Rev. Fr. James Robinson, Rector

(339) 204-3074

paisius1@verizon.net

Church Phone: (781) 585-8907

Third Hour and Six Psalms: Every Sunday morning at 9:00 AM

Divine Liturgy: Every Sunday morning at 10:00 AM followed by a fellowship meal

Vespers: The first Saturday of every month at 6:00 PM

Please come and visit our beautiful country parish located in the quaint New England Town of Kingston, Massachusetts. All our welcome! 

Our dear and beloved friend, Pauline Clifford, 74, of Duxbury passed away surrounded by her family and friends on October 16, 2018. She will be greatly missed by all of us here at St. Mark. Pauline was a devouted Orthodox Christian and a loving, warm and giving person. If you went to visit her you never left hungry or empty-handed as she would always prepare something delicious to eat and would give away something she had to you. She was a wonderful friend and her heart shined whenever she was around children. Pauline used to create beautiful arrangements for the altar at St. Mark and she would send birthday and anniversary cards to all the parishioners. Pauline was always thinking of others and if you were feeling down, she made it a point to make you laugh. We will miss you, Pauline, and you will always be in our hearts. May your memory be eternal!

Family and friends are invited to celebrate Pauline's life on Friday, October 19, from 4:00-7:00 PM at the Sullivan Funeral Homes, 551 Washington Street, Rte. 53, Hanover, Massachusetts. A funeral service will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, October 20 at Sullivan Funeral Home. Burial to follow Mayflower Cemetery, Tremont Street, Duxbury.

This Christmas season, the Women's Group will be making fleece tie blankets, for adults and children, that will be distributed to a local shelter. Hope to see all of you at the workshops!

• The dates for the workshops are Thursday, October 25 and November 17 from 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM. The workshops will be held at St. Mark. 
• Please bring sharp scissors or a fabric cutting wheel (if you have one).
• At our next meeting on Sunday, November 4 we will discuss which charity to distribute the blankets.

Annual Baking & Cooking Contest

Judged at the Harvest Fair on Sunday, October 28 by Father John Bacon, Ron LePage and Gina Margitich

All are welcome to enter!

Sponsored by the St. Mark of Ephesus Women's Group

Special Ingredient: Apple

Prizes will be Awarded for: First, Second, Third and Honorable Mention

Contest Rules and Regulations:

• All entries must feature Apple.
• All entries must be made from scratch, including pastry, frosting, broths/stocks, etc.
• You may make a savory dish such as soup, meat pie, casserole, or you may make something sweet such as cake, croissants, scones.
• Write your full name and the ingredients on a flash card and tape it to the bottom of your dish. Please note if your dish is gluten free or contains nuts.
• One entry per person.
• The judges will be judging your dish on 1. Taste, 2. Appearance, 3. Creativity.

The Legend of Johnny Appleseed (an excerpt from the book "Becoming a Healing Presence" by Albert Rossi)

Johnny Appleseed was a real person named John Chapman who lived in the nineteenth century. I must admit that Johnny Appleseed is a folk hero of mine. The part of his tale that smites me is that he rarely retraced his steps. Generally, he walked one way, westward, without looking back much. He planted seeds and kept on walking. He lived as a celibate, was called a missionary by some, and died and is buried in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He carried a leather sack filled with apple seeds that he aquired free at cider mills. He planted apple trees as he moved into Indiana and other states. He was rather odd, wearing old clothes and not staying long in any one place. He was known to give his better clothing to people he felt needed it more than he. His dream was to produce so many apples that no one would ever go hungry. It was a rather lofty, one might say biblical, dream. He was also very religious and preached to people along the way. His favorite book was his Bible. He made friends with Indian tribes and was known to have learned many Indian languages well enough to converse. He lived on food provided by nature, and he never killed animals. One summer, on vacation, I discovered many city and country parks named after him. And I found a city in the Midwest that puts on an annual play recounting his life and deeds. At the end of my venture, I visited his tombstone in a large campground in Fort Wayne. The small plaque atop his burial stone, like his life, was simple and clear. It said, "He lived for others." No doubt, Johnny Appleseed was, and is, a healing presence to many, giving them strength and hope.

Farewell Potluck Lunch in Honor of the Robinson Family

In conjunction with the Harvest Fair on Sunday, October 28, we will also be hosting a potluck lunch in honor of the Robinson Family. If you would like to volunteer for the potluck lunch, please go to your email and sign up through Sign-Up Genius. If you have any questions, or did not receive the email, please contact Catherine Condrick at catherinecondrick@yahoo.com

Activities for the Children's Fair include: Face painting, The Paulin Petting Zoo, Pinata, Loot Bags, Corn Hole Toss, Pumpkin Painting, Haystack Church School & Family Photographs, Warm Apple Cider & Carmel Apples, Donuts-On-A-String Contest & Prizes

An email will be sent out to the parents to volunteer for activies, so please check your email. Subdeacon Peter Condrick, Acolyte Jan Pecevich and Joe Pecevich will be setting up the children's fair, so parents, please give your donations to them after the Divine Liturgy. Thank you and see you at the fair!

Cookie Bakas has ordered the St. Mark Community Christmas Card. 

The Cost of the card is $20.00. In order to have your family's names

included in the card, please give your payment to Cookie during the 

coffee and fellowship hour following Divine Liturgy. She will also have

you fill out a form with the names of family members you wish to have 

printed on the card

The Christmas card is a wonderful fundraiser at St. Mark and is a

great way for all of us to wish each other a blessed Nativity.

Christ Is Born! Glorify Him!

This year's Christmas Ornament Swap will take place on Sunday, December 2.

Laura Geigle will be hosting this year at her home in Wareham.

In lieu of coffee hour, we will go directly to her home. 

More details to follow.

The date of this year's Luminary Night will be on December 15, 2108. 

Luminaries on Main Street at Christmastime began 28 years ago by the Kingston Firefighters who hoped to do something special in the area.

The first year, they lined Christmas luminaries on one side of Main Street, from the Hose House to the police station, creating a glorious trail 

of light. By 1994, the luminaries were being placed on both sides of the street.

Each year the Kingston Luminary Committee hosts this annual tradition. Luminary begins at 6:00 PM, however, please prepare to come

an hour early so that you may have a place to park in the St. Mark parking lot.

Local churches on Main Street are open to the public with refreshments and music to add to the festivities and provide shelter from the cold.

The Kingston Fire Department organizes Luminary Night, but also asks the community to help. One and all are invited to come and join

the festivities by strolling along Main Street and experiencing Kingston's very own gift to her friends and neighbors.

Here at St. Mark, our Choir sings liturgical nativity hymns and hot chocolate, cookies and candy canes are served with heartfelt warmth and joy;

there is also a visit from St. Nicholas for the children. If you are new to St. Mark and the Orthodox Faith, Subdeacon Peter and Ron LePage will

be there, at your service, to answer any questions. Visitors may also browse our church book store. 

If you would like to volunteer on Luminary Night, please contact Catherine Condrick at catherinecondrick@yahoo.com

Every month we hold a memorial service to remember our loved ones who have departed in the Lord. If you would like to remember someone, please print their first name on the calendar (listed below) and return it to George Haddad. You may also print and mail the name(s) and date(s) of those you would like to remember directly to:

St. Mark of Ephesus Orthodox Church

Attention: George Haddad

261 Main Street

Kingston, MA 02364

Hard copies are also available at the vestibule in church.  Please click here to record the name(s) and date(s) of the reposed: calendar.