NEW PRIEST ARRIVES IN ORLANDO
Orlando, FL - Sunday, October 24, 2004 was a special day for the many parishioners that gathered at the church of St. Petka in Orlando. It was on this day that they welcomed His Grace Bishop Dr. +Mitrophan as they celebrated their Church Slava with the Divine Liturgy and the festive luncheon that followed. However, this was also the day that His Grace officially introduced and appointed the parish's new priest - Fr. Ljubisa Brnjosa and his family.
Joining in both the Slava celebration and in welcoming the new parish priest were Protonamesnik Stephen Zaremba, Dean of St. Petersburg Deanery and former Orlando priest, Fr. Dragan Zaric. A very large number of Orlando Serbs gathered for the joyous occasion. Kumovi for the Slava were Simo and Zvezdana Blagojevic while Milenko and Slavojka Markovic accepted the honors of being kumovi for next years celebration.
The newly appointed priest Fr. Ljubisa was born in 1975 and finished his theological studies at the Theological Faculty in Belgrade. He was ordained by Bishop Atanasije and appointed parish priest in Trebinje where he served for eight years. His popadija, Natasa, also finished her theological studies and taught religious education in Trebinje for nine years. They have three children: Konstantin (8), Svetlana (6) and Aleksey (3). They arrived in Orlando only days before the Slava, on October 19th, and are anxious to begin their work in the parish.
Fr. Ljubisa together with his popadija is temporarly working on getting the Church School program started. Services in the Orlando parishes are now held regularly on Sundays at 10:00 am with Vespers at 6:00 pm on Saturday evenings. Fr. Ljubisa will also be temporary administrator of the Jacksonville mission. In November he plans on visiting the mission on November 14 and 27. On November 14, 2004 the Jacksonville mission will celebrate their church Slava, St. King Milutin.
We look forward to hearing from Fr. Ljubisa and the parishioners from both the Orlando and Jacksonville parishes, reading of their successes.
Welcome Fr. Ljubisa, Popadija Natasa and children. Ziveli na mnogaja ljeta!