Church Services
June 29, 2004 - the Feast of the Holy, Glorious, and All-Praised Leaders of the Apostles - Saints Peter and Paul - the Patrons of Our Parish in South River. For the 99th year, our Church honors these Saints. But who were these men that our Church has chosen as her patrons? From the sermon of St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, we learn that St. Peter (left icon) was a fervent follower of Jesus Christ. It was he who professed the Divinity of Jesus Christ, saying, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God," to which Christ said,"Blessed art thou, Simon...I tell thee, that thou art Peter, and on this stone I build My Church." (Matthew 16:16-18). Christ also told Peter: "I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in the heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth: shall be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:19). The Lord asked Peter three times if Peter loved Him and three times Peter answered, "Lord, Thou knowest all; Thou knowest that I love Thee." Jesus thus responded to Peter three times, "Feed My sheep." (John 20:15-17). True to Jesus to the end, St. Peter died a martyr's death.
St. Paul (icon right) was originally known by his Jewish name Saul. The sermon of St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, recounts that Saul's early life was not as illustrious as St. Peter inasmuch as he was actually an early persecutor of the Christian Church. When he, "having persecuted and vexed" in such manner "the Church of God" (1 Corinthians 15:9; Acts 8:5), he heard the voice of the Lord on the road to Damascus, who called to him, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?" In response, Saul called out, "Who art Thou, Lord?" The Lord answered him, "I am Jesus Whom thou persecutest." The Lord sends a man named Ananias to baptize Saul telling him, "Search for and fetch him, for this vessel is chosen by Me: for I shall show him what great things he must suffer for My name's sake." (Acts 9:11,15-16). Having taken the Roman name Paul (Paulus - meaning "small, little, less") in his baptism, the Apostle Paul said of himself, "I am the least of the Apostles...but I have labored more abundantly than all of them: yet not I, but the grace of God, which was with me." (1 Corinthians 15:9-10). St. Paul also died a martyr's death in the name of Jesus Christ.
June 28, 2004 - On the eve of the feast, Rev. David Garretson, Rector of SS. Peter and Paul Church, celebrated Great Vespers with Litiya. Present in the Sanctuary was Rev. Gary Breton, Pastor of our sister Church of the Holy Annunciation in Brick, N.J. He assisted Father David in the service (photo above left). In photo above right, Father David censes the bread, wheat, wine, and oil on the Tetrapod during the service.
Above left, Father David with the bread, wheat, wine, and oil near the conclusion of the Litiya. Above right, Father Breton gave the homily in which he discussed the lives of St. Peter and St. Paul, noting the similarities and differences in the lives of the two men. In photo below, Father David greets those in attendance at the conclusion of the service, annointing the forehead of each parishoner with holy oil in the sign of the Cross.
June 29, 2004 - the Feast Day of SS. Peter and Paul, the Patrons of our Church. After a rainy night, the day dawned brilliantly and Divine Liturgy began promptly at 9:00 a.m. The main celebrant of the Liturgy was our pastor, Rev. David Garretson. Concelebrating the Liturgy with him was the Pastor Emeritus of our Church, the V. Rev. Sergius Kuharsky, who is now attached to our sister parish of the Holy Annunciation in Brick, N.J.
Immediately above and below, starting with the upper left photo and proceeding in clockwise fashion are scenes from the Liturgy - the Epistle reading, the Gospel reading, the sermon, and the Great Entrance. Immediately behind the priests, in the Sanctuary, is the stained-glass icon of St. Paul.
Below left, one sees some of the parishoners in attendance at the Liturgy. Below right, Mr. Basil Kozak conducted the choir ably both at this service and at the Vesper service the night before.
Above and below, one sees scenes from the Feast Day procession around the Church at the end of Divine Liturgy. The Processional Cross, Book of Gospels, and the Patronal Icon are carried at the head of the procession and many parishoners carry icons as well.
On each side of the Church the procession is halted for a Gospel reading. The priests cense the parishoners and bless them with holy water.
Above right, Father Sergius delivers a homily at the conclusion of the procession. The stained-glass window behind him in the Sanctuary is the icon of St. Peter.
A potluck lunch was held in the Church Hall at the conclusion of Divine Services. Our parishoners, irrespective of the event, always prepare a buffet feast. Whether for our own parishoners or for visiting guests, each repast rivals most restaurants in terms of variety, quality, and quantity of food provided.
In the photos below, the Feast Day provided a rare opportunity to photograph our current and former pastors with their wives and with current and former Church Presidents. In photo below left (from left to right), former Church President Robert Kornafel, Father Sergius, former Church President Michael Burak, current Church President James Kornafel, and Father David. In photo below right, Fathers Sergius and David join their wives, Matushka Faith (left) and Matushka Shari (right), respectively.
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