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
March 8 / March 21, 2010
Fifth Sunday of Great Lent
No. 583
Remember to listen to the parish radio broadcast each Sunday afternoon at 12:15
on WMBS, 590 AM, Uniontown.
I Timothy 6:11
But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness,
godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.
Recent Services
- March 11
- Two people came for Ninth Hour which included Kathisma and reading The Ladder.
- March 12
- Midnight Office, First and Third Hours with Kathisma
and reading from The Ladder were read.
- Four people came for Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts. Two communicants.
- March 14
- Third and Sixth Hours were read.
- Protopresbyter Lt. Col. Adam Yonitch officiated at the Divine Liturgy.
Twenty-eight people attended. Eleven communicants.
- March 15
- Ninth Hour with Kathisma and reading from The Ladder was read.
- March 16
- Midnight Office, First and Third Hours with Kathisma
and reading from The Ladder was read.
- Ninth Hour with Kathisma and reading from The Ladder was read.
- March 17
- Matins and First Hour were served. Protopresbyter Stavrofor Predrag Micic,
Protopresbyter Djokan Majstorovic, Reverend Father Zoran Radovic
and Reverend Father Vladislav Radujkovic were at the St. George Church.
Father Radovic sang the responses for Matins with fellow priests joining in.
- In the evening Matins with the Canon was read.
- March 18
- The Canon of Repentance and Order of Preparation for Communion were read
including the Akathist to Jesus Christ.
- Third and Ninth Hours were read including Kathisma and reading from The Ladder.
Services This Coming Week - Always Call to Confirm Weekday Schedule
- Today
- Midnight Office, Matins and First Hour.
- Third and Sixth Hours followed by Divine Liturgy.
- This evening Lenten Vespers at 5:30 PM.
- Mornings
- 5:30 AM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.
- Afternoons
- 4:00 PM on Monday, 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
- 8:00 AM Lazarus Saturday Divine Liturgy.
Remember Monastery Marcha with Prayers and Contributions
Important Dates
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.
March 29 - Great and Holy Monday
March 30 - Great and Holy Tuesday
If you are too busy to pray...you are too busy!
Remember the Serbian People in Kosovo and All Suffering People.
Parish Life
- · Protopresbyter Stavrofor Predrag Micic, Protopresbyter Djokan Majsotorovic,
Reverend Father Zoran Radovic and Reverend Father Vladislav Radujkovic
were at the St. George Church for an overnight visit arriving this past Tuesday.
They visited the Village of Serbiantown where they were greeted by
Milosh "Serb" Krewasky. They were later hosted by Executive Board President
Stan Brozik.
- · Thank you to Rich Porter for doing maintenance work at the church this week.
- · Thank you to Tom Hunter for fixing the lights in the church hall.
- · Thank you to all parishioners working for the Lenten dinner this evening.
- · Rick Rodavich visited the St. George Church this week. Rick lives in Cincinnati,
Ohio with his wife Jennie. They maintain a continuing interest in
St. George Church.
- · Dennis Hunchuck was in visiting from Orlando, Florida and attended church.
- · Thank you to parishioners going to Lenten Vespers in Steubenville last Sunday.
- · Fasting baked goods and help will be needed for the Lenten supper this evening.
Contact Sonia Janson regarding your willingness to help and bake.
- · 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.
- · Honor each day of Great Lent.
- · Prepare for Holy Confession and Holy Communion during Great Lent.
- · Donations are being accepted for Haiti. Please make checks payable to
St. George Church or the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Eastern America.
Designate for Haiti.
A Thought from +His Holiness Patriarch PAVLE
The early Christians attended all the Sunday and Holy day liturgies and at the Deacon's
invitation-with the fear of God and with faith, draw near, all the faithful lined up
and received Holy Communion. They were convinced that they were attaining the deepest
mystery of our faith and the holiest gift of God's mercy. They tried to approach the
all-holy and most pure God in Holy Communion with purity of heart and soul.
("On Fasting and Communion."
1997 Serbian Orthodox Clergy Brotherhood of the United States and Canada.
Calendar of the P. 101.)
To Consider
· The enduring value of repentance.
· The enduring value of forgiveness.
· The enduring value of God's love.
Recent Activities of Parish Priest
March 11 - Went to Morgantown for printing purposes.
March 12-14 - Travelled to St. Sava Church in St. Petersburg, Florida for Christian
education meeting. Attended parish church school Slava.
March 17 - Went to Diocesan Center for Clergy Confession.
Psalm 50:6
The heavens declare His righteousness for God Himself is judge!
The Fifth Sunday of Great Lent
Mark 10:32-45
Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them;
and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve
aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him: "Behold,
we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests
and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles:
and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day
He will rise again." Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying,
"Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask." And He said to them, "What do
you want Me to do for you?" They said to Him, "Grant us that we may sit, one on Your
right hand and the other on Your left in Your glory." But Jesus said to them,
"You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and
be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are able."
So Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism
I am baptized with you will be baptized; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is
not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared." And when the ten heard it,
they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. But Jesus called them to Himself
and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it
over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among
you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of
you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be
served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
St. Mary of Egypt
Luke 7:36-50
Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee's house,
and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that
Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought and alabaster flask of fragrant oil,
and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears,
and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with
the fragrant oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself,
saying, "This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is
who is touching Him, for she is a sinner." And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon,
I have something to say to you." So he said, "Teacher, say it." "There was a certain
creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denari, and the other fifty.
And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me,
therefore, which of them will love him more?" Simon answered and said, "I suppose the
one whom he forgave more." And he said to him, "You have rightly judged." Then He turned
to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave
Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with
the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet
since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman anointed
My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven,
for she loved much, But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little."
The final week of Great Lent is upon us. Holy Week will soon be here.
The remaining days of Great Lent are opportunities to focus exclusively
upon the soul and our relationship with Jesus Christ.
The remaining days of Great Lent are investment opportunities for eternal life.
The Lord Jesus Christ needs to be paramount in our hearts and minds if we are to
benefit from Great Lent.
We cannot expect to benefit from Great Lent if we avoid being attentive to Christ each
day. The soul needs nourishment and care. The Lord Jesus Christ provides the nourishment.
The Lord Jesus Christ provides the instructions and the way to care for the soul.
(Jn. 14:6)
Our values are revealed by the way we use the time of our lives.
The way we use the time of our lives will reveal if we are concerned about our
relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and the condition of our soul.
Are we willing to wash Jesus' feet with our tears? Are we willing to
prostrate ourselves before Christ and seek His forgiveness for our sins?
Are we willing to face crucifixion as a follower of Christ?
The way we live will reveal the depth of our faith and love for Christ.
The way we manage and invest our resources will reveal the love and care we have for Christ.
Fasting is a discipline that increases attention on the condition of the soul.
Increased prayer during Great Lent is intended to increase the benefits to the soul
and lead to reconciliation with Christ.
Our relationship with Jesus Christ will govern and set the standard for all other
relationships. If we love Christ and follow His commandments, we will treat the people
we meet in life as Christ would have us treat them.
(Mt. 22:37-40)
Careful self-examination has a place in Great Lent. Believers heeding the results
of careful self-examination will take corrective action to be united with Christ.
Honesty is necessary. A willingness to follow Christ at all costs is necessary.
Faith in Christ is necessary. Believers taking Great Lent seriously will experience
the results of their efforts.
Christ does not disappoint individuals taking up their cross and following Him.
The joy of following Christ is found in the effort as well as the results of the effort.
Christ lifts the hearts of His followers.
Christ heals the hearts of His followers. Christ fills the hearts of His followers.
Our relationship with Christ needs our primary attention. Our relationship with Christ
deserves our constant attention.
Time is a precious gift from God. We do well to treat this gift with the greatest of care.
Christ enriches each moment of life. Christ brings newness to each moment of life. Christ is
the way to eternal life.
(Mk. 10:29-30)
St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, Carmichaels, Pennsylvania.
March 8 / March 21, 2010
Fifth Sunday of Great Lent.
Holy Theophilactus the Confessor.
Fr. Rodney Torbic
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