NEWS AND EVENTS - Wednesday, April 30, 2014
KANSAS PARISH HONORS FR. ALEKSANDAR
Lenexa, KS - On Sunday March 30, 2014 Proto Aleksandar Bugarin, parish priest of St. George Serbian Orthodox Church in Lenexa, Kansas was honored with a recognition banquet honoring and congratulating him on receiving the highest priestly award: a pectoral cross and elevation to protojerej-stavrofor. Proto Aleks was presented the distinguished award by Bishop Longin on August 31, 2013 at the consecration of St. Demitrius Serbian Orthodox Church in Des Moines, Iowa, which Proto Aleks helped a young Serbian community to purchase and works with them to establish their parish life. Proto Aleks has served as St. George parish priest for almost 20 years. In addition, for a few years he has assisted as priest to St. Michaels’s Serbian Orthodox Church in Kansas City, Kansas and for the past five years has served monthly liturgy in Des Moines and at other times performed weddings, baptisms, and funerals served the spiritual needs of the community. Fr. Aleks started serving the new Serbian community in Des Moines, which mostly consisted of a newcomers since 2002. With the exception of several years when the priest from All Saints Serbian Orthodox parish from South Dakota administrated, he will continue to serve St. Demetrius in Des Moines until a parish priest is appointed. He also makes a yearly pilgrimage to Serbia and Croatia taking people to see the land of their ancestors and to meet the relatives they never knew existed.
The congregation of St. George recognizes Father Aleks as a dedicated man of God who is always available to his parishioners in times of sadness and in times of happiness. Stephen Lemley of Serbian National Federation Lodge # 43; Mira Cubric, choir president; Pattie Milosivich, vice-president of Sv. Petka kolo sestara; Petar Bajich, President of the church board and Father Chris Rowe of Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Overland Park paid tribute to Proto Aleks. Father Aleks is very involved with the children of his parish training altar boys and all children in our parish church school, as well as adult education. Acknowledging Protanica Gordana and the help and support she gives him, Father also introduced his three teen-age children, Jelena 19, Stevan 17, and Kristijana, 13. A delicious Lenten meal was prepared by Sv. Petka President Lisa Gribble and her helpers. Beverly Douglas made the bread and Alexis Bajich made a beautiful cake in the shape of a cross with “Axios” (worthy) written on it. Many other ladies brought sumptuous homemade posno desserts. The banquet was a joyous occasion and an opportunity for the congregants of St. George Church and many parishioners from Proto Aleks’ second parish of St. Demetrius in Des Moines to show their respect and thanks to Proto Aleks. Thanking everyone present for their support, Proto closed with a prayer.
By Jan Supica
