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
August 3 / August 16, 2009
St. Panteleimon
No. 552
Remember to listen to the parish radio broadcast each Sunday afternoon at 12:15
on WMBS, 590 AM, Uniontown.
Matthew 17:19-20
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?"
So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you
have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,'
and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."
(NKJV)
Recent Services
- August 7
- Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour were read.
- August 8
- Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour were read.
- Two people were present for Vespers.
- August 9
- Midnight Office, Matins, and First Hour were read.
- Third and Sixth Hours were read followed by Divine Liturgy with Blessing of Kolach
and Koljivo.
- Two Ambulances were blessed. Thirty two people came for the Divine Liturgy.
One communicant.
- Pomen held for +Pearl Zivkovich.
- August 10
- Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour were read.
- Funeral Service held for +Pearl Zivkovich with burial in St. George Cemetery.
Father Rajko Kosic also served at the funeral.
- August 14
- Ninth Hour and Vespers were read.
Services This Coming Week - Always Call to Confirm Weekday Schedule
- Mornings
- 5:30 AM Today, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. Saturday.
- Afternoons
- 4:00 PM on Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.
- Tuesday
- 6:30 PM Vespers followed by Adult Class at 7:00 PM.
- Wednesday
- 8:00 AM- Divine Liturgy
Remember Monastery Marcha with Prayers and Contributions
Important Dates
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 4/5 - St. Nikodim Chapel Slava
September 11 - Beheading of St. John the Baptist
September 14 - Ecclesiastical New Year
September 19 - Miracle of Archangel Michael
September 21 - Feast of Nativity of the Mother of God.
September 27 - Feast of the Exaltation of the Precious and Life-giving Cross.
October 14 - Protection of the Mother of God
October 27 - St. Petka
If you are too busy to pray...you are too busy!
Remember the Serbian People Who Are Suffering and All Suffering People.
Parish Life
- · Twenty five individuals attended the Parish Healthcare Seminar on Mental Health
on August 8, 2009.
- · Speakers at the Healthcare Seminar were: Attorney Linda Chambers, Parish Nurse
Practitioner Mitzie Hunchuck, Very Reverend Lt. Col. Yonitch and Holly Torbic.
- · Thank you to Director Rick Adobato and Fayette Emergency Medical Services for
sending two ambulances on Sunday staffed by: Todd Oliver, Amy Keller,
Kevin Klamorick and Mike Oplinger.
- · Stan Brozik and Sonia Janson represented the St. George Church at the Sabor of
the Serbian Orthodox Church of North and South America held in North Canton, Ohio.
- · Protopresbyter Djokan Majstorovic was re-elected President of the Clergy
Brotherhood of the Serbian Orthodox Church of North and South America.
- · If you are interested in attending the Slava of St. Mary Serbian Orthodox Church
in Clairton on September 19, please inform Father Rodney.
- · Honor the Dormition Fast each day until the Feast on August 28.
- · 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.
- · Have faith in God everyday of your life.
- · Pray to God everyday of your life with great seriousness.
A Thought from His Grace Bishop Dr. MITROPHAN
The Old Testament is interpreted by the New Testament, or rather the New Testament is
confirmed by the Old, and reciprocally. New Testament revelation cannot be properly
understood without Old Testament revelation.
(Introduction to the New Testament
)
Remember the Students at St. Sava School of Theology, Libertyville, Illinois
To Consider
· The Feast of the Holy Transfiguration
· Jesus on Mt. Tabor
· The appearance of Moses and Elijah with Jesus.
Recent Activities of Parish Priest
August 7 - Went to Holy Trinity Cathedral in Pittsburgh for wedding rehearsal.
August 8 - Parish Healthcare Seminar on Mental Health.
August 10 - Went to Diocesan Center and later to North Canton, Ohio for Sabor.
August 14 - Returned from Sabor.
August 15 - Scheduled for Divine Liturgy in Fairmont, W.Va.
From Psalm 20:7
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
Matthew 17:14-23
And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying,
"Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls
into the fire and often into the water. So I brought him to Your disciples, but they did not
cure him." Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall
I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me." And Jesus rebuked the
demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. Then the disciples
came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" So Jesus said to them,
"Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed,
you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will
be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."
Now while they were staying in Galiliee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is about to
be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be
raised up. And they were exceedingly sorrowful.
Faith in God enables believers to deal effectively with the crosses and crises that
appear in daily life. The present Gospel teaches the value of prayer and fasting in
dealing with deep rooted problems.
Believers need to be willing to put forth the effort to engage in serious prayer and
fasting on a consistent basis. Too easily a believer can become tired or side-tracked
from maintaining resoluteness in prayer and fasting.
The Dormition Fast is an opportunity for believers to renew personal efforts in prayer
and fasting. The Dormition Fast is an opportunity to focus attention on the unequalled
example of the Mother of God.
Daily life entails meeting many different responsibilities. Believers are expected
to remain true to their baptismal commitment as they meet the challenges of daily life.
Parents face the responsibilities of raising Christian children in a complex and rapidly
changing world. Children and youth are exposed to dangers that are subtle and erode moral life.
Parents benefit from being serious about the life in Christ. Parents benefit from making
the effort to live in Christ and to follow Christ each day. Children and youth will know if
their parents are serious about Christ.
The present Gospel speaks about the power of God to heal. The present Gospel speaks about
the Lord Jesus Christ healing the son of a persistent man seeking a cure for his son's condition.
When children and youth exhibit problems, parents benefit from turning to the Church for
solutions. Prayer and fasting will clear the mind and reveal directions for believers to take.
The Divine services of the Church and reading of the Holy Scriptures provide direction for
parents to take.
Parents can feel confused and befuddled as to how to deal with certain problems.
Turning to Christ in prayer and fasting will lead to internal and family peace.
Praying regularly and with great seriousness enables a believer to find the peace
necessary in every situation. No problem is too great to bring to God in prayer.
Prayer results in problems being reduced to manageable size.
In the present Gospel, Jesus spoke of the power of faith to move mountains. Acting in
faith builds on certainty of hope in God. Acting in faith reflects deserved confidence in God.
Believers need never yield to doubt and uncertainly about God. Jesus said: "No one,
having put his hand to the plow, and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God."
(Lk. 9:62)
World events unfold. Personal lives unfold. Serious believers experience the presence of
God in their daily lives and have reason to be grateful.
Believers do not control the passing of time. Believers control only their use of the
time allotted by God. Making the best use of the time of life is the daily challenge of
each believer.
Wise believers turn to God for direction and wisdom in making the best use of the time
of life. Christ's teachings provide the wisdom necessary. The Holy Scriptures provide the
wisdom necessary.
The lives of the saints witness to the wisdom of following Christ.
The lives of the saints reveal the fruits of serious believers having lived in Christ.
Difficulties in daily life can be transformed by the Cross of Christ. Serious believers
find peace in Christ regardless of the magnitude of problems. Steadfastness in faith brings
peace in Christ.
Fasting improves the attention of the serious believer. Fasting heightens the awareness
of the presence of God. The love of God is continuously revealed when believers are resolute
in prayer and fasting.
Serious believers are renewed in Christ. The faith of the persistent father in the present
Gospel was greatly rewarded by the Lord Jesus Christ.
The son's affliction in the present Gospel was no equal for the healing power of the
Lord Jesus Christ. The healing power of Christ can bring joy to every serious believer
resolute in faith.
Resolute believers facing problems that seem insurmountable find triumph in the way of
the Lord Jesus Christ. The peace of Christ is achievable in each heart devoted to Christ.
St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, Carmichaels, Pennsylvania.
August 3 / August 16, 2009
Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
Sts. Isaacius, Dalmatus and Faustus.
Fr. Rodney Torbic
Back to St. George Serbian Orthodox Church,
Carmichaels - Home Page