Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania

Congratulations to Benjamin and Olga
Macalush on the celebration of their
61st wedding anniversary on May 10 th ,
2008. The couple is still very active,
each at 83 years old and counting.
Bennie is a regular behind the altar,
and Olga is still very active in the
Ladies Aid. Their son, Reader Leonty
(Lenny), is presently the choir director
at St. Paul’s Antiochian Church in
Emmaus, PA. St. Mary’s is very happy
to have such an active family in our
midst.
Plans are underway for our 100th
anniversary celebration on
September 6, 2009. His Grace, Bishop
TIKHON, will be celebrating the day
with us. St. Mary’s celebrated her first
Divine Liturgy on Sunday, September
26th, 1909, by Archpriest Alexander
Hotovitsky and Fr. Michael Fekula
concelebrating together. Fr. Michael
was assigned by His Eminence
Archbishop Platon to lead the parish
as its first priest.
Following that liturgy, the first parish
meeting of 200 members was
conducted with Father Hotovitsky
acting as chairman and Professor
Borch acing as secretary. The following
charter members comprised the first
church council: President, Theodore
Pluta; Trustees: Metro Drozdak,
Simeon T. Holoviak, Simion Lewchick,
Anthony Macenka, Peter Monchak,
Peter Pavlick, Anthony Polansky, Elik
Sotak, Samuel Sotak, Contantine
Tatusko, and Peter Wyshowsky.
Services were first held in the local
school, in Coaldale, and later a hall was
built to hold services for the first four
years, till the Parish and rectory were
built, and which were completed by
1914 and 1916 respectively.
Archbishop Platon approved architect
St. Mar
ary’s s Orthodo
thodox Church in Coaldale
John Bergenzen’s plans for the
construction of a red brick cross
shaped church bearing five cupolas, a
bell tower, and three choir lofts. The
cupolas have been recently repainted
and the parish is the jewel of eastern
Schuykill County. People from far and
wide come to take pictures and visit
this beautiful parish, patterned after
parishes in Kiev.
St. Mary’s is a growing parish, which
since 2007, has taken in ten new
members with five more catechumens
on the way. They have revived the
Sunday Church School and began a
youth group which has ten members.
24 Alive in Christ www.doepa.org
The Greeting and Welcome team has
been making great improvements
with new signs from the Church
adorning Route 209 and a listing of
services in the local news paper. In
order to attract new people to the
Orthodox Faith, people have to know
you exist!!
St. Mary’s is looking forward to what
God has in store for this wonderful
parish in the OCA. They welcome
anyone to come and visit or come and
retire here and make this little quiet
community your own. Please mark
your calendars and join us in our
milestone celebration on September
6th, 2009, or just stop by for a visit!
If you would like to know more
information about the parish visit our
website:
www.stmarysnativity.org or email
Father Daniel—
fr.danielm@gmail.com