S A I N T P E T E R T H E A P O S T L E C H U R C H

December 2017 "1

MessengerNovember Calendar

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The Art of Loving Well… Father Robert Salley

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December 2017

Stewardship 2018 Stewardship Sunday for 2018 on November 12...

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VBS 9:00 AM - Noon

Vespers 7:00 PM

No Liturgy

Liturgy - 10:00 AM

Church School registration!

Church Meeting - Noon

Liturgy / C.S. 10:00 AM

40 Day Memorial for

gDebra Lombard

Church School Opening Day!

Liturgy / C.S. 10:00 AM

No Vespers

Altar Servers Training

Session at 3:45 PM

Vespers 5:00 PM

Vespers 5:00 PM

Vespers 7:00 PMLiturgy 9:00 AM

6th Hour Prayers - Noon

6th Hour Prayers - Noon

Vespers 7:00 PM

Liturgy 9:00 AM

Liturgy 9:00 AM

Vespers 7:00 PM

Elevation of

the Cross

Labor Day

Nativity of the

Theotokos

Beheading of

St. John

Diocese Days Weekend

St. Steven's Cathedral in Alhambra

Knowing the Mas-ter’s Manger! Fr. Lawrence FarleyPage 1

Monthly Newsletter of St. Peter the Apostle Church. Fresno California Issue No. 11 / Vol. 30 / December 2017Parish Activities… Amazon Smile, Food drive …

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Bulletin Board… Fence Appeal…

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Knowing the Master’s Manger

ByFr.LawrenceFarley

IntheopeningversesoftheBookoftheProphetIsaiahwe4indthefol-lowingwords:“Hear,Oheavens,andgiveear,Oearth,fortheLordhasspoken:‘SonshaveIrearedandbroughtup,buttheyhaverebelledagainstMe.Theoxknowsitsowner,andthedonkeyitsmaster’smanger,butIsraeldoesnotknow;Mypeopledoesnotunderstand’”[Isaiah1:2-3].Withthesewordstheprophetbeginshisextendeddenun-ciationofhispeople,callingIsraelbackinrepentancetoloving4idelitytotheircovenantGod.Theyneededtobecalledback.Atthattimeinaroundtheseventhcen-turyBCtheynotonlyworshippedYahwehtheirGod,butalsoBaal,thefertilitygod,thegodofthestormandofrainandlife.Doubtlesstheyregardeditasakindofsyncretisticecu-menism,abroadnessofsympathyandgenerosityofdevo-tion.Theyprobablyalsoregardeditaskeepinguptodate:Yahwehmighthavebeenappropriateforthetimeoftheirdesertsojourn,butfortheirlifeinagriculturalCanaan,theyneedednowamoreagriculturalgod.Yah-

wehmighthavebeenokayfortheBedouinpartoftheirhistory,butBaalwasmoresuitedfortheirsettledlifeontheland.Anyway,IsraelthenworshippedbothYahwehandBaal,andattributedtheiragriculturalprosperityprimarilytothelatter.WhatthemajorityinIsraelconsideredecumenicalbroadnessofmind,Isaiahconsideredsimplyasapostasyandunfaithfulness.YahwehwastheirGod,andBaal,the

godofCanaan,hadnothingtodowiththem.DevotiontoBaalthere-forewaspureadulterousidolatry,aspiritualdefectionfromtheirtrueHusbandandProtector.Adultery,aseveryonethenknew,waspun-ishablebydeath.WhatelsethencouldIsraelexpectforitsapostasy?TheprophetIsaiahthereforebeganhisministrybycallingIsraeltorec-ognizethisfact.Buthedidnotjustannouncejudgmentanddestruc-tion,butalsocalledIsraelbacktorepentanceandforgivenessandlife.YahwehtheirGoddidnotde-siretheirdeath,buttheirrepen-tance.Hewaswillingtositdownandreasonwiththem,andpromisedthatiftheywouldbutre-pent,thoughtheirsinswerelike

scarlet,theywouldbecomewhiteassnow[Isaiah1:18].Fornow,though,Isaiahbeganbypointingouttheirin-gratitude.Anyfatherinthosedayscouldlegitimatelyex-pectgratitudeandobedienceandrespectfromhissons.ButthoughYahwehhadrearedandbroughtupIsrael,giv-ingthemlifeandprotectingthemasafatherdidhissons,

Message from Bishop Maxim for the Nativity Fast…

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M E S S E N G E R

" December 20172

Hereceivednogratitude,obedience,orrespectfromHispeople.Anditwasworsethanthat—evendumbanimalsknewwheretheirfoodcamefrom.Theoxknewitsowner,andthedonkeyknewitsmaster’smanger,andtheywaitedbythatfeedtrougheverydayforthemastertopourinfoodforthemtoeat.Bothoxanddonkey(theusualdo-mesticbeastsofburden)knewthesoundoftheirmaster’sfootsteps,andhadgratitudetohimfor4illingthemanger.Theyknewwhotothankfortheirfood,andprosperity,andlife.ButIsraelsomehowdidnotknowwhotothank.Israelwasdumberthantheirfarmanimals.Theyregard-edtheirfoodandagriculturalprosperitynotascomingfromYahweh,butascomingfromBaal.Israeldidnotknowtheirmaster’smanger.Thisoxanddonkey,bytheway,foundtheirwayintotheNativityiconandintoeveryChristmassceneeversince.WhenweseetheNativityscene,eithereasternorwest-ern,weseetheoxandthedonkeystandingbythemangeroverthenewbornChrist.Why?NeitherSaintMatthewnorSaintLukementionanyanimalsintheirnarratives.ButtheChurch,readingthisprophecyofIsaiah,beheldtheMaster’smangerandthoughtofJesus.ForwhatwastheMaster’smangertowhichtheprophetherereferred?SurelyitwasthemangerintowhichthenewbornChristChildwaslaid!Thereaftertheplaceoftheoxandthe

donkeywasassuredinanypictureoftheNativityofChrist.TheprophetIsaiahspeakstoustodayaswell,forwenolessthanancientIsraelhavetroubleknowingtheMaster’smanger.Wealsofailtoseethatourlife,strength,prosper-ity,andfoodcomefromGod.Weimaginethatourabilityto4indfoodandearnourdailybreadcomesfromour-selves.Wegetupeachmorningandgotoworkandlaborhardatourfortyhouraweekjobstoearnourliving.Surelyourfoodcomesfromourselves?WeforgetthatthestrengthandhealthbywhichwelaborcomeasgiftsfromGod.Morethanthat,ourveryabilitytoriseeverymorn-ingandgetoutofbedcomeasgiftsfromGod.Foronedaywewillnotrisefromourbeds,butthedoctorwillcomeandpronounceusdeadanddrawthesheetoverourfaces.Nolaborforusthatday.ThatdaywillmarktheendofGod’sgiftoflifetous.AllthemorereasontodaytoknowourMaster’smanger,andtorecognizethatallthatwehavecomesfromHim.Oxenanddonkeysknowwhotheirtruebenefactorsare,andweshouldbeatleastassmartastheyare.Aswebendoverourdailymangersandsitatourtablestoeatourdailybread,letusgivethankstoGod,andknowthatallthatwehaveandeverwillhavecomesfromHim.

The Art of Loving Well

ByFatherRobertSalley

ThegreatesthonoranyofuscangivetoAlmightyGodistolivegladlybecauseoftheknowledgeofHislove.Lookatpeoplearoundyouandmeetthemwithgratitudeinyourheart.Eachoneofthemcarriesaspecialbirthright,theyareGod'schildrenandwearecalledtoloveoneanother. "Behappy,renderothershappy,pro-claimyourjoy,lovepassionatelyyourlife."Donotwaitforabetterworld;begratefulforeverymomentoflife."Isthisadvicetobetakense-riouslywhenweseesomuchsuffer-ingintheworld?Whenwe4inditsodif4iculttomakeamendswithourfellowman?FirstwemustrealizethatGodmadeusforhappinessandHewaitspatientlyforustounder-standthathappinessispossible,

eveninthemidstofpainandsor-row.Paralleltotheriverofsorrow4lowstheriverofjoy.GodrefrainsfromgivingusproofofthistruthbecauseHewantsourfaithtogrow.Hewantstowinourlovewithoutoverpoweringus.Noonecancompelanyonetolove,notevenGod.Yetwearetoldtoloveourenemies,blessthosewhohateus.MaybeifwelookedatourLordandHislife,wewouldseethatthegreaterourloveforonewhosuffers,thegreaterourabilitywillbetoshareandforgive. TheUniquenessOfLove WeknowthateverythingwepossesshasbeengiventousbyGodandisnotoursforeverorwithcertainty.Everythingcanbetakenawayfromusexceptlove,andthisiswhatmakesloveuniqueandsomethingwecangive.Every-thingelse—ourlimbs,ourintelligence,ourposses-sions,canbetakenbyforcefromus;butwithregardtolove,thereisnomeansofgettingitunlesswegiveit.Inthatsensewearefreewithre-gardstoloving,inawayinwhichwearenotfreeinotheractivitiesofsoulorbody.Althoughfundamentally,

evenloveisagiftofGod,be-causewecannotproduceitourselves;yetoncewepossessit,itistheonlythingthatwecanwithholdoroffer. OurlivescanbetotallychangedandourfeelingforoneanothercanbeovercomeifwecanapproachGodwithasenseofcomingtojudgment.Ifwehavecondemnedourselves;ifwecomebecauseweloveHiminspiteofthefactthatweareunfaith-ful;ifwecometoHimlovingHimmore,thenweareopentoHimandHeisopentousandthereisnodis-tance.TheLordcomesclosetousinanactofcompassionatelove.ButifwestandbeforeGodwrappedinourpride,inourassertiveness,ifwestandbeforeHimasthoughwehadarighttostandthere,ifwestandandquestionHim,thedistancethatseparatesthecreatureandtheCre-atorbecomesin4inite. IfChristweretherebeforeus,andwestoodcompletelytransparenttoHisgaze,inmindaswellasinbody,wewouldfeelreverence,thefearofGod,adorationorelseperhapster-ror,butweshouldnotbesoeasyinourbehaviorasweare.Itisthrough

M E S S E N G E R

December 2017 3

M E S S E N G E Rprayerthatwecangoaheadto-wardstheful4illmentofourlives,tobe-comefullyhuman,meaninginfullcommunionwithGod,andwhatSaintPetercalls"partakersofthedivinenature."(IIPeter1:4) GivingGodFirstPlace Loveandfriendshipdonotgrowifwearenotpreparedtosacri4iceagreatdealfortheirsake;andinthesameway,wemustbereadytoputasidemanythingsinordertogiveGodthe4irstplace. "ThoushalllovetheLordGodwithallthyheart,andwithallthysoulandwithallthystrength,andwithallthymind."(Matthew22:37).This

seemstobeaverysimplecom-mand,andyetthosewordscontainmuchmorethanoneseesat4irstglance.Weallknowwhatitistolovesomeonewithallourheart;weknowthepleasure,notonlyofmeetingbutevenofthinkingofsomeone,thewarmcomfortitgives.ItisinthatwaythatweshouldtrytoloveGod.WheneverHisNameismentioned,itshould4illourheartandsoulwithin4initewarmth.Godshouldbeatalltimesinourminds,notonlyoccasionally.LovingGodwithallourstrengthcanonlybedoneifwecastoffdeliberatelyeverythingthatisnotGod'sinus.ByaneffortofwillwemustturnourselvesconstantlytowardsGod,

whetherinprayer,whichiseasier,becauseinprayerwearealreadycenteredonGod;orinaction,whichrequirestraining,becauseinouractionsweareconcentratedonsomematerialachievementandhavetodedicateittoGodbyaspe-cialeffort. LoveisdescribedbyDostoyevskias"aharshanddreadfulthing."Andweknowattimesthatwhereverwe4indlove,we4indthecross.Themostimportantthingwecanlearnisthattheartoflovingwellisinrealitytheartofdyingtoone'sself.Jesussaid:"Unlessaseedfallstothegroundanddies,itcannotbearfruit."(John12:24).

Message from Bishop Maxim for the Nativity Fast...

DearBrothersandSisters,

AsweareenteringNativityLent,theChurchinvitesustoobservethefasttothebestofyourability,inordertopartakeofthegreatcosmogenicrealityofChrist’sIncarnation.

FastingisagreatspiritualendeavorandtheforemostexpressionoftheOrthodoxasceticideal.AccordingtoBasiltheGreat,fastingisasoldashumanityitself;itwasprescribedinparadise. Forthisreason,theChurchhasalwaysproclaimedthegreatsignificanceoffastingforourspirituallifeandsalvation.Thisdisciplineistherenotjustasaseasonaldietbutisaguidetocurbotherharmfulaspectsofourlivessothatwemaydevelopavirtuouslife.

Iinviteyou,belovedones,withtheguidanceofyourparishpriest,tostrivetoobservethefastaswellasonecan,"repealingbadhabitsandreplacingthemwithvirtues." MayourLordgranttoyouandyourlovedonesablessedandpeacefulNativitylent.

WithLoveinChrist, BishopMaxim

AnnualAssembly2017:AllPledgedStewardsareencouragedtoattendtheAnnualAssemblyofSaintPetertheApostleSerbianOrthodoxChurchonSunday,December10,2017at12:30p.m.intheSocialHall.Ifapledgedstewardwouldliketoserveonthe2018ParishCounciloranyoftheotherelectedof4ices(Tutor,auditor)pleaseseeRonTarailoorFatherGeorge.Welookforwardtoseeingyouatthemeet-ing—pleasemarkyourcalendarforSunday,December10!

M E S S E N G E R

" December 20174

Parish activities... S.H.A.R.E.S. Program:To enroll, go to Save Mart’s website www.savemart.-com/shares/   and select St. Peter Serbian Orthodox Church as your charity. You will have an option of a phone number, credit/debit card or both.  If you pay cash or by check for your groceries, you can type in your phone number or give it to the cashier.  If you buy your groceries using credit cards you can add your card number as well as a phone number.  Your purchase is automatically credited to St. Peter’s.  Once you sign up with e-Scrip though Save Mart then you are automatically registered with all of the e-Scrip par-ticipating merchants and online stores.Another way to support our Scholarship Fund is through Amazon Smile. Remember, always start at smile.amazon.com and Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases. Select “Serbian Orthodox Church of St Pe-ter” as your charity. It is very simple and easy!

Also, remember that you can donate directly to the Scholarship Fund at any time. All donations are great-ly appreciated!

Coffee Hour Schedule...It is time to start planning our Sunday Coffee Hour schedule for 2018. We thank all parishioners who par-ticipated during the past year in this wonderful fel-lowship ministry! Coffee Hour is an opportunity for us

to welcome and greet the many visi-tors who attend Liturgy and for parishioners to be able to visit with one another. We are planning the schedule for the coming year and if you have a date that you would pre-fer please contact Stacy Batrich-Smith at (559) 790-4073 or by email at sta-cybatrichsmith@att.net. Otherwise you will be scheduled during the same month as last year. If you have never sponsored and prepared a coffee hour or are new to the parish please consider becoming a coffee hour sponsor in 2918!

Friendly reminder...We remind everyone to send in the balance of your pledge commitment for 2017. You can contact financial secretary Janice McAtee at 447-9665 or by email: jan-icemcatee@hotmail.com to check on your 2012 balance. 2012 donation statements will only be mailed out by request. Contact Janice if you would like to receive a copy for income tax purposes.

Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive:Thank you to all parishioners who participated in last month’s Thanksgiving Food Drive. We were able to donate the many bags and boxes of non-perishable items and a financial contribution to the Evangel Home and to families in the neighborhood by our church on November 19th. God bless all who partici-pated in this annual ministry of our parish!

M E S S E N G E R

From the parish records… Funeral:

Jacob Metrinikoff, 54 on November 1, 2017.

Memory Eternal!

Church School Nativity Program and St. Nicholas Day Party OnSunday,December17thechurchschoolwillholdtheannualNativityProgramandSt.NicholasDay festivitiesduringcoffeehour. Therewillbetreatsandlotsoffunforkidsofallages.Soplantoattend!

M E S S E N G E R

December 2017 "5

B U L L E T I N B O A R D

VeraCoffeen(IMORademirStijovic)MimaStijovich(IMOSavoSjekloca)LillianDutraNadejaBrountchenkoRonald&RadmilaTarailoDanDakovichJesusandYvonneDuranLjubomirandLindyGligorijevicAngelaSmith(IMOTomo&DanicaPes-

tich)DarinkaSpadierRebeccaCastroRoweAlisaRakichBrooksJoseph&LilyaSteeleOlegandElenaChernMariaKrilJim&SvetlanaWardEleanorChristensenChristian&NataliePoulsenAnthony&CicilyOlivoRandy&JaniceMcAtee

LyudmylaMayFr.Jim&DonnaPappasHarry&MarnieButtsMatthew&SherylImfeldRon&MarjorieWoolleyMichael&AnnabelleCastroGeorge&DianeChrismanVeraStanovichCreechMaryRagenovichVeraNadenMike&DonaPestorichLouieObradovichMike&SuzieSpadierFrancesRadoicichDianeMilutinovichMarciaTaylorPamelaSagardiaSethGregoryJacobOwensJonathan&DeborahHartJohn&LizaPetrosian

ZorkaTarailoDale&BettyAnneHadley(andfriend

Robert)NadaRadojkovich&HunterRadich

(IMOofRitaWachter)MauraChaplainNatalieSidelSandraSidelVeraDeheferMarilynJurkovichVera/LarryPestorich(IMORisto

Pestorich)AllisonSpolsdoffKatherineSpolsdoffJim&AlaSpolsdoffTerrence&StacySmithSavo&MilkaRadovichCircleofSistersAnnMikitishMichael&JeanetteJurkovich

Church Fence Fundraising Appeal… $50,000!

$5,000

$45,000

$40,000

$35,000

$30,000

$25,000

$20,000

$15,000

$10,000

TotaldonatedasofNovember30th:$23,031.00

Please Help us to reach our goal to raise $50,000!Thank you to the following parishioners and friends who have generously donated to our Church fence appeal…

M E S S E N G E R

" December 20176

M E S S E N G E R

Bahn, MarilynBundros, Christopher/ShirleyCastro, Mike/AnnabelleChaplain, MauraChern, Oleg/ElenaChristensen, EleanorClemensen, Wayne/LisaContreras, Alexander/FrancineCucuk, BarbaraDakovich, DanDuran, Jesus/YvonneGranado, OlgaHatler, CharyceKlingel, Friedhelm/TatianaKojovich, HelenKril, Maria

Marinovich, BrankoMay, LyudmylaMcAtee, Randy/JaniceMcAtee, TimothyMikitish, AnneMiller, Eric/YolyMilovich, RobertMilutinovich, George/CathyNaden, VeraOlivo, Anthony/CicilyOwens, JacobPavic, DejanPestich Smith, AngelaPestorich, Mark/KristenPetrosian, John/LizaPoulsen, Christian/Natalie

Radoicich, FrancesRadojkovich, NadaRadovich, Savo/MilkaRomanenko, Andrej/CarolynSidel, NatalieSidel, SandraSkochko, Steve/AllisonSpadier, DarinkaStanovich-Creech, ElviraStijovic, MimaTarailo, Ron/RadmilaTarailo, ZorkaWard, Jim/SvetlanaWesseler, Dn. Joseph/StaciaZenovich, Vera

December Altar Servers, Epistle Readers and Tutors Schedule:

Epistle:December 3 & 24 Jonathan Hart December 10 & 31 Joseph AlsobrookDecember 17 Lazarus McAteeTeam 1

December 3, 17 & 31Braeden EppersonMason EppersonJoseph HartIsaac Byers

Team 2December 10 & 24Luke AlsobrookCaleb AlsobrookLance VukajovićNickolas Vukajlović

Tutors:December 3 & 24 Jonathan Hart / Natalie SidelDecember 10 & 31 Jim Ward / Vera NadenDecember 17 Andrej Romanenko / Tim Penny

Stewardship 2018 … Our Parish and its parishioners serve as the voice of Christ in a changing world! A strong parish provides op-portunities for sharing the Good News of Christ, for welcoming those that are searching for a spiritual home, and a base from which we are sent out into the world. The parish also provides a place for worship, community and education in the faith. To be stewards of the Gospel, we need to be stewards of our parish. This requires the vision and inspiration to see our parish, not as it is, but as it could be. We are called to offer ourselves and our treasure to make our St. Peter Church all that it can be.

November 12 was the start of our stewardship campaign for 2018. All households in the parish should have received our stewardship mailer along with a pledge card. If you did not receive this mailer please contact the church office at stpeter@me.com or pick one up a the candle counter in the narthex. Please read through all of the information and prayerfully consider what your financial commitment to our St. Peter Church will be for the coming year. We thank the following parishioners listed who have submitted their pledge commitment for 2018. Thank you and God bless you!

M E S S E N G E R

December 2017 "7

Parish DirectoryContact Information: Phone: (559) 227-5565 Email: stpeter@me.com Website: www.stpeterfresno.com

Parish Clergy: V. Rev. George Gligich (559) 696-7015Protodeacon Brad Matthews (Retired)Deacon Joseph Wesseler (559) 936-6838

Choir Director: Peggy Matthews (559) 960-2151

Parish Council: Anthony Olivo (559) 360-7115

Church School: Lamia Epperson (559) 430-9186

Circle of Sisters: Shirley Bundros (559) 940-9216

Men’s Club: Jonathan Hart (559 447-3079

Worship Services: Saturday Vespers at 5:00 p.m.Confessions on Saturdays after vespers or during the week by appointment.

Sunday Liturgy at 9:30 a.m.Church School on Sundays from September through May following Holy Communion.

Weeknight Vespers at 7:00 p.m.

Weekday Liturgy (Holy Days) at 9:00 a.m.

C A L E N D A R

Divine Liturgy 9:30 AMCircle of Sisters 12:00 PM

Vespers 7:00 PM

Divine Liturgy 9:30 AMAnnual Parish Assembly

12:30 PM

Divine Liturgy 9:30 AMNativity Program and St.

Nicholas Day Party

Divine Liturgy 9:30 AM

Vespers 5:00 PM

Vespers 5:00 PM

Vespers 5:00 PM

Vespers 5:00 PM

No VespersNo 6th Hour Prayers

6th Hour Prayers at NoonBook Study 6:30 - 7:30 PM

6th Hour Prayers at NoonBook Study 6:30 - 7:30 PM

6th Hour Prayers at Noon

Divine Liturgy 9:30 AM

Vespers 7:00 PM Divine Liturgy 9:00 AM

Divine Liturgy 9:00 AM

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

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St. Nicholas

Entrance of the Theotokos

Holy Forefathers

M E S S E N G E R

St. Peter Serbian Orthodox Church3502 N. First Street

Fresno, CA 93726-6802

Return Service Requested

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St. Peter the Apostle Church Monthly Newsletter December 2017

The

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