Update for the week Thursday, July 23, through Thursday, July 30, 2015

THIS WEEK

St. Mary will be closed through this Sunday, July 26, as we host the 52nd Antiochian Archdiocese Convention.

For a list of the remaining events taking place during the Convention and their locations, go to http://www.acboston2015.com/schedule

   + Note that registration is required for all attendees, even if you are only attending religious services, except for those on Sunday 7/26. The registration table, on the 3rd floor of the Sheraton, is open every day through Saturday 7/25, from 10:00 am onward.

   + New: Online registration is now closed. Any registrations or changes/additions must be made at the registration desk in person at the convention.

   + Religious services are being held in the John B. Hynes Auditorium, adjacent to the hotel.

SUNDAY, 7/26 – Last day of the Convention

   + Orthros and Confessions 9:00 am

   + Patriarchal Divine Liturgy 10:00 am

Access to the Hynes Auditorium will be open to the public on Sunday only - no registration will be required to attend Sunday services. On-street parking in Boston is free on Sundays. Also there are several parking garages available for a fee within the immediate area, including the Sheraton garage which is shared with the Prudential Center and Hynes Convention Center, as well as valet parking at the hotel. Click here to open an interactive map with local parking options.

THURSDAY, 7/30 – The next meeting of the Bible Study at St. Mary will be next Thursday at 7:00 pm in the Church library. St. Mary's Bible Study 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 David and Bathsheba – listen to the podcasts at http://orthodoxbiblestudy.info/david-and-bathsheba-part-1/ and http://orthodoxbiblestudy.info/david-and-bathsheba-part-2/

   New members are always welcome. For more information contact Marianna Sayeg (mksayeg@gmail.com) or Fr. Antony (frawhj@gmail.com) Note: during the summer this year the Bible Study will meet just once each month.

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

LAST WEEK AT THE CATHEDRAL - On Saturday and Sunday, July 18-19, 2015, His Beatitude Patriarch John X celebrated Great Vespers, Orthros and Divine Liturgy at St. George Cathedral in Worcester, Massachusetts. His Beatitude was joined by His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph, as well as many other Antiochian bishops, clergy and faithful. Links to photos from the weekend and videos of the services may be found here: http://www.antiochian.org/patriarch-john-x-celebrates-divine-services-st-george-cathedral-worcester-ma

DORMITION – Our Patronal Feast Day is the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, on August 15. This is observed every year with a Dormition fast, which begins on Saturday, August 1 and continues through Friday, August 14.

   + On Wednesday, August 12, we will have a Paraclesis for the Dormition at 6:30.

   + Join us finally for the Vigil for the Dormition on Friday, August 14, the eve of the Feast, with Vespers at 4:15 pm; Orthros with Lamentations 5:30 pm; and Festal Divine Liturgy at 7:00 pm; followed by a reception offered by the Hospitality Group.

TRANSFIGURATION – Join us at St. Mary as we celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration on Wednesday, August 5, with Vespers & Divine Liturgy at 6:30 pm

REMINDERS

TANGLEWOOD OUTING – Join your music-loving friends from St. Mary’s as we carpool out to Tanglewood after Liturgy next 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 and trumpeter Hakan Hardenberger, with 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). PLEASE RSVP BY WEDNESDAY, JULY 29.

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.

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.

TRAUMANN-DAVIS FAMILY HELP – If you would like to help provide meals for the family of Elisabeth Traumann, who fell asleep in the Lord on July 5, you can go to a website set up by a family friend to coordinate this help: the site is http://www.takethemameal.com, the recipient name is Traumann Davis, and the password is seraphim. It is also possible to order meals through this site to be sent to the family.

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. 

SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR THIS SUNDAY

   Epistle:

Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. ...

   - 1 Corinthians 1:10-16 

   Gospel:

Jesus saw a great throng; and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a lonely place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves." Jesus said, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." They said to him, "We have only five loaves here and two fish." And he said, "Bring them here to me." Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. ...

   - Matthew 14:14-22 

REFLECTION 

He preserved His body whole and undivided, so that there should be no excuse hereafter for those who would divide the Church.

   - St. Athanasius, On the Incarnation

The triumph of sin, the main sign of its rule over the world, is division, opposition, separation, hatred. Therefore, the first break through this fortress of sin is forgiveness: the return to unity, solidarity, love.

   - Alexander Schmemann, Great Lent

As long as we are not purified by the love of God and transformed into Him in the union of pure sanctity, we will remain apart from one another, opposed to one another, and union among us will be a precarious and painful thing, full of labor and sorrow and without lasting cohesion.

   - Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation

For however much the world may betray our efforts, we must not betray the world. We must actively love one another, and make this love known through the power of good works, … and love God so strongly that in doing so we are able to put aside our petty differences and live together, in peace and unity, on this tiny planet.

   - Paul Anderson, No East or West (quoted by Michael Plekon in Hidden Holiness)

[Jesus prayed] "that they may be one, as we are one." In this perfect unity, not only the all-conquering power of the faithful but also the glory of God will be seen; yes, and God's very being. As the Father and the Son are one in essence, differing only in Person, so let it be among the faithful, many and varied in person, but essentially one in love, will and mind.

   - St. (Bp.) Nikolai Velimirovic, Homilies