Centennial Year Church Services

June 29, 2005 - The Patronal Feast Day of SS. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church in South River, N.J., was observed on the eve of the Feast with Great Vespers with Litiya and on the day of the Feast with Divine Liturgy, a Festal Church Procession, and a Patronal Feast Potluck Luncheon. This was the one hundredth such Patronal Feast Day observance, it being the Centennial Year of our parish. Below are scenes from the four-part observance of the day, accompanied by the Epistle and Gospel readings for the Feast Day of SS. Peter and Paul.

To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that! But whatever any one dares to boast of - I am speaking as a fool - I also dare to boast of that. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one - I am talking like a madman - with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I have received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I have been beaten with rods; once I was stoned. Three times I have been shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brethren; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed for ever, knows that I do not lie. At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to seize me, but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped his hands. I must boast; there is nothing to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven - whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into Paradise - whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows - and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. Though if I wish to boast, I shall not be a fool, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me; but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 11:21-12:9)

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that the Son of man is?" And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:13-19)

Your reporter was privileged to record much of the Divine Liturgy from the perspective of the Sanctuary. Immediately above and below are photos showing the celebration of the Proskomedia immediately before the beginning of the Divine Liturgy proper. In photos above, Rev. David F. Garretson begins the celebration of the Proskomedia.

Two priests concelebrated the Divine Liturgy with Rev. David F. Garretson, rector of SS. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church. Above left, V. Rev. Daniel Skvir - rector of Holy Transfiguration Mission Church in Princeton, N.J. and Orthodox Chaplain at Princeton University - and V. Rev. Sergius S. Kuharsky - Pastor Emeritus of our parish - are shown making commemorations during the Proskomedia.

Above right, Rev. Garretson censes the parishioners during the reading of The Hours. Below, photos show the clerics as the Divine Liturgy begins.

Above right and below left, the clerics are shown during the Little Entrance. Below right, Reader Joseph Shaluha receives a blessing from V. Rev. Kuharsky before the reading of the Epistle for the day.

Above right, an interesting processional icon of SS. Peter and Paul was brought to our Church for the day by V. Rev. Skvir. The icon, obtained in Europe, is interesting in that the handle for carrying the icon is an integral part of the icon and not an attachment. Below, the clerics and parishioners listen to the reading of the Epistle for the day.

Above left, Reader Shaluha receives a blessing from Rev. Garretson after the reading of the Epistle. Above right, Rev. Garretson reads the Gospel reading for the day.

Above left, Rev. Garretson delivers the sermon for the day. Both he and V. Rev. Skvir made note of the popularity of SS. Peter and Paul as Church Patrons as indicated by the number of parishes in the Diocese of Washington and New York bearing the name "SS. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church".

Above and below left, the clerics are shown during the Great Entrance. The altar servers were Michael Robinson and Leo Weismantel. Below right, the clerics are shown during the singing of The Creed.

Above left and below left, the Consecration of the Holy Gifts.

Above left, altar server Michael Robinson pours water that V. Rev. Kuharsky might wash his hands before partaking of Holy Communion. Above right, Rev. David Garretson partakes of Holy Communion.

Above and below left are scenes showing parishioners partaking of Holy Communion. Below right, Choirmaster Basil Kozak leads the choir in singing the responses during the Divine Liturgy.

Above left, the Festal Church Procession begins at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy. The clerics are shown leaving the Church in procession behind the processional Cross, banners, and icons. Above right, Rev. Garretson is shown about to read the first of four Gospel readings. One Gospel passage is read at each of the four faces of the Church. Below left, Starosta Emeritus (Church President Emeritus) Michael Burak carries the icon of our patrons.

Above, V. Rev. Kuharsky and V. Rev. Skvir also read passages from the Holy Gospel. Below left, the procession was stopped momentarily for a group photo of the faithful.

You may click on the photo above left to view an enlarged image.

Above left, the clerics spoke briefly at the conclusion of the Festal Church Procession and offerred greetings and bestowed blessings upon the parishioners on the occasion of our parishes one hundredth patronal feast day. Above right and below, parishioners venerate the Cross at the dismissal.

Above and below, our Church Hall was prepared well in advance for the Festal Potluck Luncheon which followed the Church Procession.

Above and below, the day was one of abstinence from meat unrelated to the Feast Day but those who gathered were not disappointed by the variety and quality of foods available. Above right and below left, the women of the parish are shown in the kitchen making certain that all preparations were carried out properly.

Above right, Church President James Kornafel talks with Natalka Pavlovsky Weismantel, chairperson of the Potluck Luncheon, before the guests sat down to eat. Below, a special ice cream cake was prepared as one of the many desserts which were available.

Above and below are group photos of the leaders of our parish. Above left are Church Presidents - past and present - of SS. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church (left to right): Robert Kornafel, his son James, and Michael Burak. Above right, four Matushki were present at the Divine Liturgy and luncheon. They are (left to right): Matushka Vernak, present Matushka of our parish, Shari Garretson, Matushka Emerita of our parish, Faith Kuharsky, and Matushka Anastasia Gorodenchuk. Below left are the clerics at the celebration (left to right):Pastor Emeritus, V. Rev. Sergius Kuharsky, current rector, Rev. David Garretson, and V. Rev. Daniel Skvir.

Above, there was some socializing before the guests sat down to eat. Above right, the clerics led the parishioners in prayer before the meal.

All in all, a memorable day for SS. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church and her people as we are about to embark upon our second century of "Worship and Service".

return to photos menu

return to homepage

 

---

Copyright © 2005, Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, South River, NJ