PARISH ADVISORY COUNCIL
Nature: The parish council must be apostolic in nature and mission and is advisory to the pastor or administrator who derives his authority from the Eparchial Bishop.
Purposes: The Parish Council shall act as a representative body of the whole Community of God in this Parish in common with one another and with their Pastor to meet, deliberate and act in common agreement on those matters for which they are responsible and which concerns the good of the Church, and the Parish: to confer with and advise the Pastor on any matters which are brought to its attention, and to promote the Christian life and the actions of the people of the Parish to the fulfillment of our Eastern Christian responsibilities.
THE FRATORITY
Purpose: The purpose of this organization shall be to (1) promote the spiritual welfare of the members of “The Fratority” in accordance with the religious teachings and practices of the Catholic Church; (2) develop among its members a spirit of leadership, cooperation and devotion to the welfare of the parish; (3) foster the observance of periodic corporate Communion; (4) draw members together for social and cultural purposes; and (5) support the Reverend Pastor in his duties as shepherd of his flock.
Membership: Membership shall consist of married couples. The couple, or one of them, must be a member of the Church of the Virgin Mary.
Meetings are usually held on the first Friday of every month at 8:00pm.
THE LADIES SOCIETY
Objectives: The objectives of the Society shall be to (1) keep alive our devotion to our Blessed Mother both privately and publicly; (2) raise funds to assist in the support of our Church Parish; (3) be available to our Clergy whenever assistance is needed to fulfill the above obligations.
Membership: Membership shall be open to all ladies who are parishioners of the Church of the Virgin Mary and support the objectives of the Society.
Meetings are usually held on the first Sunday of every month after the Divine Liturgy and during the Coffee Hour.
SATURDAY SCHOOL
The purpose of our Saturday school is to foster the love of God in our children. We strive to motivate them to read and study the Bible, and become cognizant of God’s way. Our primary goal is to help our children achieve a well-balanced life through spiritual growth. We want them to get to know God through his word, and establish and intimate relationship with Him, so that they may reflect his light and magnificence to the world around them. We also offer to all of the members of our Parish, the opportunity to learn to speak, read and write the Arabic language, since it is part of our culture. In today’s society, the Arabic language has become a treasured asset.
The school is held at the Church of the Virgin Mary, every Saturday, 10:00am-1:00pm, September through April.
Volunteers are welcome to teach Arabic or Catechism, or assist in all the other activities. Saturday School is the place where children will be benefited the most by your skills and talents! For more information please contact Fr Antoine at 718-788-5454 or Salwa Awad at 718-238-6355!
PRE-NAMY CLUB
Our vision: A group of preteens who are willing to initiate living the parish life in all its elements (community life, worship, discipleship, service, outreach), as little-disciples of Christ, fed by his words and example and having fun.
The values of our program:
- Initiating a life with Christ
- Self-awareness
- Relationships
- Being open to serve others
- Having fun
NAMY
The National Association of Melkite Youth (NAMY) is created to provide a common forum and activities for all youth 13-18 years of age (High School) within the Eparchy of Newton. The organization is to initiate, coordinate and implement religious, social, educational and humanitarian programs designed to promote the involvement of its membership in the Christian Faith and Melkite tradition.
MAYA
MAYA stands for Melkite Association of Young Adults. It is created to unite Melkite Young Adults in fellowship, prayer, and spiritual growth while strengthening the bond between them and God. The organization was founded in 1994 by young adults who had graduated out of NAMY (the National Association of Melkite Youth, ages 13-18) and had no other group to join. MAYA was founded for those who are 18 years old and one year out of high school.
SOCIAL CLUB
It is a group that organizes social activities for the Parish. Some of our activities are open to all and others are age appropriate. Our activities have included: Bowling, baseball games, and parties. To become involved or suggest/plan activities please contact Fr. Antoine or Elizabeth Grace! We need you!
PRAYER GROUP
Families and individuals meet together the first Friday of every month, at 8:00pm, to pray the Rosary and meditate the Mysteries. Followed by refreshments, questions regarding different subjects might be raised and discussed. Join us!
CHOIR
Is open to any member of our community who is willing to commit his/her time and glorify God with his/her voice. Please don’t give Barbara a hard time!
ALTAR BOYS
Altar servers are needed to help assist the Priest during a religious service. Their responsibilities might include carrying the cross, candles or liturgical fans in processions and entrances; maintaining the censer, loading it with incense and handing it to the priest or deacon when required; preparing the hot water in time for it to be added to the chalice at the Divine Liturgy; and any other necessary tasks the celebrant might need. The altar boys must be mature enough to carry out their duties without disrupting the sanctity of the altar. Our altar boys are the best!
200 CLUB
It is a fundraising club. Only 200 numbers are sold at $10 each for a prize of $1,000 drawn on the last Sunday of each month. Winner does not have to be present. If you want to buy a number, please call Adel Baghdady at 631-741-7995.
COFFEE HOUR
It follows the Divine Liturgy on Sundays. If you would like to offer a coffee hour in honor or in memory of your beloved, the donation is $125. To reserve a date on the calendar, please contact Julie Behette at 718-745-7363.