Sunday of the All Saints

Христос Међу Нама! Christ is in our midst! Cristo esta' entra nosotros!


Homily on the Sunday of All Saints

St. Mardarije of Libertyville


Every time I ascend this sacred cathedra, there is much I would like to take from the Divine treasury for your edification and transmit it all to you at one time, but it’s not possible. Today I want to draw your pious attention not to some particular subject of ecclesiastical or spiritual life, not to some specific dogmatic or moral teaching, or finally, to a specific person who could serve as an object of edification or veneration, but to the whole host of all the saints who have pleased God from time immemorial. Today, the first Sunday after Pentecost of the holy Church, is dedicated to their memory. Although the Church dedicates every day of the year to one, two, or three saints, offering the bloodless sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord God for them; magnifying, glorifying, and blessing their eternal memory, labors, illnesses, sufferings and life in the Lord, fervently resorting to their intercession, entreating their intercession and help for all of us sinners who are still performing our earthly endeavors, it has determined to annually dedicate the first Sunday after Pentecost to the memory of all saints who have pleased God throughout the ages.


The holy Church firmly believes that there are many such saints who led their ascetic lives in solitude, in impenetrable centuries-old forests, deserts, mountains, far from the world and its vanity, where they reposed in silence, whose lives—labors, podvigs, days of repose, and names—remained unknown. Unable to dedicate a special day of the year to each, as the day of their repose is unknown, the holy Church chose this day for their common commemoration. That’s why in the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, celebrated only ten times a year, in one of the prayers after the Cherubic Hymn, the priest, standing before the altar of the Lord, prays that He might remember all those who labored in mountains, dens, and the abysses of the earth and remained unknown to the world. Thus, today is the day of all saints who have pleased God throughout the ages. What a magnificent and wonderful day for all Christians! What a moving commemoration! The eyes of the earthly militant Church of Christ are turned to Heaven today, to the Church Triumphant, to the hosts of the saints who have pleased God from time immemorial, and only He knows their names!


These eyes are full of joyous and prayerful hope in those who are so solemnly glorified by millions of grace-filled Christian hearts throughout the whole world today. Truly, wondrous is God in His saints. A whole host of saints: forefathers, patriarchs, prophets and apostles, holy hierarchs and martyrs, the venerable and the righteous, unmercenaries and fools for Christ, recluses and stylites of all ages who have lived righteously on earth, are now gratefully remembered by the Church, which sends up its veneration and praise to them.


Truly, wondrous is God in His saints. Do you think, perhaps, brothers, that the holy Church chose this day for the glorification of all the saints accidentally, for no reason? No. It has a deep and very substantial reason for this. We just celebrated the great day of the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the day of the Holy Trinity, and immediately after this great feast, the holy Church dedicates this day to all saints. Why? Because all the saints of God were saved by their lives of asceticism according to their firm faith, but in no case could they receive salvation without the grace-filled help of the Holy Spirit, however strong and great their faith and however great their labors and podvigs. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast (Eph. 2:8-9), says Holy Scripture. This is why man is incapable of fulfilling his earthly work in a manner worthy of his calling as a Christian without the grace-filled help of the Holy Spirit.


Every day at Matins during the reading of the Six Psalms, the priest prays to God that His providence would guide Christians aright in life, for we must not only be saved, but also pray: “For we know not how to pray as we ought, lest Thou Thyself shouldst guide us by Thy Holy Spirit.” That means our salvation is closely connected with the work of God the Holy Spirit within us, and all the numerous saints whom the Church celebrates today were saved by the grace of God the Holy Spirit; therefore, when if not now should we commemorate all saints, when we all have the freshest memory of the great day of the Holy Trinity that has just passed, and by Whose grace all the saints we revere are saved? Truly great is the power of the grace of the Holy Spirit. Brethren, let us learn today, on this day dedicated to all saints, to cherish and entreat grace-filled help from God the Holy Spirit, without Whom we can’t utter a good word, let alone perform some kind of pious podvig and gain salvation.


There are none among Christians who could be saved solely by their own efforts without the grace-filled help of the Holy Spirit. A Christian may have a firm character, a strong will, and the intention to live piously and be saved, but all his efforts are in vain without the grace-filled help of the Holy Spirit. Just remember the words of the Savior, which are still known to us now when the second millennium is already ending: Whosoever speaketh against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. Therefore, let us ever turn to the grace-filled help of God the Holy Spirit: “O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth… come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every impurity, save our souls, O Good One.” On this great day, dedicated to all saints, let us pray, pious brethren, to the wonderful council of God’s chosen ones, that they might be our intercessors before God for us sinners.


Although we have one Mediator for mankind—the man Christ Jesus; Who gave Himself a ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:5-6), God is pleased with His saints’ intercessions for us sinners. Without any doubt, let us ever fall down with fervent prayer for their help, and they will hear us and come to help us in difficult moments, heal us of our illnesses, comfort us in our sorrows and grief, and strengthen us in faintheartedness and despondency—for the prayer of the righteous availeth much. Remembering all the saints today, may this feast not pass without our own edification. What can this feast teach us? Many useful and salvific things. Let us only recall what many saints were like for many years of their lives. The history of the Church tells us that among the saints were many who were great sinners, only later becoming God-pleasers.


Let’s take King David, for example. He was a murderer and adulterer, and later a great righteous one who left the wondrous book of the Psalter, in which he mourned his fall for all the world to hear, giving an example of how sinners of all ages should repent. And how many Christians find complete healing and consolation for their broken hearts in the Psalter! And there are the harlots Mary of Egypt, Pelagia of Palestine, and Eudoxia of Phoenicia, who later became the greatest ascetics, earthly angels. Are not these amazing examples of an extraordinary rebirth? For the greatest, well-known harlots to become chosen ones of God, to rise from the abyss of vice for the ascetic, angelic life is truly a matter worthy of amazement and reverence. And the preeminent disciple of the Savior, Peter, a traitor and oath breaker who was then restored his apostolic dignity by tears and a threefold confession of love, gives us an example of firm faith. And there’s the cruel persecutor of the faith of Christ and His followers, Saul of Tarsus, later an ardent zealot of evangelical preaching: the Apostle Paul, who founded more Churches in various Asian and European countries than all the other Apostles.


And there’s our Russian prince, the idolater and polygamist Vladimir, later the baptized Christian Vasily, who enlightened the whole Russian land with the light of the Gospel teaching. And finally, we have the thief from the height of the cross, the greatest criminal and villain and then a worthy heir of Paradise. Do you see, beloved brethren, what kind of youth and early years these holy God-pleasers had? But what a power regenerated their sinful nature! How many of them, once servants of darkness, later became servants of light! For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men (Tit. 2:11) and touched the feeble human heart, hitherto hardened, rude, unfaithful, and dark; and then, touched by grace, the human heart changed, rejecting the works of darkness and coming to love the true light. Do not these few examples, brethren, show how powerful the effect of God’s grace is on the heart of man? But the working of the grace of God was not so accessible to people before the death of the Son of God as after the offering of the redemptive Golgotha sacrifice. As God’s grace worked in those times, so it works now, for the Lord Jesus Christ is the same today, yesterday, and forever. Just as the greatest sinners were saved in the past, so now the Lord will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4). Before this Sacrifice, all the righteous went to hades.


Now the grace of God cleanses and sanctifies hundreds and millions of Christian souls through the communion of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ and the reception of the other salvific Sacraments, which forgive and reconcile a man with God, purifying him and making him holy. Therefore, you can judge, pious listeners, how fortunate we are that we live within the enclosure of the Orthodox Church, which provides us everything necessary for salvation! How fortunate you are, our children and descendants, protected from the treacherous, stormy sea of life by the saving ship—the holy Church! Should we not thank the Lord Who loves us for His great mercy shown to all who desire to be saved and live piously in Christ Jesus? But this life in Christ Jesus, the life of piety and salvation, is bound up with trials. It is a narrow and thorny path, which was traversed by all the saints we venerate today. It was through many sorrows that they entered the Heavenly Kingdom, and these sorrows are inevitable for us. But dare I address this word of exhortation to you, brethren, who are groaning under the heavy burden of trials, that you might continue to bear this heavy burden?


During these trials, the world preaches to you from all sides in the name of its philosophy to leave this path of trials, to forget the whole past and dream of a future that will know nothing of trials. May the Lord God preserve you from such a rash and disastrous step! The world offers you an easy path full of consolation, but believe, brethren, that this path will poison your whole soul and grieving heart. It cannot bring you comfort—it will be a short-lived and false consolation, leading to destruction. This path will lead you to a dejected, unspeakable grief; to despair. Beware of this deceptive and seductive path with all its dangers and abysses, which all the saints whom we glorify managed to avoid. In those blows you suffer, in those constant trials, behold the wondrous love of the Savior, Who suffered all His life under the blows of superhuman trials. And when you are exhausted due to your natural human weakness, take your mind to the distant borders of the Palestinian Holy Land and stand upon the shore of that small lake where the Apostles, sailing in the middle of the night, were ready to lose heart in the horror of the heavy ordeal. Stand reverently and wait, and your spiritual eyes will open, and you, like the Apostles, will hear the sweet voice of the Savior: It is I; be not afraid. (Jn. 6:20), and being so emboldened, continue upon the path of earthly trials.


I would like to talk to you forever today, magnifying every one of the saints we’re commemorating today, praising their labors, podvigs, vigils, and difficult trials for our own edification. But there is such a multitude of them that it would take not an hour or two, not a day or two, but years to describe all their labors and illnesses by which they attained to the Heavenly Kingdom. Let us recall just one who is especially close to my, and I think our hearts, who for thirty years faced a bottomless ocean of torments of the flesh, heart, and human spirit, whose life was a continuous struggle, full of bitterness, hatred, treason, sicknesses, dangers, and the contempt of this world. I am talking about an ardent zealot of the Gospel of Christ, of the founder of numerous Christian communities and Churches in Asia and Europe, of the preeminent Apostle St. Paul. Look into his epistles, into this treasury of Christ’s teaching, and you will see that he who had a greater right than any other to entreat God to end his cup of suffering begins all his numerous epistles with an expression of gratitude to his God and Savior. Take, brethren, his precious testament to all followers of Christ and learn patience and endurance of earthly trials from him, and the burden and yoke of Christ will not be so terrible and heavy for you.


The blind world, seeing your Christian patience, will meet you with contempt, but you must remember the divine words: All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (2 Tim. 3:12). And we who are faithful to the precepts of our Savior, fulfilling His commandments of love for our persecutors and enemies, and imitating the saints whom we now revere, will entreat the Lord that He might bless and touch with His life-giving grace the ungrateful, sinful human nature that crucified Him on the Cross, and turn it to the path of truth, that with one mouth and one heart all might glorify His thrice-holy name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

~Hymnography of the Day~

 Commemorating the saints of the Holy Orthodox Church known to us and those known only to God.

 

RESURRECTION TROPARION—TONE 8

You descended from on high, O Merciful One! You accepted the three day burial to free us from our sufferings! O Lord, our Life and Resurrection, glory to You!


ALL SAINTS TROPARION — TONE 4

As with fine porphyry and royal purple, Your Church has been adorned with Your martyrs’ blood shed throughout all the world. She cries to You, O Christ God: “Send down Your bounties on Your people, grant peace to Your habitation and great mercy to our souls!”


RESURRECTIONAL KONTAKION—TONE 8

By rising from the tomb, You did raise the dead and resurrect Adam. Eve exults in Your Resurrection, and the world celebrates Your rising from the dead, O Greatly Merciful One!



ALL SAINTS KONTAKION —TONE 8

The universe offers You the God-bearing Martyrs as the first fruits of creation, O Lord and Creator. By their prayers keep Your Church, Your habitation, in abiding peace through the Theotokos, O most Merciful One!

 

~Scripture Readings of the Day~

READERS:

This Week: Matins: Nicholas Ressetar Epistle: Marko Rocknage

Next Week: Matins: Lenny Tepsic Epistle: Rdr. Nicholas Govelovich


EPISTLE: Hebrews 11:33-12:2

DEACON:      Let us pay attention. 

PRIEST:        Peace be unto all!

READER:      And with your spirit!

DEACON:      Wisdom.

READER:      The Prokeimenon in the Eighth Tone: Pray and make your vows before the Lord our God!

CHOIR: Pray and make your vows before the Lord our God!

READER: v: In Judah God is known; His name is great in Israel.

CHOIR: Pray and make your vows before the Lord our God!

READER: Pray and make your vows ...

CHOIR: … before the Lord our God!

DEACON: Wisdom!

READER: The Reading is from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Hebrews.

DEACON: Let us attend!

READER: Brothers and Sisters, who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.  Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.  They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

PRIEST: Peace be unto you, reader!

READER: And with your spirit! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

READER: The righteous cried and the Lord heard them and delivered them out of all their troubles.

CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

READER: Many are the afflictions of the righteous; the Lord will deliver them out of them all.

CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

 

 

АПОСТОЛ: Јеврејима 11:33-12:2

Ђакон:         Пазимо

Свештеник: Мир свима!

Читач:           I Духу Твоме!

Ђакон:          Премудрост

Читач : ПРОКИМЕН- глас 8 Молите се и извршујте своје завјете Господу Богу нашему.

Хор: Молите се и извршујте своје завјете Господу Богу нашему.

Читач: Зна се у Јудеји за Бога, у Израиљу је велико име Његово.

Хор: Молите се и извршујте своје завјете Господу Богу нашему.

Читач: Молите се и извршујте своје завјете

Хор: Господу Богу нашему.

Ђакон: Премудрост

Читач: Читање посланице Св. Апостола Павла Јеврејима

Ђакон: Пазимо

Читач: Браћо, они који вјером побиједише царства, чинише правду, добише обећања, затворише уста лавовима, угасише силу огњену, утекоше од оштрица мача, од немоћних постадоше јаки, бијаху силни у рату, поразише војске туђинске; Неке жене примише своје мртве васкрсењем; други пак бијаху мукама уморени не приставши на избављење, да би добили боље васкрсење; А други искусише поруге и шибања, па још окове и тамнице; Камењем побијени, престругани, измучени, од мача помријеше; потуцаше се у кожусима и козјим кожама у оскудици, у невољама, у патњама; Они којих свијет не бијаше достојан, потуцаху се по пустињама и горама и по пештерама и по јамама земаљским. И сви ови, освједочени у вјери, не добише обећање; Зато што је Бог нешто боље предвидјео за нас, да не би они без нас достигли савршенство. Зато и ми, имајући око себе толики облак свједока, одбацимо свако бреме и гријех који нас лако заводи, и са стрпљењем хитајмо у подвиг који нам предстоји, гледајући на Исуса, Начелника и Савршитеља вјере, који умјесто предстојеће му радости претрпи крст, не марећи за срамоту, и сједе с десне стране Пријестола Божијега.

Свештеник: Мир свима Читачу!

Читач: I Духом Твоме! Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа

Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа

Читач: Завапише праведници и Господ их чу.

Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа

Читач: Многе невоље имају праведници, али их од свих избавља Господ.

Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа

 

 

LITURGY GOSPEL:  

Matthew 10:32-33; 37-38; 19:27-30 

The Lord said to His disciples, “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.  But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?” So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

   

ЈЕВАНЂЕЉЕ:   

Матеј 10:32-33; 37-38; 19:27-30 

Рече Господ својим ученицима: сваки који призна мене пред људима, признаћу и ја њега пред Оцем својим који је на небесима. А ко се одрекне мене пред људима, одрећи ћу се и ја њега пред Оцем својим који је на небесима. Који љуби оца или матер већма него мене, није мене достојан; и који љуби сина или кћер већма него мене, није мене достојан. И који не узме крст свој и не пође за мном, није мене достојан. Тада одговори Петар и рече му: Ето, ми смо оставили све и за тобом пошли; шта ће, дакле, нама бити? А Исус им рече: Заиста вам кажем да ћете ви који пођосте за мном, у новом животу, када сједне Син Човјечији на пријесто славе своје, сјести и сами на дванаест пријестола и судити над дванаест племена Израиљевих. И сваки који је оставио кућу, или браћу, или сестре, или оца, или матер, или жену, или дјецу, или земљу, имена мога ради, примиће сто пута онолико, и наслиједиће живот вјечни. Али ће многи први бити посљедњи и посљедњи први.

   

~ The Week Ahead: Scriptures and Services ~

ALL SAINTS

SUNDAY

June 30, 2024

Hebrews 11: 33-12:2

Matthew 10: 32-33, 37-38; 19: 27-30

8:30 am Matins

9:30 am Liturgy



Monday

July 1, 2024

Romans 2:28-3:18

Matthew 6:31-34; 7: 9-11



Tuesday

July 2, 2024

Romans 4: 4-12

Matthew 7: 15-21


Wednesday,

July 3, 2024

Romans 4: 13-25

Matthew 7: 21-23

Thursday

July 4, 2024

INDEPENDENCE DAY

Romans 5: 10-16

Matthew 8: 23-27


OFFICE CLOSED


Friday

July 5, 2024

Romans 5:17-6:2

Matthew 9: 14-17


Saturday

July 6, 2024

St. John

of San Francisco

Romans 3: 19-26

Matthew 7: 1-8


9:00am Liturgy


5:00pm Vespers


2nd Sunday after Pentecost

July 7, 2024

Nativity of

St. John the Baptist

Romans 2:10-16, 13:11-14:4

Matthew 4: 18-23

Luke 1:1-25, 57-58, 76, 80

8:30 am Matins

9:30 am Liturgy



"Praise ye the Lord"


Composer: D. Bortniansky

Choir: Russian State Academic Symphony Choir

Praise ye the Lord, Bortniansky

MATINS GOSPEL:   


First Resurrection Gospel: Matthew 28: 16-20

At that time, the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

  

~Prayers for the Faithful~


In Our Prayers

Metropolitan Paul, Archbishop Youhanna, Protinica Ljubica Jockovic, Protopresbyter Rodney Torbic, Popadija Sara Golic, Matushka Barbara Ealy, the child Katie Elizabeth and her parents Mileva and Michael Repasky, the child Metodija and his parents Fr. Dn. Milan and Mira Damljanovic, the child Louise Bare and her parents Zachary & Elizabeth, Shayle York and the newborn Šeren Lily, Kaitlyn Hook and the newborn Bowen William, Cassandra Semic and the newborn Palmer Belle, Catherine Lewis and the newborn Caleb Ereno, Kyranna Baker and the newborn Christopher Baker, Mara Bebeau and the child to be born of her, Michelle Adams, Addy Andy, Lori Bare, Dori & Doug Bert, Jonathan Bertsch, Larry Black, Carole Blitva, Stephan and Barbara Blitva, Walter “Bud” Brown, Guiliana & Aleksandar Carricato, Irina Chudinova, Susan & Jim Cibort, Leann Cox, Victoria Cox, Art Dils, Tommy & Kara (Blitva) Dorsey, Edward Dry, JoAnn Filepas, Anaya Garvin, Christian & Melanie Geib, Michael Geppert III, Nevenka Gojkovic, Dr Andrea Govelovich, Nick & Terry Govelovich, Kata Gruich, George Gutshall, Dan Hazlett, Travis Heilman, Adam Herigan, Edith Herigan, Kay Himes, Nicole Stefan Imschweiler, Susan Jacobs, Slobodan Jovicic, Tony Kepp, Myong Sook Kim, Spencer Klinge, Dorothy Krnjaich, Dragica Kuzmanovic, Henry Laichak, Peter Lalic, Dragan Lalovic, Stella Wren Lappas, Jovan Lemajic, Dick Livingston, Maggie Livingston, Boro Lojpur, John Luksic, Stephen Lundingrin, Penny MacDonald, Dianne & Jim Martin, Rowan Martin, Daria Milletics, Jack McFall, George Milakovic, Marija Miljkovic, Peter Mrgich, George Myers, Katherine Nation, Patty Navarro, Bosiljka Ninkovic, Lila Packer, Daniel Paddock, Vid & Marica Pejcic, Hope Pesner, Kobe Petrovich, Sue Petrovich, Tracy Petrovich, Christopher Radanovic, Linda Rodgers, Logan Roszkowski, Chloe Ruff, Greg Selman, Michael Schaffner, Maryann Seiders, Steven Semic, Benjamin Shaffer, Tessa Shaffer, John Sheaffer, Branko Smitran, Zorka Starcevich, Tim Stefan, Michael Stepanovich, Stevan and Mary Stojic, Patricia & Joseph Sypniewski, Leonard Tepsich, Leroy Tepsich Jr, Savka Trivun, Edie & Michael “Bo” Venesevich, Michael Vishnesky, Rita Vorkapich, Kristina Vukalo, Steve Vulich, Paula Werner, Draga Worman, Beverly Yanich, Tosh Yanich, Dewey Yetter, Mila “Millie” Yezdimir, Marija Zabrodnaya, Jason Zeigler, Ashley Ziobrowski, Demetrios & Eleni Ziogas, Miriam “Mim” Codan Ziolkowski

 

 

Those Who Need Special Care 

ECUMENICAL (COUNTRY MEADOWS) Jane Rush, HOMELAND: Draga Donato; MASONIC HOME: Ray Foltz; RS: Cedo Lukic


Those to be Baptized

Sloane, Berkeley & Palmer Semic, Barrett Scott, Divna & Danica Mitrovic, Nora & Maeve Van Huysen, Sloane & Šeren York

 

Our College Students

Sophia Adams, Cameron Barber, Michael Geppert, Anastasija Gligorevic, Cayden Healy, Matthew Hoover, Kalei Howard, Faith Kingsbury, Sophia Mummert, Kobe Petrovich, Christina Radanovic, Ioanna Radanovic, Madison Vorkapich, Anastasija Vukalo

 

Our Dearly Departed Loved Ones

Florence Ivanoff, Sofija Wuselich, Dr Stevan ‘Rick’ Zivic, Radenko Kuzmanovic, Nathan Rush, Slavko Djordjic, Slobodan Saran, George Radanovic, Edward Hojnicki, Meilka “Sandy” Marijan, Bogoljub Blagojevic, Jovanka Foltz


~Vigils Offered~


CHRISTOPHER BAKER Offered by the loving grandparents, Chris and Jevi Radanovic on behalf of their grandson, born on Tuesday, July 25 to Kyranna Baker. May he be granted many many years!


LARRY BLACK Offered with love by the Barber, Geib & McLaughlin Families for God’s Blessings during his recovery. We pray that He will bless him with good health. Our Love & Prayers are with him.


TOOTSIE KRNJAICH Offering vigils and prayers for our Kuma Tootsie. May God’s blessings be with her during her rehab period. From her Godchildren, Kat and families.


MICHAEL GEPPERT Offered prayerfully by Mom & Dad for improvement in health and God’s blessings and loving care during his recovery.



†JOVANKA FOLTZ Offered in loving remembrance of our newly departed sister by Pete and Arlene Barber. Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal!

 

Please continue to pray for all of those currently being persecuted for Christ's sake in Kosovo, Metohija, Montenegro, Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea, Libya, Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Morocco, China, North Korea, for all of our brothers and sisters in Christ suffering throughout the world, especially in Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, that they might be comforted with the Joy of our Lord, and for those who are unjustly persecuted that they may be strengthened by the love of Christ which knows no division.  


LET US PRAY TO THE LORD!

Stewardship Offering Information


Date 6/2/2024

Collection: $2,618.00


Date 5/26/2024

Collection: $1,165.00


Date 5/19/2024

Collection: $2,466.00

June Birthdays

Nikolas Lukic (June 1), Kolton Myers (June 2), Danica Mitrovic (June 2), Theodore Havalchak (June 3), Nora Van Huysen (June 5), Danilo Yanich (June 6), Marie Hernjak (June 6), Luke Jacobs (June 8), Jim Martin (June 9), Guiliana Carricato (June 10), Kyranna Radanovic (June 11), Jimmy Hernjak (June 11), Russell Heilman (June 13), Baylor Hook (June 13), Braydon Fithian (June 16), Xenia Grabbe (June 20), Aleksandar Bracale (June 20), Seren York (June 20), Brian Lewis Jr (June 22), Cayden Healy (June 26), Michael Krnjaic (June 26), Matthew Hoover (June 28), Wayln John (June 28)

 

June Anniversaries

Dr. James & Liliya Moses (June 1), Brian & Nikki Lewis (June 4), Mike & Terra Heilman (June 4), Fr Christopher & Protinica Andreja (June 13), Mike & Janet Krnjaic (June 14), Nick & Carole Blitva (June 16), Meghan & Brad Livingston (June 25), Mike & Samantha Stefan

~Bulletin Board~

ST. SAVA CAMP—SHADELAND PHILANTHROPY

As a part of the new religious education lessons, campers will be making blankets for the homeless in Erie, PA. Additionally, they will be making 50 lunches each week to be delivered to “The Upper Room of Erie.” All campers and families are asked to bring small, unopened personal hygiene products to be distributed at the Upper Room with the weekly delivery. Examples include: ibuprofen, toothpaste, toothbrush, powdered laundry detergent, feminine hygiene products, lotion, razors, bar soap or body wash, deodorant. We will not be accepting any clothing at this time. Items are to be brought with the camper to the Administrative Building upon checking in.


SOTAYA ČEVAPI SALE

Our SOTAYA Group is once again selling frozen packs of cevapi at $17/pack (32 pieces). To order see Dn. Bojan Gligorevic or call the office at 717.939.3872.


PANTRY BOX IN THE LOBBY

The Pantry Box helps to supply much needed goods to the Bethesda Women’s Shelter. Please remember to drop off items like examples listed above...



MOTHER’S CLUB KIOSK

New items have arrived. Stop by and check out the new Eye Glass Cases, Cards and Prayer Bracelets.

 

 

 


July 2024 Calendar

PLEASE HELP — BETHESDA MISSION WOMEN’S SHELTER OUTREACH

On the second Saturday of every month, volunteers from our four Orthodox churches prepare and serve lunch for shelter residents. We also help with various projects and activities that assist with shelter operations. If anyone would like to volunteer or learn more about this important program, please contact Andrea Gunther.


PANTRY BOX IN THE LOBBY

The Pantry Box helps to supply much needed goods to the Bethesda Women’s Shelter. Please remember to drop off items like tissues, paper towels, and toiletries like shampoo, conditioner, body lotions, toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, combs, hair brushes, feminine hygiene products, etc…

SAVE THE DATE!!

 

 Club Picnic ..................... July 28

Kids Back to School BBQ September 7

Serb Fest ........................ Sept 14

June Charity

Orthodox Christian Charities of Greater Harrisburg

 

The Orthodox Christian Charities of Greater Harrisburg, Inc. (OCCGH,) was formed in October of 2009 as a non-profit organization comprised of clergy and faithful from five local Orthodox Churches of the greater Harrisburg metropolitan area. Our goal is to provide opportunities for the citizens of the greater Harrisburg area to come into contact with Orthodoxy, to serve as an educational support to our local parishes, and to develop projects that witness to our Faith, as well as provide financial assistance to organizations and individuals who are in need.