St. George
Serbian Orthodox Church
Carmichaels, PA

Bulletin 564 - October 26 / November 8, 2009

The Orthodox Faith

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 26 / November 8, 2009
Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost / St. Demetrius
No. 564
Remember to listen to the parish radio broadcast each Sunday afternoon at 12:15 on WMBS, 590 AM, Uniontown.
I Timothy 4:1-3

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry , and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

Services Recently
October 30
Ninth Hour and Vespers were read.
October 31
Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour were read in St. George Church
Third and Sixth Hour were read at the Holy Trinity Mission in Fairmont, West Virginia followed by the Divine Liturgy. Seven people came for Divine Liturgy.
One person came to St. George Church for Ninth Hour and Vespers with Litya.
November 1
Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour were read.
Third and Sixth Hour were read followed by the Divine Liturgy.
Thirty-nine people came for Divine Liturgy. Five communicants.
November 2
Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour were read. Ninth Hour and Vespers were read.
November 3
Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour were read. Ninth Hour and Vespers were read.
November 4
Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour were read. Akathist to the Mother of God was read.
November 5
Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour were read. Vespers was 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, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday.

Afternoons
4:00 PM on Monday and Saturday.

Tuesday
6:30 PM followed by Adult Class at 7:00 PM.

Remember Monastery Marcha with Prayers and Contributions

Important Dates

November 8 - St. Demetrius
November 12 - Holy Milutin, King of Serbia; Ven. Teoktist & Jelena; Conf. Vrnava of Hvostan.
November 15 - Choir Slava celebration, Covered dish dinner.
November 16 - Translation of Relics of St. George
November 21 - St. Archangel Michael and Other Bodiless Powers
November 22 - St. Nectarios
November 24 - Holy Martyr Stephen of Decani, King of Serbia
November 26 - St. John Chrysostom
November 27 - Holy Apostle Philip, Nativity Fast begins.

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

Remember the Serbian People in Kosovo and All Suffering People.

Parish Life

· Plan to attend the Choir Slava celebration next week.

· Thank you to all participating in and attending the Anniversary celebration last Sunday.

· Congratulations to newly elected School Board member Pete Shlosky.

· Anna Mae Knezovich is a faithful and steady member of the St. George Choir.

· Offer to help the Kolo with baking.

· Adult Class this Tuesday. Discussion of the Divine Liturgy will continue. All parishioners are encouraged to attend. Two people came for class this past week.

· 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 services or the Church, ask Father Rodney.

· Each parishioner should take time to observe his or her Slava.

· If you have not been to Holy Confession and Communion recently, it is time to prepare.

· Remember all of our veterans, living and departed.

· Honor the fast days of the Church.

· Invite a relative, friend, neighbor or co-worker to visit the St. George Church.

A Thought from His Grace Bishop Dr. MITROPHAN.

The divine mystery of the body attained its perfection in the Lord Jesus Christ. In it God and man were united, and this perpetually occurs in His Church, which is His Body. Even as neither nature was changed during the Incarnation, each retaining it is own characteristics(human and divine), likewise in the Church of Christ I do not lose my personal characteristics, rather I grow according to the measure of my faith.

(The Teachings of Saint Apostle Paul on the Church. Translation Protopresbyter Stefan Zaremba. 2001, p. 5. )

To Consider

· The faithfulness of St. Demetrius to Christ.
· The continuing influence St. Demetrius has on believers.
· The miracles attributed to St. Demetrius.

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

Recent Activities of Parish Priest

October 31 - Went to Fairmont, West Virginia for the Divine Liturgy.
November 1 - Attended Parish Anniversary Dinner.
November 4 - Visited parishioner in Fairchance, Pa.

Psalm 33:12

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

The Twenty-Second Sunday After Pentecost

Luke 16:19-31

There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torment in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us. Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment. Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them.' And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'

St. Demetrius

John 15:17-16:2

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 it 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, they 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 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. They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.

The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke includes the account of the experiences of poor Lazarus and the rich man. The rich man was preoccupied with his wealth. He was inattentive to poor Lazarus at his gate.

Jesus spoke about poor Lazarus and the rich man centuries ago. Present day society has many parallels to the existence of Lazarus and the rich man. A person doe not need to look too far to see extreme poverty and wealth in society today.

Daily the news media reports about business and financial executives receiving salaries and benefits which stretch into many millions. At the same time many corporations and financial institutions are going bankrupt.

Men and women employed in lower level positions and retirees are losing their salaries, pensions and/or benefits. Numerous executives are taking very good care of themselves financially and the faithful lower level employees are finding themselves without jobs.

In the entertainment and sports industries and in the higher echelons of government, accounts of greed, corruption and immorality are regularly in the news. Insensitivity to the deep disparities of wealth in society seems to prevail.

Greed appears to have no boundaries. One need only look at the salaries and benefits of entertainers, athletes and certain government officials. One has to wonder about interest in, concern and care for fellow human beings.

One has to wonder about sensitivity to the neighbors in our midst. The Gospel message of the rich man and Lazarus apparently has not taken a dominant hold in many corporate board rooms, in the highest levels of government, and in the professional entertainment and sports industry.

Immorality seems to abound and be promoted in many facets of the communications industry. In communities where men and women once labored honestly in industries to make commodities such as steel and other goods necessary for the benefit of society, hope is now placed in gambling industries. Gambling establishments have little lasting impact for improving the moral worth and value of society. Individuals in positions of societal leadership can continue to ignore the Gospel account of poor Lazarus and the rich man. The words of Christ may be ignored but the words of Christ will not be weakened in value and effect.

Poor Lazarus suffered at the gate of the rich man. His suffering was short in comparison to the lasting care he received when he departed this life. The rich man's wealth was short-lived, confined to the time of his earthly life.

In the end, Lazarus fared much better and for much longer than the greedy rich man. In the end, the rich man suffered extensively. Lazarus did not.

Evil men crucified the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus' voluntary suffering to death was not the final word. The Lord Jesus Christ rose from the tomb and demonstrated the power of God over death and suffering.

Lazarus' needless suffering as a neighbor of the rich man was not forgotten by God. Individuals with power and resources to help present day individuals in their suffering do well to heed the lessons of the rich man and Lazarus.

While there is time, dramatic action needs to be taken to care for the poor and the needy. While there is time, dramatic action needs to be taken to restore sensitivity to the needy in our midst.

St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, Carmichaels, Pennsylvania.
October 26 / November 8, 2009
Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost.
St. Demetrios the Great Martyr and Myrrhgusher of Thessalonica.

Fr. Rodney Torbic

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