Church Telephone: (781) 585-8907

Church Email: stmarkofephesuskingstonma@gmail.com

Donations: PayPal or Credit Card

Administrator and Dean: Archpriest Vasily Lickwar 

Church Warden: Catherine Condrick

Divine Liturgy: Please see the below schedule for upcoming services; Beginning in September of 2021, St. Mark will be resuming its schedule of having services every Sunday at 10:00 AM with the Third and Sixth Hours beginning at 9:30 AM

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. 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. 

Message of the week from Children in the Church Today by Sr. Magdalen

St. John Chrysostom advises parents to watch over the senses of their children: what they see, what they hear, and so on. We cannot put blinders on our children, and it is impossible in a twentieth-century city to ensure that everything they will meet will be beautiful and inspiring. But we can have the saint's words in mind when we arrange the interior of our house. St. John also suggests that we give children the chance to have their senses affected by natural beauty: scenery and so on. When we plan excursions and holidays we can try to include some glimpses of nature. Children often puzzle over the idea of God as Creator, especially those who are surrounded nearly all the time by man-made things in which God's handiwork is further back in the process of creation. 

St. Nicholas Church School Celebration

On Sunday, December 5 the children of St. Mark will be celebrating St. Nicholas's day with a visit from St. Nicholas! The children will be making paper crafts and Christmas ornaments and they will be decorating the Christmas tree. St. Nicholas has some special treats he will be giving to the children as well. All are welcome to attend this very special event in honor of St. Nicholas and the children of St. Mark.

In truth you were revealed to your flock as a rule of faith, an image of humility and a teacher of abstinence; your humility exalted you; your poverty enriched you. Hierarch Father Nicholas, entreat Christ our God that our souls may be saved.

You revealed yourself, O saint, in Myra as a priest, for you fulfilled the Gospel of Christ by giving up your soul for your people, and saving the innocent from death. Therefore, you are blessed as one become wise in the grace of God.

Community Christmas Card Fundraising Event

Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. Mark of Ephesus,

As the 2021 Nativity season approaches, we once again ask for your participation in our parish Community Christmas Card fundraising event. By participating, your name will appear in our community Christmas card, which is mailed out to each participant, thus giving you the opportunity to extend your holiday greetings to fellow parishioners and church family. A copy of a past year's card is on display in the church vestibule along with copies of the fundraiser form (the form was emailed out to parishioners as well).

The price remains at $20.00 per family. Simply fill in the name section of the form and kindly update your address if you've moved in the past year. The deadline to participate is on Sunday, December 5, 2021. Please make your check for $20.00 payable to St. Mark of Ephesus Church. You may give your check/cash to George or Nancy Haddad or pay with PayPal on this website. If using PayPal, please specify in the "add a note" that the donation is for the Christmas Card. 

Many thanks for your support in this fundraiser and may God bless you.

St. Mark of Ephesus Bake Sale & Crafts

This Christmas season, we will be selling baked goods and crafts on Saturday, December 11 from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM. In addition to the bake sale, we will be having a 50/50 raffle, buy a mug and get a free cup of coffee, handmade wreaths, used book sale and more! All are welcome.

If you are a parishioners and would like to help out at this event, please speak with Catherine. If you have made either a baked good and/or a craft, please drop them off on Friday, December 10 from 4:00 - 5:30 PM at the church. Thank you so much for your donation!

Weekly Calender 

Tuesday, November 30: Holy and All-Praised Apostle Andrew the First-Called (62), St. Frumentius, Archbishop of Ethiopia (ca. 380), St. Sebastian (Dabovic) of Jackson and San Francisco (1940)

Saturday, December 4: Greatmartyr Barbara and Martyr Juliana at Heliopolis in Syria (ca. 306), Glorification of New Hieromartyr Protopresbyter Alexander Hotovitzky, Missionary to America (1994), Catechumen class at 4:00 PM, Great Vespers at 5:00 PM with the Sacrament of Confession following 

Sunday, December 5: Divine Liturgy at 10:00 AM, Third Hour at 9:30 AM, Fr. Kevin, Celebrant, Ven. Sabbas the Sanctified (532), St. Nicholas Church School Celebration, Lenten Coffee Hour, Deadline for the Christmas card

For today's scripture readings, please click on the following link: https://www.oca.org/readings

Please remember in your prayers: ill & shut-in, Paul, Simon, Alban Frank, Robert, Matushka Eleanor, Priest Antony, Reader George, Alexandra, Conor, Peter; the kidnapped Hierarchs Metropolitan Paul (Boulos Yazigi) & Archpriest John (Yohanna Ibrahim); the suffering Christians of Egypt/Syria; deployed Archpriest James and Travis; Catechumen Judith; Newly-departed Priest Narcis Stoica

Parish Announcements 

Great Vespers with Confession will be on Saturday, December 4 at 5:00. Vespers with Confession will be held on the 1st Saturday of every month unless otherwise noted. 

The St. Mark Annual Meeting will be on Sunday, January 16, 2022. It will be held at the church during coffee hour. On this day, we will also be celebrating the Feast Day of our patron saint: Saint Mark, Archbishop of Ephesus

The Saint Mark Bookstore is open. All are welcome to browse any time after services. Currently, we have Orthodox Christian Prayer Books, The Psalter, Orthodox Study Bibles, and a wonderful new book called "How to Live a Holy Life". We also have cross pins and an assortment of beautiful icons. More Service Books for the Faithful are expected to arrive in the bookstore soon; the cost of the book to parishioners is only $5.00 (the actual book costs $20) because of a special donation. If you would like to purchase something at the bookstore, please speak with Catherine or Nicholas.

We are collecting items for distribution to those in need via a local food pantry. Please leave the items you wish to donate in the large blue bin located in the nave of the church. It is important that we continue to care for those in need during these difficult times.

We need volunteers to help with coffee hour and church cleaning. If you would like to help, please speak with the church warden. 

The Parish Council will meet on Thursday, December 9 at 6:00 PM via Zoom. 

The St. Nicholas Church School Celebration will be held on Sunday, December 5

The Women's Group Ornament Swap will be held on Sunday, December 12 and will be hosted by Catherine. Details about this event will be forthcoming as the season approaches.

Luminary Night will be held on Saturday, December 18th. Details about this event will be forthcoming as the season approaches.

Christmas Day Liturgy will be held on Saturday, December 25 at 10:00 AM (no services on Christmas Eve)