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St. Lazarus Serbian Orthodox Cathedral
“Ravanica”
GLAS RAVANICE NEWSLETTER
JUNE, JULY, AUGUST, 2013
Dormition of the Theotokos
VISIT OUR WEB SITE
At: www.ravanica.org
LISTEN TO OUR “Voice of Ravanica” RADIO PROGRAM
Sunday’s 3:00-4:00 p.m. WNZK – 690 AM
ST. LAZARUS SERBIAN ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL “RAVANICA” June 2013
Sunda y Monday Tuesda y Wednesday Thursday Fr ida y Saturda y
Reminder:
Sun. June
23rd
Church
Informational
Mtg. after
Church!
1
2 Sunday 5 of
Pascha
Divine Liturgy
10 A.M.
3 Sts. Constantine &
Helen
Divine Liturgy
9 A.M.
4
5 FAST
6
7 FAST
8
9 Sunday 6 of
Pascha
Divine Liturgy
10 A.M.
10
11
12 FAST
13ASCENSION
OF OUR LORD Divine Liturgy
9 A.M.
SNF BB
TOURNEY
DETROIT!
14 FAST SNF BB
TOURNEY
DETROIT!
JUNE 13-16TH
!
15 SNF BB
TOURNEY
DETROIT!
16 Sunday 7
of Pascha
Divine Liturgy
10 A.M.
HAPPY
FATHER’S
DAY!
17
18
19 FAST
20
21 FAST
22 SOUL
SATURDAY
(ZADUSNICE)
23 DUHOVI
PENTECOST
DIVINE
LITURGY 10
A.M. CHURCH INFO.
MTG. AFTER
CHURCH!
24 HOLY SPIRIT
DAY!
DIVINE
LITURGY 9
A.M.
25SPIRIT
TUESDAY
26 NO FAST
27
28 NO FAST PRINCE LAZAR
VIDOVDAN
DIVINE
LITURGY 9
A.M.
29
30 Sunday 1
aft.Pentecost
Divine Liturgy
10 A.M.
CHURCH
SLAVA
VIDOVDAN!
Don’t Forget: Saturday. July 27 th Church Picnic!
ST. LAZARUS SERBIAN ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL “RAVANICA”ST. LAZARUS SERBIAN ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL “RAVANICA”ST. LAZARUS SERBIAN ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL “RAVANICA”ST. LAZARUS SERBIAN ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL “RAVANICA” JULY 2013
Sunda y Monday Tuesday Wednesda y Thursda y Fr ida y Saturda y
1 FAST APOSTLES’ FAST BEGINS! July 1- 12th
2 FAST
3 FAST
4 FAST
5 FAST
6 FAST
7 FAST Birth of John the Baptist
DIVINE
LITURGY
9 A.M.
8 FAST
9 FAST
10 FAST
11 FAST
12 FAST
SS. PETER &
PAUL
DIVINE
LITURGY
9 A.M.
13
14 3rd Sun.
after Pentecost
Cosmas &
Damian
DIVINE
LITURGY
9 A.M.
15
16
17 FAST
18
19 FAST
20
214th Sun.
after Pentecost
DIVINE
LITURGY
9 A.M.
22
23
24 FAST
25
26 FAST
27
28 5th Sun.
After Pentecost
DIVINE
LITURGY
9 A.M.
29
30
31 FAST
REMINDER: DON’T FORGET SATURDAY AUGUST 24TH!
ST. LAZARUS GOLF OUTING! GOLFERS REGISTER NOW!
ST. LAZARUS SERBIAN ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL “RAVANICA” August 2013
Sunda y Monday Tuesda y Wednesday Thursday Frida y Saturda y
1
2 FAST PROPHET
ELIJAH
SV.PROROK
ILIJA DIVINE
LITURGY
9 A.M.
3
4 6th Sunday
after Pentecost
DIVINE
LITURGY
9 A.M.
5
6
7 FAST
8
9 FAST
10
11 7th Sunday
after Pentecost
DIVINE
LITURGY
9 A.M.
12
13
14 FAST DORMITION
FAST BEGINS!
PROCESSION OF
THE HOLY
CROSS
(IZNOSENJE CASNOG KRSTA)
Divine L. 9 A.M.
15 FAST
16 FAST
17 FAST
18 FAST 8TH Sunday after
Pentecost
DIVINE
LITURGY
9 A.M.
19 FAST Transfiguration
PREOBRAZENJE
GOSPODNJE
DIVINE
LITURGY
9 A.M.
20 FAST
21 FAST
22 FAST
23 FAST
24 FAST ST. LAZARUS
“RAVANICA”
GOLF
OUTING!
25 FAST 9TH Sunday
after Pentecost
DIVINE
LITURGY
9 A.M.
26 FAST
27 FAST
28 FAST DORMITION OF
THE
THEOTOKOS
VELIKA
GOPODNJE
DIVINE
LITURGY
9 A.M.
29
30 FAST
31
PARENTS: WATCH FOR
DETAILS ON
CHURCH
SCHOOL
REGISTRATION
IN SEPTEMBER!
FROM THE PRESIDENT
We’ve just wrapped up the 74th
Annual Serb National Federation Basketball Tournament, probably the
biggest event our church has hosted since the 2009 SNF Golf Tournament. At the time of this writing,
we have not closed the books on the basketball tournament yet to see exactly what our net proceeds
were, but all indications point to us doing very well. Even more importantly, the event was a success
from the customer satisfaction standpoint. Many of our guests, and also the SNF staff, commented on
what a wonderful event it was, and how they hope to come back to Detroit in the near future. That was
very good to hear. Many thanks are due to our wonderful Tournament Committee and their team of
dedicated volunteers. Co-chairs Sasha Ristic and Dave Willman put together a winning team, and put
well over a year of meetings and planning into it. This was only the 6th
time that Detroit has hosted this
tournament, and we hope that the 7th
time will not be far away. To all of our sponsors and everyone
who volunteered their time to make this successful: Thank you, thank you, and thank you again. It
absolutely could not have been done without you.
Additionally, the St. Lazarus Facilities Committee has been hard at work, along with the church board, to
lay the groundwork for an investment in our future, namely the purchase of a suitable parcel of land.
Those of you that have seen the memorandum that was published know about this, and those that
attended the June 23rd
information meeting after church have even more detail. The next steps are to
zero in on a particular parcel, ensure its suitability for our purposes, and then find a way to finance it,
through fundraising or other means.
You’ve also received a very important request along with the Vidovdan invitation for this year. Please
take the time to fill out our address update form as it serves two purposes: first, it will ensure that we
have the most up-to-date contact information for you. Secondly, it will help us make our mailing list
more efficient, because we have many, many people and addresses on our list who likely are not
parishioners and who do not care to receive mail from us. This will help us keep mailing costs down, as
well as give our church a more accurate parishioner list, which is important for many reasons.
I’d also ask that you take some time to review your Stewardship commitment for 2013 and for those of
you that have not become Stewards yet, please do so. I can’t begin to emphasize how important this is.
In order to achieve our goal of funding our church 100% from church donations, and not from the hall,
we need more Stewards. Thank you to all who have taken the few minutes it requires to make your
Stewardship commitment.
See you around this summer at church.
Best Regards,
Michael Balow
VOLUNTEERS! A BIG HVALA TO ALL OUR “RAVANICA” PARISHIONERS WHO HELPED MAKE THE SNF BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT IN DETROIT A GREAT SUCCESS!
Thanks are due especially to the committees and volunteers who worked very hard to give our hometown friends and out-of-town guests a great event. We could not have done it without all of you. Well done!
From the Church’s Records… BAPTISMS: Connor Michalak – April 21, 2013 Parents: Daniel & Linda Michalak Robert Claar – April 27, 2013 Parents: +Robert & Joann Clear Jacob Misajlovich – May 12, 2013
Ace Nestorovski – June 2, 2013 Parents: Goran & Melissa Nestorovski Rachel Ann Nucci – April 28, 2013 Parents: David & Sandra Nucci Milijana Nestorovski – June 2, 2013
Parents: Predrag & Violeta Misajlovich Sofia Tringale – May 19, 2013 Parents: Domenic & Nicole Tringale Yvonne Golusin – May 19, 2013 Parents: Milan & Olivera Golusin Mia Mitkovski – May 19, 2013 Parents: Tommy Mitkovski & Kristina Krstevski Nikolas Tomic – May 26, 2013 Parents: Aleksandar & Kelli Tomic
Parents: Goran & Melissa Nestorovski Mark Henrich – June 2, 2013 Parents: Jon & Kathy Henrich Nadia Nestorovski – June 9, 2013 Parents: Dusko & Diane Nestorovski Alexandra Stevanovic – June 16, 2013 Parents: Saso & Sandra Stevanovic
Our Most Sincere Congratulations are extended to the parents, grandparents, kumovi and all relatives of the newly baptized babies. May God bless them all. Mnogaja Ljeta!
CONVERTS: Sandra Hadaya – April 7, 2013 Congratulations Sandra, and welcome to the Holy Orthodox faith and to our St. Lazarus spiritual church family. God bless you and your families.
MARRIAGES: Darko Martinovski & Lauren Kisniewski – May 26, 2013 Dean Kostadinovski & Christina Shamoun – June 2, 2013 Congratulations to the newly married couples, your families and kumovi. May God grant you many blessed years of joy united in Love. Mnogaja Ljeta!
DEATHS: +Mary Stojic – April 2, 2013 +Danny Nichols – May 6, 2013 +Jovanka Horpeniuk – May 4, 2013 +Rajko Dobrasevic – May 14, 2013 +Lillian Verlinich – June 15, 2013 Grant rest eternal in blessed falling asleep, O Lord, to the soul of Thy departed Servants, and make their memory to be eternal! Vjecnaja Pamjat!
CHURCH EXECUTIVE BOARD Mike Balow, President, [email protected] Butch Beslach, 2nd Vice President, [email protected] Kathy Goich, Treasurer, [email protected] Milan Golusin, Recording Secretary, [email protected] Michael Timarac, Financial Secretary, [email protected], Bosko Vulinovic, Audit Chairman, [email protected] Zoran Djurich, Member at Large, [email protected] Roy Downie, Member at Large, [email protected] Donna Rajkovic, Member at Large, [email protected] Boban Trajcevski, Member at Large, [email protected] V. Rev. Zivan Urosev – Cathedral Dean Parish Secretary - Sheryl Zatezalo
Affiliated Church Organizations
Serbian Sisters Ravanica President – Donna Rajkovic Ravanica Pensioner’s Club President – Branka Misovski Ravanica Choir President – Dr. Milan Chonich St. Lazarus Church-School Superintendent’s – Zoran Djurich &
Milorad Skoric
St. Lazarus Church-School Cultural Program Chairperson – Dr. Ruza Batanjski & Julie Djurich St. Lazarus Sports Club David Willman
Vidovdan (song) "Vidovdan" is the name of a patriotic Serb folk song that was featured on the 1989 album with the same name of Gordana Lazarević, a famous singer from Serbia. The Serbian Singing Federation published this song in memory of long-time Ravanica Church President, +Rudolph Kordich.
Vidovdan (St. Vitus' Day, June 28) is one of the most important religious holidays of the Serbs, Serbian Orthodox Church and Serbia, as it is of great a historical importance because of the Battle of Kosovo which was fought between Medieval Serbia and the invading Ottoman Empire on June 28, 1389. The lyrics refer to the battle and Serbs of Kosovo
Lyrics
Serbian lyrics
U nebo gledam prolaze vekovi, Sećanja davnih jedini lekovi.
Chorus: Kud god da krenem Tebi se vraćam ponovo. Ko da mi otme iz moje duše Kosovo
Vidovdan
K'o večni plamen u našim srcima Kosovskog boja Ostaje istina.
Chorus x1
Vidovdan
Oprosti Bože sve naše grehove Junaštvom daruj kćeri i sinove.
Chorus x1
English translation
I'm looking at the sky, centuries are passing by, The only remedy for Old memories.
Chorus: Wherever I may go, I will always return. Nobody can tear Kosovo away from my soul
Vidovdan
Like an eternal flame burning in our hearts The battle remains the truth.
Chorus x1
Vidovdan
Lord, forgive us of all of our sins. Give the courage to our sons and daughters.
Chorus x1
St. Lazarus Serbian Orthodox
Cathedral “Ravanica”
Services:
Divine Liturgy: Sunday: 10 A.M.
Services are in Serbian, English, and Old Slavonic.
Weekday and Feast Day Services: 9 A.M. (See Church Calendar)
Join us after Divine Liturgy for fellowship lunch/coffee hour in our Cultural Center!
Everyone Welcome!
OFFICE HOURS:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 9:30 A.M.-2:30 P.M.
Parish Office Phone: (313) 893-6025
Parish Office Fax: (313) 892—6944
Listen to our “Voice of Ravanica” Radio Program-Sundays: 3:00-4:00 P.M.-WNZK 690 AM
“Glas” Newsletter Co-Editors: Donna and Paul Bielich
The “Glas” Newsletter Editors and Church Executive Board assumes responsibility and the right to
reject, delete and rewrite any part or all of the club articles submitted for publication. Any news of
social interest should be submitted to the Editors.
VIDOVDAN-JUNE 28, 2013
Icon courtesy of “Kosovski Bozur”, a magazine of the children of Kosovo and Metohija
Today is a major feast in the calendar of the Serbian Orthodox Church, when we commemorate both an event from our Serbian history but also a person, one major figure from our history who defines our Serbian identity as people of God.
St. Paul wrote in his epistle to the Philipians, “whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things” (Phil 4:8). It is, therefore, on this day that we mediate upon and remember those who fought and gave their lives for those things which are true and pure and of good report. On this day of Vidovdan, the feast of the holy and Great-martyr Prince Lazar of Kosovo, we remember in our prayers not only those who fought on that Kosovo field at the end of the fourteenth century but each year a Parastos is served on this day for all the heroes of Kosovo and all Serbs who gave their lives for the Christian faith and freedom from the Battle of Kosovo to the present day.
There was a time in our history when Serbia was an empire. It was during the reign of Tsar Dušan, known as Dušan the Mighty, that Serbia reached its territorial peak. It was during his rule, in the year 1346, that the Serbian church became a patriarchate. It was during that era, around the year 1329, that Lazar Hrebeljanovic was born in the city of Prilepac. He was brought up in the Christian faith and was known as a humble young man; he was brave and of a noble heart and soul. He richly multiplied the gifts with
which God had endowed him. He was so gifted that he not only surpassed his peers, but even attracted the attention of Dušan the Mighty and obtained his favor. He was taken into the imperial palace and soon thereafter was involved in affairs of the state.
Soon, he even became the mighty tsar’s in-law as Dušan gave him for his wife his own relative, Milica, who was a descendent of the holy dynasty of St. Symeon and his son St. Sava, the Nemanjic dynasty. It was after their marriage that Lazar received the title ‘knez’, or prince. He became a general in Dušan’s army since he was skilled in the art of warfare and in commanding troops. It was at this time in history that a great peril was threatening all Christians and rulers in the Balkans in the form of the Turkish armies which were penetrating into Europe from Asia Minor more and more often. Dušan was marching against them with his army when he became ill and suddenly died in the year 1355.
Dušan’s son, Uroš, unlike his mighty father was nicknamed “the weak” and it was during his reign that his father’s empire was carved up as some of the Serbian feudal lords who had been under tsar Dušan didn’t want to be under his son. Uroš was by nature gracious and meek, he was only nineteen when he became tsar and incapable of uniting the Serbian provinces. The only one who stayed with him was Prince Lazar, who remained at the palace and was Uroš’s most faithful and devoted nobleman. It was Lazar’s goal to unite all the Serbian provinces and to gather all Christians together in the struggle against the Turks. In 1371 tsar Uroš passed away but Lazar continued in his efforts of uniting the Serbian lands. Soon he created an alliance with some provinces and thus he became “in Christ our God the devout and autonomous lord of the Serbian and Coastal Lands, the great Prince Stefan Lazar”, but even though he was only a prince the whole Serbian nation called him their tsar.
As ruler Lazar was credited with many things, renovations and building of churches and monasteries. But, the advance of the Turks continued. In 1387 they captured Thessalonica and in 1386, the Serbian city of Niš, under the leadership of their sultan Murat I. Murat’s army even penetrated into Bosnia but the brave general of King Tvrtko engaged the Turkish army and heroically defeated it. Murat even clashed with Lazar’s army in 1387 but Murat was unsuccessful and fled from Prince Lazar. But all this did was make the Turkish army more determined and the Sultan began to build and gather a mighty, huge army.
The battle was approaching and, just as the young tsar Uroš struggled with uniting the different Serbian groups there was little to no loyalty to the Prince for the upcoming battle. In fact, Lazar had to summon the Serbs by begging them and imploring them. At a national assembly at Kruševac his message to all Serbs was: “Whoever fails to come to the battle at Kosovo, may his hands produce none of the fruits of the earth, neither red wine nor white wheat.”
It’s interesting that, when we celebrate St. Sava’s feast day, his entire life story is retold, yet when we think of the holy and great martyr Prince Lazar we think instantly, and almost exclusively of the Battle of Kosovo. Yet, the things mentioned are only a small number of his many accomplishments as Serbian ruler. For instance, when Dušan became tsar it caused a division between the Serbian patriarchate and Constantinople. After the tsar’s death his wife, Tsaritsa Jelena tried to heal these wounds but, in the end, it was Prince Lazar who achieved it. In other words, the same Prince Lazar who worked and labored so hard at healing the wounds between the two churches; the same Prince Lazar who worked and labored so hard at uniting the Serbian people, who wanted peace and unity among the Serbian lands, this same man leads an army, indeed the entire Serbian nation, to do battle against a much larger force. This is precisely what he is remembered for and this is the essence of this holy feast day – the choice the holy and great martyr Lazar of Kosovo made, his choosing to go to battle and defend those things which the Apostle Paul calls pure and noble and just.
More than the actual battle, therefore, it was the choice Lazar made for which he is glorified. First of all, it was his choice to go to battle. The choice that he made was ultimately the choice for freedom but not a freedom “at any cost”, that is, not a freedom which would be apart from God. In setting out to the battle at Kosovo field Lazar had made his choice not for the earthly kingdom which, as he confessed, “is only for a brief time but
the Kingdom of Heaven is unto the ages of ages.” St. Sava’s ideal and plan for his nation was: “Give up everything for Christ, but Christ for nothing.” No one ever realized this ideal and plan to such a full extent as the holy and great martyr, Prince Lazar.
It was William Makepeace Thackery who said, “It is not dying for the faith that’s hard, it’s living up to it.” Our commemoration of St. Lazar, and for that matter all the Saints of the church, is our commemoration of those holy men and women who lived up to their faith. In St. Paul’s epistle, after he says we should meditate on things which are pure and noble and just, he writes, “the things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do…” (v.9). It is in this doing that gives meaning to our remembering and celebrating the lives of the Saints. This is that choice all of us are called to make individually – to follow in their footsteps, of those who followed in the footsteps of the Apostles who followed Christ’s example, who did that which was the will of the Father.
When the Turks, after the battle, saw how much dignity this Christian Prince displayed in accepting death, as he was beheaded, they allowed the monks to take the body of their holy ruler in order to give him a proper burial. In fact, a year later, when the remains of Lazar were uncovered, they were discovered to be undecayed, producing an exceedingly fragrant scent. In the end, St. Lazar, who chose the Heavenly Kingdom over this passing one, remained, through God’s grace, with his people, giving them, through his holy relics, hope in the resurrection and in their own salvation. The memory of St. Lazar remained with the people as remains with us today as we pray that, through the prayers of St. Lazar and all the holy martyrs, God’s mercy might be with all of us. Amen.
`
ORTHODOX SPIRITUAL BOOK CLUB
Book Title: Let Us Attend: a Journey through the Orthodox Divine Liturgy
Publisher House: Conciliar Press
Author: Father Lawrence Farley
Publish Date: 2007
The Orthodox Spiritual Book Club
7:00 pm
Next Meeting:
WE WILL BE BACK IN SEPTEMBER!
American Serbian Memorial Hall Library
Let Us Attend: A Journey through the Orthodox Divine Liturgy
By
Father Lawrence R. Farley
The Book Club will discuss Let Us Attend, a guide to understanding the Divine Liturgy,
and a vibrant reminder of the centrality of the Eucharist in living the Christian life.
Every Sunday morning we are literally taken on a journey into the Kingdom of God.
Examining the Liturgy section by section, he provides both historical explanation of how
the liturgy evolved, and devotional insights aimed at helping us pray the liturgy in the
way the Fathers intended. In better understanding the depth of the Divine Liturgy’s
meaning and purposes, we can pray it properly. Join us to discuss this powerful book.
Copies of the book can be purchased online from amazon.com or from our esteemed
librarian Paul Bielich. Father Zivan Urosev is the spiritual adviser for the book club.
An activity for men and women sponsored by the Sisters of Ravanica.
Date: 4/26/2013
Location:” Ravanica” Church Library
Who to contact: Karen Todorov
Next Meeting
ST. LAZARUS SERBIAN ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL “RAVANICA”
•
• LITURGY/ PROCESSION
AROUND THE CHURCH
• CUTTING OF KOLAC
• SLAVA BANQUET - 1 P.M.
• PRESENTATION HONORING 30
YEAR MEMBERS
CHURCH SLAVA
VIDOVDAN
SUNDAY, JUNE 30, 2013
Our Church Slava is the time we pause to thank God for all His blessings to our parish and church
community, and rededicate ourselves to its mission and future.
Let us join that day in honoring our St. Lazarus Church “Ravanica”, and all the pioneers, founders
and benefactors who have gone before us.
SVI STE NAM DOBRO DOSLI!
ALL WELCOME AND INVITED!
HONORED SLAVA KUMOVI
GEORGE & MARIE NICKSON
Kosovska Devojka (Kosovo Maiden)
Uroš Predić's Kosovo Maiden.
The Kosovo Maiden or Maiden of the Blackbird Field is the central figure of a poem with the same name, part of the Kosovo cycle in the Serbian epic poetry. In it, a young beauty searches the battlefield for her betrothed husband and helps wounded Serbian warriors with water, wine and bread after the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 between Serbia and Ottoman Empire. She finally finds wounded and dying warrior Pavle Orlović who tells her that her fiancée Milan Toplica and his blood-brothers Miloš Obilić and Ivan Kosančić are dead. Before the battle they had given her a cloak, golden ring and veil for the wedding as a promise of safe return, but they were slain and Pavle pointed to the direction of the bodies. The poem finishes with;
"Unhappy, if I were to grasp a green pine, Even the green pine would wither"
The poem became greatly popular as a symbol of womanly compassion and charity. Noted artist Uroš Predić took up the theme in 1919 with an oil painting of the same title. In 1907, the sculptor Ivan Meštrović created a marble relief of the subject as a part of his Kosovo-sculpture cycle.
From Our History: KOSOVOKOSOVOKOSOVOKOSOVO FIELDFIELDFIELDFIELD It was on Kosovo Field that the Serbian armies led by Czar Lazar fought a great battle against the Turkish armies which had invaded the Serbian lands and greatly outnumbered the Serbs. Czar Lazar knew they would lose the battle but he chose to fight and die for the same principles of the Serbian Orthodox Faith that St. Sava established. On June 28th, 1389 Czar Lazar was slain and died as a martyr along with many of his soldiers for the “honorable Cross and golden Freedom.” After the battle, red poppies sprung up on Kosovo Field. Even to this day, they can be seen during May and June on the field where Serbian knights shed their blood. With their sacrifice, they preserved a place in the heavenly kingdom for the Serbian people. The land of Kosovo and Metohija has great meaning for the Serbian people. It is considered by them to be their Holy Land. The Serbian people have lived by the ethic which grew from the sacrifices of Czar Lazar and the martyrs of Kosovo. The land holds the relics of the saints and fallen heroes. On it were built so many beautiful churches and monasteries in which historical and cultural treasures of books, vestments, and icons are preserved. The spirit of Kosovo carried the people through generations of darkness, war and suffering. This same spirit of St. Sava and St. Lazar and the heroes of Kosovo comes to us and can enable us to survive as Serbian Orthodox Christians.
The Battle of Kosovo
Congratulations
To our
Graduates
This June three of our young adult Church-School students graduated from high school and will be moving on in school to complete their career ambitions.
We extend sincerest congratulations to our graduates and wish them every continued success and happiness!
1. Milan Nezich
Milan plans to attend Macomb County Community College
2. Dan Rajkovich
Dan will be attending Loyola University
3. Ava Tavrazich
Ava will be attending the University of Michigan
We also extend Congratulations to Daniel Boroja who graduated from
Cooley Law School.
FEAST OF THE APOSTLES SS. PETER & PAUL JULY 12, 2013
APOSTLES’ FAST BEGINS JULY 1st Through JULY 12, 2013
It is not always so often that we, in our comfortable North American way of living, reflect upon the kind of life that the Apostles lived. We really don’t have the consciousness of what life was like for the Apostles. It is true that both the Apostles Peter and Paul sometimes lived in decent quarters, especially in their earlier years. But when it came to the time of the preaching of the Gospel, their witnessing for Christ, they were always living in other peoples’ houses as they traveled from place to place. That was especially the case with the Apostle Paul. He traveled almost everywhere in the Roman Empire for the sake of speaking about his love for the Lord Jesus Christ, trying to introduce people to Jesus Christ, trying to win them for the Kingdom of God. Both the Apostles, Peter and Paul, suffered misunderstanding and rejection, very often rejection, because people did not want to hear about this love of Jesus Christ. Often enough it was because Jesus Christ did not fit their expectations of the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One. And so, they rejected Him. With this rejection, they rejected the Apostles as well. Both of the Apostles suffered a great deal because, as we hear Paul admit, he was shipwrecked
many times. This means he was floating around in water, holding on to pieces of wood. Ships in those days were not like the ships these days, with fancy lifeboats. Just broken up pieces of wood was what kept the Apostle Paul from sinking into the Mediterranean? Many times the Apostle Paul was put in prison for the sake of his love of Jesus Christ. And as we hear time and again in the readings of the Epistles, he was beaten, sometimes very severely. Prison life in the Roman Empire days was not like it is now. There were no such things as carpets, beds and televisions. In the days of the Roman Empire there was straw, mess everywhere and often enough, chains holding the prisoner to the wall. And in the course of all of this, beatings and beatings and more beatings. These are the kinds of things that the Apostle Paul suffered for the sake of his love for Jesus Christ. You and I are not likely in Canada to face that kind of suffering, physical suffering for the sake of Jesus Christ, although once in a while it does happen. But we very much will experience with the Apostle Paul, rejection by people who are afraid of the love of Jesus Christ. We can be rejected because we are Orthodox Christians, because we carry the love of Jesus Christ in us and with us everywhere. Because we live and act out of love of Jesus Christ, people who do not understand it can reject us because of their fear of this love. It’s funny that people are afraid of love, but that is the case. People become very much afraid of this kind of selfless, serving love which is so characteristic of Christians, especially Orthodox Christians. It is that which people run away from. That does not stop you or me from loving the Lord Jesus Christ and it does not stop you or me from serving other people in the way of Jesus Christ. But we have to understand that the Lord said in more than one way and more than one time in the Gospel that if the world is rejecting Him Himself, it will reject you and me. So we have to expect this kind of rejection and carry on loving and praying for and serving people anyway.
What happens is that in due course the Lord overcomes the fear of other people and the rejections of other people. When we persist and persevere in loving and serving them, the Lord breaks down the barriers of fear that imprison other people and in due course they are able to come with us to love and serve the Saviour. But it takes our remembering first of all that none of us is here on this earth to be served. Every one of us is here on this earth to serve. Jesus Christ washed the feet of the Apostles. The King of the Universe, Himself, is taking care of you and me down to the numbering of the hairs of our heads. If He is serving you and me in this way, who are we not to serve in the same way always? We are not greater than our Master. That is why it is very characteristic especially of Orthodox Christians that we are hospitable people. We welcome people as guests. We treat people who come to our home as Christ Himself. We are serving people: if they have needs, it is characteristic to look after them. Russian and Ukrainian literature is full of stories about people who are doing exactly this thing, serving other people, caring for our people. We are being true to the path of our Saviour Jesus Christ when we are behaving like this. The Apostles Peter and Paul also are setting another very good example for us: they gave their lives completely to the Saviour. And so we should do the same. But also note, the Apostles Peter and Paul had some strong differences of opinion as to how to go about preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We can see in the writings of the Apostle Paul how strongly he disagreed with the Apostle Peter on some occasions. The fact of this disagreement does not mean that they were enemies because they disagreed. They had different opinions. The Lord prospered the multiplication and spread of the Gospel just because of these different opinions. These two very different men preached the Gospel in two different ways to different groups of people. They were suited to different evangelical tasks, and as a result of this, many more people were converted to the love of Jesus Christ than if they had gone about doing their preaching and serving in exactly the same way. They had disagreements, yes. The Apostle Paul had disagreements about how to go about things with the Apostle Barnabas and Mark, too. Still, that did not mean division. Even if there was disagreement, there was always among the Apostles, reconciliation and harmony. Differences, yes, but co-operative differences. To illustrate this, we have the death of the two Apostles Peter and Paul expressing their unity and their harmony in Jesus Christ...in the same city, the Apostle Peter was crucified upside down as he wished, and the Apostle Paul was beheaded. This characterizes in a very visible way how the Lord Who is the giver of life gives so many gifts to His children, you and me; how He creates all of us uniquely and differently; and how He uses all these uniqueness, these differences, this variety of gifts to give life to this world, to heal the broken-hearted, to heal the sick, to re-unite the separated, to bring home the lost, to give life and light where there is darkness. The Lord uses all of these gifts in us for good, to His glory and for giving life. Let us ask the holy Apostles Peter and Paul to pray for us today that the Lord will give us strength to be faithful to Him until the end as they are, and to serve Him with all of our hearts that we may glorify our Saviour, enter with these Apostles into the Kingdom, and glorify with them this same Saviour Jesus Christ together with the Father, Who is everlasting, and His all-holy good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.
IT’S PICNIC TIME
Originally we had intended to hold the
St. Lazarus Summer Picnic on July
27th, but between the upcoming annu-
al golf outing on August 24th and the
tremendous effort required to sponsor
and staff this year's SNF tournament,
we believe our volunteer base de-
serves a break, so we have decided to
pass on having a picnic this year. We
hope instead that you will consider at-
tending the summer gatherings of our
sister churches: St. Stevan Decanski on
July 13th at their picnic grounds near
26 Mile; St. Petka on August 3rd at Staro
Selo picnic grounds; and St. George on
September 1st on their grounds. This is
a great way to get our churches togeth-
er to enjoy and encourage fellowship
within our Serbian Orthodox communi-
ty. We will publish additional details
as we receive them.
HAVE YOU HEARD?
Parishioners in the News
• Danny and Stephanie Capuzzi are the proud parents of a baby boy, Eli. The 7 lb. 9 oz and 17.5 inch long bundle of joy arrived on June 14th. A future tenor for the Ravanica Choir! Proud grandparents are Mary and Roy Downie and Donna and Frank Capuzzi of Monroeville, PA. All reports indicate that the new family is excited and doing fine. Welcome baby Eli and congratulations to the Capuzzi and Downie families! George & Kristen Romac recently welcomed baby Maria to the world. Proud grandparents are parishioners Milica and Vaso Romac who report that the new family is doing great! Welcome baby Maria and congratulations to the Romac family! Likewise, congratulations are sent to Gordana and Mark Fudge on the birth of their baby boy Marko. Proud grandparents are parishioners Djore and Branka Misovski who report that the new family is doing great! Welcome baby Marko and congratulations to the Fudge and Misovski families.
• Several of our parishioners have been under the weather. Protinica Paulina Mijatovich is recuperating at home following hospitalization and rehab. Danica Gataiant is also in the rehabilitation center and progressing well. As a result of a fall, Beba Zatezalo is in rehab and doing well. Milos Saravolatz is recuperating at home following hip replacement surgery and is reported to be making great progress. The golf course awaits you, Milos. We send our wishes for speedy recoveries. Please say a prayer and light a candle for their health..
• Parents Jill and Mark Maxwell and grandparents Kathie and Art Anderson are so proud of their daughter and granddaughter Ashley who received all the awards available at her 8th Grade Awards Ceremony: "A" Honor Roll all 3 years; All "A" Honor Roll All Year; President's Award for Educational Excellence (signed by Pres Obama; 3.5+ average each semester for all 3 years to qualify; Excellence in Attendance all 3 years. All of us are very proud of you too, Ashley and wish you every continued success as you begin high school in the fall.
• Ron and Michalene Payok are very proud of their daughter-in-law, Jennifer, who was recently honored with a big promotion at the Attorney General's Office of Michigan. Jennifer is the youngest person in the state of Michigan to receive the position of the First Assistant in the State Operations Division. Congratulations, Jennifer, on your achievement!
• Congratulations to Ron and Michalene Payok who celebrated their 42nd wedding anniversary on June 12th. May you enjoy many, many more!
• We offer congratulations to two of our parish young doctors: Marko Golusin recently graduated from medical school and will begin his hospital residency in Akron, Ohio. Adam Haezehrouck completed his residency at Garden City Hospital and has accepted a staff position at St. Mary’s of Livonia where he will also be mentoring medical students. Our congratulations and best wishes for continued success to both Marko and Adam. We are all very proud of you!
• Three Ravanica Choir members received 50 year pins at the recent Serbian Singing Federation Festival in Lansing, Illinois in recognition of their 50 years as active choir members of our Ravanica Choir. Congratulations to Kathie Anderson; Michalene Payok and Karen Todorov! Keep singing ladies
• May our dear Sally Spomenka Thomas rest in peace and make her memory be eternal. +Spomenka was buried on June 25
67 YEARS AGO
+Draza Mihailovich
(April 27, 1893-July 17, 1946)
Dragoljub "Draža" Mihailovi ć; also known as "Čiča Draža", April 7, 1893 – July 17, 1946) was a Yugoslav Serbian general. A staunch Serbian patriot, he retreated to the mountains near Belgrade when the Germans overran Yugoslavia in April 1941 and there he organized bands of guerrillas known as the Chetnik movement The Chetnik organization, officially named the Yugoslav Army in the Fatherland (JVUO, ЈВУО), was founded as a royalist/nationalist Serbian resistance movement and was the first Yugoslav military opposition against invaders but by late 1941 they had fallen out with the communist resistance forces, the Partisans From early 1942 Chetnik factions began collaborating with Italian forces and, after the collapse of Italy as an Axis power, with German occupation forces.
After the war, Mihailović was tried and convicted of high treason and war crimes by the Yugoslav authorities, and executed by a firing squad .
General Draza Mihailovich Honored
During World War II, many American pilots were downed by German fighters. Many of these pilots were rescued from certain doom by General Draza Mihailovich. His efforts in the German-occupied Yugoslavia saved many American lives by smuggling them back to friendly territory.
Due to the efforts of Major Richard L. Felman and his buddies, President Harry S. Truman, on the recommendation of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, posthumously awarded Mihailovich the "Legion of Merit", for the rescue of American Airmens by Chetniks.
Legion of Merit medal for General Mihailovich's heroics in WWII
GOD BLESS AMERICA
The Song Background
The time was 1940. America was still in a terrible economic depression. Hitler was taking over Europe
and Americans were afraid we'd have to go to war. It was a time of hardship and
worry for most Americans. This was the era just before TV, when radio shows were HUGE, and
American families sat around their radios in the evenings, listening to their favorite entertainers, and no
entertainer of that era was bigger than Kate Smith.
Kate was also large in size, and the popular phrase still used today is in deference to her, "Ain' over till
the fat lady sings". Kate Smith might not have made it big in the age of TV, but with her voice coming
over the radio, she was the biggest star of her time.
Kate was also very patriotic. It hurt her to see Americans so depressed and afraid of what the next day
would bring. She had hope for America , and faith in her fellow Americans. She wanted to do
something to cheer them up, so she went to the famous American song-writer, Irving Berlin (also wrote
"White Christmas") and asked him to write a song that would make Americans feel good again about
their country.
When she described what she was looking for, he said he had just the song for her. He went to his files
and found a song that he had written, but never published, 22 years before - way back in 1917.
He gave it to Kate Smith and she worked on it with her studio orchestra. She and Irving Berlin were not
sure how the song would be received by the public, but both agreed they would not take any profits
from God Bless America . Any profits would go to the Boy Scouts of America. Over the years,
the Boy Scouts have received millions of dollars in royalties from this song.
rthodoxG:l b TM
As Orthodox Christians, our goal is to live a pure and holy life. There is a set of guidelines we can follow to help us live a virtuous life. If we concentrate on doing what is pure and holy, then we don't need to worry about doing what makes God unhappy with us. The Holy Virtues are pleasing to God but their opposite sins keep us away from God. To help us, we receive the Holy Sacraments, we pray for guidance, and we surround our
selves with people who will lead us closer to God. At the same time, God understands that sometimes it is difficult to follow all these guidelines, and teaches us that through repentance and confession, all our sins will be forgiven.
Virtues in the Bible "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true. whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just.
whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things .• Philippians 4:8
"These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood. a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift
in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren." Proverbs 6:16-19
Patience
Humility
Kindness
Temperance
Chastity
Generosity
Diligence
Behaving with grace and being calm when dealing with difficult situations. Peace is always the answer.
Being selfless and always thinking of others first.
Being happy with our life and behaving in a kind, friendly and understanding way with others no matter what.
Having self-control and living with moderation and within our needs.
Keeping our body. our mind and our soul pure.
Sacrificing our wants so that we Greed can help and give to others.
Working hard and never giving Sloth up in order to meet our goals.
Impatience
Pride
Envy
Gluttony
Lust
Lacking Faith in God, not counting on Him and not trusting in Him. Wanting what we want immediately.
Being arrogant and believing that we are better than others.
Disliking someone because of the things that they have.
Always wanting more things than we actually need.
Having impure thoughts and ideas.
Wanting something because someone else has it.
Behaving in a lazy way and expecting others to give you everything without working for it.
c~ b TMo <Orthodoxa
Name:_____________ Date:________
Choose one of the guidelines, then draw a picture of yourself
using it.
Write the red letters on the line to find out what guidelines we must follow to be closer to God.
GT FH H KH EJRC GTH NVRXJ IFRS FLT NG IJDA JG N ISV KS I KM RLKT SD UDC EVM S .
PRAYER - PSALM 121:1 (120)
I lift up my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and Earth.
- Divine Liturgy
SV. ELIJAHSV. ELIJAHSV. ELIJAHSV. ELIJAH
August2
St. Elijah is an Old Testament prophet who was born in the city of Thesbite which was near the border of what
is today Arabia. He was known as Elijah, " Tesvicanin," the Tishbite. He lived in Syria 850 years before the birth
of Christ. St. Elijah grew up in a family of priests from whom he received his educa&on, thereby dedica&ng his
soul and body to God. He thus became a spiritual leader of the Hebrew people. St. Elijah had dis&nguished him-
self for his strict moral principles and his uncompromising fight for the true and right religion of his fathers.
His life and great work fall during the period of wickedness, corrup&on, and immorality of the evil Hebrews.
Even the king's palace was not spared from immorality and wickedness. During the reign of King Ahab, immoral-
ity and corrup&on reached their peak. His wife, Jezebel, was a worshipper of many gods, in order to please her,
the king had smelted two idols into an image of two golden calves and had invited all the people to worship
them as gods and bring before them sacrifices. Full of ardor for faith in one true God, St. Elijah appeared before
the king and said that for this act Ahab and his people will be punished and that the heavens will close and not
one drop of rain will fall upon the earth. This prophecy of St. Elijah was fulfilled. The heavens closed and neither
a drop of rain nor a dewdrop fell upon the earth. The intense heat of the sun scorched all the trees, vines, flow-
ers, and grass. The smaller rivers dried up. The soil cracked. Famine broke out and the dry spell lasted for three
and one-half years.
St. Elijah made an appearance before the king and requested that the priests of many gods bring before the al-
tar their sacrifice and that he, too, would bring one. He wanted this done in the presence of all the children of
Israel. Whose sacrifice is accepted by Heaven will be the true one and they then will serve and worship that
God. The sacrifice of St. Elijah was accepted. As soon as Elijah finished praying to God, thunder resounded and a
fire from heaven enveloped the sacrifice of Elijah. The priests of many gods bowed their heads in shame while
the people turned their beliefs to the one true God and recognized Elijah as a great prophet and fiery preacher
of God's truth. Even a4er this miracle, wicked Jezebel con&nued to condemn Elijah and searched for means of
wiping him out. Meanwhile, the unseen hand of God safeguarded him.
The departure of St. Elijah from earth was truly a miracle. One day as he was walking with Elisha, his succes-
sor, a fiery chariot appeared from heaven into which Elijah entered and was carried forth to heaven. The fiery
words with which the great prophet condemned evil and immorality were as violent as the thunder and light-
ning which had set afire the sacrifice and had defeated the idol worshippers of that &me. This is why the Serbian
people have named him "gromovik", which means the "thunderer".
The Holy Orthodox Church remembers St. Elijah as an incarnate angel and regards him as a forerunner and pro-
totype of the Messiah as is sung in the short hymn or troparion dedicated to him. These are the words of the
hymn sung every year in church on St. Elijah Day
“O angel incarnate and founda�on of the prophets, second forerunner of the Advent of Christ, Glorious Eli-
jah, thou didst send down grace from above upon Elisha, who wards off diseases and cleanses lepers,
and abounds accordingly with healing remedies for those who honor him."
BLT Dip
Great for the Fourth of July!
Ingredients:
1-1/2 pound bacon, cooked, drained, crumbled, and divided
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded) or to taste
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (or to taste)
1 tablespoons mustard
2 cups chopped seeded tomatoes
1-1/2 cup shredded Iceberg lettuce
pepper an salt to taste
Toasted bread rounds, crackers, or pita chips.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350˚. Spray a 11⁄2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Set aside 3/4 cup crumbled bacon.
In a large bowl, combine remaining bacon, cream cheese, shredded cheeses, sour cream, mayonnaise,
Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and mustard. Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle chopped tomatoes, remaining 3/4 cup
crumbled bacon, and Iceberg lettuce over hot dip. Serve immediately with toasted bread rounds,
crackers, or pita chips.
The Transfiguration of Our Lord
Celebrated on August 6 (August 19)
When You were transfigured, 0 Savior, upon a high mountain, having with You the chief disciples, You shone
forth in glorious majesty, proving thereby that those who surpass in the height of their virtues shall be counted
worthy of the divine glory. Talking with Christ, Moses and Elijah showed that He is the Lord of both the living and
the dead, the God who spoke of old through the Law and the Prophets. And the voice of the Father testified to
Him from the cloud of light saying, "Hear Him, who through His Cross destroys hell and gives the dead eternal
life."
Having uncovered, 0 Savior, a little of the light of Your divinity to those who went up with You into the mountain,
You have made them lovers of Your heavenly glory. Therefore they cried in awe: "It is good for us to be here. With
them we all we sing unto You…
From the Vespers and Matins for the feast.
The Transfiguration of Christ is one of the central events recorded in the Gospels. Immediately after the Lord was
recognized by His disciples as the Christ, the Son of the Living God, he told them that He must go up to Jerusalem
and suffer many things... and be killed and on the third day be raised. This announcement of Christ's approaching
passion and death was met with indignation by the disciples. And then, after rebuking them, the Lord took Peter,
James, and John up to a high mountain, by tradition Mount Tabor, and was transfigured before them.
In the Transfiguration, the disciples see the glory of the Kingdom of God present in majesty in the Person of
Christ. They see that in Him, all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. They see this before the crucifixion so
that in the resurrection they might know who it is Who has suffered for them, and what it is that this One, who is
God, has prepared for those who love Him.
Besides this meaning, the presence of Moses and Elijah is also of great significance for understanding of the feast.
These two figures actually stand for the Old Testament itself: MOSES for the LAW, and ELIJAH for the
PROPHETS. They also stand for the LIVING and DEAD, for Moses died and his burial place is known, while
Elijah was taken alive into heaven in order to appear again to announce the time of God s salvation in Christ the
Messiah. Christ is the Lord of both the living and the dead.
Taken from The Orthodox Faith, Vol. II, by Fr. Thomas Hopko.
The Blessing of Fruit
The blessing of grapes, as well as other fruits and vegetables on this day is the most beautiful and adequate sign of
the final transfiguration of all things in Christ. It signifies the ultimate flowering and fruitfulness of all creation in
God's Paradise where all will be transformed by the glory of the Lord.
About the Icon
Christ is the central figure; He is clothed in white and completely surrounded by an aureole (elongated halo) to
indicate the brilliant Light of His Divinity which shown From Him. St. Elijah the Prophet is pictured on the left,
and St. Moses the Lawgiver on the right. Moses holds in his hands the tablets of the Ten Commandments which he
received on Mount Sinai. The Disciples Peter, James and John are the three figures shown below Christ; they are
portrayed in an attitude of being overcome by the Uncreated Light of Divinity.
ST. LAZARUS RELIGIOUS DISCUSSION
WE WILL 8E DISCUSSING VARIOUS RELIGIOUS
TOPICS:
• PRAYER: DIVINE LITURGY AND MORE•..
• IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DIVINE LITURGY OR ANY QUESTIONS ON OUR
ORTHODOX RELIGION - COME ON DOWN FOR
A CUP OF COFFEE & REFRESHMENTS AND
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR HOLY ORTHODOX
FAITH.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU!
St. Matthew: From: The Great lavra, Holy Mt. Athos, Greece
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St. Lazarus
ANNUAL GOLF OUTING
Saturday, August 24, 2013 Brentwood Golf Club
2450 Havenwood Rd. White Lake, MI
$125.00 per Golfer Includes:
18 Holes Continental Breakfast, Hot Dog at the turn,
Chicken & Pasta Buffet after golf
4 Person Scramble Breakfast & Registration – 7:30 a.m.
Deadline: August 14, 2013 “Udri ga”
Limit 100 Golfers
Hole Sponsors Needed - $100.00 – 3,000.00 Per Sponsor Deadline August 14, 2013
Call the Church Office for further information: 313-893-6025
A SPECIAL GIFT FOR ALL GOLFERS;
A CHANCE TO WIN A NEW CART!
DINNER & AWARDS CEREMONY TO FOLLOW GOLF
The Golf Outing promises to be a fun and successful event that will benefit
our Church
Children's Page
IN MEMORIAM: Protodeacon Dr. Stanimir Spasovic
Protodeacon Dr. Stanimir Spasovic, 76, passed away in Belgrade on May 17 after a long and serious illness. He was best known in America as long-time professor at the St. Sava School of Theology in Libertyville, IL.
He was born February 3, 1937 of father Vitomir and mother Draga, nee Damjanovic. Following his primary education near Cacak, Serbia, he enrolled in the St. Sava Seminary at St. Archangel Gabriel Monastery in Rakovica in 1953. Once completing his studies, he enrolled at the Theological Faculty in Belgrade, graduating in 1963, and it was then that he married Olga, nee Nikitovic. God blessed them with two children: son Vitomir and daughter Jelena. He was ordained to the deaconate on December 4, 1963 by Serbian Patriarch German and on December 24 of the same year he was appointed as honorary deacon at St. Mark’s Church in Belgrade. He simultaneously served as probationer for the Ecclesiastical Court at the Archdiocese of Belgrade- Karlovci. The Holy Synod appointed him as teacher at the St. Sava Seminary in Belgrade. Once he passed the professor’s examination he enrolled at the Law School of the University of Belgrade.
Upon graduation from this school he took on a doctoral dissertation at the Theological Faculty in Belgrade. In agreement with his mentor, professor Dr. Dusan Kasic, the theme given him was, “Development of the Life and Organization of the Church in Serbia in the XIX century”. After six years of serious research work, he successfully defended his doctoral dissertation in March of 1983. That same year he went to study at Oxford University. Upon his return he applied for the position of docent at the Theological Faculty in Belgrade, for canon and church law.
Bishop Sava (Vukovic) of Sumadija of blessed memory suggested to the Holy Synod that a theological school be established in America. The bishop’s idea was that the goal of the school would primarily be to provide theological education to prepare clergy to serve the Serbian Orthodox Church in those regions and other theological work. The Holy Synod accepted Bishop Sava’s suggestion and sent Protodeacon Dr. Stanimir Spasovic and V. Rev. Dragan Milin to Libertyville, to the St. Sava Monastery, to prepare for the establishing of a theological school there. In the life and work of Protodeacon and Professor Spasovic one can see two separate time periods in his work in education, as a clergyman and as a researcher. The first is connected with Serbia, Belgrade. That period includes his schooling and work at the theological schools and his work as professor and teacher at the St. Sava Seminary in Belgrade, as well as his service as deacon at St. Mark Church in Belgrade. He was published during this period in various periodicals and magazines. The second period includes the time from 1986 when, per the decision of the Holy Synod, he went to America and worked at establishing the School of Theology and his lecturing there. He lectured at the School of Theology in Libertyville for more than twenty years, in the subjects of Canon Law and History of the Serbian Orthodox Church, until August 2010. Besides his many published articles from the history of the Serbian Church and Canon Law, in Serbian and English, during this period three extensive works were produced: The History of the Serbian Church in America and Canada from 1941 to 1991 in Serbian and English; The History of the Serbian Church in Western Europe and The History of the Serbian Church in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. These three significant works were produced based on research from diocesan archives and the archives of parish and church-school congregations and based partly on published articles from various magazines and periodicals. By decision of the Serbian Patriarch, His Holiness Irinej, Protodeacon Stanimir Spasovic, upon his retirement as professor from the School of Theology in Libertyville, was attached to St. Mark’s Church in Belgrade. Many faithful remember the late Protodeacon Stanimir as an excellent singer of church chant. Funeral services took place at St. Nicholas Church in New Belgrade on May 20. May his memory be eternal!
The Fast of the Holy Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos
His Grace, Bishop JOSEPH
DORMITION FAST BEGINS AUGUST 14 THROUGH AUGUST 28, 2013 Source: www.antiochianladiocese.org During this time of the Holy Dormition Fast, we remember the repose of our Lord Jesus Christ’s mother, the ever-blessed Virgin Mary. Some may wonder why we would have this fasting period prior to the commemoration of someone’s death, since the other Great Fasts (i.e. Pascha and the Nativity) precede a joyous celebration. Why should we fast? What use is this feast to us? The Fast of the Holy Dormition is a reminder to us that mankind (even the Mother of the Son of God) will face death in this age. No matter how close we reach to God, we shall all pass through the gate of bodily death. Though we consider the Virgin Mary the greatest Theologian (a theologian is one who hears the Word of God and, as the Scripture says, ‘keeps it’), this is not enough to avoid the natural consequence of the Fall of Adam.
We must all remind ourselves that the time of our death grows nearer each day. Are we ready? Are we prepared? Perhaps some of us have unfinished business: apologies that need to be made, words that need to be said, and forgiveness that needs to be given. Do we wish to pass out of this world and into the presence of God with so much left undone? The time of this fast is established by the Church to help us recognize our sins and repent of them before we take this journey. It is not ‘morbid’ to prepare for one’s death any more than it is ‘morbid’ to have a check-up by a doctor. After all, we go to the doctor to prevent a physical illness from overtaking us, knowing that we can become sick at any time. We think about physical illnesses, are we therefore ‘morbid?’ Certainly not! Rather, we are considered wise for having routine examinations of the body.
So we must also have routine examinations of our soul through Confession. The fast is a ‘check-up,’ a time to examine ourselves to see if there is some unknown spiritual malady lurking in our hearts. We humans are clever, and can hide our guilt and resentment even from our own consciences. However, just like the beginning of any disease, just because we don’t ‘feel sick’ does not mean we are not. Rather, we can be physically sick unto death and feel quite well. The same is true of illnesses of the soul. Through Confession and self-examination with a spiritual director, we can diagnose our spiritual illnesses and begin treatment. Our goal is to pass from this life with a healthy soul, one full of God’s love and mercy, so that we can enjoy all eternity in the presence of our Father. Our enemy is denial, and if we deny our illnesses, they will only worsen us and deny us the joy of the Heavenly Kingdom. Sin is a preventable disease. Though we cannot help but sin (just as we cannot prevent all forms of bodily illness), we can treat sin in its early stages and remove it before it kills us (i.e. totally removes us from God). Through regular ‘check-ups’ with our Confessor, we can monitor our symptoms and take the right treatments. We cannot be cured of our propensity to sin, but we can live healthy lives if we remain disciplined in regularly examining our deepest thoughts and emotions. We live in an unhealthy world. Sin is very contagious, and so we must constantly be on our guard. Just as an unhealthy person, physically weakened by other diseases, is more likely to become sick, so we are likely to fall prey to more and more sin if we refuse to treat the sins we are already afflicted with. Let us use the Paraklesis Service (Supplicatory Prayer) as a tool to remind us of our spiritual afflictions, and ask the Great Physician to enter into us and heal us. As we sing hymns extolling the Virgin Mary, let us beg for Her intercessions for us. We must awaken to the reality of our sins and have confidence that God desires to heal us. The Theotokos is with us, and is a ready aid to strengthen us in the difficult task of repentance. The Holy Dormition Fast is vital to our spiritual well-being, and it is my fervent prayer that all of us take full advantage of the mercy we are offered in it. By being healed by God, we will be given the gift of grace that will allow us to emulate the wondrous virtue of the Most Holy Virgin. I pray, with supplication to the Mother of God, that all of us, clergy and laity, men and women, adults and children, emulate Her example and ask for Her intercessions.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us!
The Apostle Paul bows in honor of the Theotokos
2013
STEWARDSHIP
Our Stewardship focus for 2013 -
Jesus Christ is the same
yesterday and today and
forever. Hebrews 13:8
Stewardship is our financial response to God and His Church. Through our financial commitment our Parish will
be able to carry on its programs for all its members. Please fill out your stewardship card and mail it to the
Church office or return it any Sunday in Church. God has given us everything we have. He expects from us a
generous portion of our blessings for the needs of His Church.”
Starateljstvo je nas finansiski odgovor prema Bogu i Njegovoj Crkvi. Kroz nasa
novcano obavezivanje nasa parohija bice u mogucnosti da ispuni sve njene programe
prema svim parohijanima. Molimo vas popunite KARTU STARATELJSTVA i
posaljite je u crkvenu kancelariju. “Bog nam je dao sve sto imamo. On i ocekuje od
nas dobar deo od blagoslov nam dati za potrebe Njegove Crkve”.
We are grateful to our parish family for their pledge of support to the Church and her ministries for 2013
WHEN I GIVE NOTHING:
I cast a vote to close the church.
WHEN I GIVE LESS THAN ONE-TENTH OF MY INCOME:
I do less than what was required of the poorest Jew.
WHEN I GIVE GRUDGINGLY:
I find no joy in my giving. I am a disappointment to the Lord,
WHEN I REFUSE TO PLAN MY GIVING IN ADVANCE:
I fail to follow God’s plan (2 Cor.9:7).
WHEN I GIVE WEEKLY:
I help fulfill the planned program of the church.
I make it much easier for myself by avoiding the accumulation of my stewardship
obligation.
I find joy and satisfaction in my giving plan. (1 Cor. 16:2).
WHEN I GIVE PROPORTIONATELY:
I shall be blessed in my giving and will be enriched in every way (2 Cor. 9:11).
I shall increase my gifts as my income increases.
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CHURCH SERVICES
Return to Summer Hours:
By popular demand, Divine Liturgy will begin at 9:00 a.m. starting Sunday, July 7th and will continue through September 4th.
Christ is Risen! Sunday is just around the corner and
it would be good for you to take your children to
Church and pray.” Let them come unto me said the
Lord”, and when they do they are going to be saintly
children, as well as good loving children. As a family
stay close to your Church and pray together. Peace
to your soul! A pilgrim in our Lord, +Archimandrite
Nektarios (Serfes) Who loves to pray for you and
with you!
