The Orthodox Mission

Chronicle of the Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Mission
Diocesan Bishop - His Grace Bishop Dr. MITROPHAN
Aministrator - Fr. Rodney Torbic
408 Morgantown Avenue
Fairmont, West Virginia 26544

January 24/January 31, 2005
St. Athanasius the Great / St. Maximus of Serbia
No. 86
Phone 724-966-7428
Phone 304-534-5321
Phone 304-622-3681

Acts 20:28

Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

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· Seven people came for Divine Liturgy on January 15. One communicant.
· The Diocesan Assembly is scheduled for St. George Serbian Orthodox Church in Canton, Ohio this year.
· Remember the suffering Serbian People in Kosovo and Metohijia.
· Remember the homebound, those in hospitals, care homes, rehab centers and those in jails and prisons.
· Remember those grieving for loved ones departed this life.
· Remember those serving in the military and their families.
· The best way to help the mission is to live an Orthodox Christian life each day.
· Today we will devote a period of time to remember and celebrate St. Sava.
· Be connected with the Church by reading the daily Scripture readings of the Church.
· Remember the saint on the daily Church calendar.
· Honor the fast periods of the Church throughout the year.
· Thank God for the continued existence of Holy Trinity Mission.
· Thank God for the faithful parishioners and supporters of Holy Trinity Mission.
· Thank God for the good that has happened to Holy Trinity Mission.
· Thank God for the good Holy Trinity Mission has accomplished.
· Thank God for the schedule of Divine services accomplished.
· Remember the students at St. Sava School of Theology in Libertyville, Illinois.

· An Orthodox Christian Radio Program can be heard Sundays at 12:15 PM on WMBS, Uniontown, Pa. 590 on the AM Dial.

From the Desert Fathers

A brother asked Abba Sisose, 'Did Satan pursue them like this in the early days?' The old man said to him,'He does this more at the present time, because his time is nearly finished and he is enraged.'

Notes on Divine Liturgy XV
Emphasis on the Anaphora

Serbian Orthodox Bishop of Eastern America Dr. MITROPHAN.
The Teachings of Saint Apostle Paul on the Church.
Translation Protopresbyter Stefan Zaremba. 2001, pp. 65-66

In the center of the Divine Services of the Orthodox Church stands the Holy Mystery of the Eucharist, which the Holy Apostle received directly from the Lord: "For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as your drink it, in remembrance of Me." (I Cor.ll:23-25). All believers are obliged to respect that sacred character of this Mystery. It is given the Church through its hierarchy, which the Lord founded. There is no Mystery outside of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Church. The Church is the eternal altar on which is accomplished the Holy Mystery, and the priest is the one who offices the sacrifice. By it the member of the Church live and are fulfilled with every gift of grace. The Holy Eucharist is the greatest manifestation of God's love for man.

Dr. Nedeljko Grgurevich.
The Eucharist as Sacrifice..
Johnstown, Pennsylvania, 1993, p.123.

The apostles celebrated the eucharistic mystery in His memory and soon after His ascension they began to fulfill the holy covenant. The Acts of the Apostles confirm this: "And they continued steadfastly"-the three thousand of them-"in the apostles" doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of the bread, and in prayers" (Acts 2:42). The breaking of the bread (the eucharistic offering) and the prayers of the assembled members of the Church were completed under the leadership of the presiding clergy, first of all, of the holy apostles and later, of their disciples. This means that already in apostolic times it was established and specified who had the right to preside over the celebration of the service of the divine sacrifice.

Protopresbyter Stavrofor Radovan Milkovich.
Sermons and Speeches..
Prepared for Publication by Zivota Stevovich. Rasko Skola, Belgrade, 1999, p. 161.

Is it then any wonder that our supreme and central worship is the EUCHARIST? The word means that - THANKSGIVING. The Liturgy is corporate THANKSGIVING and its central part begins by the call of the officiating priest or bishops. "LET US GIVE THANSKS UNTO THE LORD:" ("Euharistosomen" to Kyrio in the original Greek text) In the course of it, we read a list of "things to be thankful for" and some of those are following:
"Thou has brought us from non-existence into being;
Thou hast restored us when we feel and given us again entrance into Thy rest;...
We remember everything that took place for our sakes
The cross
The tomb
The resurrection
The ascension into heaven
The sitting at the right hand of the Father, and
The second and glorious coming-again.

Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Mission, Fairmont, West Virginia
January 24/January 31, 2005

Fr. Rodney Torbic

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