Welcome, and thank you for visiting St. Mary Orthodox Church online. We hope that our website highlights the wide variety of worship, fellowship, ministery and education opportunities available. Please feel free to read more about our church on this site, or come join with us in prayer. We would love to greet you and share with you our love for Jesus Christ and for you, our neighbor.
- Due to some technical difficulties, there will be no bulletin emailed or available in the Church Narthex for this coming Sunday.
- Graduation Sunday is May 17th. If you have a family member who is graduating high school, college, graduate school, please forward their names to frpshport@gmail.com by Wednesday, May 13th. The church would like to honor their achievements in prayer. Also on May 17th, our Saint Mary's Parents will be hosting the 'End of the Year' Sunday School Party. More details will be forthcoming.
- Online Arabic Bible Study will resume this coming Wednesday, May 6th, at 7:30 PM. The study topic will be 'The Old Testament Patriarchs.' Please speak with Safwat Fahmy to register and receive information on how to participate.
- Following Wednesday Vespers Service on May 6th, a series of four discussions on 'The Orthodox Church's Response to Contemporary and Moral Issues' will be held in the church. Each discussion will last approximately 45 minutes. All are welcome to attend.
- Join us in prayer at Saint Mary's this coming week:
files/Bulletin-April-26th.pdf (4287kb)
HUMILITY AND BOLDNESS
- Attached to this week's email is The Weekly Bulletin. Please take a few minutes to read and share.
- Join us in prayer at Saint Mary's this coming week:
files/Bulletin-for-April-19th.pdf (4962kb)
Peace Be To You!
In this coming Sunday's Gospel Reading (John 20:19-31), the resurrected Jesus Christ comes to His disciples saying, “Peace be with you.” They had abandoned Him, denied Him, and were in hiding, living in fear of the Jews who killed Christ. He does not rebuke or condemn them. “Peace be to you” are the words Christ offers as a loving embrace. Eight days later when Thomas was present with the rest of the disciples, Christ appeared again in the locked room greeting them with “Peace be to you.” It is the same peace Christ tells them before He goes to His crucifixion. (John 14:27) “Peace I leave you not as the world gives do I give.” and (John 16:33) “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace, in the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Every Divine Liturgy we start with “Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, goodwill to men.” The same announcement that was made by the multitude of the heavenly host to the shepherds, and through them to all of us at Christ’s birth. (Luke 2:14). At each liturgical service we pray “In peace, let us pray to the Lord.” “For the peace from above and the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.” “For the peace of the whole world…” It is this peace - the same peace that Christ extended to His disciples after His resurrection that continues to be extended to us this day. Peace in the midst of wars and persecution, in sorrow and suffering, in hunger and want, even in prosperity and success. Peace in all circumstances. Open your hearts wide to receive the peace of Christ.
NOTES...
- Attached to this week's email is The Weekly Bulletin. Please take a few minutes to read through it.
- If you have not done so already, please return your Food For Hungry People Alms Boxes/Donations to the church.
- Sunday School Classes resume this Sunday following Communion. Classes will continue each Sunday until May 17th.
- Join us in prayer:
Sunday, April 19th: Thomas Sunday
- Confessions from 8:30 to 8:50 AM
- Matins at 8:50 AM; Divine Liturgy at 10:00 AM; Trisagion (Memorial) Service for Ghasson Faddoul (3 months), Jamileh Faddoul (1 year); Lawrence Weidmann (newly departed), offered by Larry & Pamela Weidmann.
No Vespers Service this Saturday, April 18th, or Wednesday, April 22nd
- Vesperal Divine Liturgy for the Feast of Saint George previously announced for April 22nd has been cancelled.
"What is perfection in love? Love your enemies in such a way that you would desire to make them your brothers ... For so did He love, Who hanging on the Cross, said "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." +Saint Augustine
With love in the Risen Lord,
Fr. Peter
files/Bulletin-April-12th.pdf (4197kb)
files/Met-Saba-Pascha-Message-2026.pdf (165kb)
When on Pascha night we stand at the door of the Church and the Priest says, “Christ is Risen,” the night in the words of Gregory of Nyssa, becomes “lighter than the day.” Here is the strength, the real root of the Christian experience. And only within the framework of this joy can we understand everything else. Let us keep in mind that before the resurrection of Christ, the world was dark, and Someone brought in light and warmth. The world was sad because it had become a cemetery, and Someone said, “Death is no more.” This is what Christ did in this world. It was cold and sinful and cruel, and He came and said, “Rejoice!” This is the way Christ addressed His disciples. “Rejoice! Peace be with you!” Paschal joy is, therefore, the beginning of Christian experience. - Fr. Alexander Schmemann
- Attached to this week's email is The Weekly Bulletin and Metropolitan Saba's Paschal Message. Please take a few minutes to read through both.
- Each year, families are asked to bring one dozen boiled and colored eggs to be blessed and distributed following the Paschal Liturgy and Agape Vespers. Please place the eggs in the baskets provided in the empty tomb.
- If you are bringing a Pascha Basket to be blessed on Pascha, please place it next to the empty tomb. Everyone is invited to bring their blessed baskets to the hall and "break" the lenten fast together following the Paschal Liturgy.
- Join us in Prayer this week at Saint Mary's:
files/Bulletin-for-April-5th.pdf (3807kb)
files/Holy-Sacrament-of-Annointing.pdf (253kb)
files/Holy-Week-2026.pdf (4899kb
Lazarus, Come Out!
Lo, all were astonished when they saw that Thou didst weep, O Savior, over Lazarus the dead man: "Behold how He loveth him," said they, ruthless though they were. And then Thou at once didst call to him; With power Thou shook Hades’ gates and iron bars; Thy voice alone struck terror into Hades, and death quaked with sudden fear with him when they both beheld that Lazarus, whom they held in bonds, was given breath and quickened, and was rising at the sound of Thy voice, O Savior. Let Bethany sing the praise of the miracle with us. For there the Maker wept, before He raised up dead Lazarus, by the law of the nature of the flesh. And making the tears of Martha cease, and turning Mary’s weeping into gladness and good cheer, He raised up the dead man. - from the Service of the Canon of +Lazarus the Righteous
On Saturday, April 4th, the Church commemorates the Raising of Lazarus the Righteous, a foreshadowing of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. -Divine Liturgy begins at 9:00 AM.
Children & Parents will gather for a Potluck Lenten Brunch after the Divine Liturgy, followed by a discussion with Fr. Peter on the meaning of Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday. Children with the help of their parents will be able to decorate candles, learn to make palm crosses and participate in preparing other decorations.
NOTES...
- Attached to this week's email is The Weekly Bulletin; Holy Week Schedule of Services; and Metropolitan Saba's Teaching. Please take a few minutes to read through the attachments - especially the Holy Week Schedule of Services.
- As we prepare for Holy Week and the celebration of Pascha (April 12th) join us this week in prayer at Saint Mary's:
Saturday, April 4th - Lazarus Saturday
- Confessions at 8:30 AM.
- Divine Liturgy at 10:00 AM.
(Saturday Evening)
- Confessions at 6:00 PM.
- Great Vespers Service for the Feast of the Entrance of our Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday) at 6:30 PM.
Sunday, April 5th - Palm Sunday
- Confessions at 8:30 AM.
- Matins at 8:50 AM; Divine Liturgy at 10:00 AM; Procession of Palms following the services.
(Sunday Evening)
- Confessions at 6:30 PM.
- Bridegroom Matins for Holy Monday at 7:00 PM.
**See the attached Holy Week Service Schedule for the remaining services of the week.
**Please note that the last day for the hearing of Confessions before Pascha is Holy Tuesday, April 7th.
"If the intention is unclean, the deed that follows from it will also be evil, even if it seems good." + Saint Gregory the Dialogist
Have a blessed Holy Week as together we draw near to the Light of the empty tomb of Christ!
With love in Christ,
Fr. Peter
files/Bulletin-March-29th.pdf (3018kb)
files/Holy-Week-2026.pdf (4899kb)
files/Lord-Do-Not-Discipline-Us-Harshly.pdf (230kb)
It's Never Too Late!
- Attached to this week's email is The Weekly Bulletin; Metropolitan Saba's Teaching; and the upcoming Holy Week Service Schedule.
- This coming Sunday, His Grace, Bishop Nicholas will be joining us for the Divine Liturgy, presiding from the Throne. He will offer the Homily and join us for Coffee Hour following the services.
- Again this coming Sunday, our Ladies Society will host a Lenten Luncheon to benefit this year's Antiochian Women Project "The Endowment Fund for Our Beloved Widowed Clergy-Wives."
- Join us in prayer this coming week at Saint Mary's:
