Update for the week Thursday, June 25, through Thursday, July 5, 2015
THIS WEEK
THURSDAY, 6/25 – St. Mary Bible Study group 7:00 pm. This group is based on a very interesting course originally broadcast on Ancient Faith Radio, entitled Search the Scriptures – see http://orthodoxbiblestudy.info. The next discussion will cover Saul and David, lessons 91 and 92. For more information contact Marianna Sayeg (mksayeg@gmail.com) or Fr. Antony (frawhj@gmail.com) New members are always welcome. Note: during the summer this year the Bible Study will meet just once each month. The next meeting will be Thursday, July 30.
SATURDAY, 6/27 – This Saturday at St. George Orthodox Cathedral in Worcester, volunteers from all over the Diocese - including many from St. Mary - will be measuring and scooping 100,000 meals of MannaPack Rice, a scientifically formulated food that is culturally acceptable worldwide, for starving children. Organizations in nearly 70 countries distribute these meals to children in greatest need. We need 500 volunteers on that day as well as donations to help meet the $22,000 goal for the cost of the MobilePack Rice. This Humanitarian project is being conducted in conjunction with Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) a Christian non-profit organization committed to feeding God’s children hungry in body and spirit. You can still help by donating: submit online at http://www.fmsc.org/mobilepack or checks, made out to FMSC, Memo line Mobil Pack #1506-99, can be given at the Bengarri or church office. Please consider making a donation to this worthy cause. If you would like to learn more you can contact Fr. Milad Selim at St. George Worcester 508-752-9150 or fr.milad.selim@gmail.com
+ Great Vespers 5:00 pm
SUNDAY, 6/28 - Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am
+ The new St-Mary's shirts -- sponsored by Teen SOYO -- have arrived. Orders can be picked up after Liturgy this Sunday. All orders must be paid for in full. A very limited number of extra shirts are available; please see a member of Teen SOYO if interested. If you cannot make church on the 28th, orders will also be made available for pickup at select coffee hours in July.
+ St. Mary's Parish Potluck Picnic will be held this Sunday at Dana Park (10-20 McTernan St, Cambridge) – the same park as previous picnics. Bring a blanket, some eats or drinks to share, balls, frisbees, even bathing suits if you want splash in the sprinklers! Dana Park is a 5-10 minute walk south of the Church (walk down Magazine St), with an enclosed playground, hoops, water spouts, and beautiful green. This is a great opportunity to relax and spend time with our church family. OPEN TO ALL AGES!!! If you need assistance getting to the park, we can coordinate rides. If you would like to help us out, please email Diana Yousef (yousefd@post.harvard.edu ).
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
BIBLE BOWL RESULTS – At the Parish Life Conference last week, our Teen Bible Bowl team of Maedot Kassa, Anthony Marge, and Gaby Mazzoni (with Amanuel Kassa as alternate) finished 2nd out of 8 teams, just 4 points behind St. George Lowell. Many thanks to coach Violet Robbat, who always prepares our team well for the competition.
For the adults, our team of Charlie Marge and Theo Smith pulled out a last minute come-from-behind victory, tying the score with one question left and edging out St. George Boston on a tie-break! Congratulations to all our competitors
SUMMER HOURS – St. Mary no longer has different, earlier hours for Sunday services during the summer. Orthros will continue to be 8:45 am and Divine Liturgy at 10:00 am.
CONVENTION COMMITTEES – There will be a Convention committee meeting on Thursday, July 9, at 7:00 pm at the church.
DUCK BOAT TOUR - Join us on Monday Night of the Convention (July 20) for a Boston Duck Boat Tour – kick off the Archdiocese Convention with a duck boat of fellow Orthodox Christians! Unlike other convention events, this one must be booked well in advance to guarantee a spot, as tickets cannot be sold at the convention. Register TODAY for the convention (www.acboston2015.com) and sign up for the Duck Tour. Adults & Teens $35, 12 and under $30. Questions? Contact Charlie Marge (marge@alum.mit.edu).
CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED – St. Mary Church and the church office will be closed during the Convention, Tuesday - Sunday, July 21-26.
REMINDERS
GREEK FESTIVIAL - Archangels Greek Orthodox Church is having a Greek Festival Friday through Sunday, June 26-28, with Greek music, dancing, food, bookstore and more. Time: 11:00am-11pm, Sunday noon-8pm. 25 Bigelow Ave. Watertown. For more info call 617-924-8182.
HELP AT THE CONVENTION – More volunteers – both women and men – are needed to help set up the chapel on Monday, July 20th and break it down on the next Sunday after liturgy. We also need more ushers for the daily services and liturgies. Please contact Fr. Antony at frawhj@gmail.com to volunteer.
HOUSING HELP NEEDED – A young woman who will be starting a Master's program in Speech and Language Pathology at Emerson College this fall is looking for housing, and is open to both studio and 2-bedroom options; she is on the lookout for a roommate (female) as well. She will not have a car so an apartment close to the T would be ideal. Please contact Elyse Timothy, elyse.timothy@gmail.com
CONGRATULATIONS! - St. Mary’s Church School is pleased to announce that all four projects submitted to the Diocese of Worcester and New England Creative Arts Competition won awards. There were three achievement levels, Gold, Silver and Bronze. Grades K/1 won Gold and grades 2/3, 4/5 and 6 won Silver. WELL DONE! Award ribbons will be given to the children in the fall at a special presentation.
SACRED MUSIC INSTITUTE - The 30th Anniversary SMI will be held July 8-12 at the Antiochian Village, with Metropolitan JOSEPH as the Keynote Speaker. To register, go to http://registration.antiochianvillage.org/Registration/Welcome.aspx?e=7413B331578E5950B91A801CA88B0AFF
LITURGY BEFORE THE CONVENTION – On Sunday, July 19, there will be no Liturgy at St. Mary's Church. Liturgy will be held at St. George Cathedral, Worcester with Patriarch JOHN and Metropolitan JOSEPH. All are welcome to attend.
ARCHDIOCESE CONVENTION - As you know, our parish will be hosting the 2015 Archdiocesan Convention at the Sheraton-Boston Hotel and Hynes Auditorium in Copley Square Tuesday through Sunday, July 21-26, 2015. There are numerous and various committees on which you may volunteer. We will require everyone’s involvement at St. Mary’s to make this convention truly a success spiritually, socially and financially. If you are interested in participating, please see either Father Antony or the co-chairs, Raymond Sayeg and Mary Winstanley O’Connor.
To register for the convention and purchase convention event tickets and tickets for Boston excursions, go to www.acboston2015.com. The Sheraton Boston is completely sold out at this time, even though the convention committee had reserved a block of 3,000 room nights, substantially more than is typical for a convention. Other hotels in the vicinity, near the Hynes Convention Center, may still have vacancies.
PATRISTICS INSTITUTE – You are invited to take part in the ninth annual Summer Program in Patristic Studies sponsored by the Pappas Patristic Institute of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology. This five-day program is for theology and religious studies students, including masters-level students and undergraduates, and others, including clergy and lay people, with a background in religious studies, who would like to pursue their interests in the early Church. This year’s program will be held from July 19 – 24, 2015 on the campus of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts. See http://www.hchc.edu/assets/files/patristics/2015%20AnnouncmentProgram_150502.pdf for more information.
TANGLEWOOD OUTING – Join your music-loving friends from St. Mary’s as we carpool out to Tanglewood after Liturgy on Sunday, August 2 (the weekend after the Convention). We’ll picnic on the lawn and listen to music by Haydn, Dean and Strauss featuring cellist Yo-Yo Ma, with violinist Joshua Bell and new BSO conductor Andris Nelsons. For more information see http://www.bso.org/Performance/Detail/69833 . The concert starts at 2:30; lawn tickets are $21.00 (pay at the door). 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).
NEW SKETE PILGRIMAGE - The Monastic Communities of New Skete Monastery in Cambridge, New York (www.newskete.org), invite you to their Annual Pilgrimage on Saturday, August 8, 2014, between 8:30am - 6:00pm. The day will include Church Services, Church Tours, a Photo Exhibit, and a Healing Service with Anointing as well as talks by the monastics on Monastic Life and Iconography and by Chapel Community members on their relationship with the monastery. In addition, pilgrims will have the opportunity to visit with the New Skete German Shepherds and take a hike on the monks' mountain. Activities for kids are also planned. This year's guest speaker is Dr. Anton Vrame. Dr. Vrame is the Director of the Department of Religious Education for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. He will be exploring the trends in society and their effects of Christianity in the US today and into the future. His talk is entitled, "Does the Future Have a Church?
+ In years past, a number of us have gone out for the weekend to help the Communities with this event—to be extra sets of "helping hands" for the day. They are hoping a number of us will do so again this year. Would you like to help? In the past, this has been a wonderful community building activity for all of us. Moreover, if you have never been to the monastery, this may be a good way to be introduced to their life and work. Contact Reva Regule (teva@mit.edu ) for more information, especially about housing. Note that the Emmaus house is now a guest house. Anyone wishing to stay there should contact Br. Gregory directly (brgregory@newskete.org) by Monday, July 6. They will hold the rooms for us until that date.
PARISH COUNCIL - The next Parish Council meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, August 26 at 7:30 pm at the church.
CHURCH SCHOOL TEACHERS NEEDED - We are in need of teachers for the fall, in particular Pre-School and Kindergarten/1st grade. Anyone interested in teaching, or being an assistant or substitute, please contact Barbara@dsaarchitects.com.
BOURELL FAMILY UPDATE – After being burned out of their home, Amanda and their kids have found temporary lodging with family in Michigan and Texas, while Peter will stay here with a colleague near the hospital where he's working. They greatly appreciate everyone's prayers, support and suggestions for local housing during this difficult time. Some of their close friends and colleagues have begun a fundraising site that Larisa Patacchiola (larisademshuk@yahoo.com ) will be happy to share details about if anyone would like.
THEOPHANY SCHOOL REGISTRATION - Theophany School is now enrolling for Fall 2015. They are excited to announce Theophany School's expansion into Elementary School and offering Preschool, Pre-K, Kindergarten, and First Grade Enrollment for this Fall. For more information visit their website at http://www.theophanyschool.org or contact them at 781-444-3058 or theophanyschool@gmail.com
THIS WEEK'S VOLUNTEERS
Greeter: Paul Demerjian
Liturgical Service:
Epistle: Walter Porr
Procession: Gabi Popa, Maia Popa, Senai Kahsai, Ileana Sakellariou, Birkiti Kahsai, Sophia Sakellariou
Communion: John Odom, Melissa Nassiff, Linda Arnold, and TBD
Coffee Hour: No coffee at St. Mary’s; instead come to the parish picnic at Dana Park, sponsored by the Hospitality Group
SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR THIS SUNDAY, Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, transferred from Monday
Epistle:
… If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. ... Though if I wish to boast, I shall not be a fool, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me; but He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
- 2 Corinthians 11:21-12:9
Gospel:
When Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in Heaven. …
- Matthew 16:13-19
REFLECTION
The incorporeal and incorruptible and immaterial Word of God entered our world. In one sense, indeed, He was not far from it before, for no part of creation had ever been without Him who, while ever abiding in union with the Father, yet fills all things that are. But now He entered the world in a new way, stooping to our level in his love and self-revealing to us.
- St. Athanasius the Great
There were thus two things which the Savior did for us by becoming Man. He banished death from us and made us anew; and, invisible and imperceptible as in Himself He is, He became visible through His works and revealed Himself as the Word of the Father, the Ruler and King of the whole creation.
- St. Athanasius, On the Incarnation
When conversion takes place, the process of revelation occurs in a very simple way - a person is in need, he suffers, and then somehow the other world opens up. The more you are in suffering and difficulties and are ‘desperate’ for God, the more He is going to come to your aid, reveal Who He is and show you the way out…
- Fr. Seraphim Rose
When peace dwells in a man's heart it enables him to contemplate the grace of the Holy Spirit from within. He who dwells in peace collects spiritual gifts as it were with a scoop, and he sheds the light of knowledge on others. All our thoughts, all our desires, all our efforts, and all our actions should make us say constantly with the Church: "O Lord, give us peace!" When a man lives in peace, God reveals mysteries to him.
- St. Seraphim of Sarov