St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, Carmichaels - Bulletin 545

St. George
Serbian Orthodox Church
Carmichaels, PA

Bulletin 545 - June 15 / June 28, 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
June 15 / June 28, 2009
Third Sunday after Pentecost / Vidovdan
No. 545

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

Matthew 6:30

Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? (NKJV)

Recent Services

June 21: Midnight Office, Matins, First Hour were read.; Ninth Hour and Vespers were read. Third and Sixth Hour were read followed by the Divine Liturgy. Thirty people attended. Three communicants.
June 24: Ninth Hour and Vespers were read.
June 25: Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour 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.
Mornings: 5:30 AM on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.
Afternoons: Monday at 3:30 PM, Friday at 4:00 PM.
Tuesday: 4:30 PM at Holy Trinity Mission, Fairmont, W.Va.
Wednesday: 6:30 PM followed by Adult Class.

Remember Monastery Marcha with Prayers and Contributions

Important Dates

June 28 - St. Great-martyr Prince Lazar; All Serbian Martyrs
June 28 - Parish Vidovdan Covered Dish Dinner (Fasting) and Program
July 7 - Nativity of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John
July 12 - Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul
July 25 - Monastery Marcha Slava Celebrated
August 2 - St. Elijah, Diocesan Day at Shadeland.
August 8 - Parish Healthcare Seminar
August 9 - Parish Healthcare Day Dinner and Program
August 13 - Dormition Fast Begins
August 18 - Forefeast of Transfiguration
August 19 - Feast of Transfiguration.
August 26 - Apodasis of Transfiguration
August 27 - Forefeast of Dormition of Mother of God
August 28 - Dormition of Mother of God
September 5 - Apodasis of Dormition of Mother of God
September 11 - Beheading of St. John the Baptist
September21 - Feast of Nativity of the Mother of God
September 27 - Feast of the Elevation of the Precious and Life-giving Cross

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

Remember the Suffering Serbian People in Kosovo and Metohija

Parish Life

: · Sympathy extended to the family of +John Quick Sr. Mr. Quick departed this life this past week.
: · Thank you to all parishioners participating in the dinner and program today.
: · Historically, it would be interesting to know how many individuals have benefitted from services in healthcare facilities were cared by parishioners of St. George Church.
: · The St. George Church has had individuals working in many different aspects of healthcare from ambulance services to outpatient clinics, to rehab centers, to hospitals, to nursing and personal care homes.
: · A number of individuals having connections with the St. George Church have been involved in the field of education ranging from elementary school to the college and university level and including offering classes in state and federal prison.
: · At least two individuals from this parish became lawyers.
: · One hundred and seventy-nine identified different groups, families or individuals made financial donations to the St. George Church in 2008.
: · One hundred and fifty-five identified different groups, families or individuals made financial donations to the St. George Church in 2007.
: · 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.
: · Shadeland Camp applications are available for campers. Volunteer helpers are needed.
: · Honor the Apostles Fast until the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.
: · Every parishioner is a missionary for the St. George Church.

A Thought from His Grace Bishop Dr. MITROPHAN

Man misused his free will, with which he was endowed to become like God and fell into sin. The 'image of God" in man was darkened. Not only did he lose the correct understanding of good and evil, but neither was he able to observe the order and magnificence in nature as an unmediated sign of God's all-mightiness The pinnacle of this tragedy is that man sundered his communion with God. No longer could he directly communicate with his Creator, leaving him alone and in despair. Even nature itself rebelled against him. (Gen. 3:17-19). However God, unable to see His creation in such suffering, personally intervened, giving the promise of a Savior (Gen. 3:15). And so commenced supernatural revelation

(Introduction to the New Testament )

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

To Consider

· The importance of Kosovo to the Serbian people.
· The suffering of the Serbian people in Kosovo through the ages.
· The choices made in defense of the Christianity in Kosovo.

Recent Activities of Parish Priest
June 19-Went to Diocesan Center and then to Philadelphia for Christian education meeting. Returned on June 20, 2009.

From Psalm 13:6

I will sing to the Lord because He has dealt bountifully with me. (NKJV)

The Third Sunday after Pentecost
Matthew 6:22-33

The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore you eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness. No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing. Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil or spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

St. Great-Martyr Prince Lazar and All Serbian Martyrs
John 15:17-16:1

These things I command you, that you love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore, the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, the will also persecute you. IF they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law. 'They hated Me without a cause.' But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning. These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. (NKJV)

Each person determines his or her personal goals in life. Each person determines the value of personal goals and the sacrifice and effort he or she is willing to extend to achieve the goals.

The Lord Jesus Christ set forth the primary goal for all Christians when He said: "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness." (Mt. 6:33)

A person's life will reflect the goals chosen. The Lord Jesus Christ said: "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."(Mt. 6:21)

Where a person spends time and effort, with whom and in what manner will reflect the person's values and goals. The way a person invests talents, finances and resources will reflect personal values and goals.

Individuals loving God will demonstrate that love in personal relationships and in the Church. Love of God is voluntary. Service in the Church is voluntary. No one is compelled to help the Church.