voicespring2010_sd

SPRING 2010

THE VOICEOF ST. GEORGE

S P R I N G 2 0 1 0

ContentsBishop of Nis Irinej elected as new Patriarch of Serbia 3

Biography of New Patriarch 4The Icon and the Kingdom of God 6

Message on the Commencement of Holy and Great Lent 8The Orthodox View on Stewardship 9

Annual Assembly Held in Las Vegas 11Fr. Bratso’s Annual Report for the Year of our Lord 2009 12

Not just a Legend…. 142010 Great & Holy Week Services 15

From the President 16Od Predsednika 17

Coco Sisters Perform in December Nights in Balboa Park 18Marian Pavlovich Rotary Foundation AMBASSADORIAL SCHOLAR 19

If Life Hands You a Lemon, Make Lemonade 20To Those with Children 21

Kolo Sisters 24Recommended Reading 25

IOCC Mobilizes Disaster Response for Haiti Earthquake 25St. George Stewardship List As of March 11, 2010 26

What is stewardship? 26Seven Principles of Christian Stewardship 27

Седам Принципа Хришћанског Старатељства 27Stewardship as Love 27

Morava -- St George to St Petersburg 28Traditional Serbian-style Easter eggs 30

St. George Serbian Orthodox ChurchWestern American Diocese

of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North & South American

3025 Denver Street • San Diego, CA 92117telephone: (619)276-5827

web: http://saintgeorgeinsd.com

Church Officers & StaffPARISH PRIEST

V. Rev. Protopresbyter Bratislav Krsicemail: [email protected]

PARISH DEACON

Rev. Deacon Paul GermainPRESIDENT

Nemanja Selezan1st VICE PRESIDENT

Vladan Trifunovic2nd VICE PRESIDENT & 3rd VICE PRESIDENT

Dobrila Unheim & Simona TrifunovicTREASURER

Dragan RadicRECORDING SECRETARY

Vera RakicMEMBERS-AT-LARGE

Vera Giles, Dejan Jovanovic, Jack MilasinovicSTEWARDSHIP MINISTRY

Lydia Petric Rhoads, ChairAUDITING BOARD

Miro Copic, President; Sean Wright, Zeljko MilasinovicTUTORS/VESTRYMEN

Mico Lukic, Ladislav Tapavcevic, Pete Dopudja,Jeffrey Wilgus, Alex Sekanovic, George Skaljac, Vojkan Popovich, Miro Copic, Milan Miljkovic,

Dejan JovanovicS.S.S. ST. GEORGE CHOIR

Velimir Jovanovic, PresidentCIRCLE OF SERBIAN SISTERS (KOLO)

Sylvia Ivanovic, PresidentCHURCH SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT

Mira JovanovicMORAVA FOLKLORE ENSEMBLE

Maria (Draskovic) Milasinovic, DirectorADULT ORTHODOX FELLOWSHIP

Nemanja SelezanVOICE OF ST. GEORGE

Marsha Jovanovic, Editor(619)988-0650 • FAX (619)588-5767

email: [email protected]

Celebration of Christ’s Resurrection. Fr. Schmemann said, “The liturgy is, first of all, the Paschal gathering of those who are to meet the Risen Lord and enter with Him into His Kingdom.” Nicholas Gogol wrote, “The liturgy is the eternal rep-etition of the great act of love for us.” The central event of the liturgy is the descent, the appearance, and the divine presence of the resurrected Christ. A person is frequently reminded of this presence. For example, at one point in the liturgy the priest says, “Christ is in our midst.” The concelebrant priest responds, after exchanging the kiss of peace, “He is and shall ever be.”

The Eucharist is the Biblical wedding supper at which the celestial Bridegroom – Jesus – weds the pure bride, the chosen community, you and me. It is the consum-mation of the love relationship between God and man.

The liturgy is the place where one can “lay aside all worldly care,” as the Cherubim Hymn invites us, “to receive the King of all.” The liturgy is where the saving deeds of Christ are made present to us today so that we may participate in them. Christ becomes our contemporary; Christ Who is “the same yesterday, today and for-ever.”

In the liturgy, by sharing the Body and Blood of Jesus, we become partakers of divine nature (2 Peter 1:4) and experience a foretaste of the kingdom, which was inaugurated at the incarnation in Bethlehem and manifested at Pentecost in the Upper Room. Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!—Father Bratso Krsic

In this issue...

VOICE OF ST. GEORGE • SPRING 2010 3

Bishop of Nis Irinej elected as new Patriarch of Serbia

22. January 2010 - 17:19—Today at the Election Assembly of bishops of the Ser-bian Orthodox Church the new Patriarch of Serbia was elected.

In the early morning hours His Emi-nence Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral, locum tenens of the Patriarchate throne, served the Holy Hierarchal liturgy at the Cathedral church. His Emi-nence served with the concelebra-tion of Bishops: Lukijan of Osijek Polje and Baranja, Jovan of Shuma-dia, Irinej of Australia and New Zealand, Vicar Bishop of Teodosije of Lipljan and Antonije of Morav-ica.

After the Holy Liturgy Bishops gathered at the Patriarchate court. The session was preceded by con-sultations before the election proce-dure. At the Election assembly Bishop Lavrentije of Shabac pre-sided, the oldest bishop in the ordi-nation of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The Holy Assembly of Bishops has 44 members, and 34 bishops met the requirements to be nominated as the new Patriarch of Serbia. By the secret ballot bishops proposed candidates , out of which three bishops were on the shortlist, who received more than half of the votes of the members of the Election assembly. In the first round the candidate for Patri-arch became the Metropolitan Amfilo-hije of Montenegro and the Littoral, in the second round the Bishop Irinej of Nis, and a third candidate was elected in the fourth round, and that was Bishop Irinej of Bachka.

These three candidates have received more that a half votes during the four rounds of voting. The envelope with the name of the Patriarch from the Holy Gospel was chosen by Very Reverend Archimandrite Gavrilo, superior of the monastery of Lepavina (Metropolitanate of Zagreb-Ljubljana).

Immediately after the election a thanks-giving was served and wished unto many years to Archbishop of Pec, Metropoli-tan of Belgrade and Karlovac and Patri-arch Irinej of Serbia, who addressed his brother Bishops pointed out that his elec-

tion was the will of God and the will of the Holy Assembly of Bishops and that he will work on the Field of God in an association with all the Bishops of the Serbian Church.

Bells at the Cathedral Church rang at about 14 hours and 15 minutes indicating that the 45th Patriarch of Serbia was elected.

Bishop Irinej of Bachka said, at the press conference, that the new Patriarch was elected in accordance with the proce-dures which was in force in the Serbian Orthodox Church, in canonical and law-ful manner. He also said that the election passed harmoniously in an atmosphere of a brotherly love and a mutual under-

standing of all the bishops at the Assem-bly.

The Holy Hierarchal Liturgy, during which there will be the enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Irinej Serbia will

begin tomorrow at the Cathedral Church at 9 o'clock, and later, when all the conditions are met, there will be made formal introducing to the throne of the Serbian patriarchs at the Patriarchate of Pec, the historical seat of the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Enthronement Ceremony Postponed until Autumn

The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church has decided that the enthronement ceremony of His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Ser-bia, originally planned for April 25, 2010 of this year, be postponed to the fall. The new date has not yet been determined, and the public will be informed about it on time.

The reason for delay is lack of time available for an adequate organiza-tional and logistical preparation of this important spiritual event, as well as a need that distinguished guests, local and from the world, have the opportunity to respond, and not because of the short time they cannot not do it.

Communique of Serbian Orthodox Church

His Holiness the Archbishop of Peć, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovci, Serbian Patriarch

Memorial Service Book for Patriarch Pavle of

Blessed MemoryAvailable Online

The photo album From Death into Life is available on the

official website of the Serbian Orthodox Church at the

following address:

http://www.spc.rs/files/books/ispracaj/index.html


Biography of New Patriarch

His Holiness Patriarch Irinej was born 28 August 1930 in Vidova near Čačak, in the then Kingdom of Yugoslavia. He is the 45th Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and is the spiritual leader of Eastern Orthodox Serbs, since his selection as patriarch on 22 January 2010. His full title is His Holiness the Archbishop of Peć, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovci, Serbian Patriarch Irinej. Between 1975 and 2010, he served as the Bishop of Niš.

His Holiness was born Miroslav Gavrilović (Мирослав Гавриловић). After graduating from high school, he enrolled and completed Orthodox seminary in Prizren. At Prizren, he was a few years ahead of St. George’s own emeritus priest, Protopres-byter-Stavrophor Bozidar Draskovic.

After seminary, His Holiness entered the Theological Faculty in Belgrade, serving in the army after graduating. After military service, he was tonsured a monk in 1959 in Rakovica monastery, receiving the monastic name of Irinej (Irenaeus). He was a pro-fessor at Prizren Seminary, and he completed postgraduate stud-ies in Athens. In 1969, he was appointed a head of the monastic school at Ostrog monastery. He later returned to Prizren, where he was appointed Rector of the Prizren Seminary in 1969.

In May 1974, he was elected Vicar Bishop of Moravica and con-secrated by Patriarch German. In May 1975, he was elected Bishop of Niš and enthroned in the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Niš on 15 June 1975. Irinej headed the Niš eparchy for the next 35 years.

On January 22, 2010, he was elected the 45th Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, after the death of Patriarch Pavle. He was one of the three candidates with the most votes (former interim leader Amfilohije Radović and Irinej Bulović) from the 45 bishops eligible in the Serbian Orthodox Church. In the final phase, his name was pulled from a sealed envelope. In this way, the Serbian Orthodox Church believes the patriarch is elected by divine intervention, sidelining human interests. He was enthroned on 23 January 2010 in St. Michael's Cathedral.

His Holiness has been considered, both abroad and at home, a moderate traditionalist, open to global interreligious dialogue. In an interview, he indicated he would not oppose the firstever visit by the Roman Catholic Pope to Serbia in 2013 as part of celebra-tions of the 1,700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan, the law under which Roman emperor Constantine, who was born in Niš, ended the persecution of Christians. His Holiness said “there is the wish of the Pope” for a meeting in Niš and that it would be a chance “not just for a meeting, but for a dialogue.”

Regarding the accession of Serbia to the European Union, he has said that:

Serbia should not look with suspicion at the EU, if the EU respects the Serbian identity, culture and religion. We believe that we are an historical part of Europe, and we want to be in this family of nations. In the accession we will accept everything, that is not in contradiction with our cultural and historical identity.

Adapted from Wikipedia by the editor


Many Years to His Holiness Patriarch Irinej

On Pentecost the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and the Church of Christ. From that day on, the Life-giving Spirit guides the Bride of Christ, The Church, into the fulfillment of the Eschaton, the establishment of our full communion with God in the age to come.

From the Apostles, their disciples and onward, the Lord has called and appointed countless laborers in His vine-yard. The fullness of God’s Church in Serbia beginning with St. Sava (1169-1236), her first archbishop, St. Arsenije I Sremac, St. Sava’s successor and conse-quently all their other successors includ-ing Patriarch Pavle of blessed memory, in an unbroken chain linked all the way back to the Apostles and Christ, has been

blessed with a new Patriarch, His Holi-ness Irinej.

Indeed, the Lord calls and He appoints his laborers. The 45th patriarch on the throne of the Serbian archbishops and patriarchs, called by God as the first among his equal brethren the bishops, has a heavy cross to bear. He nonetheless has accepted that cross with faith, bear-ing in mind the words of Christ: If any-one desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. (Matthew16:24)

Following Christ means to constantly seek to fulfill His will and to live in com-munion with Him. The Church and those appointed to “oversee” (the meaning of the Greek word for bishop, episkopos) her mission in the world know that it is necessary to be existentially involved in the world while not being conformed to

the world, but rather, working to elevate the world to the level of the Church as the Kingdom of God.

It is necessary for us, the faithful and clergy and monastics of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America, as in the entire Serbian Ortho-dox Church, to pray as always for our Patriarch that God may grant him spiri-tual strength, divine wisdom and guid-ance.

We thank God for giving us his Holiness Patriarch Irinej. We wish him many fruit-ful years on the throne of the Serbian archbishops and patriarchs.

Protopresbyter Bratso Krsic

The Paschal/Resurrection IconThere are two different icons in traditional Orthodox iconography that portray the resurrection of Christ. The first is known as the “Descent into Hades.” It is the Orthodox belief that Christ, after His death on the cross, descended into Hades, the kingdom of death, to preach the Good News to those who had died before Him. This is supported in scripture in I Peter 3:18-20 and Ephesians 4:8-10.

Because He had life in Himself, as the Life of the world, He destroyed the power of death and freed those who were held captive by death. This is shown in the resurrection icon. The triumphant Christ is the central figure, Who stands on the gates of Hades, which He has broken down and arranged in the form of a cross. Often broken locks and keys are shown scattered about. Sometimes, the figure of Satan is seen beneath the gates, bound hand and foot by chains, to show that his power has been destroyed.

Christ is shown pulling two figures from their tombs. The one on the left is our forefather, Adam, and the one on the right, our forbearer, Eve. Christ has ‘recalled’ Adam to his original innocence, and has set Eve free from her sin, as we sing in the Church’s hymns. Through Him mankind again has the opportu-nity to enter Paradise, whose gates had been shut after Adam and Eve. Gathered around on either side are the righteous of the Old Testament, and the righ-teous of the New Testament, who died after the incar-nation but before the Resurrection.


The Icon and the Kingdom of God

We live in times awash with man-made images, in a postmodern epoch in which each person struggles to produce the most convincing image of himself and his idea, in which people try to attract the most people they can through their self image to impress and to impose their “icon” or, better yet, their “idol,” on others (as St Andrew says : “α?τείδωλον ?γενόμην”, “I have become an idol to myself”; Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, Ode IV). It is an era that offers falsehood, delu-sion, and fantasy without tran-scending the antinomies and limitations of history.

Your Eminence, Your Graces, beloved brothers in the Holy Spirit and co-celebrant of our Modesty, and dear pious assem-bly of the fullness of the Church, the living icons of God.

We live in such times; yet, this moment in time – The Sunday of Orthodoxy, the feast of the Icon – proposes an alternative image: one Divinely revealed rather than human-made, one that is convict-ing rather than convincing, one that is iconic rather than idola-trous – the Icon of God.

This Icon represents humanity having received the opportunity to circumscribe and depict the Transcendent God, which only became possible after God became man, expressing his Divinity in human form, bringing the Kingdom of God into the Divine Liturgy, and demonstrating the reality of the Resurrection by asking one of His disciples to verify what he saw by touching Christ’s hands, feet, and side (Jn 20:26). Similarly, the language of the Fathers about Icons, especially that of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, has to do with both seeing and beholding the vision of God. But this language introduces sig-nificant questions: What is the real image of God? What is the real image of man? What is the real image of this world? Does the Icon depict a Platonic ideal? Or

does it represent Greco-Roman art? Or does the iconic image capture the cor-rupted world of Pieter Brueghel or Salva-dor Dali? Maybe, we Christians present an image that itself can obscure the image of the Kingdom? Do we not, instead of iconizing the transfigured world of Para-dise, most often represent the mere fallen world? This problem faces us in our pres-ent-day Church and it is necessary to ask ourselves: does our image of the world

and the Church overshadow the true image of the Kingdom?

What is the difference between the Icon and the image, between the Divine Image and the image of this world? The two are altogether different.

The first, and significant, difference is that the Icon is not naturalistic; it does not represent something ephemeral, but rather it represents both a Person and a personal relationship. One of the most significant points to emerge from the Seventh Ecumenical Council is that one Divine Person – the Son of God – became

man, demonstrating that we cannot speak about God or imagine God without the Person who revealed God to us. An image that does not refer to the Person of Christ is an image that refers to the corrupted world and thus leads to death. The Icon is not of this world; it is eschatological both in origin and in content. Not being drawn from history, we can call the Icon meta-historical.

Nevertheless, the Kingdom can only be depicted by using cre-ated means. The Icon is distinct from the truth, not because it is false, delusional, or fantastic, but because it borrows its means of expression from still-corruptible nature.

Although its means of expres-sion derive from fallen nature, the Icon refers to inexpressible Truth by encouraging our per-sonal relations with Truth; a proper Icon creates true personal relationships. That is why an Icon is indivisibly linked with Love: we cannot speak about Truth without Love, and we can-not speak about an Icon that does not lead us to Love.

For Orthodox Christians, this means that the Icon leads us to the Church. There we will meet the other in his or her true state. As Fr. Justin Popovich used to say, “in the Church we are taught to see (iconically) in every man our future brother/sister [as he or

she is in] Paradise.” There, in the Eucha-ristic synaxis, we will see and meet God through our communion with others. So, the Icon gathers (synaxis) the community we call the Church. The Icon, then, is not only an object that we kiss and venerate, but an eternal synaxis that exists in moments, movements, and actions during the Divine Liturgy. Outside the Church, there is not the Kingdom of God; inside the Church, all is iconic.

Here we understand the next characteris-tic of the Icon: it refers to another, not to itself, leading us, thereby, out of solip-sism. It encourages us to go out and meet


the other. The Icon is person-oriented! When we venerate an Icon of Christ or a Saint, we demonstrate our victory over individualism and show that we are not self-reliant. When the Icon traces this relationship between persons (God and man) and gathers the Church, then the Church becomes a real depiction of the Kingdom of God, leading us to the Divine Eucharist, which St Maximus the Confessor described as the image or Icon of the Kingdom. In the primitive phase of the ancient Church, the Icon was closely linked with the mystery of Eucharist. The Eucharist is the celebration that makes the earthly Church what it is, namely, an Icon of the Kingdom.

But, there is yet one more difference between the Icon and the image. The image « fixes » reality, as opposed to the Icon which does not fix it but liberates it from natural laws. We celebrate today the Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical synod who gathered to testify that the Church could not exist without Icons, without iconizing the Person of God! When an image becomes an Icon, it no longer refers to itself anymore – to its ephemeral existence; rather, it refers beyond itself: to something beyond this corrupted world. When an image becomes an Icon, it redeems a person or landscape depicted in it and situates that person or landscape

in relationship to the Kingdom. In the historical life of the Church, everything is an image of the future. The Icons which depict the Saints are not photographs of their historical faces, but the images of the future they portray.

This reality of the Icon’s relationship with the Kingdom of Heaven is why the Fathers of this Synod repeated what St Basil said in the fourth century: “the honor paid to the Icon passes on to the prototype”! Therefore, when we venerate an Icon, that relationship goes beyond the Icon and reaches the Original source of the image, which is a Person. That is why in the Church, the Word is an Icon and an Icon is the Word! And this is something that our Church experiences throughout the ages! In our Churches, the Kingdom of God is depicted and represented through Icons, through chanting, through harmonious architecture, through all manner of aesthetic endeavors that are part of our Liturgical expression. How did the Orthodox survive under the Otto-man rule without catechism or schools? Only through this Iconic approach to embodying Truth. The pious people spoke with God through Icons (icono-graphic depictions) and Hymns and not through human words or rational formu-lations; God, in turn, revealed Himself to His people through Icons and Hymns.

This, in the final analysis, means, dear brothers and sisters, that the Divine wor-ship in its liturgical-iconical context has saved the Orthodox Church and not the verbal descriptions and rhetoric of the homilists…such as this present one.

There will be those who assert that an iconic image conveys the Platonic idea of a shadow empty of reality. But such a position makes it difficult to speak of the Church as an Icon without falling into the realm of the imaginative or unreal. The Iconic nature of the Orthodox Church does not imply a lack of reality, although it does imply a lack of objectified and autonomous reality. As Metropolitan John of Pergamon states, “by being iconic in her existence the Church is two things: (a) she is an image of something else that transcends her—hence, again, a relational entity; and (b) she is in her institutions and structure so transparent as to allow the eschatological realities to be reflected in them all the time. This can hardly be achieved outside the context of worship, for it is there that transcendence and transparency are experienced par excellence.”

My beloved, in this society permeated with the illusions of multimedia, where image-pollution of all sorts has blurred our vision, we are invited to promote the


true Icon of the Kingdom, we are invited to liberate our everyday life from slavery to the natural world through this iconical ethos that our Tradition bequeaths to us; an iconological ethos that leads to an affirmation of the other, which leads very often to “silence” and to deference before the other, who we prefer over our-selves (“Honor one another above your-selves” – Rom. 12:10).

Unfortunately, my beloved, Orthodoxy in our times tends to become an ideol-ogy, wherein slogans and accusations of betraying the faith and tradition – under-stood ideologically – are hurled at one another. But, significantly enough, our Orthodox Church has chosen the com-memoration of the Seventh Ecumenical Council to be the Sunday of Orthodoxy. As is well known, this Council dealt with the issue of Icons and did not put forth any propositional definition of the faith. In declaring, “This is the faith of the Fathers; this is the faith which has sus-tained the oecumene,” the Council pointed to a form of “theology,” the Icon, which was the liturgical experience of the community and required no subscrip-tion to conceptual or ideological state-ments.

This declaration of the Seventh Council ended the Christological debate of words by testifying to the reality of the Mystery in the Icon of the Crucified and Risen Lord. This Icon removes our forgetful-ness of the eschatological Coming of the Risen One, the eschatological Newness of the Living One (Apoc. 21, 5; 1, 17). Now “we call Christ’s image ‘Christ’…The Icon of Christ is nothing other than Christ, apart, of course, from the difference in essence” (St. Theodore the Studite).

The identification of the selfsameness of Christ with His image leads to my final point: Orthodoxy is the Church and not an ideology! It is a gathering of the peo-ple and, particularly, a Eucharistic gath-ering of living icons. This is what we must emphasize today! Not an Internet-online-virtual illusion of communica-tion, but the Icon as the visible and true communication of the Kingdom; such

must be the future of Orthodoxy because such is the future Christ promises His Church. In the Eucharist, we are taught not only to venerate and greet icons, but also the other members of the synaxis, not passing the living icons – people – by, but greeting and embracing them. So, the Icon is indeed the right method of looking at the world…Only this iconic approach will save Orthodoxy from becoming a secular organization con-forming to the image of the world.

May this, our commemoration of the Sunday of Orthodoxy in Los Angeles, serve as a source of sanctification, strength, and hope for the Orthodox faithful.

Finally, from this Holy Ambon we extend our wholehearted well-wishes to the beloved Hierarchs, to the devout clergy, and to the entire flock of the Orthodox Church of America, and we pray that God may bless our efforts and good works, to the glory of our Father Who is in Heaven and the honor of our Church and all the living icons within.

Bishop MAXIM

Message on the Commencement of Holy and Great Lent

To the clergy, monastics and faithful of our God-protected Diocese:

Blessed be the Great Paschal Lent which brings us into the Lord's and our Pascha—through the Cross and Resur-rection—Christ's and ours in Him.

This Sunday we look to forgiveness as we enter the holy journey of Great Lent. On this day we are reminded of Adam and Eve’s banishment from Par-adise and of their failure to remain faithful to the gift of personal commu-nion with God.

Now, my beloved, through the practice of fasting, the Church—and fasting is our obedience to the Church—invites us to liberate ourselves from our self-sufficiency and to offer the fruits of Lent—joy, meekness, peace, merciful-ness—to our beloved ones and to those in need.

As the sacred hymnography of the Church urges us, all the ascetic ele-ments—fasting, abstinence, frugality, restriction of personal desires, intense prayer, and confession—are essential to the period of Great Lent and should not be considered burdensome obliga-tions or unbearable duties that result in despondency or dejection.

All these ascetical efforts and all cleansing from the passions are in essence preconditions for our Eucha-ristic communion with God, and this communion cannot be understood apart from love. Just as the sacrifice on the Cross takes its meaning from the Resurrection, so all our Lenten effort finds their fulfillment in Holy Commu-nion.

Let us be obedient to the counsel of the Church and understand the practice of fasting just as She prescribes. In doing so we will walk together with Christ to Golgotha and rejoice with Him on the Feast of Feasts!

In inviting you to the “opened arena of virtues” from our episcopal seat, I extend to all of you my paternal prayer and spiritual blessing for a fruitful jour-ney through the period of Great Lent, asking your forgiveness.

Given this Day of Forgiveness Febru-ary 14, 2010 at Alhambra, California

Love and paternal blessings,

Bishop MAXIM


The Orthodox View on Stewardship

How will we repay the Lord for all that He has given us?—St. Basil the Great

1. Stewardship has been the subject of discussion among the Orthodox faithful in America for a long time already. It is a well-known fact that our bishops and the majority of the clergy have shown their full support for it. Stewardship is a topic that can be accepted or rejected but not ignored. What is it about? Its origin is to be found in the early Christian experi-ence in which everything man possesses is perceived as a gift from God – from mankind’s existence to his smallest material possession, and, because of this, he in turn strives to repay God in some way. Everything God gives us helps us to better understand that He is our Lord and that in our service to Him we actually contribute to the well-being of mankind and of the whole universe. To be con-scious of God’s gift and to give thanks for it is central to the Church. This is why the Orthodox Church encourages the practice of STEWARDSHIP as an act of giving one’s time, talents, and material goods as a gift to the Church in a “sys-tematic” and “proportional” manner, and, opposes the “system of member-ship.” It is not perchance that the Church has named Her main church service the Eucharist – the Thanksgiving and the (return) Gifts: “Thine own of Thine own we offer unto Thee, on behalf of all and for all.” Thus, stewardship has anthropo-logical as well as cosmic dimensions.

2. As the new Bishop on these territories of America, I am happy to observe the appearance of stewardship and the posi-tive changes in our parishes (church and school communities) associated with it. Certainly, the change of the “debtor’s mentality” in the Christian stewardship is a huge progress. Let us remind our-selves of something that we all clearly feel in the depths of our souls. Namely, all of us feel that all the riches we possess are, actually given to us by Somebody. The Christians, however, know that these are from God. “Every good gift and

every perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). Our time, talents, health, educa-tion, relationships, and wealth are really gifts from God, just as our life and the life of those entrusted to us (children) are. Therefore, when we share our wealth (which is ultimately God’s) with others, we demon-strate that we are a living organism – the Church, and through Her we spread God’s love in the world. A portion of our money and talents (the first fruits) should be used to help our brothers and sisters as we bear witness to the Gospels and to God’s love for all. For Orthodox Christians, this happens in the Church and through the Church, through the practice of stew-ardship, which is also called Economy. The Church is not “someone else” (i.e., just the Hierarchy) but, us, altogether, is what constitutes the organic structure of the Church!

3. Stewardship gives our life a specific quality. Namely, from the moment we accept our existence as a gift, our heart is continuously overwhelmed with grati-tude providing that we are conscious of our existence. So, the awareness of our existence, that we are, takes thanksgiv-ing (eucharist) to its deepest meaning. From the very beginning what was termed “Eucharist” in the liturgical life of the early Church was connected with benefaction and stewardship.

4. God created each one of us a steward and provided him/her with unique possi-bilities and talents. Through the practice of stewardship, we in fact, acknowledge the given talent and demonstrate our love for the Donor. This way we fulfill Christ’s command, and, as a good stew-ards of the time1, talents and wealth at our disposal, we ensure the peaceful work of our Church community as we meet the spiritual, educational, cultural, social, entertainment, and philanthropic needs of the faithful. Who is a true Chris-tian? A true Christian is he who consid-

ers all he has as not pertaining to himself, i.e., not his, but rather one who owes it all to Someone, and who is, thus, thank-ful rather than of the opinion that he is “deserving” of anything. A true Chris-tian lives by grace, that is, he overcomes his “ego,” his individuality, and every pretense of “superiority” or domination. This is a person who is willing to “donate,” to give his entire existence, to cross swords with death itself and to offer himself as a creative manifestation of freedom. The knowledge that our existence is a gift of freedom and not some “eternal” and self –evident “real-ity,” frees us not only from philosophical and intellectual speculations but also from being trapped as slaves within our own existence. This makes us thankful. This is the ethos of the martyrs and of the venerable saints, the ethos of the Church.

5. The talents, abilities, education and possibilities.God has indebted each one of us with particular talents. Our task is to sanctify and multiply the talents received and to build them into the living

1. Each second and every minute of life is a gift ofGod. We can donate a part of this gift through ourparticipation in the Divine Liturgy, by volunteeringservices to the Church and to the community of thefaithful. Our task is to prolong Christ’s glory eachmoment, each day so as to “save the time”. Anexcellent example of this is the Kolo of the SerbianSisters.


organism, the Church, the icon of God. Many are the manifold talents and it is up to us to discover our own and to build them into the right place of the Church. Material goods, i.e., possessions and wealth, are just some of many of the given gifts. It is up to us to use our mate-rial wealth to ensure our needs as well as the needs of those who depend on us, and to take care of the poor, to help the preaching of the Gospel, to secure the well-being of the physical Church, to secure and maintain the Church’s mis-sion and to preserve the environment in which we live for the generations to come.

6. It turns out that the only way we can thank God is through His Church. There are many different ways in which a per-son can help his Church. A systematic, personal, proportional monetary dona-tion is the best, and most responsible way. It is a superior and the most Chris-tian of all methods – the stewardship. When a person understands that the Church is just as important as the family with regard to his job, food, clothing, club, recreation and hobby, then helping the Church is dealt with efficiently and in an inspiring way. This is accomplished in a church parish only if stewardship is applied.

The Church is not our obligation. We are Her obligation. Our salvation is exclu-sively Her merit, that is, the merit of Her Head- our Lord Jesus Christ. He, our per-fect model, makes His concern for the well-being of others over his own, His priority. He takes upon Himself human nature with all its features, including suf-fering and death, in order to bring salva-tion to man. By handling our concerns in the same way, giving priority to the well-being of the community over our own, we become imitators of the Son of God, Himself and of His love. Stewardship is none other than the opportunity to express that authentic Christian love. The meaning of stewardship is insomuch of greater significance to each one of us because the community, the Church, which is established in the Eucharist, is able to provide us with good things – things much better than what we are able to give the to Her, because it is precisely

through Her that our salvation in Christ takes place.

7. As people we need to know that the affiliation to the Church cannot be judged by the “membership” - estab-lished in the Church following circum-stances, which need not to be analyzed here. It sounds somewhat bitter but true, however, to hear that for a century we have sown the “membership mentality” and have as a result harvested a “debtor’s mentality.” It is quite useful to read the Acts of the Apostles where there is no mention in the early Church of the Apos-tles requesting “membership applica-tions” or being the proponents for an unhealthy dualism between the “Church and school community” and the local parishes2. There, one reads the following astonishing words: “Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common” (Acts 4:32).

8. If we are not able to achieve the Chris-tian ideals of the early centuries, then the stewardship program will at least help us to understand the very significant “obli-gations” toward our Church in a respon-sible, steadfast, and inspiring way; this being the only way of fully participating in the mission and work of our Church. This is, furthermore, the only way in which helping the Church becomes a matter of conscience rather than one of mere pressure of obligation. We come to the understanding of helping the Church through personal obligation, exemplified as an item of our domestic budget instead of irregular offerings. This is the way to avoid taxation, and an endless search for money. The stewardship program

enables the parish to plan its annual income and make the best use of it as well.

9. Given the stewardship, the Church will be able to face the needs of Her internal formation and mission, and to make provisions for Her parishioners NOW instead of in the future, and will help many to overcome their financial difficulties. This is the only way that will enable us to pay off what we are building in a relatively short time span, saving ourselves and our children from unwanted debts. A well carried out stew-ardship program will help us succeed here on earth and give us joy in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Head and Leader of both the Church and the parish.

10. It is high time for the conversion from the “debtor’s mentality” to the Christian stewardship. Sooner or later the membership structure in the Church - this financial structure, which provides a false sense of responsibility toward the Church, will be replaced. Many parishio-ners believe that by paying their mem-bership fees they have met all their material and missionary obligations toward the Church. Some equate their membership fees with the right to vote at the elections for the church committees. This type of structure forces the Church to depend exclusively on external and uncertain donations. This kind of struc-ture lacks a visionary spirit and is not very promising for the future. The Church is thus, ostensibly reduced to a club and a secular organization.

The future of our Church and of our peo-ple in this country depend on the teach-ings and on the understanding that the Kingdom of God is not based on a “sys-tem of membership” but rather on love – firstly, upon God’s love toward us and then on ours toward God. This is realized through piously donating our time, our talents, and our wealth for the sake of His Kingdom.

Bishop MAXIM

2. How is a person regarded who is an Orthodoxbeliever, attends Church each Sunday, goes to con-fession regularly, whose children attend Sundayschool, and who, as a steward, gives an offering ofone thousand dollars annually? Is such a person, forinstance, a member of the parish and furthermore,can such a person vote at the annual meetings? He/she certainly can because this “steward” of theChurch is a greater donor than someone who hascorrectly filled in the membership application andhas been accepted as a full member having met histwo hundred dollar annual membership fee inde-pendent of the fact that he has attended Churchtwice or three times a year.


Annual Assembly of the God-protected Western American Diocese Held in Las Vegas, January 28 – 29, 2010

The clergy, monastics and the lay dele-gates of the Western American Diocese gathered this year in Las Vegas, Nevada, began their meetings on Thursday, Janu-ary 28, with the clergy and the Circle of Serbian Sisters conference.

The guest speaker for the two day gath-ering was professor and dean of the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theol-ogy in Brookline, Massachusetts, V. Rev. Dr. Thomas FitzGerald. Fr. Thomas was accompanied by his wife, Dr. Kyriaki FitzGerald, who co-authored the book, Happy in the Lord: The Beatitudes for Everyday, which serves as an introduc-tion to Orthodox spirituality.

His first talk addressed the topic “Heal-ing the wounds of the heart.” Fr. Thomas outlined the pastoral approach to the healing ministry in the parish context. “Pastors are bearers of God’s mercy and love,” he said, and while priests minister to the faithful using their talents and the pastoral training they received, it is nonetheless, necessary to recognize their limitations and allow the Lord to com-plete all shortcomings.

The first day of gathering was concluded with Vespers service and the Diocesan Council meeting.

Friday morning started with the Hierar-chical Divine Liturgy, followed by the Invocation of the Holy Spirit and the

archpastoral greeting of His Grace Bishop Maxim. He wished a warm wel-come to all the participants, thanking them for their love and dedication to God’s ministry in the western diocese. Among his many inspiring greeting points we cite the following two:

The year 2009 was a period marked with signs of unity and receiving. The pinnacle was the administrative reunification and redistribution of our Church in North and South America. Since our Fresno Resolution in 2007 to Bishop of the New Gracanica Metropolitanate and the Holy Assembly in Belgrade it took some two years to see our efforts bearing fruits. Thanking you all for patience, I would like to ask this Assembly to join me in a warm welcome of the honorable delegates from Phoenix, Oakland, Arcadia, Saratoga, and San Francisco; i.e., those five parishes that embraced us and we embraced them with the brotherly love and in doing so we continue witnessing the Gospel with our actions and words.

The year of our Lord 2009 …was a year of the repose of our beloved patriarch Pavle, a great man of commitment, peace, and justice. The ecclesiastical ethos that he cultivated in his proximity has deeply influenced so many people and thus became a lifestyle and point of reference as moral, ecclesial, and human paradigm. Through his personal example we are encouraged to face a permanent challenge: how to remain faithful to the unchangeable nature of the Church and to make an impact on the cultural

environment in which we live. With a dose of self-criticism, we must admit that we forget this indispensable mission; we tend to be an ethno-centric parish with very modest goals of preserving our folklore and ethnic identity, without paying attention to the cosmic and ecumenical perspective of Christ’s Church in the world. Most of our parishes lack the missionary vision, and so they deprive themselves of a greater progress in faith in Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit and sacramental-eucharistic and repentant (metanoia) growth towards Fulfillment.

Fr. Thomas gave a second talk, “Ambas-sadors of Christ: The Witness of the Saints and Our Witness Today.” This talk, as the one given the previous day, stimulated everyone’s participation and a fresh look at the ministry. “Christ is the light of the world, and He calls us to be the light by sharing in His ministry. God chose us to accomplish His ministry in this world; He chose his people.” We can be God’s ambassadors if our heart is in the right place. Our hearts need to be per-meated with the Gospel, and Jesus Christ needs to be the foundation of our minis-try, Fr. Thomas reiterated in his talk.

The participants spent the afternoon reviewing the ministries of our diocesan departments. They also outlined dioce-san activities for the year of our Lord, 2010. During meals and breaks, the del-egates continued to exchange their min-istry experience and knowledge giving thanks to God for bringing them together at St. Simeon the Myrrhgusher parish. Prayers and heartfelt words of encour-agement were offered by all to the host-ing parish which is in the process of building the temple for the glory of God.

The host for next year annual assembly will be St. John the Baptist parish in San Francisco, California.

May the Lord bless the work of the west-ern diocese and of all those who labor therein. Glory be to God for all things!

Protopresbyter Bratso Krsic


Fr. Bratso’s Annual Report for the Year of our Lord 2009

Building the Future on the Foundation of the Past

The very foundation and cornerstone of our parish life is Jesus Christ. Our parish is a spiritual center, a place where our faithful receive the nourishment for their souls and bodies, a place where we all together grow in our life of faith, a place where we can unite with God and one another.

Glory be to God for all things! We con-tinue to celebrate a full liturgical and sac-ramental life. This offers us an opportunity to be renewed through the Holy Eucharist in the Divine Liturgy each Sunday and feast day.

As our Lord blesses us with each day we must always remember that the mission of our parish is to be a commu-nity—searching to discern and know God’s will and to accept His purpose for us.

Together with our spiritual leaders of today, Proto Velimir Petakovic, Proto Bozidar Draskovic, Deacon Paul Ger-main, and I, we continue building the future on the foundation of the past. I, therefore, give thanks to God and to all of you for your participation in the ongo-ing ministries of our parish.

Liturgical Life. Liturgy is the center of our life; the Divine Liturgy is the true foundation of every parish. It is in the Divine Liturgy that we are united with Christ and one another.

I am grateful to Proto Velimir and Proto Bozidar for their continued presence and help in our parish ministries. Their pres-ence indeed is invaluable. In our deacon Paul, we have an example of a faithful and devoted diaconate of our Holy Orthodox Church. I am grateful to all three of them.

Our St. George choir continues to lead us in singing and beautifying our services. What would we do without them? My sincere appreciation and prayers to all the members and especially our choir directors: Kate Thickstun (Leff), Pam Naughton, Dobrila Undheim, and Rankin Fisher.

Education. Orthodox Christian Educa-tion is an activity that should concern all of us—grandparents, parents, children, youth workers, teachers, neighbors, orthodox parishes, and our clergy. Sophie Koulomzin, a pioneer in Ortho-dox Education in America, gives us a summary of Christian education:

...to be truly Christian, a family has to accept life, its values, and its challenges, in the spirit of the Christian faith; and this does not always coincide with the nominal piety of the parents. A Christian family constantly must endeavor to establish relationships of love within the family and with those outside the family, on the basis of the kind of love described in I Corinthians 13. A Christian family must live within a framework of discipline recognized by all its members, and within a hierarchy of Christian values. In a Christian family, the daily routine of life must be penetrated by the light of the recognition of God’s presence – in family worship and in church traditions and celebrations. In a Christian home the growth of the children’s minds, talents, and gifts must be stimulated and cherished in the spirit of the Christian understanding of the great value of human personality.

Some of the Projects Completed in 2009

• Served regular Liturgical services.

• Published quarterly and weekly bulletins.

• Sent out regular e-news letter and hall remodel updates.

• January 5, 2009, Fr. Milan Vukovic from St. Petka and Fr. Bratso presented a check of $3,690.77, to Petar Popovic, the husband of Vera Popovic of blessed memory. Thanks to the generous support

of St. George, St. Petka, and other Orthodox communities of Southern California parishes, we were able to assist the Popovic family with funeral arrangements for their mother and wife.

• Regularly updated new parish website is www.SaintGeorgeInSD.org. Our parishioners and supporters are able now to make a donation online through a secured account.

• On Sunday, March 8, 2009, Eastern Orthodox Christians from a dozen parishes in San Diego and Riverside counties filled St. George Serbian Orthodox Church—one of San Diego’s architectural and iconographic jewels—to celebrate “The Triumph of Orthodoxy” in a Vesper service.

• Hosted the Second Annual Lenten conference, Saturday, March 21. Fr. George Morelli, PhD, spoke on Raising Orthodox Children in a Secular World.

• On Sunday, April 5th, Sarah S. gave a presentation on the Martha and Mary House, an Orthodox Christian Maternity Home for women in crisis who choose life and adoption for their unborn child.

• Co-sponsored the St. George Sunrise Gathering-DJURDJEVDANSKI URANAK, May 2, 2009 at the monastery of the Meeting of our Lord for the southern parishes of the Western American Diocese.

• Held an annual One Day Bible Vacation Camp on Saturday, July 11, 2009.

• On behalf of the San Diego Orthodox Clergy, hosted a pan-Orthodox children’s Nativity program and celebration on Saturday, December 5, 2009.

• Conducted Adult Bible studies on Wednesdays.

• Fr. Bratso continues to serve as the secretary of the San Diego Clergy Brotherhood and hosts regular San Diego clergy meetings.

Our future and us. The theme for our parish for the year of our Lord, 2010 is: Giving to God, Supporting One Another. This will help us to strengthen our faith and renew our commitment to Christ and His Church in the light of the remodel of our church property.

C E L E B R A T I O N * D E D I C A T I O N * P R O G R E S S * V I S I O N

http://www.SaintGeorgeInSD.org


Projects to be completed in 2010. All of these projects can become a reality through our sincere prayers and faithful stewardship: • Continue remodeling of the hall.

• Work together with other local Orthodox parishes in proclaiming the salvation to our neighbors.

• Continue the publishing of the Voice and other parish publications.

• Work on improving our Sunday school, Youth, and Adult Education programs.

• Have three conferences addressing various spiritual topics.

• Continue with our weekly Orthodox Study classes.

• Continue encouraging and giving an opportunity to our parishioners to grow as lay leaders.

• Improve the Youth participation in the Divine Liturgy (Junior choir, altar servers, helping tutors with collection, etc.).

• Continue building our Endowment Fund

• Maintain and upkeep our property and give greater attention to the parish archives.

Stole Report 2009

Baptisms 21Weddings 1Funerals 6Slavas 49.

Number of baptism in the last ten years:2000 – 192001 – 222002 – 192003 – 182004 – 312005 – 26;2006 – 342007 – 292008 – 192009 – 21Total= 238

Thank you. I would like to thank my pre-decessors, Fr. Velimir and Fr. Bozidar, deacon Paul, Church Board President Nemanja and the entire Church Board, Vladan Trifunovic and Slavko Jovanovic and the MPC, the Fund Raising Commit-tee, Choir, Tutori, Sylvia Ivanovich and the Kolo members, Marija Milasinovic, Protinica Bozana, and the entire Morava

Folklore Group and parents, Nemanja and AOF, Mira Jovanovic, Natalija Ger-main, Jelena Jovanovic, Sandie Papac, Marsha Jovanovic (what would we do without our talented Voice editor?), Mara Lambert, Desanka Mitrovic, Danica Vukotich, Ljubinka Plavsic and her chil-dren, Milos and Milica, and to all stew-ards and supporters of our St. George parish.

Conclusion. The only way to continue building the future on the foundation of the past is by giving ourselves totally to God with prayer that we may become vessels and channels through which His love may touch the hearts of all people.

May the Lord bless our endeavors! I conclude by thanking God for blessing me with all of you.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Bratso Krsic


Not just a Legend….

May I never lie about a saint.—St. Dimitri of Rostov

A Saint with a sense of humor. Great Martyr Menas was a gen-eral in the Roman army when he was martyred for Christ in the third century. His soldiers returned his body to his home in

Egypt. He is a miracle worker, so the place of his burial became a popular pilgrim-age site in the ancient world.

Once two people, unknown to one another sought healing from the saint. One of them was a lame man. Walking had always been diffi-cult and painful

for him. The other was a woman who was mute and had never been able to speak.

Both were in the crowd that attended vigil in the church dedi-cated to St. Menas. Afterwards, many in the crowd laid down to sleep in the church itself since they were in a desert place and there was no other place to sleep. St. Menas appeared to the lame man in a dream and promised to heal him. There was one simple condition. He pointed to the mute woman some distance away and told the man to simply go over and tug her blanket. The man was quick to fulfill the saint's unusual request, and through this obedience both were healed When the man tugged on the woman's blanket, she screamed aloud, “Help!” and he ran!

Rebuffed by a Saint. This story was told by a nun who used to take week retreats at Monk’s Lagoon on Spruce Island in Alaska. This small lagoon is well known as the place where St. Herman of Alaska lived for so many years and where he was originally buried. The spot is very remote and unless the waters are per-fectly calm, no one can land a boat there.

She was there on one of those calmer days when a fancy fishing boat landed. This was not one of the family fishing boats that were common in the area but one that was designed to take tour-ists fishing. The captain of this small boat saw the smoke com-ing from the chimney of the beach house so he led his tourists right up to it. After this meeting, he stopped several other times when she was there and would bring his tourists in for tea before taking them up the trail to see the Church built over the site of St. Herman's original grave and the cell and chapel of another her-mit who had lived there. These buildings all had locks on them but he knew the combination. This captain was a Russian Amer-ican but not especially religious. He’d grown up in the area and was fascinated by stories of St. Herman.

One day as he was taking his leave to go up the trail with his guests he made a comment to display his irreverence. He said,

“Religion doesn't matter to me sister. I always say that I'll take the Moonies, the Mormons, or the Moslems, whoever gives me the best deal on women.”

The nun was stunned by this comment. The Aleuts would often say that no one could make it to Monk's Lagoon with-out St. Her-man's blessing.

They had many stories of people who tried to visit but were turned back. How could this man stand on the beach of this holy place and make such a statement? About 20 minutes later he was back, and he was angry. “Sister, what did you do to the locks?"“

“Nothing,” she said, “What's wrong?”

“Not one of them will open for me!” He stomped off, and she never ran into him at Monk's Lagoon again. Just once she saw him in Kodiak, but he ran from her.

Christ is risen from the dead

trampling down death by death,

and upon those in the tombs

bestowing life!


2010 Great & Holy Week Services

March 27 Lazarus Saturday

10:00 am Divine Liturgy3:00 pm—5:00 pm Sunday School Activity5:00 pm Vespers and Vrbica

March 28 Palm Sunday (Цвети)

10:30 am Divine Liturgy12:30 pm Lenten Luncheon

March 31 Great & Holy Wednesday

6:00 pm Confession7:00 pm Holy Unction (Св. Тајна Јелеосвећења)

April 01 Great and Holy Thursday

10:00 am Divine Liturgy 7:00 pm Matins & Passion Gospels

April 02 Great and Holy Friday

10:00 am Decoration of Christ’s Tomb7:00 pm Vespers/Burial Service with Lamentation

April 03 Great and Holy Saturday

10:00 am Divine Liturgy12:00 am (Midnight) Resurrection Matins

April 04 Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

PASCHA—Васкрс10:00 am Divine Liturgy

April 05 Resurrection Monday

10:00 am Divine Liturgy

April 06 Resurrection Tuesday

10:00 am Divine Liturgy at the Meeting of our Lord Monastery in Escondido


From the President

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

It has been a year of my service as the president of St. George Church. As I have said before, serving this parish as the president has been the greatest honor of my life thus far. I have had an out-standing team here, and outstanding stewards in helping us carry out our vision of Continuing Our Legacy. All who have accepted to serve came forth out of love and devotion for Church, our people, our culture, and Orthodoxy.

I have a personal plea to the stewards and to the newly elected executive board. As we continue to push through the phases of the renovation project, I ask for your help and support. To those with relevant skills and experience, I ask for your guidance and teachings.

I wish to thank my fellow board mem-bers, presidents, coordinators and mem-bers of parish organizations for their tireless work and support in order to make this parish strong and unique in so many ways.

I wish to thank all parishioners and friends of this parish for their generous donations. Particularly, I want to thank non-Serbian active participants of Saint George. These people stand as examples of what Orthodoxy, and what Christian-ity, represents. Regardless of nationality we are all brothers and sisters in Christ,

and this is how we should treat each other.

To this I would like to tell a personal story. My dear wife Lindsay and I moved to San Diego six years ago. We found St. George and soon became stew-ards of this parish. I remember well from the beginning that what seemed so spe-cial to me about this parish was the diversity of its parishioners. I was fasci-nated by the number of non-Serbian peo-ple who were actively participating and tirelessly contributing to this parish. It is many of these people that became and still serve as an inspiration to me.

I believe this parish has honored these people in the past, but in this message I wish to add a special note to all of you for

your outstanding contributions to this parish, to Orthodoxy, and to Serbian cul-ture. It is people like Deacon Paul, Sylvia Ivanovic, Kate Thickstun (Leff), Marsha Jovanovic, and the many husbands and wives of Serbian parishioners.

There is one person in particular that has been an inspiration to me. This person is non-Serbian, non-Orthodox born, but has showed me what devotion and hard work means. This person is my wife Lindsay, who has made me a stronger Orthodox, and a stronger Serb. It is a blessing that I will always cherish.

Nemanja Selezan, President of St George Parish


Od Predsednika

Postovani Oci, braco i sestre,

Proslo je godinu dana od moje sluzbe kao predskednik Crkveno-skolske Opstine “Sveti Djordji”. Kao sto sam i ranije pominjao sluzenje ovoj parohiji je najveca pocast u mom dosasnjem zivotu. Uz sebe sam imao i imam sjajan tim i sja-jne parohijane koji ucestvuju u nosenju nase zajednicke vizije ’Nastavak Naseg Zavestanja’. Svi oni koji su se prihvatili duznosti cine to iz ljubavi i odanosti prema crkvi, ljudima, nasoj kulturi i Pra-voslavlju.

Zeleo bih da porucim svim parohijanima i novoizabranim clanovima uprave da nastavimo da podrzavamo jedni druge i da nastavimo sa izgradnjom zapocetih radova na obnovi parohije. Istovremeno umoljavam sve koji su u mogucnosti i imaju zelju da pridju i daju doprinos svojim iskustvom i umecem.

Zelim da se zahvalim clanovima uprave, predsednicima, kordinatorima i clano-vima parohijskih organizacija za njihovo neumorno zalaganje, rad i podrsku u ocuvanju ove parohije cineci je snaznom i jedinstvenom po mnogo tome. Takodje zahvaljujem svim parohijanima i pri-jateljima ove parohije na vasim darezlji-vim donacijama. Posebno se zahvaljujem aktivnim ucesnicima Svetog Djordja koji nisu srbi. Ovi ljudi su idila Pravoslavlja i onoga sto ga pred-stavlja, bez obzira na nacinalnu pripad-

nost mi smo svi brace i sestre u Hristu i tu cinjenicu treba da sledimo.

Na ovu temu zeleo bih da podelim sa vama i licnu pricu. Pre sest godina moja mila supruga Lindsay i ja smo se doselili za San Dijego, pronasli smo parohiju Svetog Djordja i ubrzo postali njeni parohijani. Dobro se secam da od samog pocetka ono sto mi se cinilo posebnim u vezi ove parohije jeste bila ta raznovrsnost samih parohijana. Licno sam bio fasciniran velikim brojem ne srba koji su aktivno i neumorno svojim ucescem doprinosili ovoj parohiji. Pojedinci kao sto su Djakon Pavle, Silvia Ivanovic, Kate Thickstun (Leff), Marsha Jovanovic, i mnoge druge supruge i supruzi srpskih parohijana predstavljaju podstrek i inspiraciju u mom radu.

Uveren sam da se ova parohija u proslosti oduzila ovim ljudima a ja zelim da iskoristim ovu priliku da se licno zah-valim na vasem istaknutom doprinosu nasoj parohiji, Pravoslavlju, srpskoj kul-turi i obicajima. U mom zivotu jedna osoba predstavlja posebnu inspiraciju u meni, ova osoba nije srpkinja, nije rod-jeni Pravoslavac ali mi je prikazala kako izgleda odanost i veliko zalaganje prema crkvi. Ova osoba je moja supruga Lind-say koja je mene ucinila vecim i jacim Pravoslavcem i vecim i snaznijim srbi-nom. Ovo je blagoslov koji cu uvek cen-iti i postovati.

Nemanja Selezan, Predsednik Crkveno-skolske Opstine Sveti Velikomucenik Djordje

On lines 9 and 6put X in the box forSome other race

then print SERBIAN


Coso Sisters Perform in December Nights in Balboa Park

On the frigid evening of December 4, 2009, Elissa Coso and Diana “Danica” Coso, known as Lis and Di, debuted their musical performance on stage in Balboa Park for the opening of “December Nights.” Their vocal duets featured themes of love, prayer, and thankfulness during the holiday season. The sisters revel in performing together and their voices produce a uniquely beautiful blend. Music is their passion, and it showed as they shared withthe apprecia-tive audience.

Diana and Elissa are the daughters of singer Joan (Jovanka) Govich Coso (Lorain, Ohio) and the late Michael Coso (Cleveland, Ohio). They grew up in the St. George Church in Lorain, Ohio, where their family instilled in them a strong tie to their church and cultural heritage.

Diana moved to San Diego in 2008 to run Allegra Print & Imaging in Kearny Mesa with brother Michael R. Coso. Fol-lowing her upbringing, she sought out a church in San Diego, and found our St. George Church, where she has joined the Choir. She hopes to perform locally as a solo act in addition.

Currently, Elissa resides in a suburb of Cleveland. She is employed by a large

law firm. She per-forms in the area as a solo act unless Diana is available to sing with her. As classically trained musicians, the sis-ters have been per-forming and singing together since they were kids at which time they created their signature sound with perfect blend, musical interpreta-tion, and innova-tive harmonies.

Coming from a large family of musi-cians, music educators (from elementary to high school to college PhDs), and tele-vision/film actors, Lis and Di offer music that spans many genres from top 40 to easy listening, country/gospel, folk, bal-lads, ethnic, to classic carols and opera….and they’ve been known to sprinkle a little humor into their act as well.

Elissa plays several instruments and is an accomplished dancer; Diana is also a pianist and has played the piano accom-paniments to Elissa’s instrumental and vocal solos. Their childhood living room was their very first “stage” as they per-

formed along with recordings and televi-sion variety shows.

“Man, did we think we were cool; little did we know then that through the years we’d develop our own personal interpre-tive musical style which morphed into Lis and Di,” Diana recounts. “While it was very cold December 4th, it was a magical evening for us as we performed for a wonderful audience that included family and friends who travelled from Ohio, Colombia, South America, as well as Father Bratso and several St. George choir members.”

Dusko Trajkovic sings and plays traditonal songs at a slava for Sv. Jovan at the home of Rade & Radmila Kasic and daughter Elizabeth


Marian Pavlovich gives report about her experience in Europe as Rotary Foundation AMBASSADORIAL SCHOLAR

Marian Pavlovich, daughter of Socorro and the late Adam Pavlovich, spent a good part of 2009 in Budapest, Hungary, at the Central European University, after she won the Rotary Foundation’s Ambassadorial Scholarship. Marian has been an active participant in the Rotary Foundation since her freshman year at Helix Charter High School. The Ambassadorial scholarship gave her opportunity to explore these concepts first hand as well as to travel across Europe. She recently gave a report of this experience at the Chula Vista Rotary Club.

Marian is currently completing her final quarter at UCLA with a Matsui Foundation Congressional Fellowship in Washington, DC. She will be interning with Senator Ted Kaufman (D) of Delaware, who serves on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

In June, Marian graduates with both College and Latin honors with a double major in Political Science and International Development. She plans to begin a Master’s program in global politics at the London School of Economics in the fall.

Marian says that her half-Montenegrin, half-Mexican ancestry has given her unique insight and openness toward diverse cultural heritage and prompted her to learn more about the role government, politics, and social norms play in ethnic communities across the globe. This experience has helped her shape her dream for the future that includes graduate level study on global management issues and eventually earning a law degree to pursue a career in international social and economic policy analysis.

Congratulations, Marian!

Editor

Veselinka Mihailovic, niece of Misha Jovanvovic, visiting from Paracin and Belgrade, chats with Elizabeth Kasic, a MORAVA Folklore dancer, at the St Sava celebration at St George Church.

Marian Pavlovich addressing the Chula Vista Rotary Club with a report about her experiences in Europe as an Ambassadorial Scholar


Words of Wisdom—If Life Hands You a Lemon, Make Lemonade But Don’t Forget the Sweetener

My life would not be as rich as it is today if I had not been able to recognize the opportunities given to me and turned them into a formula for sweet success at home and at work. Here are some of my tips for making the most of your life:• Education is the key to sweet success.

Reach for the top even if it takes years to get there.

• If someone sees something special in you and reaches out to you, take his or her hand and go for it.

• Disappointments and set back are part of life don’t dwell on them. Go forward to learn how to cope. There is always light at the end of the tunnel. Find it! Follow it!

• In your personal life, choosing a compatible mate is the most important decision you will ever make. Sharing good times is mutually supportive. Life can be tough and sharing those tough times lightens the load at home and at work.

• Doing the things you like to do and doing them well is very important, but doing the things you don’t like to do and attempting to do them well builds character and makes you stronger and empathetic.

• To human touch is everything. Spend more time communicating with personal and business connections. Too much technology (computers, Blackberrys and tv) breeds alienation. Listen more – judge less.

• Don’t look with should have, could have, would have attitude. It is self-defeating and you can become hardened and lifeless. People will avoid you.

• Maintain healthy habits. Stay fit. Walk each day even when it’s raining. Avoid smoking, drugs, and drinking too much alcohol. Fill your family life with good food, good friends, good work, good fun and also a good relationship with your family and church.

• Avoid negative people whenever possible. They sap your energy and cause sleepless nights.

• Find the work you love and don’t hesitate to change your work and develop transferable skills. Keep your mind active and open to new challenges.

• Enjoy laughter with family, friends and co-workers, new and old. Don’t expect joy to come to you. Seek and you shall find.

• Satisfaction and feeling harmonious with others comes from seeing yourself as capable and lovable. People will respond to your positive manner.

• Accept growing older and a process of becoming – like maturity. You strive to get there in your life’s journey and find that totally mature, lovable and capable person you are meant to be. After all, sweetened lemonade is always refreshing.

Persida Drakulich, RN, BA, MA, PhD in Women of Wisdom, Professional Performance Magazine, Vol. 17, No. 2

Persida’s Short Biography

• Orphaned at age 7

• Joined the Unites States Cadet Nurse Corps. During WWII at age 17

• 32 years directing school health promotion/risk reduction and disease prevention programs in San Diego Unified School District and California State Department of Education in Sacrament

• Professor of Health Science at San Diego State University

• California State Attorney General’s Drug Prevention Commission

• California State Attorney General’s Child Abuse Prevention Commission

• City of San Diego Board Chairmanships

• Chair-City of San Diego Citizens Review Board on Police Practices

• Chair-City of San Diego Drug Prevention Board

• Chair-City of San Diego Neighborhood Pride and Protection Advisory Board

• Chair-Scripps Memorial Hospital, La Jolla

• Chair-National Advisory Board for McDonald Center for Alcohol & Drug Treatment

• Past President – Kiwanis Club, Downtown – San Diego

• Married 46 years – widow, two sons (both attorneys), 3 grandsons

• St. George Serbian Orthodox steward


To Those with Children

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and don’t stop them; for it is to such as these that the Kingdom of God belongs.” (Luke 18.16)

We’re happy to welcome you and your children to St. George! Here are some guidelines to encourage you and to set you at ease:1. Relax! The Lord put the “wiggle” in chil-

dren and Jesus Christ showed us that He was both comfortable and pleased to be in the presence of children.

2. The first step toward teaching our children the Orthodox Faith is to participate in the Liturgy. Therefore, you are encouraged to remain in the church with your child dur-ing the service. We do have a nursery available. Please ask a tutor if you need assistance finding the appropriate area for your child. We do not mind traffic in and out of our worship if you need to come and go in order to tend to your child.

3. You might like to sit up front where your child can see more—you may also want to sit near the doors where you can reach the bathrooms more easily.

4. We love to see parents with an arm around their child, quietly explaining anything the child might not understand**. Of course, children may stand on the pew to get a better look—but please hold on to them!

5. Please, bring your child forward at Com-munion time! If your child is baptized in the Orthodox Church, she or he is wel-come to receive the Holy Communion.

6. We are glad you are here! Please let us know if there is anything else, we can do to help you feel more at home here.

If you as the parent, grandparent or friend of a child are asked a question that you aren’t able to answer, please feel free to inquire of Fr. Bratso and Deacon Paul by seeking them out after the Divine Lit-urgy and asking or make an appointment with them. Sometimes the priest or dea-con may help right then and there; they are happy to speak with any child about any subject. (Sometimes parents and other adults learn lots from these small conversations, too!)

Fr. Bratso KrsicSunday School Field Trip. to Chula Vista Nature Center on Saturday, March 13, 2010. Thank you to parents, students and teachers.


The Lenten Fast The word “fast” means not eating all or certain foods. As Orthodox Faithful, we can fast completely at certain times of great importance, and especially each time before receiving Holy Communion. Usually, fasting means limiting the num-ber of meals and/or the type of food eaten.

The purpose of fasting is to remind us of the Scriptural teaching, “Man does not live by bread alone.” The needs of the body are nothing compared to the needs of the soul. Above all else, we need God, Who provides everything for both the body and the soul. Fasting teaches us to depend on God more fully. The first sin of our parents, Adam and Eve, was eating from the forbidden tree (Genesis 3:1-19). We fast from food, or a food item, as a reminder that we are to fast from sinning and doing evil.

There are several benefits of fasting. Fasting helps us pray more easily. Our spirit is lighter when we are not weighed down by too much food or food that is too rich. Through fasting, we also learn to feel compassion for the poor and hun-gry and to save our own resources so that we can help those in need.

Fasting is more than not eating food. Saint John Chrysostom teaches that it is more important to fast from sin. For example, besides controlling what goes into our mouths, we must control what comes out of our mouths as well. Are our words pleasing to God, or do we curse God or our brother?

The other members of the body also need to fast: our eyes from seeing evil, our ears from hearing evil, our limbs from participating in anything that is not of God. Most important of all, we need to control our thoughts, for thoughts are the source of our actions, whether good or evil.

Fasting is not an end in itself. Our goal is an inner change of heart. The Lenten Fast is called “ascetic.” This refers to actions of self-denial and spiritual train-ing which are central to fasting.

Fasting is a spiritual exercise. It is not imposed or forced upon us. In the same way that true repentance cannot be forced upon anyone, each of us makes the choice to turn away from our sinful ways and go toward our loving, forgiv-ing Father in Heaven.

The Prelenten Weeks Before Great Lent begins, four Sunday lessons prepare us for the Fast. Humility is the theme of the first Sunday, called the Sunday of the Publican and the Phar-isee. The Lord's parable in Luke 18:10-14 teaches that fasting with pride is rejected by God. For this reason, there is no fasting the week following this Sun-day. This includes no fasting on Wednes-day and Friday that week. (Wednesdays and Fridays are usually fast days throughout the year—Wednesday's Fast recalls the betrayal of Christ by Judas; Friday's Fast commemorates the Lord's Crucifixion.)

Repentance is the theme of the second Pre-Lenten Sunday, called the Sunday of the Prodigal Son. Before we can return to God, we need to recognize that we are far from God because of sin. Like the Prod-igal Son (Luke 15:11-32), we are in a self-imposed exile. Will we come to our senses as did the Prodigal Son and return to our Father?

The next Sunday is called both Meatfare Sunday and the Sunday of the Last Judg-ment. The second name refers to the Gospel lesson (Matthew 25:31-4 6) read on this day. The Lord tells us we will be judged at the end according to the love we have shown for our brother. “I was hungry..thirsty..naked...a stranger...in prison...sick... Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine you did for Me.” Almsgiving goes hand in hand with fasting. This Sunday is called Meatfare because it is the last day meat, fish or poultry is eaten before Easter, for those keeping the Lenten Fast.

The last Pre-Lenten Sunday is called both Cheesefare Sunday and the Sunday of Forgiveness. This is the last day dairy products are eaten before the Fast. The Gospel lesson (Matthew 6:14-21 ) read on this day tells us that our fast must not

be hypocritical or “for show.” Our work and our appearance are to continue as usual and our extra efforts are to be known only by God. The Gospel reading also reminds us that God the Father will forgive us in the same manner as we for-give our brother. With this promise of forgiveness, Great Lent begins on the next day, which is called Clean Monday. Clean Monday is a total fast day, except for a little water and food.

Holy Week The week before Easter, Holy Week, is a special time of fasting separate from Great Lent. Like the first week, a strict fast is kept. Some Orthodox Christians try to keep a total fast on Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday and Holy Wednesday. Most eat a simple Lenten meal at the end of each day before going to the evening Church services.

On Holy Thursday, wine is allowed in remembrance of the Last Supper. Holy Friday is kept as a strict fast day, as is Holy Saturday. Holy Saturday is the only Saturday in the entire year when oil is not permitted.

In short, these are the Lenten rules for fasting. Traditionally, the Church Fathers recommend that someone new to fasting begin by resolving to faithfully do as much as he or she is able during the Lenten period. Each year as one matures as a Christian, a fuller participation can be undertaken. However, it is not recom-mended that a person try to create their own rules for fasting, since this would not be obedient or wise. The Faithful are encouraged to consult with their priest or bishop regarding the Fast when possible. Personal factors such as one's health and living situation need to be considered as well. For example, an isolated Orthodox Christian required to eat meals at their place of employment, school or in prison may not be able to avoid certain foods. The Church understands this and extends leniency.

It is important to keep in mind that fast-ing is not a law for us—rather, a volun-tary way of remembering to not sin and do evil, and to help keep our focus on prayer, repentance and doing acts of


kindness, for we “are not under the law but under grace” (Romans 6:14).

Easter, Bright Week, and the Paschal SeasonThe Lenten Fast is broken following the midnight Easter service. With the procla-mation, “Christ is risen!” the time of feasting ends. The week after Easter is called Bright Week, and there is no fast-ing. For the next 40 days, the Church cel-ebrates the Paschal (Easter) season. Joy and thanksgiving are the fulfillment of our Lenten journey.

A Prayer for Lent O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, faintheartedness, lust of power, and idle talk. +

But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to your servant. +

Yes, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own sin and not to judge my brother, for You are blessed from all ages to all ages. Amen. +

+ make a deep bow or prostrate yourself

In Him we have redemption

through His blood, the forgiveness of

our trespasses, according to the

riches of His grace, Ephesians 1:7

Studenica Monastery


Kolo Sisters

Dear fellow parishioners of St George

First let me thank you for all of the labor of love that everyone put forth last year. With all due respect, we need to recognize and give thanks to the Lord for every contri-bution of time, talents, and labor that was given by so many through all of our church groups. I believe that everyone would agree that Banja Vece and Christ-mas Day were truly special. So many were commenting that there was so much peace and joy being felt, it seemed as if we were all visiting in some one’s home. Thank you everyone.

As for our main project the restoration of the pews continues, and we have made a contribution to Martha and Mary’s house. We are somehow managing to still pre-pare our lunches, and our church events continued to be scheduled.

Kolo is and always will be the back bone of our parish, but we are in serious need of women to come forth and volunteer for special and ordinary times—there is a first time for everything. If you are not a member yet, we invite you to join us. Our sisterhood needs to continue for our future generation. Let’s set a good exam-ple. This is a new year and hopefully our plans and ideas can be achieved.

Reaching out into our communities, and participating with local shelters, having food drives, giving away those extra items that we seemed to have accumu-lated. We can have food booths when there are street fairs and hopefully get on the list for the Balboa Park events, have our children make some special craft items. Even more special would be to have church tours scheduled. These could be a combination both from a religious and artistic interest. Let’s reach out beyond our doors to share the beautiful

and rich culture that we have to offer and draw the interest of others.

As Christians we are required to help and serve, and in doing so God’s will is being done. I feel that my creative nature allows me to share happiness, I love see-ing people smile, and, as well, when I can share a life experience with others, I feel God is ministering to those who may be in a similar situation. If you feel like I do, than share a thought or two.

Here is one from me... Sometime back as I was rushing off to some family emer-gency, my co-worker told me “Sylvia be concerned, but don’t worry.” I felt as if the Lord himself were speaking. Since then I’ve been more at ease, and I have a better understanding that there is a big difference between the two. We some-times worry ourselves to the point being sick. It is here were our faith is strength-ened. We need to continue to praise the name of Our Lord and release our worries to Him and to thank Him for guidance. You will feel an inner peace and know that He is in control.

And here’s other thought I would like to share—for all of us married couples. My hus-band and I are cele-brating our 33rd wedding anniver-sary this month, and we have much to be happy about. There have been times when things were rough, and with a doubtful and trou-bled mind, I won-dered what the future held. Well, while experiencing such a time and feeling a lot of anger, I was so ready to walk away from it all. It just so happened that while driving home I

caught a message on a church marquee that stated: A marriage is a union between two forgivers. My thoughts were changed from anger to love and forgiveness. Instead of wanting to give him a piece of my mind, I ended up sharing my peace of mind.

Forgiveness allows us to go on in life, and we can enjoy the company of our families and other loved ones. The enemy wants to destroy the family structure. Stand strong, forgive, and forget.

I am sharing my love and best wishes to you and yours. God bless all.

Your sister in Christ,

Sylvia Ivanovic, Kolo President


Recommended Reading

Great Lent, Father Alexander Schmemann, St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, Crestwood, New York.

His Life Is Mine, Archimandrite Sophrony, St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, Crestwood, New York.

The Life of Father John of Kronstadt, St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, Crestwood, New York.

Living Prayer, Archbishop Anthony Bloom, Paulist Press, New York, New York.

Making God Real in the Orthodox Home, Father Anthony M. Coniaris, Light and Life Publishing Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The Way of the Pilgrim and the Pilgrim Continues His Way, R. M. French, The Seabury Press, New York, New York.

The Ladder of Divine Ascent, St. John Climacus, Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Boston, Massachusetts.

Beginning to Pray, Archbishop Anthony Bloom, Paulist Press, New York, New York.

The Undistorted Image, Staretz Silouan, Faith Press, London, England.

Living the Liturgy, Fr. Stanley S. Harakas, Light and Life, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The Jesus Prayer: The Ancient Desert Prayer that Tunes the Heart to God, Frederica Mathewes-Green, Paraclete Press, Brewster, Massachusetts.

Many Thanks to......Vera Giles, Sylvia Ivanovic, and the Kolo sisters for initiating the refinishing of the pews in our church. As we were brainstorming how to proceed with the project Simona Trifunovic suggested to contact our own parishioner Stevo Basic who eagerly undertook the project.On behalf of our St. George Serbian Orthodox Church we express our gratitude to Stevo and his family for their faithful stewardship and the use of time in refurbishing the pews.Thank you very much Stevo! God grant you many years!

IOCC Mobilizes Disaster Response for Haiti Earthquake

International Orthodox Christian Chari-ties (IOCC) is responding to the most devastating earthquake to hit the island nation of Haiti in 200 years. IOCC has mobilized its disaster response team and is coordinating with our Orthodox and ecumenical partners to monitor and respond to the emerging needs in Haiti.

To make a gift, please visit www.iocc.org, call toll free at 1-877-803-IOCC (4622), or mail a check or money order payable to IOCC, P.O. Box 630225, Baltimore, Md. 21263-0225. buckets, see the links pasted below.

https://www.iocc.org/giving/giving_emergency.aspx


St. George Stewardship List As of March 11, 2010

• Alemany, Lazar and Linda

• Aud, Matthew and Laurie

• Basic, Stevo and Stana

• Batinica, Boris

• Begovich, Michael and Samantha

• Belanich, David and Jasna

• Belcevich, Milos

• Bulic, Branislav

• Cle, Mira

• Connor, Thomas and Evelyn

• Copic, Miro and Laura

• Cronemeyer, Jamie and Zorica

• Denton, Natalie

• Drakulich, Persida

• Draskovich, Proto Bozidar and Protinica Bozana

• Driscoll, Josephine

• Elez, Sladjana

• Freeman, Lillian

• Fulton, Jeff and Radmila

• Germain, Deacon Paul and Natalija

• Giles, Vera

• Grba, Svetozar and Christine

• Gregovich, Ljubica

• Grjakovic, Vladimir

• Ilic, Petar and Rosa

• Irick, Olga

• Jojic, Dobrinka

• Jojic, Vesko and Julijana

• Jovanovic, Dejan and Lana

• Jovanovich, Martha

• Jovanovic, Vel and Mira

• Jovanovich, Misha and Marsha

• Jovanovic, Ratko

• Jovanovich, Slavko and Tatijana

• Jovanovich, Svetlana

• Jovanovich, Tomas and Vesna

• Kinach, Alex and Seka

• Krsic, Proto Bratso and Protinica Lisa

• Lukic, Milos

• Lukich, Ljuban James and Petka

• Markley, Scott and Nada

• Melnick, Stanley and Pauline

• Mikler, Zora

• Milasinovic, Zjelko and Marija

• Miljkovic, Milan and Diane

• Milovancev, Miroslav and Mira

• Mitrovich, Predrag

• Mrja, Millie

• Nedic, Sava and Spomenka

• Pantovich, Nada

• Pantovich, Mirjana Sally

• Papac, Wayne and Sandie

• Petakovich, Proto Velimir and Protinica Ljubinka

• Petric, Alex

• Petric, Milovan and Jelena

• Plavsic, Mara-Seja

• Plavsic, Milan and Ljubica

• Popa, Cornelia

• Popovich, Dolly

• Popovich, Ella

• Potkonjak, Michael and Sheila

• Pugh, Zachary and Milica

• Purlia, Sam and Gloria

• Radojevic, Dan and Dr. Vesna

• Radomirovic, Vladimir and Sanja

• Radovanovic, Dragoslav and Ljiljana

• Raicevic, Vladimir and Silvana

• Rakic, Marko and Vera

• Rhoads, Howard and Lydia

• Rhoads, Michael

• Selezan, Nemanja and Lindsay

• Serdar, Sophie

• Smith, Justin and Zorana

• Smolan, Daniel

• Srbich, Dr. Alexander and Mrs.

• Thickstun, Kathryn

• Trifunovic, Dr. Robert and Simona

• Trifunovic, Vladan and Milica

• Undheim, Robert and Dobrila

• Vasich, Branko and Ruja

• Vlasovich, Milanka

• Vucelic, Michael and Inge

• Vukotich, Dorothy

• Vukotich, John and Jean

• Wright, Sean and Svenja

• Zigich, Baron

• Zivkovic, Jovan and Tina

What is stewardship?

Stewardship is growing, developing, advancing, and building the gifts with which God has blessed us. Stewardship is not conserving, holding, protecting, and preserving.

God invites you; God calls you to be a good steward of these amazing gifts:

• the gift of your life

• the gift of generosity

• the gift of the mission to which God calls you

• the gift of hope

God encourages you to begin growing, developing, advancing, and building these remarkable gifts.

When you develop a theology of stew-ardship as growing, developing, advanc-ing, and building, you live in the confidence that:

• the love of God is renewing

• the power of God is astonishing

• the grace of God is amazing

• the purpose of God is moving

• the hope of God overcomes all.

People who live with this assurance and vision have a sincerely and deeply felt, biblical understanding that stewardship is growing the gifts of life, generosity, mission, faith, and hope.

Stewardship is the wise investment of these amazing gifts.


Seven Principles of Christian Stewardship

The Apostle Paul presents seven princi-ples of Christian Stewardship in the 8th and 9th chapters of his second Epistle to the Corinthians:

RESPONSIBILITYEvery Christian has a stewardship responsibility. “Every man according as he purposes in his heart.”

PERSONALEvery Christian must make a personal Stewardship decision: “As he purposes in his heart, let him give.” (9:7)

ATTITUDE Attitude in giving is important: “Not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful give.” (8:12)

WILLINGLYThe Christian steward will give willingly to the Lord: “They were willing.” (8:3) “First, a willing mind.” (8:12)

PROPORTIONATEChristian giving will be in proportion to income and possessions: “It is accepted according to that which a man has, and not according to that which he has not.” (8:12)

SACRIFICEA Christian will give a sacrificially: “Beyond their power.” (8:3) and “He who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully.” (9:6)

SYSTEMATICThe faithful Christian steward will give systematically: “Every man according as he purposes in his heart.” (9:7)

“…And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have abundance for every good deed.” II Corinthians 9:8

Седам Принципа Хришћанског Старатељства

Апостол Павле представља седам принципа хришћанског старатељства у 8. и 9. глави његове друге посланице Коринћанима;

ОДГОВОРНОСТСваки хришћанин има старатељску одговорност: “Сваки како одлучи у срцу”.

ЛИЧНОСваки хришћанин мора донети личну Старатељску одлуку: “Како одлучи у срцу, нека даје”. (9:7)

СТАВ, ДРЖАЊЕСтав према давању је важан: “Не са жалошћу или принудно; јер Бог љуби онога који драговољно даје”.

ВОЉНОСТХришћански старатељ ће са жељом и вољно да даје Господу: “Добровољно даваху” (8:3) “Јер ако има ко добру вољу”. (8:13)

ПРОПОРЦИОНАЛНОХришћанско давање ће бити у пропорцији зараде и поседовања: “Мио је по ономе што има, а не по ономе што нема”.

ЖРТВАХришћанин ће проложити са жртвом: “И преко могућства добровољно даваху” (8:3) и “Ко шкрто сије шкрто ће и жњети”(9:3)

СИСТЕМАТСКИВерујући хришћански старатељ ће давати систематски: “Сваки како одлучи у свом срцу”. (9:7)

“А Бог је кадар да вас обогати сваком благодаћу, да у свему свагда имајући довољно свега, изобилујете у сваком добром делу.”2 Коринћанима 9,8

Stewardship as Love

There is a missing word in the vocabu-laty of most people today. As Serbian Orthodox Christians, Scripture and Holy Tradition teach us that sacrifice must be seen from a different perspective. It must be seen through LOVE. This sacrificial love brought about our Salvation through the Cross of Jesus Christ.

We are asked to consider sacrificial giv-ing through our Church stewardship pro-gram. Our commitment is a journey into faith. It is propelled by prayer. A stew-ardship offering is not sacrificial unless it changes the way we live. We give up somthing so that something more impor-tant can take its place. That important something is the joy and peace that fills the heart.

With prayer and reflection, we are asked to inventory our resources and make the best gift possible to the holy work and ministry of our Serbian Orthodox Church. Regular disciplined giving makes good giving possible.

Qualities of Stewardship•Generosity•Sacrifice•Tithing

•Joy•Humility

•Freedom•Consistency

Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!Христос Bаскрсе! Ваистину Bаскрсе!


Morava -- St George to St Petersburg

From December 2009 to January 2010, Morava received not one, not two, but three different invitations to participate in folklore festivals around the U.S. -- all on the SAME weekend! We were amazed and stumped...where would we go? We received the first invitation from Srpski Biser of St Petersburg, FL (St Sava S.O.C.). The second came shortly thereafter from Frula of Merrillville, IN. Finally, the last was from St Sava S.O.C. in San Gabriel, CA.

The group (for the most part) were inter-ested in visiting a new place, so we voted on Srpski Biser's "Musicfest." They were thrilled we were coming, and we were hoping for some nice, San Diego-like weather and a chance to make new friends on the East Coast.

No luck on the wish for good weather! As it turned out, when we arrived Friday night, it was muggy, drizzly and 60 degrees. Friday night had us meet up with Srpski Biser and the other out-of-town guest ensemble, Gracanica of Bos-ton, MA at St Sava's church hall. It was a low-key night, with a lenten dinner pre-pared for us by St Sava parish and the parents of the dancers.

Saturday morning, we headed over to the hall to have a quick last run-through of our splets. Srpski Biser had pizza waiting for us when we finished danc-ing, but more importantly, they helped us organize a birthday cake for our youngest traveller in the group -- DANILO LAZETIC, who celebrated his 6th birthday on February 6! We sur-prised him with a cake and a big group of dancers singing to him. He was thrilled. Thanks to protinica Zaremba for taking care of arranging the cake!

After the pseudo birthday party for Danilo, the group went to the pier in Tampa, where it was cool and VERY windy. We did some shopping at the various boutiques in town (including a Russian shop which had all kinds of Russian and Orthodox artifacts and

jewelry), and then walked out to the pier, which is a bright, multi-colored, multi-leveled building jutting out into the ocean. While we did not have a lot of time to bum around, we made the most of it, and many ended up picking some Florida memorabilia (including sweat-shirts for warmth)!

Upon our return to the hotel, the dancers prepared themselves, then packed into our van and headed over to the church hall for the concert that evening. We were thoroughly impressed by the pres-ence and repetoire of Gracanica, as well as Srpski Biser, who we had the opportu-nity to first see last year at San Marcos. There was also an outstanding local Greek ensemble from Clearwater, who impressed us with a splet from Thessalo-niki. Once the concert finished, there was lively dancing, great food and a lot of celebrating with our new friends.

Sunday, Morava headed to church for Divine Liturgy (once we were able to wake up all of our sleepy-heads) and was able to take photos with Fr and Protinica Zaremba in front of the ikonostas after church. They had a lunch for us, as well. After packing up and checking out, we then headed to an upscale shopping mall to spend our last short time checking out Florida before our departure. Of course,

as we made out way to the airport to depart, the sun came out! All in all, a great time, and a great job on the splets we danced and the song the girls sang. Our hosts were both very generous and gracious and we thank them for all they did to make the weekend a wonderful success!

With that weekend comes more opportu-nities to travel, which of course moti-vates our dancers, because how else to meet other Serbian Orthodox youth, but to travel? We have some exciting plans for the year and hope to realize them all. Our Folkfest is set for July 16-18, 2010, and this year, we are honored to have Nikola Tesla Folklore Ensemble from Switzerland as our honored guests at Folkfest (pending their visa approval).

We hope and pray that our parish will come together to make this first phase of our hall renovations as expedicious as possible! Please GIVE, knowing that these renovations are long overdue and will ensure that our future generations have somewhere to congregate, pray and perpetuate our rich culture.

Friday nights we dance with our pee-wees "Golubici" at 6:00 pm, our Junior Morava at 6:45 pm and our Seniors at 7:15 pm. Please bring your kids, grand-


kids, kumce, etc. We have a lovely group of children and adults partic-ipating, but are always looking for new members!

Please email [email protected] for more information or to provide your information to be included on upcoming events.

Marija Milasinovic, director; photos by Jelena Mulin

Blessed Easterto everyone


Fr. Bratso encourages you to:

• Send your e-mail address to: [email protected] if you would like to be placed on a church information email list so that you get updated announcements of important changes or events during the month between monthly and quarterly mailings.

• Let him know when people are sick so that he can call or visit them if they want him to do so, and add their names to the weekly prayer list.

• Call him at any time; with questions, with concerns, with suggestions. If it’s important to you, it’s important to him!

Our Bookstore has many items on sale! Don’t forget to shop in our church bookstore. We have many items: gold crosses, gold chains, prayer books, books on various topics, tapes, video tapes, DVDs, icons, prayer ropes, etc.

Stewardship PledgesDid you forget to submit your stewardship card or perhaps misplaced it some-where, or do you simply need some more offering envelopes? Call our church office 619-276-5827 and we will immediately send you a stewardship card/s and envelopes.

Thank you, everyone!Fr. Bratso would like to thank all of our stewards, Executive Church Board mem-bers, and supporters for the many ways you bring Gospel values into your homes, workplaces, and civic communities. “Well done good and faithful ser-vant…” God bless you all! We appreciate you all!

Traditional Serbian-style Easter eggs

The beautiful eggs in the photo were prepared and painted by Ana Miric and her children, Sara, Lazar, & Milosh. The eggs are dyed with onion skins in a crock pot for about 2.5 hours while the family attends Royal Hours on Good Friday. They spend the rest of the day (until Vespers) decorating the eggs. Icons are cut from an Orthodox book catalogue and glued to the eggs. Designs and borders are painted using acrylic paints. Husband and father Steven Miric, a photographer, takes pictures of the easter eggs as his contribution to their Easter tradition. The Miric family are members of St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in Toronto, Canada. Ana posts many Serbian-themed graphics onhttp://www.flickr.com/people/pelagija/

Rajko Tomic with synthesizer, Djordje and Dimitrije Isakovic singing

On Saturday, February 13, 2010, the First Belgrade Night was held in Oceanside. The gracious hosts were Djordje, Svetlana and their son Dimitruje Isakovic, owners of America's Best Value Inn. The evening was well attended by Serbian friends from San Diego, Escondido, San Marcos, Vista, and Los Angeles. Entertainment was provided by the accordion player Rajko Tomic from Los Angeles. Food was excellent! Guests were dancing and singing late into the night. Dusica and Rasha Stanic put a lot of work into it as well to make sure this evening was very successful. Dragan and Tijana Porobic helped in the bar and the kitchen. Be watching for announcements for another such evening.—Misha Jovanovic


Misha JovanovicFirstworld Travel & Misha Tours

130 East Main Street * El Cajon, CA 92020619-588-5811 or 619-588-4644

Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!Христос Bаскрсе! Ваистину Bаскрсе!

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