learn how to say the Paschal Greeting in more languages than the ten or so we use at St. Mary's, check out this site which has text and voice recordings for over 250 languages:  http://www.srbigham.com/en/langues.html.

NO FASTING – There is no fasting on Wednesday or Friday, not only during Bright Week (April 16-21), but until the Feast of the Ascension (May 13) – for the whole forty days that Christ remained on earth following his resurrection.  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.)

FOOD FOR HUNGRY PEOPLE - Boxes were due on Palm Sunday.  Please return them to the Bengarri or Violet Robbat this Sunday if you have not already done so.   

SUMMER GREETERS NEEDED – Please help out!  Volunteers are needed for all Sundays in July and August through September 2 (Labor Day Weekend).  Please contact Buddy Mabardy at 781-729-6303 or e-mail: buddy@cjmabardy.com. Summer Hours: Orthros: 8:15 am & Liturgy: 9:30 am.  Summer might be a great time for you to start participating in this Ministry! 

THEOPHANY SCHOOL BENEFIT – Theophany School invites you to a Benefit Evening and Auction “Dinner Party” next Saturday, May 5, at 6:30 pm, at Apollo Functions in Norwood. Tickets are $50 per person. For more information call 781-444-3058 or visit www.TheophanySchool.org.

PARISH COUNCIL – The next meeting of the Parish Council will be Wednesday, May 9.

CHURCH SCHOOL GRADUATION – Sunday, May 20, will be the closing of Church School, with Graduation and festivities.

ANTIOCHIAN WOMEN’S SCHOLARSHIP – Scholarships are available to Antiochian Women 25 years of age or older, who choose to continue their education.  You must be a member in good standing of the Antiochian Archdiocese, be actively involved in your parish, be applying for an academic or trade study program and demonstrate financial need.  Scholarship applications are available in the office.  Deadline to apply is June 1, 2012.

N.G. BERAM AWARDS - The N. G. Beram Veterans Assoc. is pleased to announce the continuation of its Scholastic Achievement Awards program for the 46th year, which was established to encourage, promote and support the education of students of Arabic speaking backgrounds.  High school seniors can obtain the application along with the instructions by visiting the web page at:  www.stjohnd.org/ngberam.  All applications must be postmarked no later than June 1, 2012.

FSJD SCHOLARSHIP – Graduating High School Seniors who are actively involved in the parish  and whose parents are members of the parish, are eligible for the Fellowship of St. John the Divine Scholarship.  Please call the Church Office with your name so that an application will be mailed to you directly by Mary Winstanley O’Connor, or contact her at moconnor@koilaw.com or 617-523-1010.

PARISH LIFE CONFERENCE – This year’s Parish Life Conference will be held at The Cliff House, Ogunquit, Maine, June 21-24, 2012.  For conference registration and information go to the conference website:  http://stgeorgenorwood.org/PLC2012/index.html  Amazing room rate is just $149 (regularly $310).  For room registration call 207-361-1000or visit their website www.CliffHouseMaine.com/attendees - User Name: PARISH; Password: pa986B. 

CROSSROAD - CrossRoad is a summer institute for high school juniors and seniors on the campus of Hellenic College/Holy Cross.  Participants take part in daily classes, visit neighboring Orthodox parishes and participate in service activities.  CrossRoad now offers two sessions.  Download an application and view a video clip at www.crossroad.hchc.edu

REGULAR REMINDERS

COFFEE HOUR SIGNUP – A signup sheet for coffee hours is posted on the bulletin board outside the coat room.  There are plenty of dates to choose from after Pascha – sign up now for the date you will sponsor the coffee hour!

CHURCH SCHOOL CALENDAR – Church School continues through May 20, 2012. The Church School calendar can be found online at https://www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/assets/files/2011-2012-ChurchSchoolCalendar.pdf

DONATE VIA eGIVE– Did you know that you can make your donations to St. Mary through eGive, and have no more envelopes or checks to worry about?   If you have not yet set up an account, you can do it at www.egive-usa.com, or contact Charlie Marge (marge@alum.mit.edu) for help. The Recipient Organization is “St. Mary’s Orthodox Church.”

STREAMING VIDEO – St. Mary’s Church services are broadcast live each week through an internet video stream.  If you can't attend a service in person or want to share this ministry with a friend or loved one, the live stream can be viewed at www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org/live  during regularly scheduled service times (see the schedule of services below or online).  If you have questions or comments about this ministry please contact us at live@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org.

PROTECT YOUR VALUABLES – Please do not leave valuables unattended in the Church Hall or Coat Room.

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.

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:

BE A GREETER - The Parish Council is continuing the Greeter Program, similar to other churches, to greet and aid parishioners, guests and visitors into the Church each Sunday.  As a Greeter, you will welcome people into the Church and help to direct visitors upstairs to the Liturgy, as well as keeping an eye on the Vestibule, hallways and entrance ways during church, arriving at Church at 9:45 am.  Greeting time ends when Communion starts.  We need volunteers.  If you would like to be a Greeter, a Sign-Up Sheet is posted on the Church Bulletin Board.  If you have any questions, please contact Buddy by e-mail buddy@cjmabardy.comor call him at 781-729-6303. “I was a stranger, and you invited me in………”   (Matthew 25:35)

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  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 new 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.

PRISON MINISTRY – If you would like to find out more about Prison Ministry at St. Mary’s Church, please subscribe to our mailing list at http://groups.google.com/group/ocpm-concord

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

THIS SUNDAY'S VOLUNTEERS

GREETER:  Deno Takles

LITURGICAL SERVICE:  To be determined

COFFEE HOUR:  Jeanne Brickman, Frieda Corey, Michelle Chin, and Corinne & Alma Mudarri

LITURGICAL SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK

Saturday, April 28:  Great Vespers 5:00 pm

Sunday, April 29, Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women:  Matins 8:45 am;  Divine Liturgy 10:00 am; Church School lesson 21

SCRIPTURE READINGS for Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women: 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."

Gospel: Mark 15:43-16:8
At that time, Joseph of Arimathea, …took courage and went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus… and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud, and laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock; … And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. … And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him.”

LOOKING AHEAD

Saturday, May 5:  No Vespers at St. Mary

Sunday, May 6,  Matins 8:45 am;  Divine Liturgy 10:00 am; Church School lesson 22

Saturday, May 12:  Great Vespers 5:00 pm

Sunday, May 13:  Matins 8:45 am;  Divine Liturgy 10:00 am; Church School lesson 23

Sunday, May 20:  Church School Graduation

Wednesday, May 23:  Evening Liturgy for the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord 6:30 pm

Thursday-Sunday, June 21-24:  Parish Life Conference

INSIGHT

Pious Joseph, having brought down Thy pure body from the Tree, wrapped it in fine linen, embalmed it with ointment, prepared it, and laid it in a new tomb. But Thou didst verily rise after three days, O Lord, granting the world Great Mercy.
   - Apolytikion of Joseph Of Arimathea

 Verily, the angel came to the tomb and said to the ointment-bearing women, the ointment is meet for the dead, but Christ hath been shown to be remote from corruption.  But cry ye, The Lord is Risen, granting the world Great Mercy.
   - Apolytikion of Myrrh-Bearing Women

As the Angels are said to have stood by the Lord's body when it lay in the tomb, so we must believe that they are present in the celebration of the Mysteries of His most sacred Body at the time of consecration.
  - Venerable Bede

 Christ's Resurrection should not be celebrated as a historical or social event, but as existential, which means that it should be a participation in the grace of the Resurrection. The fasting which precedes the feast during the whole of Great Lent, the ascetic struggle, aims at the best participation in the mystery of the Resurrection. In order to be successful, however, this requires, as all the Fathers teach, purification of the senses of both body and soul. … The purpose of the spiritual life is for one to be united with the Risen Christ, to see Him in one's heart. Christ is risen in our heart, mortifying the passionate thoughts which are present there under the influence of the demons and overcoming the impassioned representations and preoccupations of sin, just as He overcame the seals of the tomb (St. Maximus the Confessor).    - Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos, The Inner Existential Celebration of Christ's

     Resurrection  (http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011_04_01_archive.html: Thursday, April 28, 2011)