st. luke serbian orthodox church 50th anniversary · st. luke serbian orthodox church 50th...
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St. Luke Serbian Orthodox Church 50th Anniversary
November 5th and 6th, 2011
Srpska Pravoslavna Crkva Svetog Luke
50. godisnjica 5. i 6. novembar 2011
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Честитамо 50-ту годишњицу цркви Светог Луке
Само слога
Србина спасава
Увијек уз Цркву - Породица Бујак и Кумови
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His Holiness, Patriarch Irinej
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His Grace Bishop of Eastern America Dr. +M I T R O P H A N (Kodic)
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Notes
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Father Aleksa and Popadija Savka Micich
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Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
On this momentous occasion of celebrating 50 years of our parish’s founding,
we are blessed to be able to look forward to another dimension of its existence, the
building of the church. We have this great opportunity and calling as a result of the
vision of our founders who saw the need for a Serbian Orthodox Christian
community in the Washington area, and all of the faithful benefactors who followed
them in supporting the parish for five decades. Many of those souls have passed on
from their earthly lives, yet their vision remains intact, and God-willing in the spring
of 2012 we will begin the building of our church. Such an endeavor requires the
participation of all of our parishioners so that we can stand before our God and say
“We built it together”, in the true Christian spirit.
Besides our founders and benefactors, we must also remember all the clergy
and their families who dedicated their lives to preaching the Christian Gospel in this
city, and establishing and nurturing this community. From Archimandrite Firmilian
(Ocokoljic) who in 1961 established the parish to Fathers Dragoljub Malich,
Zvonimir Kotorcevic, Milan Zobenica, Milisa Petronijevic, Miroslav Lazarevich, and
Zoran Milinkovic, as well as those who served intermittently at various times, we owe
a debt of gratitude for their service. We must also remember and be thankful for
our bishops, our true shepherds who blessed us, guided and taught us through the
years: Bishops Dionisije, Stefan, Sava, Christopher, and of course Bishop Mitrophan.
Let us enjoy this celebration and continue with our work in building God’s
house and thereby building and strengthening our own souls. May God bless and
keep all of you.
Father Aleksa Micich
A Message from our Parish Priest
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St. Luke Serbian Orthodox Church Trusteeship
From Left to Right: Nancy Mondich, Zeljko Bibic, Mark Stokrp, Predrag Djokic, Father Aleksa Micich, Peter Bizic III, Mark Rasevic, Milan Visnick
Father Aleksa Micich Parish Priest Mark Rasevic President Milan Visnick Vice President Peter Bizic III Treasurer Mark Stokrp Secretary Nancy Mondich Financial Secretary Predrag Djokic Member at Large Zeljko Bibic Member at Large
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A Message from our Parish Trusteeship President
Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. Luke Serbian Orthodox Church: Dobro nam došli! Welcome to the celebration of this momentous milestone in our parish history. As we look back over the last 50 years, we see a parish which has overcome many hurdles and achieved much since its incorporation in May of 1961. I would like to thank all of our parishioners for their continued support of the parish, the Trusteeship for their work, and His Grace Bishop Mitrophan and Fr. Aleksa Micich for their guidance as we move into the next phase of our parish history. I would also like to thank all those who selflessly and tirelessly helped plan and execute this weekend’s events, in particular the 50th Anniversary & Program Committees: Joyce Visnick, Judy Terzic, Drina Rajic, Colleen Bizic, and Natalie Visnick. As we look forward to the next 50 years and beyond, our hopes are high as we prepare to break ground to build our new church and fellowship facility because only if you have been in the deepest valley can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain. Yours sincerely, Mark A. Rasevic Trusteeship President
St. Luke Serbian Orthodox Church
10660 River Road, Potomac, MD 20854
Tel: 301.299.2704 Fax: 301.576.5664
www.svluka.org
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Dear Fellow Parishioners, Guests and Friends of St. Luke Serbian Orthodox Church: “And now abideth faith, hope, and love, these three: but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13 Thank you to everyone who has donated to this souvenir book and supported the dinner and luncheon programs on November 5th and 6th, 2011 celebrating this 50th Anniversary of the founding of the St. Luke Serbian Orthodox Church – School congregation and our St. Luke Slava. The response from the community to come, support and celebrate this auspicious
anniversary has been very gratifying. Seeing this parish move forward now gives us the faith to believe and the renewed enthusiasm to hope that together we will succeed in building a new facility in the name of our patron Saint Luke here in the Greater Washington metropolitan area. We are thankful for the honor of being selected “kumovi” for the celebration of the 50th Slava of the Saint Luke parish and extend to you all a very warm welcome “dobro došli” this weekend. Yours sincerely, Judith and Branko Terzic
A Message from our Honored Kumovi
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Prvih pedeset godina U glavnom gradu Sjedinjenih Američkih Država Washingtonu pre pola veka živelo je
pedesetak vernika Srpske pravoslavne crkve – Amerikanaca srpskog porekla i Srba useljenika.
Iako je njihov broj bio skroman, njihova pripadnost Srpskoj pravoslavnoj crkvi i njihova
pravoslavna vera bile su jake: nedostajala im je njihova bogomolja. Zahvaljujući takvoj svesti
vernika i inicijativi Dr. Nikole P. Nikolića 12 februara 1961 održan je nezvaničan sastanak
zaninteresovanih na kojem je rešeno da se organizuje redovno održavanje službe Božije.
Prvu službu Božiju novo organizovne Srpske pravoslavne opštine u Washingtonu služio je
arhimandrit Dr. Firmilijan Ocokoljich, tadasnji sveštenik Saborne crkve Svetog Save u New
Yorku i kasniji episkop srednje-američki. Sveta liturgija je služena u kapeli Američkog
univerziteta 26 marta 1961 godine. Istog dana je održan organizacioni sastanak na kojem je
rešeno da se organizuje crkveno-školska opština u Washingtonu i njegovom širem gradskom
području, da Sveti Luka bude svetac zaštitnik parohije, da crkva nosi njegovo ime i da radni
odbor organizuje parohiju. Arhimandrit Dr. Firmilijan je o odlukama organizacionog
sastanka službeno obavestio tadašnjeg nadležnog episkopa Dionisija u Libertyville-u, u državi
Illinois, koji je odobrio odluke organizacionog sastanka.
Služba Božija je održavana svake druge nedelje u Kapeli Svetog Josepha u
Washingtonskoj katedrali Episkopalne crkve. Prva Skupstina Srpske pravoslavne crkve
Svetog Luke održana je 16 jula 1961. Stalni svestenik Milorad Milošević je preuzeo svoju
dužnost u avgustu 1962. Sledeće godine razvoj parohije Svetog Luke bio je duboko
poremećen sukobom koji je izbio u crkvenom životu pripadnika Srpske pravoslavne crkve u
Sjedinjenim Državama i Kanadi. U jesen 1963 na skupštini crkveno-školske opštine većina se
izjasnila za američko-kanadsku eparhiju nezavisnu od Srpske pravoslavne crkve u Jugoslaviji.
Manjina verna pravoj Srpskoj pravoslavnoj crkvi našla se u teškoj situaciji. Na inicijativu
Episkopa Save i Episkopa Firmilijana rekonstruisana je crkveno školska opština Svetog Luke
1967 godine. Episkop Sava je 14 januara 1968 godine postavio Dragoljuba Malića za
privremenog sveštenika u Washingtonu. Marta iste godine Rektor i Uprava Episkopalne crkve
Svih Svetih u Chevy Chase, MD stavili su kapelu Svetog Francis-a na raspolaganje Crkvi
Svetog Luke. Kapelu su osvetli i prvu pravoslavnu liturgiju služili Episkop istočno-američke
eparhije Sava i Episkop zapadno-američke eparhije Grigorije 12 marta 1968. Otac Malić je
sledeće godine premešten u Monroeville, PA dok su službu služili sveštenici upućivani u tu
svrhu u Washington. U januaru 1970 za privremenog sveštenika postavljen je Zvonko
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Kotorčević a krajem 1973 Milan Zobenica. Godinu dana kasnije kupljena je kuća u
Šesnaestoj ulici u Washingtonu zahvaljujući naporima i darežljivosti parohijana. Otac
Zobenica je čak uzeo hipoteku na svoju kuću u Clevelandu da bi se dovršilo prepravljanje
kuće za crkvenu upotrebu. Epikop Sava je 17 aprila 1974 osvetio zgradu prve Srpsko
pravoslavne crkve u Washingtonu.
Crkveno-školska opština Svetog Luke je tokom prošlih pedeset godine
prolazila kroz niz manjih i većih teškoća. Uprkos svim tim preprekama crkveno-školska
opština je ostvarila značajne rezultate. Krajem devedesetih godina prošlog veka ispostavilo
se da je zgrada u Šesnaestoj ulici nedovoljna. Na godišnjoj skupštini u decembru 1997 je
rešeno da se pristupi skupljanju priloga za kupovinu novog imanja dovoljno velikog i za
crkvu i za dom. Vanredna skupština je juna 2001 odobrila da se proda zgrada u Šesnaestoj
ulici i kupi imanje u Potomcu, MD. Tako je i uradjeno.
Crkveno-školska opština Svetog Luke se nalazi pred ostvarenjem svog cilja
kojem je težila tokom prošlih pedeset godina. Imanje na kojem se sada nalazimo uskoro će,
uz Božiju pomoć, imati crkvu i dom. Sve što je do sada ostvareno postignuto je
zahvaljujući zalaganju i potsticanju blaženo počivših Episkopa Firmilijana, Episkopa Save,
Episkopa Christophera i sadašnjeg Episkopa Mitrofana, neumornom radu i cesto ličnim
žrtvama povremenih, privremenih i stalnih sveštenika na službi u našoj crkvi tokom prošlih
pedeset godina: Firmilijana Ocokoljicha, Milorada Miloševića, Dragoljuba Malića, Paula
Lutofa, Simeona Grozdanovića, Dragoljuba Sokicha, Zvonka Kotorčevića, Milana
Zobenice, Miliše Petronijevića, Miroslava Lazarevića, Zorana Milinkovića i sadašnjeg
sveštenika Alekse Micicha, i podršci koju su vernici Srpske pravoslavne crkve nesebično
ukazivali i dalje ukazuju svojoj bogomolji u glavnom gradu Sjedinjenih Država Wašhingtonu
i njegovom širem gradskom podrucju.
Na mnogaja ljeta! Many Years!
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The First Fifty Years
A half a century ago, in the capital of the United States of America, Washington, D.C.,
there were about fifty believers of the Serbian Orthodox faith - Americans of Serbian descent
and Serbian immigrants. Their number was modest, but their affiliation with the Serbian
Orthodox Church and their Orthodox faith were strong; the only thing they lacked was a
house of worship. Thanks to their religious conscience and to the initiative of Dr. Nikola
Nikolich, an unofficial meeting of interested people was held on February 12, 1961; it was
decided to organize regular church services. The first Divine Liturgy of the Serbian Orthodox
community in Washington was celebrated by Archimandrite Dr. Firmilijan Ocokoljich, at that
time Dean of the Saint Sava Cathedral in New York City, and then later Bishop of the Middle-
American Diocese. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Chapel of the American
University on March 26, 1961. An organizational meeting was held the same day, at which it
was decided to organize a church-school community in Washington and its metropolitan area,
to name Saint Luke as the saint protector of the parish, to give his name to the church, and to
organize a parish. Dr. Firmilijan officially informed then Bishop Dionisije in Libertyville, IL
about the decision of the organizing committee and the Bishop approved the decision.
Divine Liturgy was celebrated every second week in the Chapel of Saint Joseph at the
National Cathedral of the Episcopal Church. The first assembly of the St. Luke Serbian
Orthodox Church was held on July 16, 1961. The first permanent priest Milorad Milosevich
assumed his duties in August of 1962. The following year the development of the parish was
seriously disrupted on account of the conflict that took the place in the church life of the
members of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the United States and Canada. At the meeting
of the church-school community, held in the fall of 1963, a majority voted in favor of the
American-Canadian diocese independent of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Yugoslavia. A
minority loyal to the Serbian Orthodox Church found itself in a very difficult situation. At the
initiative of Bishop Sava and Bishop Firmilijan, the church-school community of St. Luke was
restructured in 1967. On January 14, 1968, Bishop Sava appointed Dragoljub Malich as
temporary priest in Washington. The Rector and the Board of All Saints Episcopal Church in
Chevy Chase, MD put their Chapel of St. Francis at the disposal of the St. Luke parish.
Bishop Sava of the East-American Diocese and Bishop Grigorije of the Western-American
Diocese dedicated the chapel and celebrated the first orthodox Divine Liturgy on 12 March
1968. Father Malich was transferred to Monroeville, PA soon thereafter. Thereafter, services
were celebrated by the priests assigned for that purpose to Washington. In January 1970,
Zvonko Kotorcevic was appointed a temporary priest, and at the end of 1973, his place was
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taken over by Milan Zobenica. A year later, a house was purchased on 16th Street
Northwest in Washington, thanks to the efforts and generosity of the parishioners. Father
Zobenica even took a mortgage on his house in Cleveland, Ohio in order to make it
possible to complete work necessary to redo the building for the church needs. Bishop Sava
dedicated the building of the first Serbian Orthodox Church in Washington on April 17,
1974.
The church-school community of St. Luke Serbian Orthodox Church has gone
through a series of minor and major difficulties during the past fifty years. Towards the
end of the nineties of the last century, it was established that the 16th Street building was
not large enough to satisfy the needs of the church community. At the annual assembly in
December of 1997, it was decided to start collecting funds to purchase new property big
enough for a church and a hall. A special assembly held in June 2001 approved the sale of
the 16th Street property and the purchase of the property in Potomac, MD.
The church-school community of St. Luke has almost reached its goal to which it
has aspired during the last fifty years. With God’s help, the property at which we are
presently will soon have its church and its hall. Everything so far achieved was
accomplished thanks to the guidance and support of the late Bishops Firmilijan, Sava and
Christopher and the present Bishop Mitrophan, as well as thanks to the tireless work and
very often to the personal sacrifices of visiting, temporary and permanent priests at the
service of our church during the last fifty years: Firmilijan Ocokoljich, Milorad Milosevich,
Dragoljub Malich, Paul Lutof, Simeon Grozdanovic, Dragoljub Sokich, Zvonko
Kotorcevic, Milan Zobenica, Milisa Petronijevic, Miroslav Lazarevic, Zoran Milinkovic and
the present priest Aleksa Micich. Lastly, thanks is due to the parishioners & friends of the
St. Luke Serbian Orthodox Church community who have selflessly given and continue to
give to their house of worship in the capital of the United States of America, Washington,
DC and its entire metropolitan area.
Na mnogaja ljeta! Many Years!
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CONGRATULATIONS and
sincere wishes and prayers for God's blessings to one good priest, your Pastor Father Aleksa, to the Church Board and all the parishioners on your celebrating the 50th Anniversary
of the founding of your St. Luke's Parish in Washington, D. C.
May God grant you both spiritual and material prosperity, unity and dedication to the cause, that, by His Grace, you may celebrate the 55th Anniversary in your new church,
and, God Willing, the 75th in a new, not too large but beautiful cathedral, which will host the Bishop's Throne.
f r o m The St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church
Monroeville, Pennsylvania
Very Rev. Fr. Dragoljub C. Malich, Parish Priest
Mr. Dennis M. Evanovich, Church Board President
First Vice Pres., George Klipa 2nd V. Pres., James Springborn 3rd V. Pres., Mrs. Tina Rebich
Treasurer, Mark Stupar Secretary, Mrs. Mary Ann Tomich Fin. Secretary, Robert Marshall
and all our Parishioners
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Congratulations to the
St. Luke Serbian Orthodox Church On
50 Years in the
Washington, DC Metropolitan Area
From The Bizics Peter, Colleen and Amelia
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With all best wishes to our parish for a bright future.
Живели на многаја љета! Živeli na mnogaja ljeta!
Veljko & Marina Rasevic and family
Mark Rasevic & Meghan Leahy Sophia, Louise, and Genevieve
Paul & Kimberly Rasevic
Elinor, William and Elizabeth
Andrej Rasevic
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Congratulations and Best Wishes on the 50th Anniversary
From
TSM Global Consultants L.L.C. “Small Company, Global Reach”
TSM Partners and Associates have over 20 years of international busi-ness experience. Since 2002, TSM has been serving and providing strategic investments advice to U.S. clients and clients in eight European and Southeast European countries. The professionals at TSM have over 50 years of combined experience working in the countries of the Balkans, the former Soviet Union and in Washington D.C.
Partners: Obrad Kesic Drina Vlastelic Rajic Dr. Steven E. Meyer
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Congratulations and Best Wishes
From
St. George Church in Schererville, IN
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St. Luke Serbian Orthodox Church 50th Anniversary & St. Luke Slava Celebration
Schedule of Events Saturday, November 5th, 2011 Vespers 5:00 p.m. Cocktails 6:00 p.m. Silent Auction 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Banquet 7:00 p.m. Dance 9:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. Music by “Vatra” Voice Auction 9:30 p.m. St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 7701 Bradley Boulevard, Bethesda, MD, 20817 Sunday, November 6th, 2011 Hierarchical Divine Liturgy 10:00 a.m. Followed by Cutting of Slavski Kolac Luncheon 1:00 p.m. Marriott at Tysons Corner, 8028 Leesburg Pike, Vienna, VA, 22182
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Banquet Program Saturday, November 5, 2011
1. Banquet Call & Welcome The Honorable Branko Terzic Kum & Master of Ceremonies 2. Invocation His Grace Bishop Dr. + Mitrophan 3. Banquet Music by “Vatra” 4. Welcome Address Rev. Aleksa Micich 5. Address His Grace Bishop Dr. + Mitrophan 6. Address Mark Rasevic Trusteeship President 7. Building Fund Appeal The Honorable Branko Terzic 8. Benediction His Grace Bishop Dr. + Mitrophan
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Stephen and Nancy Payne
Of Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Along with their granddaughter
Amelia Bizic
Wish
St. Luke Serbian Orthodox Church
Congratulations on the celebration of their
50th Anniversary
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За покој душе нашег драгог
супруга, оца и деде
МИРОСЛАВА ТРИФУНОВИЋА
1924 - 2009
ВЕРНОГ СРБИНА, ДРАЖИНОГ ЧЕТНИКА
Супруга Дафина
деца Анђелија, Драгољуб,
Вера, Десанка, Александар,
зет Томас, снаја Акико,
унучад Катарина-Ката
Софија-Сока, Никола-Бата,
Ксенија Киса, Бисерка Мира
Нека Вам је срећно и благословено
поводом Ваше прославе!
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Best Wishes to the Congregation From Nikola and Katica Sorak
Congratulations to all the faithful of our God-protected parish on our 50th anniversary. May God bless and preserve all of us to enjoy many
more years of service to our Lord.
Father Aleksa, Popadija Savka, Anastasia, Aleksandar, Kosta, and Filip with Babas Nada
and Slavojka
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In Loving Memory of
our Parents
Svetislav and Ljubica Hodjera
and
Nikola and Danica Mellish
Sigi and Zoran Hodjera
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Happy 50th Anniversary St. Luke’s May the next 50 be as joyous!
From Madeleine, Millie and Markes Lucius (Vunich)
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The Sirovica Family
In Memory of
Ankica and Borivoje
Sirovica
With heartfelt wishes we congratulate St. Luke Church’s Fiftieth Anniversary with the prayers of our Lord Jesus Christ. Са најлепшим жељама честитамо педесетгодишњицу Цркви Светог Луке уз молитве Господу Христу.
Многаја Љјета!
In memory of V. Rev. Stavrofor Dr. Nedeljko Grgurevich.
Вечнаја Памјат! Memory Eternal!
Protinica Dubravka and Stefan Grgurevich
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To Veljko & Marina Rasevic
With deep gratitude for teaching us to love and honor the Serbian Orthodox faith,
customs and traditions which they brought with them to their new homeland.
Mark Rasevic and family
Meghan, Sophia, Louise, and Genevieve
Paul Rasevic and family Kimberly, Elinor, William and Elizabeth
Andrej Rasevic
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With hearty congratulations to the
St. Luke Community
on their
50 Year Anniversary
The Visnick Family
Milan, Joyce, Katie and Natalie
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Glory Be to Our Lord
And
Savior Jesus Christ
Proto Milan and Protinica Lindsay Zobenica
Congratulations for Your 50th Church Anniversary
Proto Srboljub
Protinica Ljubica And
Vladimir Esquire
Boosters
Congratulations and Best Wishes Nicholine Mellish Core
Miljana Simonoska
Happy 50th! Amelia Bizic
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CONGRATULATIONSANDBESTWISHESONYOURFIFTIETHANNIVERSARY
BOGDAN AND MARGITA VUNOVICH
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
STANISHA VUNOVICH SIMO BAROVICH SOPHIA LEVNAIC VUNOVICH MILEVA CEROVIC BAROVICH JOHN VUNOVICH VOJIN BAROVICH SOFIJA VUNOVICH MARY BAROVICH LUKA VUJNOVICH MILUTIN BAROVICH MILUTIN VUJNOVICH MILE VUJNOVICH KATHRYN BAROVICH JOVO CHUBRILO LAZAR BAROVICH MILAN CHUBRILO MARTHA BAROVICH WISSINK STEPHAN CHUBRILO ALBERT WISSINK MARKO VUNOVICH COLONEL PETER CEROVIC SAVA VUJNOVIC REPAC VUKASIN CEROVIC JAMES BAROVICH
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The Trusteeship of St. Luke Serbian Orthodox Church wishes to thank the 50th Anniversary Committee for all their efforts.
We also wish to thank all of the parishioners & friends of the St. Luke Serbian Orthodox Church community who have faithfully
supported us in all of our endeavors.
Добро нам дошли! Dobro nam došli!
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Congratulations on the 50th Anniversary! from St. Luke Folklore Group and
Sunday School Parents’ Association
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(301) 212-4400 / www.FIATUSAofGAITHERSBURG.COMGaithersburg, MD 20878
Fiat Of Gaithersburg88 Bureau Drive
contact Giles Bibic — (301) 212-4411