BISHOP MITROPHAN
VISITS THE ERIE, PA MISSION PARISH
Shadeland, PA - On Friday, October 21, 2005 His Grace Bishop Mitrophan of Eastern America visited the newly formed mission parish of Holy Bishop Nikolai of Erie, Pennsylvania. This very small group of Serbian Orthodox Christians initially met with His Grace, the bishop, on September 8, 2004 to discuss the possibility of using the facilities at Shadeland, which is their closest Serbian Church, for services. The meeting was held at the home of Luka and Melanie Krneta together with V. Rev. Rastko Trbuhovich of Lackawanna, NY, Rev. Milovan Katanic of Hermitage, PA and Rev. Deacon Dragoslav, the Diocesan Secretary.
His Grace expressed his enthusiasm for the endeavor that this small group wished to take upon themselves and appointed Fr. Rastko and Fr. Milovan as the temporary administrators, to alternately serve liturgies on one Saturday a month.
Over the past year services have been conducted in the chapel of the A-Building in Shadeland. On two occasions the Hermitage parish choir sang the responses at the liturgy and in May the small community, humbly celebrated their Slava, the Transfer of the Relics of St. Bishop Nikolai of Zicha and Ohrid.
During the Bishop’s archpastoral visit on Friday evening Vespers was served, with a parastos following, after which there was a dinner. As everyone slowly finished their meals a discussion began addressing the challenges that this mission faces and possible solutions. As is the case in all newly formed missions, services are conducted on Saturdays and this was addressed as a potential problem. One solution, albeit temporary, that was brought up was the possibility of asking one of the deacons from our diocese to serve a Reader’s Service on a Sunday morning so that the community would be able to see how many people would attend on a Sunday. With the bishop’s blessing, it was decided to begin this practice as soon as possible. For the time being, however, the next Divine Liturgy will be held on Saturday, November 26, 2005 at 10:00 am. V. Rev. Rastko Trbuhovich will be the celebrant.