Sunday & Weekday Services
Orthros/Matins: 8:30 am
Divine Liturgy: 9:30 am
Youth Religious Education Ministry is currently offered Sundays in person and remotely. Please see weekly updates from our ministry leaders for updates on each class.
Beloved Parishioners & Friends:
I wish you a blessed, healthy New Year and look forward to a year of spiritual growth with you, and yours, at Saint Gregory. Though we are limited in so many ways right now, in respect to various restrictions, this week and weekend are nonetheless vibrant and active at Saint Gregory, from our worship services to special enrichment events. Here’s the rundown!
***Jan. 6 and 7—services for Holy Theophany and Saint John the Baptist, respectively (see service details within this bulletin). Jan. 6 will be streamed via Facebook; don’t forget to sign up if you are joining us for either service in person.
***Jan. 6, 6:30 pm—join your fellow parishioners and me for a brief Zoom gathering celebrating Holy Theophany. We’ll greet each other upon this amazing Feast and recite some of the prayers of Holy Theophany together (see the prayer service within your Theophany/Survival Kit), before setting out to bless our own homes. Zoom info is within the bulletin.
***Jan. 10—in addition to Orthros and Divine Liturgy, we’ll also celebrate the Vasilopita Service. Many thanks to Diana Drugas for, once again, baking a lovely bread for us. While this service will be less elaborate than year’s past, we’ll make sure to package a piece for each attendee to take home. This service and the sharing of the bread reminds us of the importance of good works in our lives, specifically blessing others in need with our love, compassion and help.
***Jan. 10, 6 pm—“Trading Places.” Youth Religious Education parents and families are invited to join us for this Zoom gathering, led by Dr. George Stavros and me. This will be a great opportunity for us to focus on the powerful Feast of Theophany and what it can mean to our households in a low-key, approachable way. We’re all looking forward to this and see Zoom info within this bulletin.
As I’ve mentioned several times, we are also in the process of obtaining a new website template from the Archdiocese; hopefully, we’ll have the basics in place by this month. Thank you for your patience. Meantime, please note that our “Stewardship” page within the site has been updated to reflect our 2021 campaign and giving options. Please check it out when you can.
Finally, I want to thank each and every member of our Stewardship Ministry Committee for the excellent gift of the aforementioned Theophany/Orthodox Survival Kits over the past few weeks. I’m sure we all felt the warmth of our parish family and the presence of the Lord through this act of caring and love.
God be with you and a blessed New Year,
Fr. Alex
EPISTLE READER: Our youth are especially encouraged to contact Fr. Alex to read on a coming Sunday, in person or remotely. Parents, please let Father know if your daughter or son might like to read.
HOMILY: "Blessing Others with Our Bread: The Meaning of Vasilopita"
MEMORIALS: No memorials today.
ALTAR SERVERS: Miles Kaufman & Matt Jumes. Contact Fr. Alex if your son is interested in Altar service--we'd love to grow this ministry.
PRE-REGISTRATION: Thank you for your continued cooperation and patience with the pre-registration process. We will continue with this practice, for the well-being of our parish family, this month. Please register as space is limited.
Pre-register each week right here:
https://signup.com/group/52966497203
ACCESS SERVICES VIA FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/saintgregorythetheologian
ACCES SERVICES VIA YOU TUBE:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgvnXFV6xK1Nhm8ID84jFNg
ORTHROS & DIVINE LITURGY, Jan 10
We look forward to worshipping with you at Saint Gregory, whether in person or remotely. Orthros, 8:30 am; Divine Liturgy, 9:30 am. Youth Religious Education classes continue this week following Holy Communion or later in the afternoon; parents, please see this week's emails from your child's teacher for details. If you plan to worship with us in person, make sure to pre-register early in the week
Please note that in accordinace with Gov. Baker's latest COVID-19 restrictions, Saint Gregory's maximum capacity limit is now 50 individuals. We thank you for your continued patience and understanding.
Pre-register each week right here:
https://signup.com/group/52966497203
Access Services via Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/saintgregorythetheologian
Access Services via You Tube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgvnXFV6xK1Nhm8ID84jFNg
VASILOPITA SERVICE, JAN 10
While it will be simpler than in former years, we will offer the Vasilopita Service after Divine Liturgy. Many thanks to Diana Drugas for once again preparing a lovely bread. We'll use this as an opportunity to give thanks for our Church, our ministries and, of course, for the opportunity to "bless others with our bread" in 2021.
YOUTH RELIGIOUS EDUCATION "TRADING PLACES" EVENT, JAN 10, 6 pm
Back by popular demand, we'll enjoy a virtual learning and enrichment event for our Youth Religious Education parents on the 10 (Zoom info has been emailed to our parish family). Dr. George Stavros and Fr. Alex will host us, as we reflect upon the Feasts of Christmas and Theophany and how our celebration of them can truly affect our homes and families, especially during these challenging times. Join us!
FOOD & FRIENDS, JAN 19
A big thank you goes out to all of the 2020 volunteers and also all of the generous donors that have kept this program going the last few years. We will begin next year on January 19th, with further details coming when we get closer to that date. Each meal we prepare and serve feeds about 50 people and the total cost per event is about $150. This is such a rewarding and much appreciated ministry for St. Gregory's! If you can make the time to take part you'll be happy you did! If you would like to sponsor one of our events, make a donation of food items and/or join us in preparing and serving, contact Cathy Cooper at 781-799-5134 or ccooper126@verizon.net.
STEWARDSHIP IN 2021
We are all grateful for the moving, inspiring testimonials of both Chris Botches and Kathy Kalogeras (videos soon to be available to our parishioners), as well as the leadership of Stewardship Chair Phil LaFond on Stewardship Sunday in December. Many thanks to all of our Saint Gregory parishioners who have already committed for 2021--we're off to a great start! 2021 Commitment Cards have been mailed to all our Stewards and are available via the Church Office. You can also fill out yours, and give online, via our website Stewardship Page:
www.saintgregorythetheologian.org/stewardship/
ADULT EDUCATION & ENRICHMENT IN 2021
After another wonderful session of Orthodox Life on Dec. 9, we are now breaking for the holidays. We'll pick up again with "Eleven Stories" early in the New Year, along with the revisitation of a long-standing Saint Gregory favorite: "Trading Places." This Zoom event (January date TBA) will provide an opportunity for Youth Religious Ed parents to "trade places" with their children and become learners in the faith. We look forward to sharing all the details in the weeks to come.
SUNSHINE COMMITTEE MINISTRY: WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
In coordination and support of the pastoral efforts of Fr. Alex, this ministry has been formed to communicate with parishioners who may be homebound, hospitalized, nursing facilities or otherwise unable to regularly make it to Saint Gregory. If you are aware of a parishioner who would welcome such communication and support, or if you would like to connect yourself, please contact the Church Office.
CHURCH OFFICE HOURS
Fr. Alex
Tue (9 am - 1 pm), Wed (11 am - 3 pm) & Thur (9 am - 1 pm); or by appointment anytime.
In person or via Zoom. With the COVID situation please contact Father ahead of time to help keep our campus safe.
Cathy Cooper
By appointment: stgregorytheologian@earthlink.net
Ninth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:19-31
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them: "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them: "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him: "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them: "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe."
Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said: "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.
Sunday after Epiphany
The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 4:7-13
BRETHREN, grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it is said, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." (in saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
Sunday after Epiphany
The Reading is from Matthew 4:12-17
At that time, when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned." From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Saint Gregory, the younger brother of Basil the Great, illustrious in speech and a zealot for the Orthodox Faith, was born in 331. His brother Basil was encouraged by their elder sister Macrina to prefer the service of God to a secular career (see July 19); Saint Gregory was moved in a similar way by his godly mother Emily, who, when Gregory was still a young man, implored him to attend a service in honor of the holy Forty Martyrs at her retreat at Annesi on the River Iris. Saint Gregory came at his mother's bidding, but being wearied with the journey, and feeling little zeal, he fell asleep during the service. The Forty Martyrs then appeared to him in a dream, threatening him and reproaching him for his slothfulness. After this he repented and became very diligent in the service of God.
Gregory became bishop in 372, and because of his Orthodoxy he was exiled in 374 by Valens, who was of one mind with the Arians. After the death of Valens in 378, Gregory was recalled to his throne by the Emperor Gratian. He attended the Local Council of Antioch, which sent him to visit the churches of Arabia and Palestine, which had been defiled and ravaged by Arianism. He attended the Second Ecumenical Council, which was assembled in Constantinople in 381. Having lived some sixty years and left behind many remarkable writings, he reposed about the year 395. The acts of the Seventh Ecumenical Council call him 'Father of Fathers."
We are greeting the New Year of the Grace of our Lord, even as we share the longsuffering of our Lord that has strained our hearts and souls in the year that is behind us. We salute the New Year with faith, with hope for a brighter tomorrow.
Recognizing the unprecedented situations and complex difficulties that have been created by the Pandemic COVID-19, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has allotted the Network of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for Pastoral Health Care the responsibility of organizing an online Consultation with the theme: “The Pastoring Church in the days of the Pandemic”.