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General Information/News

Bishop Login Remarks: Greetings after Blessing of Cemetery at St. Sava in Merrillville – Nov. 12

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The following are remarks shared by His Grace Bishop Longin of the New Gracanica and Midwest America Monastery during the luncheon immediately following the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the new Orthodox Cemetery that will be developing at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church where phase one of the project is estimated to be nearing completion in the Spring of 2017.

Dear Fr. Marko, Reverend Clergy, Madame President, and Brothers and Sisters,

It is always nice and pleasing to come here and visit you, serve in your beautiful church, and pray for those who have departed and for you here still living who support your parish. It is very important that we keep the tradition of caring for the graves of those loved ones buried in a cemetery. Starting this cemetery not only for your own needs, but for the whole Orthodox community here is a great challenge. But that reveals something deep in you. That you are all ready to make the church grow.

Everyone who will come here to the cemetery in the future will learn a lot about our history, about our faith, and about the personal efforts of the people who established this parish church and cemetery, and maintained it. Jesus said, “I am not the God of the dead but of the living.” And all your fathers and mothers are not dead, but alive in God’s eyes. Our love for them does not allow them to remain dead but keeps them alive.

Thank you for being good Christians and Serbian Orthodox. I pray that Holy Orthodoxy continues to be a priority and inspiration for our children and all of us. Thank you and God bless you!

This is a gramata for Mike Ajder, who worked very hard as president of this church. One of his dreams was to build a cemetery here, not only for our people but for all Orthodox. This gramatta is a sign of our gratitude for Mike’s untiring efforts. Thank you Mike!

Historic ceremony marks groundbreaking for new cemetery at St. Sava Merrillville – Saturday, Nov. 12

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We invite you Saturday, November 12, 2016 to the Holy Liturgy and Groundbreaking Ceremony of the newest Orthodox Cemetery in the midwest as we prepare grounds available to all people of Orthodox Faith at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church at 9191 Mississippi Street in Merrillville, Indiana.

His Grace Bishop Longin from the Diocese of New Gracanica and Midwestern America will serve Holy Liturgy along with Visiting Clergy beginning at 10:00 a.m. with the groundbreaking on the Cemetery site adjacent to the church taking place at approximately 11:45 a.m. A luncheon in the Pavilion at St. Sava will immediately follow.

For more than 100 years St. Sava Church has been a part of the Orthodox community helping to serve the spiritual and cultural needs of Northwest Indiana. Our Church in Merrillville was consecrated 25 years ago and our newly constructed pavilion has been providing state-of-the-art hall rental facilities since it was completed in 2014. With deep roots in the Northwest Indiana and the Chicagoland region, our spirit for building to serve the Lord is strong and the construction of this Orthodox Cemetery continues in this spirit.

The Cemetery will serve all people of Orthodox Faith regardless of specific ethnic affiliation. Parishes with ethnic designations such as Serbian, Greek, Russian, and other ethnicities may employ languages other than English in worship to a greater or lesser degree but the Orthodox Faith is one and the same.

It is with this sense of unity and sameness in Orthodox Faith that we prepare the grounds at St. Sava for the servants of the Lord who have fallen asleep. There are few physical spaces in the midwest where such places of rest exist within walking distance of an Orthodox Sanctuary, along with the resources to assist with pre-planning various aspects of burial arrangements fitting the Orthodox Traditions.

With this Groundbreaking Ceremony we take new steps to serve all people of Orthodox Faith, the living from all the various Orthodox ethnic traditions and those falling asleep with the Lord.

We humbly request Clergy, Church Executive Board leadership members, and faithful members of all Orthodox Churches to join us in this Groundbreaking Ceremony as we create this sacred space on the grounds of our Orthodox House of worship at St. Sava Church Saturday, November 12, 2016.

We encourage everyone, including community members, local officials, and news media to join us for this special occasion, inviting you to the Holy Liturgy at 10:00 a.m., the groundbreaking at approximately 11:45 a.m., and the luncheon immediately following.

Please contact us with questions or to RSVP at 219-736-9191.

Historic groundbreaking ceremony for new cemetery at St. Sava Merrillville – Saturday, Nov. 12

By | General Information/News | No Comments

We invite you Saturday, November 12, 2016 to the Holy Liturgy and Groundbreaking Ceremony of the newest Orthodox Cemetery in the midwest as we prepare grounds available to all people of Orthodox Faith at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church at 9191 Mississippi Street in Merrillville, Indiana.

His Grace Bishop Longin from the Diocese of New Gracanica and Midwestern America will serve Holy Liturgy along with Visiting Clergy beginning at 10:00 a.m. with the groundbreaking on the Cemetery site adjacent to the church taking place at approximately 11:45 a.m. A luncheon in the Pavilion at St. Sava will immediately follow.

For more than 100 years St. Sava Church has been a part of the Orthodox community helping to serve the spiritual and cultural needs of Northwest Indiana. Our Church in Merrillville was consecrated 25 years ago and our newly constructed pavilion has been providing state-of-the-art hall rental facilities since it was completed in 2014. With deep roots in the Northwest Indiana and the Chicagoland region, our spirit for building to serve the Lord is strong and the construction of this Orthodox Cemetery continues in this spirit.

The Cemetery will serve all people of Orthodox Faith regardless of specific ethnic affiliation. Parishes with ethnic designations such as Serbian, Greek, Russian, and other ethnicities may employ languages other than English in worship to a greater or lesser degree but the Orthodox Faith is one and the same.

It is with this sense of unity and sameness in Orthodox Faith that we prepare the grounds at St. Sava for the servants of the Lord who have fallen asleep. There are few physical spaces in the midwest where such places of rest exist within walking distance of an Orthodox Sanctuary, along with the resources to assist with pre-planning various aspects of burial arrangements fitting the Orthodox Traditions.

With this Groundbreaking Ceremony we take new steps to serve all people of Orthodox Faith, the living from all the various Orthodox ethnic traditions and those falling asleep with the Lord.

We humbly request Clergy, Church Executive Board leadership members, and faithful members of all Orthodox Churches to join us in this Groundbreaking Ceremony as we create this sacred space on the grounds of our Orthodox House of worship at St. Sava Church Saturday, November 12, 2016.

We encourage everyone, including community members, local officials, and news media to join us for this special occasion, inviting you to the Holy Liturgy at 10:00 a.m., the groundbreaking at approximately 11:45 a.m., and the luncheon immediately following.

Please contact us with questions or to RSVP at 219-736-9191.

St. Sava pre-order deadline Nov. 15 for Bake Sale pick-up Nov. 19

By | Fundraising, General Information/News, Kolo Sisters | No Comments

The Nov. 15 deadline to pre-order is quickly approaching to get your holiday strudels, nutrolls, and cookies handmade by the women of the St. Sava Serbian Sisters Circle at the upcoming Bake Sale taking place Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016 at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church at 9191 Mississippi Street, Merrillville, IN.

The Bake Sale will be located at the north side of the Pavilion near the kitchen. It begins at 9:00 a.m. and will go until 3:00 p.m. or until supplies last. Pre-orders will be available for pick-up, but all other items are available on a first come, first served basis.

Members of the Kolo will have a variety of cookies, strudels, nutrolls and other pasteries for sale. Strudels will include apple, cherry, spinach/cheese, and sweet or regular cheese. Cookies will be available for sale by the pound.

Everyone is invited to this Bake Sale. This will be the best opportunity to take home some of the finest handcrafted, traditional desserts in the greater Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland area. Funds generated through this Bake Sale help support the church and the various humanitarian efforts of the St. Sava Serbian Sisters Circle.

Please refer to the St. Sava Church online calendar at www.saintsava.net/calendar for more information about the Bake Sale and other events open to members of St. Sava Church, fellow Orthodox Christians, and the general public from around our community.

St. Sava Church in Merrillville breaks ground for new cemetery – Saturday, November 12

By | General Information/News | No Comments

We invite you Saturday, November 12, 2016 to the Holy Liturgy and Groundbreaking Ceremony of the newest Orthodox Cemetery in the midwest as we prepare grounds available to all people of Orthodox Faith at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church at 9191 Mississippi Street in Merrillville, Indiana.

His Grace Bishop Longin from the Diocese of New Gracanica and Midwestern America will serve Holy Liturgy along with Visiting Clergy beginning at 10:00 a.m. with the groundbreaking on the Cemetery site adjacent to the church taking place at approximately 11:45 a.m. A luncheon in the Pavilion at St. Sava will immediately follow.

For more than 100 years St. Sava Church has been a part of the Orthodox community helping to serve the spiritual and cultural needs of Northwest Indiana. Our Church in Merrillville was consecrated 25 years ago and our newly constructed pavilion has been providing state-of-the-art hall rental facilities since it was completed in 2014. With deep roots in the Northwest Indiana and the Chicagoland region, our spirit for building to serve the Lord is strong and the construction of this Orthodox Cemetery continues in this spirit.

The Cemetery will serve all people of Orthodox Faith regardless of specific ethnic affiliation. Parishes with ethnic designations such as Serbian, Greek, Russian, and other ethnicities may employ languages other than English in worship to a greater or lesser degree but the Orthodox Faith is one and the same.

It is with this sense of unity and sameness in Orthodox Faith that we prepare the grounds at St. Sava for the servants of the Lord who have fallen asleep. There are few physical spaces in the midwest where such places of rest exist within walking distance of an Orthodox Sanctuary, along with the resources to assist with pre-planning various aspects of burial arrangements fitting the Orthodox Traditions.

With this Groundbreaking Ceremony we take new steps to serve all people of Orthodox Faith, the living from all the various Orthodox ethnic traditions and those falling asleep with the Lord.

We humbly request Clergy, Church Executive Board leadership members, and faithful members of all Orthodox Churches to join us in this Groundbreaking Ceremony as we create this sacred space on the grounds of our Orthodox House of worship at St. Sava Church Saturday, November 12, 2016.

We encourage everyone, including community members, local officials, and news media to join us for this special occasion, inviting you to the Holy Liturgy at 10:00 a.m., the groundbreaking at approximately 11:45 a.m., and the luncheon immediately following.

Please contact us with questions or to RSVP at 219-736-9191.

Danica Bayus – Memory Eternal ✝ Vjecnaja Pamjat

By | General Information/News, Obituaries & Memorials | No Comments

The Clergy, Executive Board, and Members of St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church express condolences to the family of Danica Bayus. Memory eternal.

Danica Bayus, age 95 (January 25, 1921 – November 5, 2016) of Crown Point, IN, passed away peacefully on November 5, 2016.

She was a member of the St. Sava Serbian Church and a member of its Circle of Serbian Sisters. Danica dedicated many years of service to Mercy Hospital in Gary, IN and St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart, IN.

She is preceded in death by her husband- Steve; sons-in-law Barry Lanis and Harvey Dubois. Danica is survived by two daughters- Donna (Roy) Wilson, Violet (John) Cochran (Bayus/ Lanis), and many loving nieces and nephews living in the U.S. and also in Serbia.

Friends may visit with Danica’s family Wednesday, November 9, 2016 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. with a Pomen Service at 7:00 p.m. at Burns Funeral Home 10101 Broadway, Crown Point, IN.

Funeral service will take place Thursday, November 10, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. directly at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, 9191 Mississippi St., Merrillville, IN. Rev. Marko Matic officiating. Interment will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Crown Point, IN.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Sava Serbian Church or to the St. Anthony Hospice In-Patient Unit.

See more at: http://www.burnsfuneral.com/obituaries/Danica-Bayus/#!/Obituary

Pre-order strudels and nutrolls for pickup at St. Sava Bake Sale – Saturday, Nov. 19

By | Fundraising, General Information/News, Kolo Sisters | No Comments

Holiday strudels, nutrolls, and cookies are stacking up as the ovens continue to bake the handmade specialities by the women of the St. Sava Serbian Sisters Circle for the upcoming Bake Sale taking place Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016 at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church at 9191 Mississippi Street, Merrillville, IN.

The Bake Sale will be located at the north side of the Pavilion near the kitchen. It begins at 9:00 a.m. and will go until 3:00 p.m. or until supplies last. Pre-orders will be available for pick-up, but all other items are available on a first come, first served basis.

Members of the Kolo will have a variety of cookies, strudels, nutrolls and other pasteries for sale. Strudels will include apple, cherry, spinach/cheese, and sweet or regular cheese. Cookies will be available for sale by the pound.

Everyone is invited to this Bake Sale. This will be the best opportunity to take home some of the finest handcrafted, traditional desserts in the greater Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland area. Funds generated through this Bake Sale help support the church and the various humanitarian efforts of the St. Sava Serbian Sisters Circle.

Please refer to the St. Sava Church online calendar at www.saintsava.net/calendar for more information about the Bake Sale and other events open to members of St. Sava Church, fellow Orthodox Christians, and the general public from around our community.

St. Sava Circle of Serbian Sisters Slava Banquet – Sunday, Oct. 30

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The Circle of Serbian Sisters of St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church – Merrillville, IN cordially invite you and your family to the celebration of their Krsna Slava Sveta Petka Paraskeva Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016.

Divine Liturgy will take place at 10:00 a.m. with a blessing of Slavski Kolach and Parastos. A luncheon will follow immediately after the services.

The Divine Liturgy will take place in a temporary Chapel in the South Wing Social Center at St. Sava as the final steps in the wood floor restoration and new carpet installation are completed in the Church. The Kolo Sisters were able to generously fund the floor restoration projects inside the Church from the funds they raise throughout the year with donations and bake sale items.

Please join us for this special celebration this Sunday for Divine Liturgy and luncheon in the Pavilion. A group picture will be taken of the Sisters. Pastries prepared by the Sisters would be appreciated.

Talija Art Company from Serbia performs at St. Sava Merrillville – Sunday, Oct. 23

By | Folklore Groups, General Information/News | No Comments

Talija Art Company from Serbia is making a special stop on their USA Tour 2016 to perform traditional Balkan music and folklore dances Sunday, October 23 during a luncheon at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church located at 9191 Mississippi Street, Merrillville, Indiana.

The dance group will perform the traditional Balkan Folklore dances in the Pavilion during a luncheon that will take place immediately following the Sunday Divine Liturgy. Everyone in the Northwest Indiana community are encouraged to attend the performance and guests are suggested to arrive in the Pavilion before 12:15 p.m.

According to St. Sava’s Priest Father Marko Matic, “This is great opportunity for Saint Sava Church to host such a great and popular Folklore Group.”

Talija Art Company has been performing across the country during their USA Tour 2016 in locations including Baltimore, Washington, Miami, New York City, Boston, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Cleveland, Dayton, South Bend, and more.

Talija Art Company will entertain with their spectacular dance performance.  This is an event you will not want to miss.  Invite your friends and family to join us at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church.  The luncheon and performance will take place in the pavilion/hall at St. Sava.  There is no charge for the luncheon or the performance, but donations are greatly appreciated.

Learn more about the Talija Art Company at their Facebook Page – http://www.facebook.com/skolafolklora.talija/

Nine dance groups take the “Fall Folklore Fest” stage at St. Sava – Saturday, Oct. 15

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Serbian Youth Folklore Dancers from as far away as Parma, Ohio will be among the nine different groups performing at the inaugural “Fall Folklore Festival” taking place Saturday, October 15 at 6:00 p.m. in the Pavilion at St. Sava Church, 9191 Mississippi Street, Merrillville, IN.

Performances by the Srbadija Folklore Group of St. Sava and other Serbian dance groups participating in the program from throughout the Chicagoland area and midwest will showcase Serbian culture through dance. General admission tickets are open to the public and available at the door for $10. Everyone in the community is welcome to attend.

Serbian cuisine, beverages, and famous bake sale items will also be available for purchase throughout the evening.

For those desiring a more complete cultural experience, a Serbian “Zabava” (open dance party) will be available for all participants and audience members with music provided by DJ Rajic at the conclusion of all the official performances in the program by the featured dance groups.

Participating dance groups include (in alphabetical order):

  • Holy Resurrection Serbian Cathedral – Redwood Drive, Chicago, IL – Soko Folklore Ensemble – Facebook Page
  • Gracanica Serbian Church, Third Lake, IL –
  • St. Elijah Serbian Church, Merrillville, IL – Frula Folklore Ensemble – Facebook Page
  • St. George Serbian Church, Schererville, IN – Tromedja Folklore Ensemble – Facebook Page
  • St. John the Baptist Serbian Church, Bellwood, IL – Oplenac Folklore Ensemble
  • St. Nikola Serbian Church  Brookfield, IL – Moravac Folklore Ensemble
  • St. Sava Serbian Cathedral, Parma, OH – Facebook Page
  • St. Sava Serbian Church, Merrillville, IN – Srbadija Folklore – WebsiteFacebook Page
  • St. Simeon Serbian Church, 114th South Chicago, IL – Gavrilo Princip Folklore Ensemble – Facebook Page

Srbadija Folklore is also seeking table sponsorships and donations to defray the costs of the festival. Sponsors may donate $25 to be a “Table Sponsor” or may donate $75 for the cost of a “Box of Cevaps” for the event. To confirm your sponsorship donation, please send e-mail to Karen Knezic at karen.knezic@saintsava.net.

This Fall Folklore Festival maintains a focus on Serbian culture and dance, but Srbadija Folklore also hosts the “Intercultural Festival” that takes place each spring at St. Sava featuring youth dance groups from a variety of cultures. Youth from around the U.S. and Canada have participated to showcase culture and dance representing different regions of Serbia, Mexico, Greece, Ireland, Africa, Scandinavia, and India. The next Intercultural Dance Festival will take place May 20, 2017.

Please save-the-date Saturday, October 15 for the inaugural Fall Folklore Festival, hosted by Srbadija Folklore at St. Sava Church, 9191 Mississippi Street, Merrillville, IN 46410. For contact information about the Fall Folklore Fstival 2016 taking place October 15, 2016 and the Intercultural Festival 2017 taking place May 20, 2017, visit the www.saintsava.net/folklore website.