St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, Carmichaels - Bulletin 550

St. George
Serbian Orthodox Church
Carmichaels, PA

Bulletin 550 - July 20 / August 2, 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
July 20 / August 2, 2009
Feast of St. Elijah
No. 550

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

Ephesians 6:23

Peace to the brethren, and love with faith, from the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Recent Services

July 24: Ninth Hour and Vespers were read.
July 26: Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour were read.; Third and Sixth Hour were read followed by the Divine Liturgy.; Twenty-seven people attended Divine Liturgy. Three communicants.
July 28: Midnight Office was read.
July 29: Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour were read.
July 30: Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour were read.; One person came for the reading of Three Akathists.; Ninth Hour and Vespers were read.
July 31: Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour were read.

Services This Coming Week - Always Call to Confirm Weekday Schedule

Mornings: 5:30 AM-Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday - Midnight Office, Matins, First Hour.
Afternoons: 4:00 PM Ninth Hour and Vespers on Wednesday, Saturday.
Monday: 6:30 PM followed by Adult Class at 7:00 PM
Thursday: 4:30 PM at Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church, Fairmont, W.Va.
Saturday: 7:00 AM Matins.

Remember Monastery Marcha with Prayers and Contributions

Important Dates

Today - St. Elijah Diocesan Day at Shadeland. St. George Church closed.
August 8 - Parish Healthcare Seminar
August 9 - Parish Healthcare Day Dinner and Program
10-13 - Sabor, North Canton, Ohio
August 13 - Dormition Fast Begins
August 19 - Feast of Holy Transfiguration.
August 26 - Leave-taking of the Feast of Holy Transfiguration
August 28 - Feast of Dormition of the Mother of God.
August 28/29 - Kolo Federation Slava celebrated at Shadeland.
August 30 - St. George Kolo Slava celebrated.
September 11 - Beheading of St. John the Baptist

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

Remember the Suffering Serbian People in Kosovo and Metohija

Parish Life

: · St. George Church is closed today in order to observe Diocesan Day.
: · Happy Slava to St. Elijah Church in Aliquippa and to families celebrating their Slava.
: · The St. George Church is part of the Eastern American Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The Diocesan Bishop is His Grace Bishop Dr. MITROPHAN.
: · The Diocese has the following Deaneries in the United States: Cleveland, Ohio; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Washington D.C. and St. Petersburg, Florida. Each Deanery includes a number of parishes in a multi-state area.
: · St. George Church is in the Pittsburgh Deanery. The Dean is Very Reverend Stavrofor Stevan Stepanov. The Pittsburgh Deanery has ten parishes and one mission parish.
: · Call the parish office and plan to attend the Healthcare Seminar next Saturday.
: · Healthcare workers are welcome to wear their uniforms to the seminar.
: · 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.
: · Prepare for Holy Confession and Holy Communion on a regular basis.
: · Invite a friend or relative to attend church with you.
: · If you have a question about the services or the Church, ask Father Rodney
: · Remember +Proto Stavrofor Slobodan Prodanovich departed this life on August 2, 2000.

A Thought from His Grace Bishop Dr. MITROPHAN

Because Holy Scripture contains Divine revelation, it has divine authority. Ignorance of the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament can result in dreadful consequences.

(Introduction to the New Testament )

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

To Consider

· The Holy Prophet Elijah in the Old and New Testament.
· The Holy Prophet Elijah and Fervent Prayer.
· The Holy Prophet Elijah and the Revelations of God.

Recent Activities of Parish Priest
July 24 - Went to Morgantown, W.Va. for printing purposes.
July 24/25 - Went to Monastery Marcha in Richfield, Ohio for Slava celebration.
July 26 - Went to Diocesan Center, then to Washington D.C. area for services for +Proto Stavrofor Nedeljko Grgurevich. Returned July 27, 2009.
July 28 - Went to funeral home in Brentwood for Pomen for +Milan Luketich then to Passavant Hospital for pastoral visit for parishioner.
July 31 - Scheduled for Diocesan Council Meeting at Diocesan Center.

From Psalm 18:2

The Lord is my rock and my fortress, my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

The Holy Prophet Elijah

The Holy Prophet Elijah stands out among Old Testament The Holy Orthodox commemorates him on July 20/August 2 each year. He is identified with miracles, being steadfast in faith and being attentive to God. The Holy Prophet Elijah is mentioned primarily in the Old Testament. References to him can be found in the New Testament. The image of St. Elijah having the showdown with the prophets Baal is indelibly inscribed in the Eighteenth Chapter of I Kings. When the fire of the Lord fell in response to St. Elijah's prayers, the people exclaimed: "The Lord, He is the God; the Lord, He is the God."(I Kings 18:39). The image of St. Elijah being on a mountain appears also in the New Testament. At the time the Transfiguration of the Lord, Moses and Elijah appeared and were talking with Him. (Mt. 17:3)

Churches are named after St. Elijah. Children are named after St. Elijah. Monastics take the name Elijah. St. Elijah is identified with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel (I Kings 18:36). Elijah is identified with the Lord Jesus Christ (Mt. 7:1-12). The Holy Prophet Elijah figures prominently in the Christianity we practice today. The Holy Orthodox Church directs attention to St. Elijah on a regular basis during the year.

We cannot remove St. Elijah from the Biblical texts without creating important absences. The Old Testament ends with a reference to the Prophet Elijah. In Malachi we read: "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord; and he shall turn the heart of fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. (Malachi 4:5-6)

How often during the course of each day do we consciously consider the coming of the Certainly at each Divine Liturgy we recited the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed in which we state Jesus Christ will come again. Each time we recite the Lord's Prayer, the Oce Nas, we say, "Thy Kingdom Come." Are we ready for Christ to come again? Do we face each day as the Day the Lord is coming? Are we like the five foolish virgins who didn't have oil for their lamps when the bridegroom came? (Mt. 25:1-13).

St. Elijah helps us to keep our mind focused on God. St. Elijah draws our attention to the Lord Jesus Christ. Daily distractions compete for our attention. The devil works hard to deter and destroy Christians. St. Elijah is a source of strength and an intercessor before the Lord. St. Elijah stands as a figure of hope for Christians. His actions with the widow that resulted in her small amount of meal and oil being multiplied are testimony to the faithfulness of God. (I Kings 17:12-16).

God will not fail those who turn to him in faith. God will not abandon those who look to Him for help. God will be attentive to those who come to Him in prayer. The Lord hearkened to the voice of St. Elijah and restored life to the widow's son. The son was without breath and considered dead.(I Kings 17:17-24). The woman described St. Elijah in this way: "I know that thou art a man of God, and the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth." (I Kings 17:24)

How often during the course of the day are we conscious about God? How often during the course of the day do we consider the words of the widow regarding St. Elijah? At Holy Baptism, we take on our identity of being Christian. At Holy Baptism, we commit ourselves to a life in Christ. How often do the words which come from our mouth profess our belief in Christ?

Being a Christian entails a regimen of prayer. Being a Christian entails a life marked by fasting and almsgiving. Being a Christian entails being familiar with the Holy Scriptures. Being a Christian entails being serious about the identity we have taken at Holy Baptism.