Update for the two weeks Thursday, July 12 - Wednesday, July 25, 2018
THIS WEEK AT ST. MARY'S
SUNDAY 7/15 and 7/22 – Orthros 8:45 am, Divine Liturgy 10:00 am.
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN WITNESS PROGRAM – The Diocese of Worcester and New England is offering an opportunity for anyone interested to learn, reflect and be transformed through the Orthodox Faith in preparation for various ministries. It is aimed to empower and equip Orthodox Christians to nourish and share the faith in the 21st Century. This is a 2 year program (4 semesters, 8 Units), starting September 13. The leadership team includes His Grace Bishop John, our own Father Antony Hughes, Ioana Popa, Richard Robbat, and Sebastien Falardeau. Registration fee: $100/unit. For questions e-mail Ioana Popa at popalifecoach@gmail.com or call 617-455-7192. Pamphlets are at the Bengarri and a poster is on the bulletin board.
REMINDERS
TANGLEWOOD OUTING – Join your music-loving friends from St. Mary’s as we carpool out to Tanglewood after Liturgy on Sunday, July 29. We’ll picnic on the lawn and listen to music by Haydn, Prokofiev and Mozart, featuring violinist Gil Shaham, with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Juanjo Mena. For more information see https://www.bso.org/Performance/Detail/93218. The concert starts at 2:30; lawn tickets are $21.00 - 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 at mnassiff@gmail.com.
DORMITION – The fast preceding the Feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Theotokos, our patronal feast day, begins on Wednesday, August 1 and continues through Tuesday, August 14, the eve of the Feast.
+ On Wednesdays, August 1 and August 8, there will be a Paraclesis for the Dormition at 6:30 pm
+ On Tuesday, August 14, we will observe the Vigil for the Dormition of the Theotokos with Vespers at 4:15 pm, Orthros with Lamentations at 5:30 pm, and Festal Divine Liturgy at 7:00 pm.
VESPERS – The next Vespers service at St. Mary’s will be Saturday, August 4, at 5:00 pm
NEW SKETE PILGRIMAGE – The annual New Skete Pilgrimage is set for Saturday, August 11 this year - (the Saturday after Transfiguration). In years past, a number of St. Mary’s people 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. 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. In addition to the services, there are tours of the church and talks by various members of the communities about their lives. The main talk will be given by Alexei Krindatch who does survey work for the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America. His talk is entitled, "Singing an Old Song in a New World. How Orthodox Christian Churches Contribute to America’s Diverse Religious Landscape." There are also the dogs, great hiking trails, nearby tubing, etc. More information about the Pilgrimage can be found here: https://newskete.org/events .
Once again, Teva Regule (teva@mit.edu) will be coordinating the Boston helpers and as much housing as she can. (In particular, any women wanting to "camp out" at the nuns’, let her know. The Emmaus house is now a guest house - anyone wishing to stay there should contact Br. Gregory directly at brgregory@newskete.org) Housing is first come, first served.
PARISH COUNCIL - The next meeting of the Parish Council is scheduled for Wednesday, August 22.
HELP IN HOMELESS SHELTERS – One of our parishioners and young adults works for Y2Y, a local service organization looking to end homelessness. Their organization and the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter are both looking for volunteers for weekly or one-time shifts this summer. For more information see their Volunteer Handbooks at https://docs.google.com/document/d/14aipRhfW2kr4xqelHFzEMRlSBfZILP0VbU2-KkJtHiU/editfor Y2Y, and https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XsNKuFgPMQIAzqHDcjDVu3OdKVIcp0ppEvDDuiRarWc/edit for HSHS.
SUMMER CAMP FOR ADULTS – Antiochian Village Adult Camp for ages 21+ will be Friday-Monday, September 14-17. Adult Camp is open to all adults who want to spend the weekend in an Orthodox Christian environment growing in their faith. Cost of $195 includes lodging, food and activities. More information can be found at https://avcamp.org/other-programs/adult-camp. Registration opens May 1.
SOYO FALL CAMP and FAMILY CAMP – Diocese of Worcester and New England SOYO Fall Camp and Family Camp will be held Thursday–Sunday, October 5-7, at St. Methodios Faith & Heritage Center in Contoocook, NH. All teens in grades 7-12 are encouraged to attend the Teen SOYO Fall Camp. Family Camp is open to families of all ages. Parents of teenagers are welcome to attend Family Camp while their children attend Teen SOYO Fall Camp. Each camp will have its own distinct program. Watch for more information and registration details.
ICON EXHIBIT – The Museum of Russian Icons (203 Union Street, Clinton, MA) will be showing an exhibition of Icons of the Hellenic World, focusing exclusively on Greek and Byzantine iconography, through October 21. For information see http://www.museumofrussianicons.org/current-exhibitions
REFLECTION
Whoever does not want to know the will of God is mentally walking a path next to a cliff, and easily falls with any wind. If he is praised, he is proud. If he is rebuked he is angry. If he eats pleasant food, he is drawn into bodily passions. When he suffers he weeps. When he knows something, he wants to show that he knows. When he doesn't understand, he pretends to understand. When he is rich he puts on airs. When he is poor, he is a hypocrite. When he is full, he is bold. When he fasts he is vainglorious. When he is denounced he loves to argue, while he looks on those who forgive him as fools.
- St. Mark the Ascetic
If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?
- Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, The Gulag Archipelago
Our God is a consuming fire. And if we by love become transformed into Him and burn as He burns, His fire will be our everlasting joy. But if we refuse His love and remain in the coldness of our sin and opposition to Him and to other men then will His fire (by our own choice rather than His) become our everlasting enemy, and Love, instead of being our joy, will become our torment and our destruction.
- Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation