Update for the week Friday, November 28, through Thursday, December 4, 2014
THIS WEEK AT ST. MARY'S
SATURDAY – No Vespers at St. Mary's
SUNDAY – Enquirers Class (St. Ignatius Catechetical Group) 9:00 am; Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am; no church school. Handel & Haydn Society Messiah 3:00pm at Symphony Hall.
WEDNESDAY– We are now observing the Nativity Fast, also known as the season of Advent – the forty days of fasting and prayer in preparation for the Great Feast of the Nativity of Christ. Every Wednesday during this period there is a Paraclesis service at 6:30 pm.
THURSDAY – The next Bible Study meeting will be Thursday, December 4, at 7:00 pm in the church library, as we begin our study of Numbers using the podcasts found at http://orthodoxbiblestudy.info/numbers-part-1/ and http://orthodoxbiblestudy.info/numbers-part-2/
The Bible Study at St. Mary, sponsored by the Fellowship of St. John the Divine, meets every other Thursday (next meeting will be December 18), and is based on a course originally broadcast on Ancient Faith Radio, entitled Search the Scriptures. For more information contact Marianna Sayeg (mailto:mksayeg@gmail.com) or Fr. Antony (mailto:frawhj@gmail.com). New members are always welcome.
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
CONGRATULATIONS - We are happy to announce the birth of Antony Pavel Vasiliu to Alexandra and Bogdan Vasiliu of Belmont. Both he and his mother are healthy and doing well. We heartily invite you to extend your support and congratulations to them. Alexandra is relatively new to this country and we are happy to welcome her and her son to our parish family. If you would like an address or phone number to reach them, please let Fr. Antony know.
ANGEL TREE UPDATE - All gifts must be brought to church and placed in the Angel Tree Bin in the parish hall no later than Sunday, December 7! Please wrap the gift(s) and attach the tree tag with the recipient information. Those who still wish to purchase without having a designated child assignment are greatly encouraged to do so, using the gift suggestions in the Sunday Bulletin as a guide. If you do not have an assigned child, once you purchase your gift(s) please bring them to church unwrapped by December 7th. In that way, we can determine from our information which child or children would most benefit from your added generosity. Thanks so much to everyone for such willing hearts!
TEEN SOYO – An Ice Skating trip for the teens is planned for Sunday, December 14 after church. Watch for further details.
PARISH COUNCIL - The next Parish Council meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, December 17 at 7:30pm at the church.
REMINDERS
ENTHRONEMENT OF METROPOLITAN JOSEPH - The Enthronement of His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph and related events will take place during the weekend of December 5 through 7, 2014, at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Brooklyn, New York. The actual enthronement will take place in conjunction with a Prayer of Thanksgiving on Saturday, December 6. His Beatitude John X, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, will preside during this weekend. The full schedule can be found here: http://www.antiochian.org/full-schedule-enthronement-weekend-now-available
DIACONAL MINISTRY CONFERENCE – A conference on "Women and Diaconal Ministry in the Orthodox Church: Past, Present, Future," sponsored by the St. Phoebe Center for the History of the Deaconess, will be held at Union Theological Seminary in NYC on Saturday, December 6, 2014. This conference will focus particularly on women in diaconal ministry – what they have done, are doing, and could possibly do in the future to help build up the Body of Christ – and is open to anyone interested in diaconal work, including men and women, clergy and laity. (Note: one of the speakers will be our own Teva Regule.) For more information and registration, see http://www.orthodoxdeaconess.org
This conference is a particular follow-on to the yearly conference of the Sophia Institute focusing on "Healing, Reconciliation, and Forgiveness in Eastern Orthodox Perspectives," held the previous day – see http://sophiainstitutenyc.org/conference) Participation at both events is encouraged.
ST. MARY PARISH CHRISTMAS CARD LISTING - Save yourself time; let the Women's Club do the work and have all proceeds benefit Antiochian Women Project 2014-2015: Nurturing the Seeds of Orthodoxy (Monastic Communities and Regional Camping and Learning Centers) – let the Women’s Club send a lovely Christmas card on your behalf to our parishioners. You will receive this card with the names of parishioners, like yourself, who are wishing a Blessed Nativity and a Merry Christmas to all. Please use the form in the Sunday Bulletin. Deadline: Sunday, December 7, 2014
ST. NICHOLAS FESTIVITIES – The feast day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is Saturday, December 6. We will celebrate him on Sunday, December 7, with a short Church School lesson after Communion, and our traditional St. Nicholas festivities.
CHURCH SCHOOL CHRISTMAS PAGEANT - If your child is interested in participating in the 2014 Christmas Pageant, please see Sarah Byrne-Martelli. We also need parents to assist at all rehearsals. First rehearsal was last Sunday; the second rehearsal will be Sunday, December 7 after church, with Dress Rehearsal on Saturday, December 13, at 2:30pm. The Pageant will be Sunday, December 14, after Liturgy.
HELP DECORATE THE TREE - Volunteers are needed to assemble and decorate the church Christmas tree on Sunday, December 7 after Liturgy. Please plan on offering your assistance.
PARACLESIS – Upcoming Paraclesis services will be on Wednesday, December 10 and Wednesday, December 17, at 6:30 pm.
VILLAGE AT HOME - On Saturday, December 13, we will bring a day at Antiochian Village to New England. Village at Home gives our teens and children time to experience the typical routine of a camper. Time and location to be announced.
ANNIVERSARY BANQUET - A banquet to honor Father Timothy Ferguson of St. George Antiochian Church in West Roxbury, will be held on Saturday, December 13, on the occasion of his 35th Anniversary of his Ordination to the Holy Priesthood. Great Vespers will begin at 5:30pm followed by a reception and banquet in the church hall. $35 for adults and $10 for children up to 18. For reservations contact Amal Hourani, 781-793-0219, ahourani19@comcast.net by December 6th.
Note: There will be no Vespers at St. Mary on this date.
SYRIAN LEBANESE WOMEN'S CLUB - The Syrian Lebanese Women’s Club will hold their Annual Christmas Party at St. John of Damascus Church, Dedham, on Saturday, December 13, at 12:00 noon. A Middle Eastern Luncheon is planned. Cost is $25. All proceeds will benefit the SLWC Scholarship Fund. Contact Carolyn Ganim at 781-329-0830 for reservations.
DIOCESAN LESSONS AND CAROLS AT ST. MARY'S - Please join us for a Diocesan Christmas Concert, which will be our Western Rite Lessons & Carols service with the Hallelujah Chorus, on Sunday, December 14 at 5:00pm. If you are a singer, join us for rehearsals: Sunday, November 30, 7pm – 9pm @ St. Johns’ in Dedham; and Dress Rehearsal with brass quintet on Sunday, December 7, 4pm – 6pm @ St. Mary’s in Cambridge. If you would like to sing or have questions, please e-mail Charlie Marge: marge@alum.mit.edu
As the host parish, we need everyone's help either setting up in the church hall beforehand, or helping us clean up afterwards. And please bring food for the potluck after the service:
- People whose last name begins with A – D: Bring water/seltzer/juice.
- People whose last name begins with E – Z: Bring a main dish or salad.
- Charlie is coordinating desserts to be provided by the choirs.
Thanks for your help! For questions or more information, contact Julie Wasilko (julie31415pi@gmail.com).
DONATIONS FOR THE HOLY NATIVITY – If you would like to donate toward the Poinsettias and Nativity decorations please use the form in the Sunday Bulletin to provide us with the necessary information. Donations will be printed in the December 21, 2014 Bulletin. Deadline is December 16, 2014.
FOOD FOR HUNGRY PEOPLE - Canned Food Drive: October, 2014 – December 31, 2014. Since 1984, we have collected over 3,281,200 pounds of food. Please bring in canned goods ONLY and place them in the plastic bins in the room outside the kitchen. They will be distributed to food pantries in our area.
CONVENTION COMMITTEE – The next meeting of the National Convention committee is scheduled for Wednesday, January 21, 2015. In case of snow, the meeting will be January 28.
Editor's Note – The newsletter sections entitled “Liturgical Schedule for This Week” and “Looking Ahead,” which formerly appeared here, have been incorporated into “This Week at St. Mary's” and “Reminders,” respectively. We hope you find this makes the newsletter a little more efficient, eliminating some redundancy. Comments may be addressed to the Editor at FSJD.StMary@gmail.com
SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR THIS SUNDAY
Epistle: ...We are fools for Christ's sake, ...When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become, and are now, as the refuse of the world, the off-scouring of all things. ... I urge you, then, be imitators of me.
- First Corinthians 4:9-16
Gospel: John was standing with two of his disciples; and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" ... One of the two who heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means Christ). ... Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." ... Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" ...And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man."
- John 1:35-51
REFLECTION
Let us also live in imitation of all the Saints, to have them always as aids and protectors. Let us imitate their struggles and virtues and especially humility, faith, hope and love…
- Elder Joseph the Hesychast
Such are the souls of the saints: they love their enemies more than themselves, and in this age and in the age to come they put their neighbor first in all things, even though because of his ill-will he may be their enemy. They do not seek recompense from those whom they love, but because they have themselves received, they rejoice in giving to others all that they have, so that they may conform to their Benefactor and imitate His compassion to the best of their ability; "for He is bountiful to the thankless and to sinners" (cf. Luke 6:35).
- St. Peter of Damascus
Love never hates anyone, never reproves anyone, never condemns anyone, never grieves anyone, never abhors anyone, neither faithful nor infidel nor stranger nor sinner …, imitating Christ Who called sinners, and ate and drank with them. For this reason, showing what real love is, He taught saying, "Become good and merciful like your Father in Heaven," …
- Abba Ammonas
Do not hate the sinner. For we are all laden with guilt. If for the sake of God you are moved to oppose him, weep over him. Why do you hate him? Hate his sins and pray for him, that you may imitate Christ Who was not wroth with sinners, but interceded for them.
- St. Isaac the Syrian, Homily 6
"But I say to you," the Lord says, "love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who persecute you." Why did he command these things? So that he might free you from hatred, sadness, anger and grudges, and might grant you the greatest possession of all, perfect love, which is impossible to possess except by the one who loves all equally in imitation of God.
- Maximus Confessor