Update for the week Thursday, May 25 - Thursday, June 1, 2017
THIS WEEK AT ST. MARY'S
SUNDAY, 5/28 – Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am
+ Bible Bowl practice session right after church in the Library. (We still need volunteers for the teen team. Contact Violet Robbat at 781-862-4388 or by e-mail at vmkrobbat@yahoo.com)
MONDAY, 5/29- On Memorial Day, Monday, May 29, Fr. Antony will be blessing graves at Fairview Cemetery in Hyde Park, MA. starting at 9:00 am. If you would like him to bless the graves of loved ones in other cemeteries, please let him know by calling the Church Office at 617-547-1234 or e-mail frawhj@gmail.com
THURSDAY, 6/1 – Scholarships from the Antiochian Women are available to females 25 years of age and older in good standing of the Antiochian Archdiocese, actively involved in their parish and who demonstrate need. The application deadline is June 1, 2017. Applications are available in the Church Office. E-mail cindy@nimeys.com with any questions.
+ Nicholas G. Beram 2017 Scholastic Achievement Awards are available for high school seniors of our Arab American Community planning to attend a 4-year college full time. Applications are available online at www.stjohnd.org/ngberam/index.htm . Application deadline is June 1, 2017.
THIS WEEK ELSEWHERE
LEBANESE FESTIVAL - Our Lady of the Cedars, Jamaica Plain, invites you to a Lebanese Festival Friday-Sunday, May 26-28. Friday 6:00-11:00pm, Saturday 3:00-11:00pm and Sunday 12:00-6:00pm. Valet parking and offsite parking with free shuttle. Live music, dancing, Lebanese food and much more.
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
PARISH COUNCIL – The next meeting of the Parish Council is scheduled for Wednesday, June 21 at 7:30 in the church.
REMINDERS
NO NEWSLETTER IN JUNE – Because the editor of this newsletter will be out of the country during most of the month of June, the St. Mary e-Newsletter will not be issued on June 8, 15, 22, or 29; publication is scheduled to resume on July 6. Meanwhile, information about St. Mary’s services and events can be found on the church’s website at https://www.stmaryorthodoxchurch.org, and important announcements will be emailed to parishioners by the church’s secretary.
COFFEE HOUR VOLUNTEERS NEEDED – Please get your friends together and sign up to provide a coffee hour. Some do it to celebrate a special event or anniversary, but you don’t need a reason, and it can be as simple as coffee, juice, and cookies. When no one volunteers, there’s no coffee! Signup sheets are on the bulletin board downstairs outside the Hall.
CHINESE DUMPLING MAKING - Adult volunteers are needed on Saturday, June 3 from 2:00-5:00, to help make dumplings for the Chinese luncheon on Sunday, 6/4. At the same time children can make dumplings that they will take home to enjoy.
CHANT CLASS, VESPERS, and YOUNG ADULTS – The Chant Class will meet at 3:30 on Saturday, June 3, followed by Great Vespers at 5:00pm, followed by Young Adult Fellowship Night.
CHURCH SCHOOL RECOGNITION and CHINESE LUNCHEON – Please join us on Sunday, June 4, as we close the 2016-2017 Church School year. Church School children will be recognized as they move up to the next grade or graduate. We have three graduating seniors this year, Rebecca Sayeg, Elias Orlovsky and Jessica Winstanley.
+ Then please plan to stay for the 2017 Chinese Martyrs Missions Luncheon to benefit the Chinese Translation Project via the Orthodox Fellowship of All Saints of China (OFASC). RSVP to Mitrophan at mitrophan@orthodox.cn by Wednesday, May 31. We look forward to your support of this worthwhile project and seeing you at this event! Suggested minimum donation $8/adult, $16/family (Checks made payable to “St. Mary Orthodox Church-Hospitality” earmarked “Chinese Missions”).
LOBSTER DINNER - St. George West Roxbury invites you to a Lobster Dinner on Friday, June 9, 5:00pm-7:00pm. Two boiled lobsters $25.95, children under 12 (1 lobster), $15.95. Fish dinner will also be available. For reservations call by June 8th to Michel/Evelyn Essa 617-266-0065.
PARENTING WORKSHOP – The Diocese of Worcester and New England invites you to a workshop, “Parenting within Orthodox Families,” on Saturday, June 10 (rescheduled from April 1), 9:00am-3:00pm in the hall at St. George Cathedral, 30 Anna St., Worcester. To register email stgeorgeworc@gmail.com or call 508-752-9150. Cost: $20/person, $30/couple.
POTLUCK PICNIC - Please come join the Hospitality Group for our Annual Potluck Picnic on Sunday, June 11 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 a beautiful green. This is a great opportunity to relax and spend time with our church family. OPEN TO ALL AGES!!! For people who need assistance getting to the park, we will coordinate rides. If you would like to help us out, please email Diana Yousef (yousefd@post.harvard.edu
PARISH LIFE CONFERENCE – The 2017 Diocese of Worcester and New England Parish life Conference will be hosted by St. George Cathedral, Worcester. Dates: Saturday, June 17 (Pre-Conference: Creative Arts judging, Women’s meeting and Church School Teachers’ workshop) and Friday-Sunday, June 23-25 (Conference). All events will take place at St. George Orthodox Cathedral. For more information and to register go to https://www.antiochianevents.org/143
+ There will be services at St. Mary’s as usual on Sunday morning, June 25.
TANGLEWOOD OUTING – Join your music-loving friends from St. Mary’s as we carpool out to Tanglewood immediately after Liturgy on Sunday, July 16, 2017. We’ll picnic on the lawn and listen to music by John Williams, Tchaikovsky and Berlioz, featuring violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andris Nelsons. For more information see https://www.bso.org/Performance/Detail/85537 . The concert starts at 2:30; lawn tickets are $23.00 - pay at the door; children are free. 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). Note: Melissa will be unavailable June 2-28.
ARCHDIOCESE CONVENTION – The 53rd Biennial Archdiocese Convention, honoring His Grace Bishop ANTOUN, will be held Sunday, July 23 through Sunday, July 30, hosted by St. George Cathedral, Coral Gables, FL. Visit www.AC2017Miami.org for more details.
CHURCH SCHOOL TEACHER NEEDED - For Fall 2017 we are in need of a Teacher for 6th grade to work with Deno Takles. And we are always in need of substitutes. Please consider being a teacher and helping with this very important ministry. Contact Barbara Shoop in the Church office if you are interested.
YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY - The Young Adult Ministry is an active, dynamic group that hosts monthly social, spiritual, and outreach events and programs. We have lots of great plans for 2017, and we hope you'll join us! If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Jamil at 617-501-4427 or youngadults@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org.
COFFEE HOUR MADE EASY! - To make sponsoring a Coffee Hour a little bit easier, St. Mary’s offers a delivery service through “Instacart”, for the basic foods necessary to host a Coffee hour. Simply select a date, mail a check to the office and we will order the food and have it delivered to the church on that Sunday between 9:00 and 10:00 am. You will need to be at the church to accept the order and you will be required to set up for the coffee hour and clean up both the kitchen and hall at the end of the coffee hour. Two menus will be offered. Menu one will include: bagels, mini muffins, fruit, hummus/Syrian bread, juice and coffee for $160. Menu two will include: bagels, juice and coffee for $70. Prices DO NOT include a 20% tip for delivery and are subject to change based on current market pricing of items. Cream cheese, peanut butter, jam and coffee creamer are included with each menu. As usual, St. Mary’s will provide the plates, cups, napkins, utensils, serving platters, and sweetener for coffee. If you are interested in taking advantage of this service and signing up for a coffee hour please contact the office at 617-547-1234 or e-mail secretary@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org.
REFLECTION
If you wish to calm down your thoughts and find a chance for pure prayer, stop yearning after material things. Renounce obsession with the affairs of this world and the ambition for attaining them. For insofar as the motion of the world subsides in you and you renounce it, prayer will find a place to dwell in you.
- St. Isaac the Syrian
Those who refuse to work with their hands under the pretext that one should pray without ceasing, in reality do not pray either. Through idleness...they entangle the soul in a labyrinth of thoughts...and make it incapable of prayer.
- St. Nilus of Sinai
If you cannot labor as the Holy Fathers did, then at least begin according to your strength.
- St. Paisius Velichkovsky
You have ascended in glory, O Christ our God, and gladdened your Disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit, having become confident of the blessing. Truly, you are the Son of God, and Deliverer of the world.
- Troparion of the Ascension