Church Phone: (781) 585-8907

Administrator and Dean: Archpriest Vasily Lickwar 

Attached Priest: Archpriest John T. Bacon 

President/Warden: Catherine Condrick 

Third & Sixth Hour: Every Sunday morning at 9:30 AM

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

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

To arrange a confession, baptism, marriage or funeral, please contact Fr. John Bacon.

You may also speak with him during the fellowship hour on Sundays.

St. Mark of Ephesus is blessed with a small, but actively participating congregation. We are a warm, family-oriented body of faithful believers and our members are of all age groups and we embrace many cultural and ethnic backgrounds. The parish conducts a regular and traditional cycle of Orthodox liturgical worship throughout the course of the year. Great Vespers takes place on the first Saturday of every month. Church School classes meet every Sunday after Divine Liturgy. The Parish Council meets the first Tuesday evening of every month, under the guidance of the parish rector to maintain and promote the wholesomeness, stability and well-being of the parish. 

Each Sunday, Divine Liturgy is followed by a time of pleasant fellowship and hospitality, as an expression of Eucharistic unity. The St. Mark parish participates regularly in several community charitable ministries such as on-going charities to aid local shelters, grocery collections for our on-going food pantry, and visiting the ill and shut-ins in our community. All these inititatives are supported by the free-will offerings and volunteer assistance of the parishioners.

Dear Parishioners of St. Mark,

The outbreak of COVID-19 requires our dioceses, our parish communities, and their faithful to be vigilant in keeping our parishes safe. Cafeful, precuationary, and temporary steps taken now can prevent extreme spread of this virus.

I have attached the Statement of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America on the Corona Virus that was posted today to the OCA website below. It is important that you read this statement to familiarize yourself with the current procedures regarding the OCA in presponse to COVID-19.

With guidance from Fr. Vasily and Fr. John, and in compliance with the health and governmental directives, all worship services, church school, parish council meetings, and confessions are suspended until further notice. The Deanery celebration of the Great Fest of the Annunciation in Maynard, as orginally announced, is cancelled as well.

Fr. Vasily has suggested that the faithful gather on Sundays around the family icon corner, read the Morning Prayers or the Third and Sixth Hour, take a sip of Holy Water, and if any is available, a small portion of Artos from the previous Pascha.

It is important to remember to mail your weekly offerings to: St. Mark of Ephesus Orthodox Mission, 261 Main Street, Kingston, MA 02364. 

Please remember that this time of uncertainty and trouble will pass and God, in His loving kindness, will preserve and strengthen us. Trust in the Lord, pray, and all will be well. 

*You may read the Statement of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America on the Corona Virus on the OCA Website at www.oca.org.

*New: Holy Synod Issues Coronavirus Statement: Metropolitan Tikhon Addresses the Faithful, also available on www.oca.org.

Let us take comfort in Psalm 22 (23):

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley 

Of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the 

Presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the

Lord to the end of my days.

Stay safe and God bless.

Love in Christ,

Catherine

Parish Council President/Warden

Sunday, March 22: 3rd Sunday of Great Lent: Veneration of the Cross

The Third Sunday of Lent is that of the Veneration of the Cross. The cross stands in the midst of the church in the middle of the lenten season not merely to remind men of Christ's redemption and to keep before them the goal of their efforts, but also to be venerated as that reality by which man must live to be saved. "He who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me" (Mt. 10:38). For in the Cross of Christ Crucified lies both "the power of God and the wisdom of God" for those being saved (1 Cor. 1:24).

Wednesday, 3/18: St. Nikolai, Bishop of Zhicha (Genesis 7:6-9, Proverbs 9:12-18)

Saturday, 3/21: Memorial Saturday (Heb. 10:32-88, Mark 2:14-17

Wed. 3/11: Presanctified Liturgy at 6:00 PM, Archpriest John T. Bacon

Sun. 3/15: Divine Liturgy of St. Basil, Priest Kevin Kalish

Wed. 3/18: Presanctified Liturgy at 6:00 PM, Archpriest John T. Bacon

Sun. 3/22: Divine Liturgy of St. Basil, Archpriest John T. Bacon

Wed. 3/25: Divine Liturgy of St. Basil at 9:30 AM | No Presanctified Liturgy - Holy Annunciation Church, Maynard, MA

Sun. 3/29: Divine Liturgy of St. Basil, Archpriest John T. Bacon | Church School Confessions at 9:00 AM

Wed. 4/01: Presanctified Liturgy at 6:00 PM, Archpriest John T. Bacon

Sat. 4/04: Confessions at 5:00 PM | Great Vespers at 6:00 PM, Archpriest John T. Bacon

Sun. 4/05: Confessions at 9:00 AM | Divine Liturgy of St. Basil, Archpriest John T. Bacon

Wed. 4/08: Presantified Liturgy at 6:00 PM, Archpriest John T. Bacon

Sun. 4/12: Divine Liturgy for Palm Sunday (Celebrant TBD)

Wed. 4/15: Holy Unction at 6:00 PM, Archpriest John T. Bacon

Thurs. 4/16: Vesperal Liturgy at 10:00 AM | Holy Matins & Twelve Gospels at 6:00 PM (Celebrant TBD)

Fri. 4/17: Vespers at 3:00 PM | Matins at 6:00 PM, Archpriest John T. Bacon

Sat. 4/18: Vesperal Liturgy at 10:00 AM | Midnight Office at 11:30 PM & Blessing of Baskets, Archpriest John T. Bacon

Sun. 4/19: Vespers of Pascha at 2:00 PM, Archpriest John T. Bacon

Sun. 4/26: Divine Liturgy (Celebrant TBD)

Sat. 5/02: Great Vespers at 6:00 PM (Celebrant TBD)

Sun. 5/03: Divine Liturgy (Celeberant TBD)

Sun. 5/10: Divine Liturgy, Archpriest John T. Bacon

Sun. 5/17: Divine Liturgy, Priest Kevin Kalish

Sun. 5/24: Divine Liturgy, Archpriest John T. Bacon

Sun. 5/31: Divine Liturgy, Archpriest John T. Bacon

Sat. 6/06: No Vespers in Kingston | Vigil for the Feast at 5:00 PM, Holy Trinity Cathedral

Sun. 6/07: Divine Liturgy with Kneeling Prayers, Archpriest John T. Bacon

Please remember in your prayers

All those who are sick and recovering from the coronavirus and all who are currently affected by it. The ill and shut-in: Ramon (hospitalized), Archpriest M. Vranes, Harriett, G. Sowpel, Reader J. Hood (hospice), Gina, Paula & Jeff Starr, Alban F. Ryles, Mat. Eleanor, Priest Antony, Kh. Diana, Eugenia, Lydia, Reader George, Mat. Irene, Gregory, Alexandra, the kidnapped Hierarchs Metropolitan Paul & Archbishop John, the suffering Christians of Egypt/Syria, those who suffer from terrosist attacks, fires, storms, floods, earthquakes, pestilences, newly-departed Matushka Elizabeth, Catechumen Daniel.