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
September 1 / September 14, 2008
Synaxis of Serbian Saints
No. 504
Remember to listen to the parish radio broadcast each Sunday afternoon at 12:15
on WMBS, 590 AM, Uniontown.
Galatians 3:25-26
But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian;
for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith.
Recent Services
- September 6
- Two people came for Akathist to Jesus Christ and Akathist to St. Panteleimon.
- September 7
- Midnight Office was read.
- One person came for Matins and First Hour.
- Third and Six Hour were read before Divine Liturgy.
- Seventeen people attended. One communicant. Parastos held.
- September 8
- Midnight Office was read. One person came for Matins and First Hour.
- Two people came for Akathist to Jesus Christ, Akathist to the Mother of God
and Akathist to St. Alexis, Man of God.
- One person came for Ninth Hour and Vespers.
- September 9
- One person came for Midnight Office.
- One person came for Matins and First Hour.
- One person came for Ninth Hour and Vespers.
- Three people came for Akathist to Jesus Christ and Akathist to St. George.
- September 10
- Midnight Office was read.
- One person came for Matins and First Hour.
- Ninth Hour and Vespers were read.
- September 11
- Midnight Office was read.
- One person came for Matins and First Hour.
- Three people came for Divine Liturgy. One communicant.
- Ninth Hour and Vespers were read.
- Ninth Hour and Vespers were read.
- September 12
- Midnight Office, Matins, First Hour were read.
Services This Coming Week - Always Call to Confirm Weekday Schedule
- Today
- Matins at 8:50 AM. Father Dimitre Dimitrov serving.
- Mornings
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 5:30 AM, Midnight Office.
- 6:30 AM - Matins and First Hour
- Afternoons
- 4:00 PM - Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday.
- Tuesday
- 6:30 PM Akathists followed by Adult Class at 7:00 PM.
Remember Monastery Marcha with Prayers and Contributions
Important Dates
September 14 - Today, Church New Year.
September 19 - Miracle of Archangel Michael.
September 21 - Nativity of Theotokos
September 27 - Elevation of Precious and Life-giving Cross
October 14 - Protection of Mother of God
October 19 - Holy Apostle Thomas
If you are too busy to pray...you are too busy!
Pray for the Suffering Serbian People Throughout The World
Parish Life
- · Theodore Sokolovic, son of Very Reverend Stavrofor Vasilije
and Protinica Zoreen Sokolovic, was ordained as a Deacon.
- · Three people came for Adult Class on Tuesday. Class again this week.
- · If you have not been to Holy Confession or Communion recently,
it is time to prepare.
- · If you do not celebrate your Slava, please begin this year.
- · 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.
- · Remind your friends and neighbors to listen to the parish radio program.
- · When the Steelers game begins at 1:00 PM, the radio broadcast at 6:15 PM.
- · Each parishioner is a missionary for the St. George Church.
A Thought from His Grace Bishop Dr. MITROPHAN
In the center of the Divine Services of the Orthodox Church stands the Holy Mystery of
the Eucharist, which the Holy Apostle received directly from the Lord: "For I received
from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night
in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said,
"Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."
In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new
covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."
(I Cor. ll:23-25).
All believers are obliged to respect that sacred character of this Mystery. It is given
the Church through its hierarchy, which the Lord founded. There is no Mystery outside of
the Lord Jesus Christ and His Church. The Church is the eternal altar on which is
accomplished the Holy Mystery, and the priest is the one who offers the sacrifice.
By it the members of the Church live and are fulfilled with every gift of grace.
The Holy Eucharist is the greatest manifestation of God's love for man.
Serbian Orthodox Bishop of Eastern America Dr.MITROPHAN.
(The Teachings of Saint Apostle Paul on the Church
Translation Protopresbyter Stefan Zaremba. 2001, pp. 65-66.
)
Remember the Students at St. Sava School of Theology, Libertyville, Illinois
To Consider
· The lives of Serbian saints.
· The lasting contributions of Serbian saints.
· The increasing number of Serbian saints.
Recent Activities of Parish Priest
August 30 - Visited ill parishioner at home.
September 2 - Went to Diocesan Center, Mars.
September 6 - Attended Diocese Chapel Slava. Mars. Pa.
Went to Morgantown, W.Va. for printing.
September 10 - Went to Washington Hospital while parishioner had surgery.
September 11 - Visited parishioner at home.
From the Wisdom of Sirach
21:21
To a sensible man education is like a golden ornament, and like a bracelet on the right arm.
The Thirteen Sunday after Pentecost 2008
Matthew 21:33-42
Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a
hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers
and went into a far country. Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the
vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants,
beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first,
and they did likewise to them. Then last of all he sent his son to them saying, 'They will
respect my son.' But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves,
'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance. So they took him
and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard
comes, what will he do to those vinedressers? They said to Him, 'He will destroy those wicked
men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits
of their seasons.' Jesus said to them, 'Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone
which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing,
fand it is marvelous in our eyes"
The Lord Jesus Christ suffered death upon the Cross. He was considered worthy of
crucifixion by the authorities. Jesus went to the Cross voluntarily. Jesus had the
power to avoid crucifixion if He chose.
When Jesus was taken into custody at Gethsemane, Jesus told His captors: "Do you think
that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once send Me more than twelve legions
of angels? (Mt. 26:53)
Jesus' suffering on the Cross brings raises two questions for consideration.
Are current followers of Christ willing to suffer for Christ as Christ suffered for us?
The second question is: "Do current followers of Christ show continuous appreciation
to Christ for His having suffered for our sake?" People turn to Christ for help when a
crisis occurs or illness strikes.
Daily demonstrations and expressions of appreciation are due to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Throughout our lives, when we sin, we have the opportunity of new life in Christ.
We need to be appreciative.
We need to be appreciative for the opportunity to be able to turn to the Lord Jesus Christ
in prayer when we are ill and when family members and friends are ill. We need to continuously
express this appreciation.
We need to be appreciative when prayers are answered. We need to be thankful when our
children grow to adulthood and become good citizens. We need to be thankful when surgical
operations that prolong our lives.
We need to be thankful when medical treatments improve the condition of our lives
or the lives of family members and friends. We often pray before operations.
We need to pray afterwards in appreciation.
The Lord Jesus Christ offers believers the opportunity for eternal life. We need to be
appreciative of this opportunity. Eternal life gives hope beyond the current life.
Eternal life give hope beyond the grave.
Jesus rose from the dead. We celebrate Jesus' resurrection every Sunday. Jesus'
resurrection is proof of His power over death and is reason for hope.
At every Orthodox funeral we read of this hope.
The Holy Apostle Paul's Epistle to the Thessalonians states: "The dead in Christ will
rise first; and then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them
in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord. "
(I Thess. 4:16-17).
Every Sunday is a day of hope. Jesus Christ gives hope at all times. If we turn to Him
in faith, He will provide the direction, the nourishment, the love and the life we need.
In the current Gospel, the son of the owner of the vineyard was killed. The parallel with
Christ's death is compelling. We need to ensure our lives reflect respect for the Creator of
this world.
We need to respect, honor and love Christ for providing the opportunity to partake of
His Precious Body and Blood. Our lives are renewed in Christ. Our lives are fulfilled in Christ.
Regardless of the depths of our despair, regardless of the depths of our pain,
Christ can make a difference in our lives. He provides hope for the hopeless.
He provides strength for the weak.
Christ will return again. Each day is a day to prepare for His glorious Second Coming.
Each day is a day to live in ways pleasing to God. We live in ways pleasing to God when we
fast and pray according to His teachings.
We live in ways pleasing to God when we treat each other according to Christ's teachings.
We live in ways pleasing to God when we attend the Divine services of the Church on a regular
basis.
We live in ways pleasing to God when we honor our Baptismal commitments, follow God's
commandments, and are charitable and forgiving.
The Christian life offers never ending joy. If we look we will find the joy of the
resurrection evident throughout life. Christ turned the experience of the Cross into an
experience of joy realized in the Resurrection.
Everyday is worthy of celebrating the joy of Christ's Resurrection.
St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, Carmichaels, Pennsylvania.
September 1 / September 14, 2008
Synaxis of Serbian Saints.
Ecclesiastical New Year.
Fr. Rodney Torbic
Back to St. George Serbian Orthodox Church,
Carmichaels - Home Page