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The Voice of GraceThe monthly newsletter of Saint Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church
November 2017 Vol. 2, No. 11
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Monthly News Letter
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We, St Mary's Orthodox Christian Church, invite you to join in Christwith us. We provide the Greater Baltimore area with fellowship,
service, worship and community. Come and see!
RELECTIONS ON THE INCARNATION
The third article of the Nicene Creed proclaims the profound truth and mystery ofthe Incarnation, the divine event that the Church celebrates as The Feast of theNativity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Christmas).The article instructs us inthe Church’s unshakable witness that the eternal Son of God was made man by theHoly Spirit and received His human nature from the All-Holy, Ever-Virgin Mary.Within the Virgin Mary’s womb, as the term Theotokos (God-Bearer) implies, wasnot only an infant child, but also Eternal God.
The Lord’s act of receiving a human body and soul enabled, along with the other actsof the divine economy (The Passion, Resurrection, etc.), the redemption of humanityfrom the sin, death and corruption that resulted from the Fall. A number of the earlyChurch Fathers believed that the fact of the Incarnation alone served humanity’ssalvation because through it mankind’s fellowship and likeness to God were able tobe restored.
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The English word “Incarnation” is derived from the Latin word which means “tobecome flesh”. The assumption of flesh, that is, the assumption of the fullness ofhuman nature by the Eternal Word of God is reflected in the complete name given tothe celebration of Christmas by the Church: The Nativity According to the Flesh ofOur Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ.
How wondrous, how amazing, how incomprehensible that God should become man!It is this great mystery that we attempt to comprehend as we in the Spirit gaze at thetraditional Orthodox icon on the Nativity.
By Sdn Vasili Polous
St. Mary's during October
JOY Group Bowling Event
St. Mary's Junior Orthodox Youth Club relaunched in the month of
October. The JOY group's first event was a bowling night at the AMF
Lanes in Timonium, MD, on Saturday, October 14. It was a fun time
by all accounts. For more information about our parish's chapter of
the Junior Orthodox Youth club, please see Hayat Jabbour or Yousef
Jabaji.
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photos courtesy of Hayat Jabbour
Annual Weber's Cider Mill & Farm Trip
At this point, it's practically a fall tradition! Following Divine
Liturgy on Sunday, October 15 St. Mary's Sunday school classes and
Teen SOYO group went to Weber's Farm to enjoy fall activities such
as hayrides and a straw maze. Weber's Farm is the oldest
continuously run cider mill in Maryland, and is known for its
fresh, fall produce including apples and pumpkins. The annual trip
to Weber's is always a highlight on our parish's fall calendar.
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photos courtesy of Mary Rizkallah
Patriarch John Visits United States
His Beatitude JOHN X, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East visited
the United Sates from October 21-31, making stops in both
Washington DC and New York City. According to the Archdiocese’s
website, the purpose of the Patriarch’s visit was to meet leaders
from the current US Administration, and international diplomats to
promote a peaceful solution to the six-year-old Syrian crisis.
It was His Beatitude JOHN’s objective to draw attention to the
broad, regional humanitarian crisis, as well as to discuss the
future of Christians in Syria and the Middle East. To that end, the
Patriarch attended the “In Defense of Christianity” summit as an
honored guest. His Eminence Metropolitan JOSEPH was one of the
featured speakers at this summit, while the keynote address was
given by US Vice President Mike Pence.
During his time in Washington, His Beatitude JOHN presided over
Hierarchical Vespers at Sts. Peter & Paul in Potomac, MD on
Saturday, October 21, and Divine Liturgy on Sunday, October 22. St.
Mary’s Byzantine Choir was graciously invited to chant the evening
vespers service at Sts. Peter & Paul. Following the Vespers
service, the choir held a recital for His Beatitude and the
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service, the choir held a recital for His Beatitude and the
Antiochian delegation. Our choir at St Mary's is one of the few
choirs in the country that chant in the Byzantine tradition, and
they represented our parish well throughout the Vespers service and
recital.
While in New York, Patriarch JOHN celebrated Hierarchical Divine
Liturgy at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Brooklyn
on Sunday, October 29.
To learn more about HB John X's visit to the US, click
here: http://antiochian.org/his-beatitude-patriarch-john-visit-
united-states-october-2017
To learn more about the tradition of Byzantine chant, click
here: http://www.hchc.edu/allcreationtrembled/news/what-is-the-
byzantine-chant
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photos and video courtesy of Roy Abdo, Rana Sabea Callas, Eptissam Meghairouni, Nate
Szelistowski, and The Archdiocese of North America's photo archive
Community
On the afternoon of Sunday, October 15, His Grace Bishop ATHANASIOS
of Kisumu, Kenya blessed Saint Mary’s with a visit. His Grace was
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of Kisumu, Kenya blessed Saint Mary’s with a visit. His Grace was
in the Baltimore area visiting The Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the
Annunciation, and because of the proximity of our parish to where
he was staying, he requested a tour of our parish campus with Fr.
Damaskinos. At the time of His Grace’s visit, St. Mary’s Byzantine
Choir was wrapping-up a practice session, and met him in the church
by chanting. He responded in the same manner, chanting ‘More
Honorable’ in Swahili.
For video of Bishop Athanasios chanting, click here:
https://www.facebook.com/nativityofthetheotokos/videos/203568447670
8306/
Photo courtesy of Fr. Dean Moralis
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Please remember in your personal prayers the servants of God:
Marline Azar, Najat Azar, Hiam Khoury, Shawki Malek, Sbd. Vasili andMarie Polous, Samir Rizkallah, Gail and Robert Salit, George Karkar.
That God will grant them health and a quick and smooth recovery. Always remember to pray for all those who are suffering from illness and war all over
the world.
News
Patriarchate/Archdiocese:
Memory Eternal: With hope in the Resurrection, but with some
sorrow, none-the-less, we bring you the news of the falling asleep
of His Grace Bishop ANTOUN, on October 5. His Grace was born Antoun
Yssa Khouri in 1931, and ordained as a Deacon in 1951. For many
decades he served the Church faithfully in the Old Country, Brazil,
and the United States, before retiring this past July. As His
Eminence Metropolitan JOSEPH points out, “He was sincerely loved by
all – young and old – and he will be greatly missed.”
May his memory be eternal!
Metropolitan JOSEPH’s letter: http://www.antiochian.org/memory-
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Metropolitan JOSEPH’s letter: http://www.antiochian.org/memory-
eternal-his-grace-bishop-antoun
Bishop ANTOUN--A Lifetime of
Service: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
time_continue=4&v=aOcVZBh0VSc
His Eminence Metropolitan JOSEPH, in light of the historic
wildfires that have ravaged Northern California, asks the clergy
and the faithful of the Antiochian Archdiocese to keep those
effected by the wildfire in prayer. His Eminence has been in close
communication with the priests of parishes in affected regions,
promising, “On behalf of all of my brother hierarchs, our clergy,
and laity, I offer our prayers and support to those who are being
impacted. We will be with you.”
To read the full story, or find out how you can help those in need,
visit the Archdiocese website:
http://www.antiochian.org/metropolitan-joseph-requests-prayers-
those-impacted-california-fires
St. Mary's Parish:
Save the Date: Tuesday, November 7, @ 6:00 PM, Great Vespers
followed by Divine Liturgy for the Synaxis of the Archangels.
Reminder: The Nativity Fast starts November 15. Advent is almost
here!
On Wednesdays During the Fast we are doing the Service of the
Nativity Evenings instead of the Paraklesis.
Save the Date: Saturday, November 18, Saint Mary's is hosting the
Pan-Orthodox Christian Nativity Retreat. Father Paul Abernathy of
St. Moses the Black Mission in Pittsburgh, PA will be the guest
speaker. Registration cost is $25 per person,and the event runs
from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. For more information, see ad flyer below.
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from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. For more information, see ad flyer below.
Save the Date: Thursday, November 23 is Thanksgiving! To mark the
holiday, and reflect on all that we have to be thankful for, the
St.Mary's parish will be hosting it's second annual Thanksgiving
dinner. The event will start at 5:00 PM with an Akathist of
Thanksgiving in the church, followed by a traditional Thanksgiving
dinner in the hall. The cost for adults is $25, children under
thirteen is $10, and for children under 5 is free. To register,
please see Eptissam Meghairouni.
Reminder: In the month of November, there will be no regularly
scheduled Family Night due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
Save the Date: Saturday Dec.2: St. Barbara Festival for Kids. After
Vespers Kids are invited to the Parish Hall for a program with
activities and learning about St. Barbara story. Kids are to be
Dressed with Church appropriate customs.
Save the Date:Saturday December 9 is St. Mary's Cookie Walk and
Christmas Bazaar. For more information, see ad flyer below. If you
are interested in volunteering or donating homemade cookies for the
event, please see Jane Farha or Melissa Manzelmann.
Save the Date:Our Parish Christmas Concert will be on Friday
December 15th at 7:00 PM. Our Sunday school kids, Ladies Society
members, Youth Choir and Church choir are performing Christmas
Carols and Christmas Hymns. Join us and SPREAD THE WORLD, it is
going to be an amazing night.
Save the Date: Dec 22nd, Friday, is our Annual Talents Show. Please
if you or your kids has a talent to be presented Contact or see
Andrew Markopoulos and Peter Karabatis.
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Featured Reading
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The Advent season is an important time of preparation, but it’s easy to bedistracted by the hustle and bustle of holiday parties, family gatherings,and Christmas shopping. In his book Meditations for Advent: Preparing forChrist’s Birth, author Vassilios Papavassiliou gives readers an opportunityto step back, take a breath, and reflect on the deeper significance of theIncarnation.
Meditations for Advent is available through the Ancient Faith Store:http://store.ancientfaith.com/meditations-for-advent/
Ebook: http://store.ancientfaith.com/meditations-for-advent/
The Voice of Grace Editorial Staff
Executive Publishing Officer: Fr. Damaskinos Issa
Managing Editor: Nate Szelistowski
Contributor/Editorial Adviser: Sdn. Vasili Polous
Proofreader: Miriam Szelistowski
Multimedia content contributed by:
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Multimedia content contributed by:
Roy Abdo, Rana Sabea Callas, Hayat Jabbour, Eptissam Meghairouni, Fr. Dean Moralis, Mary Rizkallah, Nate
Szelistowski
Copyright © *2017* *St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church, Hunt Valley, MD*,All rights reserved.
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St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church · 909 Shawan Rd · Cockeysville, Md 21030 · USA
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