St. George
Serbian Orthodox Church
Carmichaels, PA

Bulletin 580 - February 15 / February 28, 2010

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
February 15 / February 28, 2010
Second Sunday of Great Lent
No. 580
Remember to listen to the parish radio broadcast each Sunday afternoon at 12:15 on WMBS, 590 AM, Uniontown.
II Corinthians 5:7

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

Recent Services
February 19
Midnight Office, First and Third Hours were read with Kathisma and reading from The Ladder.
Three people came for Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts and Blessing of Koljivo.
Great Compline was read.
February 20
Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour were read.
Three people came for Divine Liturgy.
February 21
Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour were read.
Third and Sixth Hours were read followed by Divine Liturgy. Twenty-one people came. Four communicants.
February 22
Midnight Office, First and Third Hours were read with Kathisma and reading from The Ladder.
Vespers was served at Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church in Fairmont, W.Va. Eleven people came.
February 23
Midnight Office, First and Third Hours were read with Kathisma and reading from The Ladder.
One person came in the evening for the Akathist to the Cross.
February 24
Midnight Office, First and Third Hours were read with Kathisma and reading from The Ladder.
Four people came for Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts. Three communicants.
February 25
Midnight Office was read.

Services This Coming Week - Always Call to Confirm Weekday Schedule

Today
Midnight Office, Matins, First Hour. Third and Sixth Hour followed by Divine Liturgy and Parastos.

Mornings
5:30 AM on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.

Evenings
4:00 PM on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.

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

Wednesday and Friday
8:00 AM Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts.

Saturday
10:00 AM Divine Liturgy at Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church, Fairmont, W.Va.

Remember Monastery Marcha with Prayers and Contributions

Important Dates

Today - Second Sunday of Great Lent. Vespers at 5:30 PM, St. Elijah Church, Aliquippa.
Today - Second Sunday of Great Lent. Vespers at 5:30 PM, Holy Ascension Church, Youngwood
March 7 - Third Sunday of Great Lent. 5:30 PM Vespers at St. George Church, Midland
March 14 - Fourth Sunday of Great Lent. 5:30 PM Vespers at St. Nicholas Church, Monroeville
March 14 - Fourth Sunday of Great Lent. 5:30 PM at Holy Resurrection Church, Steubenville.
March 21 - Fifth Sunday of Great Lent. 5:30 PM at St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, Carmichaels.
March 21 - Fifth Sunday of Great Lent, 5:30 PM at St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church, Johnstown.
March 27 - Lazarus Saturday
March 28 - Feast of Christ's Entry in Jerusalem, 5:30 PM at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, Mckeesport.

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

Remember the Serbian People in Kosovo and All Suffering People.

Parish Life

· Congratulations to Dr. Andrei Popa on becoming a United States citizen.

· Thank you to parishioners attending the Sunday of Orthodoxy service in Canonsburg.

· Thank you to parishioners attending the weekday services during Great Lent.

· One person came for Adult Class this past week. Class again this week.

· Come to Adult Class and learn about the Divine Liturgy.

· Thank you to parishioners coming to bake during the week. Help always needed.

· Fasting baked goods will be needed for the Lenten Vespers. Contact Sonia Janson.

· Honor Great Lent each day.

· 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 during Great Lent.

· Take time to attend the Deanery Vesper services.

· Learn and use the Prayer of St. Ephraim: "O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power and idle talk. But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Thy servant. Ye O Lord and King, grant me to see my own transgressions and not to judge my brother, for Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen.

A Thought from Father Milovan Katanic

The Tradition is the content and substance of the Orthodox faith, which the Orthodox, it would seem, are the only ones determined and serious enough to preserve. We are being sought out, in other words, because unlike anyone else, we have no desire to change that which has been bequeathed to us.

(Path of Orthodoxy. April 2007.)

To Consider

· The cumulative value of taking each day of Great Lent seriously.
· Increased prayer and fasting during Great Lent.
· Increased commitment to Christ during Great Lent.

Recent Activities of Parish Priest

February 20 - Attended Diocesan Council Meeting, Mars, Pa.
February 21 - Attended Sunday of Orthodoxy Doxology service, All Saints, Greek Orthodox Church, Canonsburg, Pa.
February 22 - Served Vespers at Holy Trinity Church, Fairmont, W.Va.
February 25 - Scheduled for class on Strategic Planning, West Virginia University, Morgantown, W.Va.

Psalm 47:6

Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises unto our King, sing praises.

The Second Sunday of Great Lent

Mark 2:1-12

And again, He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. Immediately, many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you." And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts. "Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone? But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, "Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, "Your sins are forgiven you, or to say, 'Arise, take up your bed and walk? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"-He said to the paralytic, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." Immediately, he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"

John 10:9-16

I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep and am known by my own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

In the Gospel of St. John, the Lord Jesus Christ speaks about the complete commitment of the good shepherd. He compares the commitment of the good shepherd to the non-commitment of the hireling.

The good shepherd is prepared to stay to protect the sheep under all circumstances. The good shepherd is prepared to give his life for the sheep.

We know the Lord Jesus Christ gave His life for the benefit of believers of every century. When we think about parish life and commitment, we have to think about the enduring presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We have to think about the commitment of the parish priest and parishioners. Parishes grow and become strong when there is a strong commitment from the priest and when there is a strong commitment from the parishioners.

Parishes survive and endure difficulties which arise when the priest is committed to working through the difficulties and when the parishioners demonstrate equal interest in the development of the parish.

Parishes do not grow in a healthy way without a committed priest and committed parishioners. Jesus speaks about abundant life. The abundant life in Christ requires adherence to the way of Christ by the priest and parishioners.

Parishes reflect the fullness in Christ and achieve that fullness when Christ is the center of daily life for parishioners and the priest. The abundant life in Christ requires nurturing everyday. Holy Confession and Communion are essential.

The sheep need to be fed and protected each day. The shepherd needs to care for the sheep each day. Parishioners need to concentrate on caring for their souls each day. The priest needs to tend to the parishioners each day.

Parishes do not exist in a vacuum. Parishes are exposed to the dangers that exist in modern society. Protection comes through faithfulness to Christ. Protection comes through the prayerful enlistment of the saints and angels.

Sheep go through stages of growth. The good shepherd cares for the sheep at all stages of life. In the parish, every person of every age is important. Young children need spiritual care as do adults of all ages.

A healthy environment is necessary for the sheep to grow. A healthy environment is necessary for parishioners to grow. Divine services and educational classes provide nurture for the soul.

Individual parishioners have a responsibility to fast and pray and to be familiar with the teachings of the Church. Individual parishioners have a responsibility to abide by the teachings and ways of the Church.

The good shepherd does not let the individual sheep stray far into dangerous and unprotected territory. Priests have a duty to inform and caution individual parishioners distancing themselves from the ways of the Church.

Jesus spoke about bringing other sheep into the fold. Parishes benefit from the addition of new believers adhering to the same fundamental beliefs of the Church. Belief in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed is essential.

Sheep need a sense of security in order to eat and live in peace. They need to know they are protected. Parishioners also need to feel a sense of security in parish life. Parishioners need to feel secure about the worship and educational practices.

Priests are more effective when parishioners follow the ways of the Church and actively participate in the Divine services and educational classes. The good shepherd has the interests of the sheep at heart in protecting them.

Priests committed to a parish have the interests of the parishioners at heart. Parishioners committed to a parish have the interest of the parish at heart. Jesus gave His life for believers who follow Him in every century.

Jesus is the standard and example of commitment for priests and parishioners in each century.

St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, Carmichaels, Pennsylvania.
February 15 / February 28, 2010
Second Sunday of Great Lent.
Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas. Apostle Onesimus

Fr. Rodney Torbic

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