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
October 27 / November 9, 2008
Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost
No. 512
Remember to listen to the parish radio broadcast each Sunday afternoon at 12:15
on WMBS, 590 AM, Uniontown.
Romans 14:22
Do you have faith? Have to yourself before God.
Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.
Recent Services
- November 1
- Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour were read.
- November 2
- Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour were read.
- Third and Sixth Hours were read immediately before the Divine Liturgy.
- Fifty people came for the Divine Liturgy. Four communicants.
- November 3
- Vespers was read.
- November 4
- Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour were read.
- Father Dimitre came to serve for the Akathist to Jesus Christ
and Akathist to St. George. One additional person came.
- November 5
- Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour were read.
- One person came for the Akathist to St.Sava, Akathist to St. Nicholas
and Akathist for the Departed.
- The Akathist for St. Alexis, Man of God was read.
- November 6
- Matins was read. Ninth Hour and Vespers were read.
Services This Coming Week - Always Call to Confirm Weekday Schedule
- Today
- Midnight Office, Matins, First Hour. Third and Sixth Hours followed by Divine Liturgy.
Parastos following Divine Liturgy.
- Mornings
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday at 5:30 AM
- Midnight Office, Matins, First Hour.
- Afternoons
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday at 4:00 PM.
- Tuesday
- 6:30 PM followed by Adult Class at 7:00 PM
- Guest Speaker talking about recent trip to Greece visiting churches and monasteries.
Remember Monastery Marcha with Prayers and Contributions
Important Dates
November 12 - Holy Milutin, King of Serbia, Ven. Teoktist (Dragutin) and mother Jelena.
November 14 - Holy Wonderworkers and Unmercenaries, Cosmas and Damian.
November 16 - Choir Slava-Dedication of the Church of the Great Martyr George
Plan to stay next Sunday after church for the Choir Slava celebration.
November 21 - Holy Archangel Michael and other Bodiless Powers
November 22 - St. Nectarios Kephalas of Pentapolis
November 24 - St. Stevan of Decani.
November 26 - St. John Chrysostom
November 28 - Nativity Fast begins.
If you are too busy to pray...you are too busy!
Pray for the Suffering Serbian People Throughout The World
Parish Life
- · Thank you to all participating in the Anniversary celebration.
- · Speakers at the program included Stan Brozik, Sonia Janson, Mildred Bezjak,
Linda Chambers J.D, Mitzie Hunchuck and Father Dimitre Dimitrov
- · At the Anniversary dinner, Andrea Janson read from St. Cyprian of Carthage.
Reading from His Grace Bishop Dr. MITROPHAN's book, The Teachings of
Saint Apostle Paul on the Church,were Dr. Rade and Dr.Ivko Dimitric,
Aaron Carson, Nathan Klingensmith and Linda Porter.
- · Mildred Bezjak's work with the Pennsylvania Prison Society is important.
- · Two people came to Adult Class this past week.
Class again this Tuesday at 7:00 PM.
- · Eli and Sarah Matovich from Waynesburg always remember the St. George Church.
- · The Episcopal Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church has designated November
as Stewardship Month.
- · 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
- · The names of all departed individuals buried under the auspices of the
St. George Church were read during the Divine Liturgy last Sunday.
A Thought from His Grace Bishop Dr. MITROPHAN
Before Christ's advent man was conscious that he is God's creation, but no one could show
him the way, to teach him how he will work, to build up his divine image according to the
Holy Gospel. The aim of the Savior's advent is to rebuild in man a building to God, that
man may once a gain become that which he was when he was created. The Savior did this by
His sacrifice on the Cross, saving us objectively, and it is up to us to work on our own
personal salvation.
(The Teachings of Saint Apostle Paul on the Church.
Translation Protopresbyter Stefan Zaremba. 2001, p. 60.
)
Remember the Students at St. Sava School of Theology, Libertyville, Illinois
To Consider
· The need for all priests to continue to learn throughout their lives.
· The need for all Christians to continue to learn throughout their lives.
· The value of life-long learning for all believers.
Recent Activities of Parish Priest
· November 1 - Attended Baptism of Angelina Kodic, daughter of Petar and Gordana Kodic,
at St. Elijah Serbian Orthodox Church in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania.
· November 2 - Attended St. George Church Anniversary Dinner and Program.
· November 6 - Attended Greater Pittsburgh Clergy Brotherhood Meeting
at Greek Orthodox Church in Oakmont, Pennsylvania.
From the Wisdom of Sirach
30:15
Health and soundness are better than all gold, and a robust body than countless riches.
Twenty-First Sunday After Pentecost 2008
Luke 8:5-15
"A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and
it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. Some fell on rock; and as
soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. And some fell among
thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. But others fell on good ground,
and sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold." When He had said these things He cried,
"He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" Then His disciples asked Him, saying "What does
this parable mean?" And He said, "To you it is has been given to know the mysteries of
the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that 'Seeing they may not see,
and hearing they may not understand.' "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word
out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are
those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe
for awhile and in time of temptation fall away. Now the ones that fell among thorns are
those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasure
of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are
those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with
patience."
Individuals going to church on a regular basis hear the word of God.
The word of God takes root in the hearts and minds of individuals interested in God.
The word of God takes root in the hearts and minds open to God.
People go to church for different reasons. Individuals going to church for the love
of God and the salvation of their souls benefit greatly from the word of God. Jesus said
those with noble and good hearts bear fruit with patience.
Patience is necessary. Most Christians have a long journey from the baptismal fount to
the departure from this life. Christ is a daily experience in the journey for attentive
individuals.
Christ is a daily experience for individuals praying to Christ, fasting to increase
unity with Christ, and repenting for sins committed. Individuals experience Christ in the
Holy Mysteries of the Church.
Individuals experience Christ in Holy Confession and Holy Communion. Individuals
experience Christ when listening carefully to the Holy Gospel. Christ enters hearts
and minds during the Divine services of the Church.
The overwhelming majority of believers live with families and in communities far
removed from monastic settings. The overwhelming majority of believers work out their
salvation with their families, at their workplaces and in their home communities.
Believers are expected to apply the Gospel in their daily lives. Believers are expected
to take the word of God they hear in the Divine Liturgy and apply it every day of their lives.
Not every word of the Gospel will be fully grasped each time the Gospel is read.
The Church repeats Gospel lessons each year. The lessons are important.
A certain number of believers will study Holy Scripture and become more familiar
with the teachings of Christ. Ideally, more believers would put forth the effort
to learn about the Gospel through personal reading.
Believers making the effort to read the Holy Scriptures reap benefits.
Investing in the Kingdom of God requires effort. Investing in the Kingdom of
God requires prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and attending the Divine services.
Investing in the Kingdom of God requires going to Holy Confession and partaking
of the Precious Body and Blood of Christ. Investing in the Kingdom of God involves
applying personal talents and treasures for the glory of God.
Individuals who care only for themselves, who care little for family members or friends,
who care little for God and God's Holy Church, live very shallow lives.
The fullness of the Christian life is experienced when the believer put his or her
complete self into following Christ. The cares of the world are minimized when Christ
is the center of life.
The word of God has deep and strong roots in the hearts, minds and souls of serious
believers. Temptations are incapable of swaying the actions of the believer firmly
committed to Christ.
While pride is always a danger, while every believer must be vigilant and on-guard
against the wiles of the devil, the believer firmly rooted in the word of God is well-armed.
The word of God provides joy for the serious believer. The word of God provides
nourishment for the serious believer. The word of God establishes peace in the heart,
mind and soul of the serious believer.
Attentive believers cherish the word of God. The Lord Jesus Christ said:
"Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it."
(Lk. 11:28) The word of God is best kept by applying it to daily living.
Experience is the best teacher. Individuals who willingly experience Christ and live
daily by the teachings of Christ increase their faith and belief in Christ and are eager
to continue the life in Christ.
Believers face many different situations in life. Life changes from infancy to childhood,
from the teenage years into the various stages of adulthood. Believers are faced with
different challenges as they grow and mature.
Christian faith and knowledge are expected to increase as a person grows and develops
in life. Embracing the challenges of adulthood requires a reservoir of faith and knowledge
not necessarily needed in infancy or even early childhood.
The value children have in teaching adults about faith is not to be underestimated.
The Lord Jesus Christ said: "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom
of God as a little child will by no means enter it."
(Mk. 10:15)
Believers benefit from carefully thinking about the simple and uncorrupted faith of
little children when seeking the Kingdom of God. Hearts, minds and souls open to God
treasure greatly the word of God.
St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, Carmichaels, Pennsylvania.
October 27 / November 9, 2008
Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost.
St. Nestor, Martyr
Fr. Rodney Torbic
Back to St. George Serbian Orthodox Church,
Carmichaels - Home Page