Newsletter for the Week of September 24, 2021

This Week at St. Mary’s

  • Scripture Readings for Sunday September 26, 2021
  • Friday September 24th: Commemoration of St. Thekla the Protomartyr. Details of her life below.
  • COVID Update: Masks Required. While we are at 100% Capacity, we ask that you please wear a mask and refrain from physical contact (kiss of peace & touching of icons). Thank you. More information here.
  • Volunteers still needed! More information below.

Upcoming at St. Mary’s

  • Sunday, September 26th: First Day of Church School classes
  • Monday, September 27th, 7:00p: Orthodoxy 102 Class Resumes!
    • Info Below
  • Saturday October 2nd: Young Adult Apple Picking & Vespers 
    • Join the Young Adult group for Apple Picking at Doe Orchards in Harvard, MA. The group will meet at the orchard at 2:30pm followed by Vespers at 5pm (at St. Mary's)
    • Please sign up here to register for a ride and your first bag free 

Upcoming elsewhere

  • Orthodox Witness to Christ Program: Beginning September 16th, the Fall 2021 Semester will explore the "Life of the Spirit–What is God Doing in Our Lives?".
    Open to all, the program aims to empower and equip Orthodox Christians to nourish and share the faith. Hoping to prepare participants for various ministries, the program provides an opportunity for a spiritual journey to learn, reflect, and be transformed through the Orthodox Christian Faith.

ORTHODOXY 102 CLASSES

  • Led by Subdeacon James, this adult education class is designed for Christians who have spent many years in the Orthodox church, but have never had any formal teaching on the theology and liturgical structure of Eastern Christianity. 
  • Journey through the structure of the Divine Liturgy, while taking an in-depth look at Scripture, the Ecumenical Councils, our iconography, and the meaning and application of Orthodox theology.
  • For more information or to join, please email SubDn. James here (or introduce yourself if you're attending a service in person!).
  • Monday Night Classes Via Zoom (Link coming soon).



LIVE-STREAMED SERVICES 
•All Divine Services held in St. Mary’s Church can be seen live-streamed from the following Links: St. Mary Live , St. Mary Facebook, St. Mary YouTube


DONATIONS TO THE CHURCH 
•One-time donations to the church (For the Good Health of, In Memory of, etc.) can be made on our website using this form.
•In addition to bank ACH transfers, we now accept credit cards for these donations, but ask that you kindly check the box to cover the 2.6% fee incurred by the church for this convenience. For pledge contributions, please sign up for eGive to make ACH transfers.


WE NEED YOU! Volunteers are needed to assist with some of the technical responsibilities at the church. Please contact Fr. Antony or Raymond Sayeg if interested. 

  1. Website Maintenance
  2. Social Media Maintenance and Monitoring
  3. Sermon Editing and Posting on Web and Social Media
  4. Occasional Tech Support, Layout, and Graphic Design Work for Various Church Ministries

 

Reflection

On September 24th we commemorate St. Thekla the Protomartyr, "equal-to-the-apostles". 
St. Thekla was born into a prosperous pagan family, but was moved to follow Christ after hearing the words of St. Paul the Apostle. Forsaking her betrothed and espousing a life of virginity, she traveled with St. Paul throughout Syria, enduring many sufferings for the Faith. She was chased into the mountains, which were miraculously split in two and closed after she entered. St. Thekla spent the remainder of her life as an ascetic in the mountains. A monastery (in Maaloula Syria, "maaloula" which means "opening" in Aramaic) opened in her name at the place of her repose. More details on her beautiful and miraculous life available here and here.


Troparion (Tone 4): 
O Glorious Thekla, companion of Paul the divine, you were inflamed with the love of your Creator.
By the teaching of the divine Preacher you despised the passing earthly pleasures,
and offered yourself to God as an acceptable and pleasing sacrifice, disregarding all suffering.
Intercede with Christ your Groom, to grant us His great mercy.