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 following Holy Communion. Please see weekly updates from our ministry leaders for updates on each class. All are welcome to join us for Fellowship Hour after Divine Liturgy.
Fellow Parishioners and Friends:
If you are not traveling this weekend, please join us at Saint Gregory for Worship & Fellowship.
This Sunday, Philoptochos will have its next General Meeting. All are encouraged to attend after Divine Liturgy during fellowship hour. Philoptpochos will be running their School Supply Drive again this year, details will be forthcoming.
Finally, our Parish Festival is a mere 4 weeks away, and many hands are still needed for support. If you are able to post a lawn sign at your home or business, please pick one up in the Narthex or by contacting Joe Cara Donna. In addition, we also are seeking volunteers to work during the days before the festival as well as on the 23rd. Please use the new sign-up link, which will give you an opportunity to indicate your desired time frame.
TODAY'S ALTAR SERVERS: All servers welcome.
Parish Altar Team Members
Altar Team Archangel Michael: Matthew Cromack, AJ Georgilas (Asst. Cap.) and Matthew Georgilas
Altar Team Archangel Gabriel: Eliot Hess, Leland Hess, Linus LaFond (Asst. Cap.) and Mark Saad
Cap., Mario Salzillo
TODAY'S MYRRHBEARER: TBA.
Caps., Elena Salzillo and Sydney LaFond.
TODAY'S EPISTLE: Parish Chanters.
HOMILY: Offered by Father Alex.
MEMORIAL: Iasme Chiotelis, 40 days. May her memory be eternal!
FELLOWSHIP HOUR: Today's Fellowship Hour is sponsored by the Jumes family in loving memory of Iasme Chiotelis, mother of Johanna Jumes. This month and beyond, Fellowship Hour sponsors are welcome and needed. Please sign up in the hall this weekend or use our SignUpGenius link.
ALTAR FLOWERS: Please consider sponsoring altar flowers for a coming Sunday. The donation for flower sponsorships is $75. Please contact Gina in the church office to learn more or sponsor.
KOLIVA PREPARATION: Parishioners often ask for help in preparing Koliva and may contact Gina Drugas to order a plate for a memorial ($100 per Koliva).
WORSHIPPING FROM HOME: STREAMING AND INTERNET MINISTRY:
ACCESS SERVICES VIA FACEBOOK:
St. Gregory the Theologian Greek Orthodox Church | Facebook
ACCESS SERVICES VIA YOU TUBE:
St. Gregory The Theologian Live - YouTube
Eighth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:11-18
At that time, Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb, and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus has lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni," which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, "Do not touch Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God." Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and she told them that He had said these things to her.
8th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 1:10-17
Brethren, I appeal to you by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren. What I mean is that each one of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas," or "I belong to Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispos and Gaius; lest any one should say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any one else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
8th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 14:14-22
At that time, Jesus saw a great throng; and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a lonely place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves." Jesus said, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." They said to him, "We have only five loaves here and two fish." And he said, "Bring them here to me." Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Then he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.
Of these, Saint Isaacius is celebrated also on May 30. He became a monk at an early age and was a worker of every virtue; a zealot for the Orthodox Faith, he was also deemed worthy of the gift of prophecy. The Saint dwelt in a small hut near Constantinople. When Valens the Arian marched against the Goths, who were at the Danube River, this righteous one went out himself to meet the Emperor and, taking in hand the reins of the Emperor's horse, said to him with boldness that God had incited the barbarians to come against him, since he himself had incited many to speak against God in blasphemy, and had driven God's true worshippers out of the divine houses of prayer. Furthermore, he told him, if he ceased fighting against God by means of heresy and returned the good shepherds (that is, the Orthodox bishops) to the flock of Christ, he would easily gain the victory over his enemies. However, if he did not desist from these things, nor have God as his ally, at the very outset of the battle both he and his army would certainly be destroyed. "Learn from experience," he said, "that it is hard to kick against the pricks. Thou shalt not return, and this expedition will be destroyed." But the Emperor became angry and had the righteous one locked in prison that he might punish him and put him to death on his return after he conquered the barbarians. But he was utterly defeated and was burned alive in a certain village in the year 378 (Theodoret of Cyrrhus, Eccl. Hist., ch. 4: 31-32). When his surviving soldiers returned from the war, wishing to tempt the Saint, they came to him and said, "Prepare to make thy defense before the Emperor, who is coming to fulfil what he spoke against thee." But the Saint answered, "It has already been seven days that I smelled the stink of his bones, which were burned in the fire." Thus the righteous one was released from prison. All marveled because of his prophecy, and he became even more wondrous by means of the zeal he displayed in behalf of Orthodoxy in 381, when the Second Ecumenical Council was convoked. After this, a monastery was built in Constantinople for him, and he piously shepherded those struggling with him in asceticism. Having served as an example of the monastic life for them, he reposed in peace about the end of the fourth century, leaving Dalmatus as his successor.
As for Saint Dalmatus, he was at first a soldier in the second division of the soldiers known as the Scholarii. Later, however, he forsook all things and taking his son Faustus, went to the above-mentioned monastery of Saint Isaacius, where he donned the monastic habit. Through his virtue he became venerable in the sight of all. He was present at the Third Ecumenical Council that was convoked in Ephesus in 431, and there displayed his zeal for Orthodoxy against Nestorius. The Council elected him Archimandrite of the monasteries in Constantinopie. Having lived for more than eighty years, he reposed in the Lord.
SERVICES FOR SUNDAY AUGUST 3RD, EIGHTH SUNDAY OF MATTHEW
We look forward to worshipping with you at Saint Gregory:
Orthros, 8:30 AM
Divine Liturgy, 9:30 AM
STREAMING DETAILS/MEDIA FOR THIS SUNDAY, AUGUST 3RD
Access Services via You Tube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgvnXFV6xK1Nhm8ID84jFNg
Access services and join our community on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/saintgregorythetheologian
Join our community on Instagram:
@saintgregorythetheologian
PAN-MASS CHALLENGE, AUG. 1ST – 3RD
As over the last few years, the Pan-Mass Challenge will use our lot for this amazing bike-a-thon from Aug. 1st – 3rd. The annual event brings together people from all over the world with one goal: to raise funds for cancer research at Dana Farber Cancer Research Institute. We are grateful for the opportunity to support the effort and offer our prayers for a safe, successful weekend.
FESTIVAL VOLUNTEERS & LAWN SIGNS (FESTIVAL IS AUG. 23RD)
We look forward to this fundraiser and community-building event. Please consider supporting the effort in one of these three ways (or all three!):
***Help with set up and other preparations in the days leading up to the festival
***Working shifts during the festival
***Putting a lawn sign at your home or business
To sign-up to help with preparation or a festival shift, please use our new online sign-up tool. For a lawn sign, pick one up at church today or during the week. Contact Joe Cara Donna with any questions or to arrange to pick up a lawn sign: [email protected]
SAINT GREGORY GOLF TOURNAMENT, OCTOBER 9TH
As last year, our tournament will be held at Top Golf in Canton, MA. The tournament web page—along with registration and sponsorship information—is now available and has been emailed to our parish family. Please save the date and plan to join us.
STEWARDSHIP CHECK IN: “YOUR OWN OF YOUR OWN”
Our Stewardship Ministry leaders kindly ask us all to consider our 2025 commitment to Saint Gregory. If you have already committed and begun to offer your time, talent and treasure, we are of course grateful for your attention and generosity. If you have not yet completed your commitment form, we hope and pray you will in the weeks to come. Visit the Stewardship pages of our parish website to learn more about Stewardship and to access our 2025 materials, from an explanation of our ministry goals to convenient online giving options.
FELLOWSHIP HOUR SIGN-UP RESOURCES
All parishioners are invited to host Fellowship Hour on a coming Sunday. In addition to the sign-up poster in the hall, we can now easily learn more and sign up online. Fellowship Hour is a beloved, significant tradition at our parish that speaks to Christian fellowship and hospitality. Thanks in advance for your support, and contact Fellowship Hour Chair Brian Kaufman with any questions: [email protected]
RIDES TO CHURCH
George Dimitriou, our Driving Ministry chair, would be happy to help you or a loved one make it to Saint Gregory for worship and events. Contact George directly: [email protected]; 781.769.2085.
LOST & FOUND
When parishioners find items about the church, they leave them with the church office. You will find a mail tray labled for lost and found. If you have misplaced a small item, or found one, please stop by the office.
CHURCH OFFICE HOURS
Fr. Alex: Tue., 9 am - 1 pm; Wed., 1 - 4 pm; Thur., 9 am - 1 pm.; or by appointment when convenient for our parishioners. Please note that on occasion, Fr. Alex may be seeing to a pastoral situation, visiting with another parishioner, attending a Metropolis event, or otherwise engaged in Church life during office hours.
Church Secretary Gina Drugas: Monday, 7 - 10:30 am; Thursday, 7 - 11 am. Contact Gina: [email protected]; 508.337.9986.
8:30AM Orthros
9:30AM Divine Liturgy
Transfiguration of the Lord
8:30AM Orthros
9:30AM Divine Liturgy
6:30PM Parish Council
8:30AM Orthros
9:30AM Divine Liturgy
Spread the word, help out and come join us for the Saint Gregory Greek Festival!
This year's tournament will once again be at Canton's Top Golf. Sponsorships and golfers are welcome, and please save the date.
When The Prison Policy Initiative, a team of experts on cutting-edge research around the U.S. prison system, released its annual “big picture” report in 2024, one statistic stood out to us more than any other: 113 million adults in the United States have an immediate family member who has been to prison or jail.