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 30/February 12, 2005
Holy Three Hierarchs
No. 87
Phone 724-966-7428
Phone 304-534-5321
Phone 304-622-3681

John 4:24

God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

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· Six people came for Divine Liturgy on January 31, 2005. Niko Illich and Maria Djonovich spoke of St. Sava remembrances and read tributes to St. Sava. Sharren Paroda, Mike Danko and Rose Illich read tributes to St. Sava. Anna Yaremchuh provided her ever supportive attentive presence.
· The Mission will mark five years of official existence in the Eastern American Diocese on April 15, 2005.
· The Mission's location will appear on a new map of Fairmont distributed by the Chamber of Commerce. Thank you Wayne Kirby.
· Let us remember the homebound, those in care homes, hospitals, rehab centers, jails and prisons.
· Let us remember those in the military and their families.
· Let us remember those grieving the loss of loved ones.
· Let us pray for the growth of Orthodoxy in West Virginia.
· Jeff Howard, a student at St. Vladimir's Seminary, is a native West Virginian who periodically inquires about the growth of the Mission.
· Let us always remember the miners and those who were injured and lost their lives in mines in West Virginia.
· Thank God we have been able to continue to have services on a consistent basis at the Mission.
· Thank God for the faithfulness of the believers coming to the Mission.
· Let us remember those who came but cannot be with us now...Rosa and Seja.
· Let us continue to pray for the growth of the Mission.
· Let us be grateful for the hard but unseen work that has gone into keeping the Mission functioning.
· Let us be grateful for the visitors, inquirers and donors to the Mission.
· Let us be grateful for the media coverage of the Mission.
· Let us thank God for the prayers answered.
· Let us be thankful for the friends of the Mission.

· 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

He (Isidore the Priest) also said that for forty years he had been tempted to sin in thought but that he never consented either to covetousness or to anger.

Notes on Divine Liturgy XVII

Serbian Orthodox Bishop of Eastern America Dr. MITROPHAN.
The Teachings of Saint Apostle Paul on the Church.
Translation Protopresbyter Stefan Zaremba. 2001, p. 9

Nothing is more necessary, affluent or valuable for men than to become a brother to Christ and a co-heir, and in this way to make one's own all that which is Christ's, all that which is God's.

Dr. Nedeljko Grgurevich.
The Eucharist as Sacrifice..
Johnstown, Pennsylvania, 1993, p.130.

The priesthood instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ, and then given to men sent into the world to perform the commandments given them, preserved throughout its entire history that very character given to it by the Savior Himself. Therefore its role also consists in helping people to acquire salvation. Salvation is, in fact, obtained with the help of the holy mysteries and prayers, which the priest performs for the faithful and with the faithful. To this must be added the life of each individual. All the holy mysteries have great importance for the salvation of the members of the Church, but the mystery of the Eucharist has an special importance. Its performance is entrusted only to priest(the presidency), bishops or those ordained by bishops, for the performance, first of all, of this holy mystery.

Protopresbyter Stavrofor Radovan Milkovich.
Sermons and Speeches..
Prepared for Publication by Zivota Stevovich. Rasko Skola, Belgrade, 1999, p. 88.

In all three aspects of worship we are ascending from this life toward the other, higher life, from the human to the Divine from the body burdened with sins to the loving embrace of the spirit with the Holy Spirit, from the company of men to the company of an gels, from the church militant to the church triumphant. This atmosphere of the church cannot be replaced by any other and should be considered absolutely indispensable for the spiritual growth and development of the Christ-like image of God in the worshipper. On the Mountain of Transfiguration the apostles said to the Lord, "Master, it is good to be here." At every service, the priest and all who participate and assist in the worship should earnestly strive to be faithful to the purpose of corporate worship, that all the people, including visitors from other confessions, may say, "How good it is to be here."

Very Reverend Protos Stavrophor Vojislav Dosenovich.
On the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrystostom. .
P. 38.

Continuing, we ask: "For a Christian ending to our life..." And after that, follows the supplication for the unity of Faith and the communion of the Holy Spirit. As one can see, the unity of Faith is possible only with the presence of the Holy Spirit, because there is no unity among the people without the presence of the Holy Spirit; and where the Holy Spirit is, there are the Son and the Father present also-is the Holy Trinity. And at the same time we cannot give ourselves to Christ, unless we give ourselves to each other. Christ conquers us with unlimited love, because the love is the real force and above every other kind of force the world and the man in it can demonstrate. That love is the gift of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the unity of Faith and the life in the Church is the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Mission, Fairmont, West Virginia
January 30/February 12, 2005

Fr. Rodney Torbic

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