St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, Carmichaels - Bulletin 482

St. George
Serbian Orthodox Church
Carmichaels, PA

Bulletin 482 - March 31 / April 13, 2008

Chronicle of St. George Serbian Orthodox Church
Diocesan Bishop - His Grace Bishop Dr. MITROPHAN
Parish Priest - Fr. Rodney Torbic
296 Old Route 21
Carmichaels, Pennsylvania 15320
March 31 / April 13, 2008
Fifth Sunday of Great Lent
No. 482

Remember to listen to the parish radio broadcast each Sunday afternoon at 12:15 on WMBS, 590 AM, Uniontown.

I Corinthinas 16:13-14

Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.

Recent Services

April 6: Father Dimitre Dimtrov served Matins. Eleven people came
April 8: Midnight Office, First and Third Hour with Kathismas were read.; One person came for Great Compline.; Father Zivko Velimirovic served Vespers and Great Compline with Father Zoran Radovic singing the responses.
April 9: Father Zivko Velimirovic served Matins and First Hour. Father Zoran Radovic did the responses.
April 9: The Great Canon and Life of St.Mary of Egypt was read.
April 10: Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour were read with Kathismas.; Five people came for the Akathist to Jesus Christ and Akathist to the Cross.
April 11: Midnight Office, First Hour and Third Hour were read at St. George Church.; Four people came to Holy Trinity Mission in Fairmont, West Virginia for the Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts and Parastos. One communicant.
April 12: Midnight Office, the Canon for St. John Climacus and First Hour were read.; Two people came for Ninth Hour and Vespers.

Services This Coming Week - Always Call to Confirm Weekday Schedule

Today: Midnight Office, Matins, First Hour. Divine Liturgy. Deanery Vespers this evening at 5:30 PM.
Mornings: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 5:30AM.; Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts at 8:00 AM Wednesday and Friday.
Afternoons: 4:00 PM Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday.
Thursday: 6:30 PM followed by class
Lazarus Saturday: Divine Liturgy at 9:00 AM
April 20: Palm Sunday Midnight Office, Matins, First Hour at 5;30 AM.; Palm Sunday Divine Liturgy at 10:00 AM.
April 27: Pascha Resurrection Matins at 5:30 AM.; Paschal Divine Liturgy at 9:00 AM.

Remember Monastery Marcha with Prayers and Contributions

Important Dates

April 13 - Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt, 5:30 PM Our Parish hosts Lenten Vespers
April 20, Palm Sunday - 5:30 PM Vespers Holy Trinity Cathedral, Pittsburgh.
April 21 - Great and Holy Monday
April 22 - Great and Holy Tuesday

If you are too busy to pray...you are too busy!

Pray for the Suffering Serbian People in Kosovo and Metohija

Parish Life

: · Thank you to all offering to helping with the Lenten Vespers and dinner this evening.
: · Dr. Anatoli Peredera came to visit on Thursday evening for the Akathists and Adult Class.
: · Six people came to Adult Class on Thursday. Class again this Thursday at 7:00 PM
: · Prepare to come to Holy Confession and Communion during Great Lent.
: · Monetary donations are being accepted immediately and will continue to be accepted to help the needy in Kosovo. When donating, please designate the contribution for Diocesan Relief Fund. The situation is urgent and of great importance.
: · Remember the men and women working in dangerous occupations including those in the mines and criminal justice agencies, the police, correctional officers and parole agents.
: · Remember the sick, the suffering, the imprisoned, those in rehab centers, nursing homes, jails and prisons. Remember the staff members and caretakers.
: · Remember the men and women serving in the military and their families.
: · Do you listen to the parish radio broadcast each Sunday or on the internet during the week? Do you tell your friends and relatives about it.
: · Invite a friend or relative to church the next time you come.
: · Do you read your Bible daily?
: · Protopresbyter Stavrofor Sinica Jocic, Protopresbyter Stavrofor Toma Stojsich, Protopresbyter Djokan Majstorovic, Father Zivko Velimirovic and Father Zoran Radovic visited the parish this past week.

A THOUGHT FROM HIS GRACE BISHOP DR. MITROPHAN

Thus being joined to Christ means to become a member of His body, the Church. It also means to build oneself up as a living stone in the house of the Lord, on the foundation of the Apostles, having the same faith, the same virtuous life of Christ.

(The Teaching of Saint Apostle Paul on the Church. Translated by Protopresbyter Stefan Zaremba. Sremski Karlovaci, 2001, p. 43 )

Remember the Students at St. Sava School of Theology, Libertyville, Illinois

To Consider

· Great Lent is drawing to a close.
· Great and Holy Week will soon be here.
· Are we treating this period with due seriousness?

Recent Activities of Parish Priest
April 3-7 - Went to St. Petka Church in Orlando, Florida for Christian education meeting.
April 9 - Went to Diocesan Center for Clergy confession.
April 10 - Went to Morgantown, W.Va. for printing purposes.
April 11 - Served Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts in Fairmont, West Virginia. Went to St. Elijah Church in Aliquippa for Akathist service.

From the Wisdom of Sirach 3:12-15

My son, help your father in his old age, and do not grieve him in his life. And if his understanding fails, be considerate, and do not dishonor him in your prime. For kindness to a father will not be forgotten, and it will be credited to you instead of your sins. It will be remembered in the day of your affliction; thus your sins will melt away like frost in warm weather. (SAAS)

The Fifth Sunday of Great Lent

Mark 10:32-45

Now they were on the rod, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him: "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles: and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again." Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, "Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask." And He said to them, "What do you want Me to do for you?" They said to Him, "Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left in Your glory." But Jesus said to them, "You dod not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are able." So Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared." And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

St. Mary of Egypt

Luke 7:36-50

Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought and alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, "This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner." And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." So he said, "Teacher, say it." "There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denari, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?" Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And he said to him, "You have rightly judged." Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much, But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little."

Repentance and forgiveness are major themes during Great Lent. Repentance and forgiveness are emphasized particularly on this Fifth Sunday of Great Lent.

Jesus forgave the sinful woman who washed His feet with tears. Jesus Christ will forgive our sins if we turn to Him in faith. We must be willing to give up sinful practices and sinful ways.

To repent, we must be bold and direct and speak as Jesus did when He was tempted in the wilderness. Jesus said: "Begone, Satan! For it is written, "You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve." (Mt. 4:0-10)

This is the time of the year to draw close to Jesus Christ and to remain close to Jesus Christ. The remaining days of Great Lent and the days of Great and Holy Week require complete and careful attention.

Believers seriously observing the period of Great Lent and honoring Holy Week with the complete reverence due are investing in the Kingdom of God.

Honoring the days of Great Lent and Holy Week is an act of faith. Using this time for care of the soul and purification of the soul is the intended purpose.