Update for the week of January 4 - January 11, 2018
THIS WEEK AT ST. MARY
SATURDAY 1/6/18 – The Young Adult Ministry at St. Mary’s invites you to come for Vespers at 5:00 pm with Bishop JOHN, followed by a concert by the Boston Byzantine Choir at 6:00 entitled The Twelve Days of Christmas, followed by a potluck supper. The concert will consist of Orthodox sacred chant from Christmas to Epiphany (Nativity to Theophany), in English. In this program, the Boston Byzantine Choir will take us on a journey of sacred chant through the 12 Days of Christmas starting with the Nativity and ending with Epiphany. Each day from December 25 to January 6 brings its own hymnography rich in the theology of the season, beautifully expressed through the Byzantine musical tradition. Everyone is invited.
SUNDAY 1/7 – Orthros 8:45 am, Hierarchical Divine Liturgy 10:00 am with Bishop John, followed by Second Blessing of the Waters
THIS WEEK ELSEWHERE
SATURDAY 1/6 – There will be a Joint Diocesan Celebration of Theophany at St. George Cathedral, Worcester, on the morning of Saturday, January 6. Orthros 8:30am, Hierarchical Divine Liturgy 10:00 am with the Blessing of Waters. There will not be any services at St. Mary’s that morning.
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
MEMORY ETERNAL - We regret to inform you of the falling asleep in the Lord of Mary Homsy of Quincy, MA. Mary was the aunt of Madeline Homsy and a long time St. Mary’s parishioner. Mary was an active member of the Women’s Club and was Church School Superintendent for more than 20 years. Funeral services will be held on Monday January 8 at 10:00am, at the Carroll Thomas Funeral Home, Hyde Park with interment at Fairview cemetery.
BLESSING OF HOMES – Fr. Antony will be blessing homes after Epiphany (January 6) and between Pascha (April 8) and Pentecost (Mary 27). We bless homes to reveal the home as what God created it to be, a way to heaven; to rid the home of every evil; to show that the family is a small church unit in Christ; to consecrate the home and all activity in it to God; and to fill the home and all who live in it with the fullness of God. To schedule the blessing of your home, please use the form in the weekly Bulletin or call the church office at 617-547-1234.
COFFEE HOUR - Please sign up to provide a coffee hour – it can be as simple as coffee, juice, and cookies. Plenty of help is available! Signup sheets are on the bulletin board downstairs outside the Hall, or contact Linda Arnold (mmarmee52@aol.com) or the Church Office (617-547-1234 or Secretary@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org ).
THEOPHANY SCHOOL PARENT TALK - At 6:00pm on Friday, February 2, Dr. Philip Mamalakis, author of many books on parenting and marriage, will speak at Theophany School about the principles in his new book, Parenting Toward the Kingdom. Theophany School is at 754 Greendale Ave, Needham, MA. See https://www.facebook.com/theophanyschool/photos/pcb.1619255764802533/1619254681469308/?type=3&theater
CHINESE NEW YEAR BREAKFAST - Please join us Sunday February 4 for the 2018 Chinese New Year Missions Breakfast to benefit the Chinese Translation Project via the Orthodox Fellowship of All Saints of China (OFASC). RSVP to Nelson Mitrophan Chin at mitrophan@orthodox.cn by Wednesday, January 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”).
METROPOLITAN JOSEPH VISIT - His Eminence Metropolitan JOSEPH will be at St. Mary’s from Friday through Sunday, April 27-29 2018 for a Hierarchical visit to celebrate liturgy and to take part in our 90th anniversary celebration.
REMINDERS
PLEDGE CARDS - If you haven’t made your pledge for 2018, please return your pledge card to the church office or fill out the ePledge form on our website ASAP.
SUMMER CAMP REGISTRATION – Registration for Summer Camp at the Antiochian Village is open for children ages 9-17. Registration fills up quickly! Register online, right away, at https://avcamp.org/summer-camp . St. Mary’s children attend the third session, July 15-27. The camper fee is $800 for the two-week camper session.
BIBLE STUDY - The next meeting of the Bible Study/Adult Education group will be Wednesday, January 10 at 7:00 pm, in the church hall. We learn about the word of God, pray, and share fellowship together. Everyone is welcome to attend. For questions, information about the podcasts we’ll be discussing, or to be added to the email list, contact Ioana Popa at drioanapopa@gmail.com or Steve Walker at smwalk@gmail.com .
PARISH COUNCIL – The Parish Council will meet on Wednesday, January 17 at 7:30 pm in the Church hall.
THEOPHANY SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE - Theophany School, 754 Greendale Ave, Needham, invites you to an Open House on Thursday, January 18 from 3:00-5:00pm. There will be activities for children and refreshments. Come meet the staff and learn more about their preschool, pre-K and K progams. For more information go to http://www.theophanyschool.org/
ANNUAL PARISH MEETING - The Annual Meeting of St. Mary’s parish will be held Sunday, January 28, 2018, immediately after Liturgy (snow date: Sunday, February 4). At this meeting the members of the parish will approve the Year 2018 budget. The proposed budget will be available on the previous Sunday, January 21. It is important that all members of St. Mary’s Church attend this meeting.
OFFERING ENVELOPES - For those who use Offering Envelopes, the 2018 envelopes are available for pickup at the Bengarri. Calendars are also available – please, only one calendar per family.
CROSSROAD PROGRAM – CrossRoad, a ten-day academic summer institute in Boston and Chicago, prepares high school juniors and seniors to make big life decisions and invites them to connect with the Orthodox Christian theological and spiritual tradition. The deadline for application to this program is Thursday, February 1. For more information go to http://www.crossroadinstitute.org.
PRE-LENTEN RETREAT and YOUTH DAY – The 2018 Pre-Lenten Retreat & Youth Day, sponsored by the Diocese of Worcester & New England Antiochian Women and the Missions Council, will feature Bishop ANTHONY and our very own Fr. Antony Hughes. This is a day for all ages, 3 years old and older. Date: February 10. Time: 9:00am-2:30pm. Place: St. John of Damascus, Dedham. Cost: $20/Adult. Make checks payable to Antiochian Women-DOWNE, and mail registration and check to Kh. Erin Kimmett, 17 Austin St., Norwood, 02062. (See Bulletin Board for registration form)
SCHOLARSHIPS - Students graduating in 2018 from high school who are children of membersof St. Mary’s may apply for the Diocese of Worcester and New England Scholarship. Deadline is March 31, 2018. Contact Mary Winstanley O’Connor at 617-523-1010 or email at moconnor@koilaw.com for more information, including what it means to be a member.
+ Scholarships ($1,000) are available from the Syrian-Lebanese Women’s club of Greater Boston to young women of Syrian and Lebanese origin, residing in Massachusetts within 50-mile radius of Boston, who plan to pursue a four-year college education. Scholarships are based on outstanding academic achievement, extra-curricular activities, charitable and civic involvement and good character; and applicants must be in good academic standing in her school and possess those personal attributes, which best serve the community. Applications are available through the Church Office and must be postmarked by March 31, 2018. If you have any questions, contact Mary Winstanley O’Connor at 617-523-1010 or email at moconnor@koilaw.com .
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 2018, and we hope you'll join us! To learn more or to get involved contact Jamil (617-501-4427) or Adam (315-719-2101), or go to 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.
JOIN US ONLINE - 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 or online). If you have questions or comments about this ministry please contact us at live@stmaryorthodoxchurch.org
REFLECTION
The memory of the righteous is celebrated with songs of praise, but the Lord’s testimony is sufficient for you, O Forerunner. You were shown indeed to be the most honorable of the prophets, for in the waters you baptized Him Who had been proclaimed. After suffering with joy in behalf of the truth, you proclaimed even to those in Hades the God who appeared in the flesh, who takes away the sin of the world, and grants us the Great Mercy.
- Troparion of Synaxis of John the Baptist
When you, O Lord, were baptized in the Jordan, worship of the Trinity was made manifest; for the voice of the Father bore witness to you, calling you His beloved Son. And the Spirit in the likeness of a dove confirmed the truth of His word. O Christ our God, who has appeared and enlightened the world, glory to you.
- Apolytikion of the Theophany of Christ