St. Michael's is a Pan-Orthodox, canonically consecrated Orthodox church, a mission of the Serbian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America. Established to serve Huntsville, Madison & neighboring counties in North Alabama and south central Tennessee, St. Michael's is proud to celebrate all services in English. We welcome worshippers of all backgrounds.

Services Celebrated in English every Sunday at 10:00 AM
We welcome you to join us in worship & in fellowship after Services.

News at St. Michael's ‡ June, 2009 ‡
Service Schedule: Divine Liturgy and Communion every Sunday (all services at 10 AM unless otherwise noted) Confession: on Sundays the Hours will begin at 9:30 am and confessions will be heard until the beginning of Liturgy. Or make special arrangements for Father to hear your confession. (An Akathist service is a lay-conducted worship dedicated to a saint, holy event, or one of the Holy Trinity, with participation by the entire congregation.) Father Benedict’s contact info: Home - 205-441-7118; Cell - 205-856-0154; Email - fatherbenedict@charter.net Important Upcoming Church Dates: June 7th – PENTECOST SUNDAY Great Vespers – Saturday night, 7:00 pm. Divine Liturgy on Sunday, followed by Vespers with Kneeling Prayers . June 14th – Sunday of All Saints June 15th – Beginning of Apostles’ Fast – lasts until July 12th (feast of Sts. Peter & Paul). June 21st – Sunday of All Saints of North America. June 28th –St. Lazar, prince of Serbia (Vidovdan). News Items? Please send church news items to the Newsletter editor Rick Kaiser at rkmk2001@bellsouth.net. Adult Class on the Orthodox Faith: Will reconvene in the Fall. Watch for more information. Prayer Requests: Please remember in your prayers: Child Jovana (2 years old – leukemia); Gregory; Antonia with child (Annie Brecht); Katarzyna Bazylewicz; Tatiana Kukhtareva; Mariam & Tom Calache; Mary Kochoff; Glenn Dengler (friend of Jokich family) and daughters Haley (7) and Nicole (3); Sandy & Roger Ellis; Daniel Ellis (brother of Roger); Naji Freiji and family; Ted Gulas; Edythe Hales; Markela Hatzakis; Brian Jokich; Elena Meagher; Daniel & Anne Kobasa (parents of H. Bergantz); Rhonda Lovette; Catrina & Kathy Thomas; Tim & Ron Waskerwitz; Child Sophia and Child Marija (daughters of Fr. Vladimir); Evangeline Pamfilis; Pat Darzy; Mary Zarzaur; and Natalie (niece of Rick Kaiser). For the Departed Servants of God: Archimandrite Damian, Hieromonk Barnabas, Boris Kochoff and Frank Boardman Needs Tables & Chairs: Each time we have a potluck, luncheon, etc., we must drag in tables and chairs from our homes. If someone would like to donate some tables and/or chairs, it would be much appreciated. The black chairs cost $20.00 each at Sam’s and the 6 foot folding tables $50.00 at Sam’s or Target. We could probably use another 12 chairs and 2 tables. If you would like to make a donation towards them or buy them, please contact Helen Bergantz at hbergantz@knology.net or 256-216-6523. Please call 256-881-2449 or email Helen Bergantz to let us know if you or anyone you know is in need of prayer or a priest. Local emergency number: 256-651-4241. *Make your 2009* pledge to St. Michael's If you have not yet made your pledge for the mission through the end of next year (December 2009), please see our treasurer, Michele Jokich. You are always welcome to join us for worship and fellowship even if you are in a position where you cannot pledge. Please contact our treasurer - Michele Jokich. Call 256-325-2545 or email Michele. THE PRAYER OF ST. EPHRAIM OF SYRIA (A good prayer to say every day during Lent) O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power, and idle talk. But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to me Thy servant. Yea, O Lord and King! Grant me to see my own transgressions and not to judge my brother, for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Next Parish Council Meeting – July 2, 6:00pm To all who celebrate birthdays and anniversaries in the coming month, may God grant you many years! June Birthdays 2nd – Olga Gulas 7th – Helen Bergantz 23rd – Evangeline Pamfilis 28th – Hal Pastrick June Birthdays** 3rd – Hal & Vivienne Pastrick 12th – Joe & Helen Bergantz 25th – Jim & Neli Manley Coffee Hour: June 7th – Zarzaur July 5th – Demora (fasting) June 14th – Bergantz (fasting) July 12th – Ellis June 21st – Branham (fasting) July 19th – Gall June 28th – Buksa (fasting) July 26th - Gulas NOTE: If you would like to do a coffee hour, and are not on the list, please contact Helen Bergantz for more information. Duty would be approximately once every 3 months. Please remember, if you cannot do coffee hour on your Sunday, please switch with someone on the list. Thank you. Coffee hour need not be elaborate. Keep it simple with coffee, juice and perhaps some fruit and pastry. Epistle Reading: It was decided at the general parish meeting that the duty of coffee hour would be separated from the duty of chanting the Epistle. If you would like to be included on the list of people to chant the Epistle, please speak with Fr. Benedict. Church Cleaning: June – Zarzaur July – Bergantz This is your Church – help keep it clean! Kitchen items always needed: cremora, cold cups (9oz), toilet paper, paper towels, Paper plates (dessert & luncheon sizes) decaf and regular coffee, and a new lighter to light the candles. If you would pick up any of these items and donate them to church, it would be most appreciated. Help us to be "green" by choosing paper products over plastic or styrofoam! Know your saints . . . The Holy Empress Helen whom the Church remembers on June 3 Saint Helen was the mother of St. Constantine the Great, and was probably born at Drepanum (Helenopolis) in Asia Minor to parents of humble means. She married Constantius Chlorus, and their son Constantine was born in 274. Constantius divorced her in 294 in order to further his political ambition by marrying a woman of noble rank. After he became emperor, Constantine showed his mother great honor and respect, granting her the imperial title “Augusta.” After Constantine became the sole ruler of the Western Roman Empire, he issued the Edict of Milan in 313 which guaranteed religious tolerance for Christians. St Helen, who was a Christian, may have influenced him in this decision. In 323, when he became the sole ruler of the entire Roman Empire, he extended the provisions of the Edict of Milan to the Eastern half of the Empire. After three hundred years of persecution, Christians could finally practice their faith without fear. The emperor deeply revered the victory-bearing Sign of the Cross of the Lord, and also wanted to find the actual Cross upon which our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified. For this purpose he sent his own mother, the holy Empress Helen, to Jerusalem, granting her both power and money. Patriarch Macarius of Jerusalem and St Helen began the search, and through the will of God, the Life-Creating Cross was miraculously discovered in 326. While in Palestine, the holy empress did much of benefit for the Church. She ordered that all places connected with the earthly life of the Lord and His All-Pure Mother, should be freed of all traces of paganism, and she commanded that churches should be built at these places. The emperor Constantine ordered a magnificent church in honor of Christ's Resurrection to be built over His tomb. St Helen gave the Life-Creating Cross to the Patriarch for safe-keeping, and took part of the Cross with her for the emperor. After distributing generous alms at Jerusalem and feeding the needy (at times she even served them herself), the holy Empress Helen returned to Constantinople, where she died in the year 327. Because of her great services to the Church and her efforts in finding the Life-Creating Cross, the empress Helen is called “the Equal of the Apostles.” Directions to our church: From South Memorial Parkway in Huntsville, turn West on Airport Rd. Go through the intersection at Leeman Ferry Rd. The next Right is Spartacus Dr. St. Michael's is on the right, #4319. (Scroll down for a map.) Click here for Memorial Wheat recipes. Two versions posted. Click here for a Church Bread Recipe (Prosfora) and see below for a good reading on the important characteristics of bread and its importance to us as Orthodox Christians.
Parish Council 2007 Father Radovan - Parish Administrator President - Joe Bergantz Vice President - Bob Zarzaur Treasurer - Michele Jokich Secretary - Michele Platt Members at large - Sandy Ellis (Choir Director), Hal Pastrick, and Cindi Branham (Web site & Pubic Relations) Newsletter - Rick Kaiser (subscribe)
June 7th - The Feast of Pentecost: The Day of the Holy Trinity The Feast of the Holy Trinity is named Pentecost because the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles occurred on the 50th day after the Resurrection of Christ. The feast of the Christian Pentecost includes two celebrations, one in honor of the All-holy Trinity and the other in honor of the All-holy Spirit, which visibly descended on the Apostles. Following Divine Liturgy, the Church celebrates the service of Kneeling Vespers. During this service three prayers of repentance written by St. Basil the Great are read while the entire congregation kneels. In them (1) we confess our sins before the Heavenly Father and, (2) for the sake of the great sacrifice of His Son, we implore mercy. We also (3) ask the Lord Jesus Christ to grant us the Divine Spirit, for the enlightenment and confirmation of our souls. Finally, (4) we pray for our departed fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters, that the Lord might grant them rest in a place of light and refreshment. It is customary on this feast day to adorn the church building with tree branches and flowers. This adornment of the church with living plants is both a confession of the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit and a consecration to Him of the first fruits of spring. Blessing of Homes Each family is considered a small church and the family table is the home altar. When the priest comes, have as many family members there as possible. Set up a place for prayer, in the dining room or kitchen, with an icon and a lit candle on the table. All radios and TVs should be turned off; there is no smoking when the priest is vested. Print the first names of those for whom special prayers are to offered, including all family members on a sheet of paper. Make a clear distinction between the living and departed (use 2 columns). Do this in advance of the priest's arrival. Have your blessed water available and the water that is left should be stored in a suitable container and accorded proper respect. If you wish to give the priest a gift or have him remain for a meal, it should be offered after the service. Everyone may join in the singing of the festal troparion: "When You, O Lord, wast baptized in the Jordon, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest, for the Voice of the Father bore witness to You, and called You His beloved Son, and the Spirit, in the form of a dove, confirmed the truthfulness of His word. O Christ, our God, Who hast revealed Thyself and hast enlightened the world, Glory to You!" We Bless Homes: To reveal the home as what God created it to be, a way to Heaven; To rid the home of every evil; To show that the family is a small Church unit in Christ; To consecrate the home and all activity in it to God; and to fill the home and all who live in it with the fullness of God. Make every effort to have your home blessed. Map to St. Michael the Archangel Orthodox Church (4319 Spartacus Drive) Directions From South Memorial Parkway, turn West on Airport Rd. Go through the intersection at Leeman Ferry Rd. The next Right is Spartacus. St. Michael's is on the right, #4319.
About Holy Bread... Why Prosphora Must Be Pure - Nothing but white flour, salt, water, & yeast By Subdeacon George Aquaro The only ingredients in prosphora are white flour, water, salt, & yeast. Simply put, the Holy Traditions mention nothing else! When we begin to add things to the pure bread, what are we saying about it? That it isn't sufficient on its own? That people won't like it if we don't add something to it? Prosphora becomes the Body of Christ in the Eucharistic celebration. Do we add things to our Faith to make it more tasteful? Or, when we partake in the simple bread of prosphora, do we remember that our Lord came as a simple carpenter and endured our poverty out of love for us? No Oil - Many a priest fear the loaf with oil added to it. This type of additive is the most insidious, often turning the chalice into a mini-reenactment of the Exxon Valdiz disaster. Fats and oils create a number of hassles for the priest. It leaks out of the bread and into the chalice and it floats, i.e. the wine doesn't absorb. Oil also hardens, giving the bread a chewy texture. No Sugar - There is absolutely no good reason to add sugar to the Prosphora. If often overexcites the yeast and froths the dough. Not only that, but the sugar in the crust of the bread crystallizes, causing a flinty texture that the priest won't appreciate when doing the proskomedia. No Spices - some like cinnamon actually retard yeast growth; some spices react chemically with metals, can actually damage the surface of the chalice over time. No Whole Wheat Flour - some people think that whole-wheat flour is "more natural" and therefore more appropriate for Prosphora. But whole-wheat flour was never used in the early Church. White flour was always used, since it was more expensive than the brown variety and the loaf was quite literally a sacrifice for those who provided it. Whole-wheat makes a harder crust, and takes longer to rise and creates less regular bubbling. Thank you for keeping this in mind when preparing your Holy Bread! Click here to see photos from our Agape Service
For the Record: There may have been some confusion concerning our mission status and situation with our having a permanent priest. First, we are a bona fide mission, under the jurisdiction of the Serbian Orthodox Church as a part of Metropolitan Christopher's Diocese of the Midwest. Our priest is Father Sam Gantt, who belongs to the Antiochian Church of America and is on loan from his Bishop Joseph in California through an agreement with Metropolitan Christopher and acts as our permanent priest, since the Serbian church cannot provide us a full time priest at the present time. Our mission was officially sanctioned by the Serbian Church hierarchy on July 18th, 2002 by his eminence, Archbishop Mitrophan via a mission establishment document signed by Archbishop Mitrophan. A copy of this document is on file and can be viewed by asking any council member. Saint Michael the Archangel: Our Patron Saint Saint Michael is, with St. Gabriel and St. Raphael, one of the three archangels mentioned in the Holy Scriptures. There he appears as a prince of the celestial hierarchy, protecting the chosen people and achieving the downfall of the infernal powers. The primitive Church considered him also the defender of Christians and their consolation in trials. On May 8th, 492, Archangel Michael appeared on the summit of Mount Gargano, and the cave where he had appeared became the most frequented place for pilgrams in southern Italy. A hundred years later when a plague was raging in Rome, Pope Gregory saw Michael in a vision, sheathing his flaming sword, to signify he would put an end to the scourge. A crytiform church was built about 608 on Hadrian's mausoleum in gratitude to the Archangel for this good office. The most famous sanctuary dedicated to St. Michael is on a Norman hill, built in 709, called Mont St. Michel. The Archangel appeared to St. Aubert, expressing his wish to be honored by the Gauls. From that moment devotion to St. Michael took on a new impetus; it traveled to the East with the Celtic monks, who carried it to the Bavarian Alps, and whence it spread throughout the West. Today the liturgical prayers show St. Michael charged with the guidance of souls here below, to lead them to light eternal.
ARCHIVES Click here to view the news article in the Huntsville Times on St. Michael's & Fr. Milovan. WHNT TV in Huntsville has done a wonderful story on the Blessing of Homes. You can read the transcript and see the video by clicking on the following link: http://www.whnt.com/Global/story.asp?S=2953926. To see the video, click on the link right below Amy George's photo. Thanks go to Father Sam and Bob & Mary Zarsaur & sons for their participation! For photos from Father Sam's Farewell (Thanks, Roger Ellis!), click here. Click here for Lenten/Vegetarian Recipes
Check back often for updates. Please contact us at 881-2449 or by email for additional information. Sign up for our email newsletter HERE.

Services Celebrated in English every Sunday at 10:00 AM We welcome you to join us in worship & in fellowship after Services.

Services Celebrated in English every Sunday at 10:00 AM
We welcome you to join us in worship & in fellowship after Services.