St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, Carmichaels - Bulletin 540

St. George
Serbian Orthodox Church
Carmichaels, PA

Bulletin 540 - May 11 / May 24, 2009

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
May 11 / May 24, 2009
Sunday of the Blind Man
No. 540

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

Hristos Voskrese! Vaistinu Voskrese!
Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!

Recent Services

May 16: Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour were read.; One person came for Ninth Hour and Vespers.
May 17: Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour were read.; Third and Sixth Hours were read immediately before the Divine Liturgy.; Twenty-two people came for Divine Liturgy. One communicant.
May 18: Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour were read.; Ninth Hour and Vespers were read.
May 19: Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour were read.; One person came for the Akathist to the Tomb and Resurrection and Akathist to the Resurrection.
May 20: Matins and First Hour were read. Ninth Hour and Vespers were read.
May 21: Midnight, Matins and First Hour were read.
May 22: One person came for Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour.; 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 Hour immediately followed by Divine Liturgy.
Mornings: 5:30 AM on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.
Afternoons: 6:30 PM Tuesday followed by Adult Class; 4:00 PM on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Thursday: Feast of Ascension-Divine Liturgy at 8:00 AM.

Remember Monastery Marcha with Prayers and Contributions

Important Dates

May 24 - Sts. Cyril and Methodius. St. Nicodemus, Archbishop of Serbia.
May 27 - Leavetaking of Pascha
May 28 - Feast of the Ascension of our Lord.
June 6 - Memorial Saturday-Grave Blessings.
June 7 - Feast of Pentecost, Parish Outdoor Religious Program and Picnic.
June 8 - Pentecost Monday
June 9 - Pentecost Tuesday
June 17 - St. Metrophanes, First Patriarch of Constantinople
June 13 - Leavetaking of Pentecost.
June 15 - Beginning of Apostles Fast
June 28 - St. Great-martyr Prince Lazar; All Serbian Martyrs. Vidovdan.
July 7 - Nativity of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John

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

Remember the Suffering Serbian People in Kosovo and Metohija

Parish Life

: · Help will be needed for the picnic on June 7. Please let Stan Brozik or Sonia Janson know of your willingness to help.
: · Respect Memorial Day for the purpose intended. This parish has had a significant number of individuals serving in the military.
: · The peonies are blooming that were planted at the Cross in the St. George Cemetery in memory of the faithful having lost their lives in Kosovo.
: · Congratulations to Paige Shlosky. She graduated from Baldwin Wallace College with honors.
: · Remember the 194 miners who died on May 19, 1928 in nearby Mather, Pennsylvania. Remember their families and friends.
: · One person came for the Adult Class this past Tuesday at which time a video was shown about Monastery Decani. Class again this Tuesday when a video will be shown about Monastery Milesevo.
: · Remember the four St. Nicholas Churches in this Diocese...Monroeville, Johnstown, Steelton and Philadelphia. May 9/22 commemorated the Transfer of the Relics of St. Nicholas.
: · Share the joy of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ with everyone you meet.
: · Remember the sick, the suffering, the imprisoned, those in rehab centers, the homebound, the mentally ill, their caretakers and the institution staffs.
: · Remember the men and women serving in the military and their families.
: · Remember the workers in mines, law-enforcement, corrections, probation and parole and firefighters, all working in dangerous occupations..
: · If you have a question about the Divine services or other questions ask Father Rodney and come to the Adult Classes.
: · Every parishioner is a missionary for St. George Church.
: · Shadeland Camp applications are available for campers. Volunteer helpers are needed.

A Thought from Mrs. A. Tumbas

Wherever a gathering of Serbian people is held, whether it be a wedding, a funeral, a dance, a picnic, a concert or a convention, somewhere in the background will be found members of the "Kolo" going about the little things that make our ethnic functions truly unique. When historians write of the Serbian people in America and Canada, their achievements and failures, he will find the backbone of any significant achievement was won with the help of the Circle of Serbian Sisters.

(1971 Calendar of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the United States and Canada. )

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

To Consider

· The Feast of the Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ.
· The period of time between the Resurrection and the Ascension.
· The period of time between the Ascension and the Feast of Pentecost.

Recent Activities of Parish Priest
May 15 - Went to Morgantown for printing purposes.
May 18 - Took friends of parish to Allison Park, Pa.
May 21 - Went to Diocesan Center and to St. Nicholas Church in Monroreville for Slava.
May 22 - Went to Waynesburg. Went to Uniontown to visit parishioner.

From Psalm 7:11

God is a just judge and God is angry with the wicked every day. (NKJV)

Sunday of the Blind Man
John 9:1-38

Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him saying: "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam"(which is being translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing. Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?" Some said, "This is he. Others said, "He is like him." He said, "I am he." Therefore they said to him, "How were your eyes opened? He answered and said, "A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash' So I went and washed, and I received sight." Then they said to him, 'Where is He?" He said, "I do not know. They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see." Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath." Other said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" And there was a division among them. They said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet." But the Jews did not believe concerning him that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. And they asked them, saying, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind?" How then does he now see?" His parents answered them and said, "We know that his is our son, and that he was born blind; but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself." His parent said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him." So they again called the man who was blind and said to him, "Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner." He answered and said, "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see." Then they said to him again, "What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?" He answered them, "I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?" Then they reviled him and said, "You are His disciple, but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from." The man answered and said to them, "Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!" Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshipper of God and does His will, He hears him. Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing." They answered and said to him, "You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?" And they cast him out. Jesus heard they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, "Do you believe in the Son of God? He answered and said, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?" And Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you." Then he said, "Lord, I believe! And he worshipped Him.

When a person suffers from a serious illness or tragic accident and questions the reason for this occurring, it is good to remember the present Gospel.

The disciples asked Jesus: "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"(Jn. 9:2). It is easy for a person to attribute serious illness or an accident to personal sin or personal faults. In some cases, the answer is correct.

Personal sinfulness or personal fault is not always the case when a serious illness or accident occurs. In the instance of the man born blind, Jesus said neither the man nor his parents were at fault. (Jn. 9:3)

The man was born blind in order that the works of God could be revealed in him. (Jn. 9:4). Personal illness or accident is an opportunity for the work of God to be revealed.

Even if a person suffers due to past sins, faulty thinking or actions, God can change the person's condition and improve the person's life. Spiritual health and unity with Christ can occur regardless of the condition of the body.

A sound mind and strong will to faithfully follow Christ are necessary for spiritual health. Even a person suffering a mental disorder can move to soundness of mind if he or she applies the reservoir of good thinking remaining.

A person can move from the precipice of spiritual death toward the Kingdom of God by withdrawing from sinful behavior and thinking and putting complete faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.