Laurenn Baroevich took some fantastic photos for us to enjoy. You can see her unique, youthful perspective and the response of the children. Sunday School sponsored an egg hunt on the east lawn. In spite of the fierce windy weather, all the eggs were recovered. Thanks, Easter Bunny!

Remember to click on the images below to enlarge:

On Saturday, January 23, several children came to the south wing kitchen to get hands-on experience making the Kolach and Zito for their St. Sava Day Celebration. Under the supervision of Sonja Mancich and Ann Rudman, they created a beautifully decorated Kolach and Zito. Thanks to Beba Rudman, Zorka Glumac, and Danica Beslich for their help in the kitchen Sunday, and to Marie Baroevich for all the hard work and planning. Along with a bouquet of flowers, sincere Thanks were expressed to Teta Joanne Samardzija for sharing her personal talents and time teaching and rehearsing  songs for this year's St. Sava Day program.

After the program, the children were treated to cash prizes and 3-foot long licorice.

Once again, the children learned to recite lengthy poems for everyone's enjoyment, only two weeks after their Christmas program. The south wing was packed full of proud parents and grandparents, who also helped the children practice their poems. Great Job, Kids!

Yes, Simon, Serbian children can sing. In two languages, in fact! As is our tradition, Sunday School children recited poetry and sang several songs for their proud parents, babas, and dedas. St. Sava Day celebrates the patron saint of all Serbian children. The Palachinka Song and S-E-R-B-I-A-N Song are the creative works of Joanne Samardzija, who also taught the musical performances and accompanied on piano. Enjoy the video below and check back soon for more photos and videos from this wonderful program.

Saint Sava Day will be celebrated with Divine Liturgy starting at 10 am, followed by  Blessing of the Kolach, Luncheon, and program presented by our Sunday School children. Every year we're treated to a delightful afternoon of songs, poems, and musical performances.

St. Sava from Wikipedia  ( Read More)

Saint Archbishop Sava (Serbian:, Sveti Sava; (c. 1175, Ras - January 14, 1235, Trnovo, Bulgaria), baptised name Rastko Nemanji? (Serbian: ) was the youngest son of Serbian ruler Stefan Nemanja, Eastern Orthodox monk, first archbishop of Serbian Orthodox Church, diplomat, writer, law giver and founder of several important medieval monasteries. He heavily influenced Serbian medieval literature and art.

He is widely considered as one of the most important figures of Serbian history and he is canonized and venerated by the Serbian Orthodox Church. Also his life and personal devotion has been interpreted in many artistic works from the middle ages to modern times. The Temple of Saint Sava in Belgrade is his major shrine and the largest Eastern Orthodox church.

Old Country customs and traditions are still celebrated each Christmas Eve and Christmas Day by Serbian Orthodox Christians. Once again, our Sunday School children treated us to a wonderful performance of a Serbian family's observance of Christmas. Thanks to all the teachers and Joanne Samardzija for their hard work preparing the play and rehearsing songs. Most of all, we Thank the children for this special gift.

At last night's Badnje Vece Service, we were all treated to a wonderful play presented by the children of our Sunday School. Customs of the holidays in a centuries old tradition were celebrated, followed by a selection of Christmas songs. Read the reviews and see the related photos at NWI TIMES.

Check back daily for photos and video from this year's holiday services and celebration.

We are fortunate to have a fine group of dedicated teachers who volunteer their time every Sunday. Through lessons, music, and crafts, students gain knowledge and understanding of our Orthodox Faith and Serbian customs. It's never too late to enroll your children or grandchildren for Sunday morning classes.

First day of classes and Registration will be held at 9:45 a.m. this Sunday, September 13th. Send your children to class while you register them in the North Wing Office area. Parents, grandparents, and Kumovi, please remember the importance of a solid Religious Education that will impact your child's spirituality for a lifetime. The teachers will include many fun activites during the school year. Every child is welcome!

"Pick me! Pick me!" Everyone's favorite game show host, Vinko Mancich, challenged our Sunday School children to a test of what they've learned this past year. Three teams competed for the title of "Winner". Answers included "Badnje Vece, Kum, preparing for Lent", etc. And of course, Vinko made it so much fun. The kids had a great time and made their teachers proud. Thanks to all the teachers for their time and commitment, and to  the parents for all their support. See you next school season!

"2 Thumbs Up!" The critics agree that every year the talented children work hard to learn their poems and music. It's a pleasure to attend this wonderful program each year. Thanks to Kim Simic and all the teachers for working with the kids and preparing them just 3 weeks after the Christmas play. Sofia Grimsgard played Minuet #8 by Bach on her cello. Danilo Orlich, Sasha Novakovich, and Dimitri Simic brought the house down with a comedy sketch. Xenia Jancarich provided these wonderful photos.

Our wonderful holiday traditions were celebrated once again this year on January 6th. After the evening service and Christmas play, Father Marko blessed the badnjak and everyone enjoyed refreshments in the south wing.

And now, the STARS OF THE SHOW!!!!!!!!

Angels, shepherds, and Kings told the story of Christ's Birth on Badnje Vece at St. Sava Church. Our Sunday School children spoke and sang of the Christmas Story in a church full of parishioners. Special Thanks to Karageorge Choir, Dr. Kim (Bolan) Simic, Kathy Baroevich, and Betsy Kirby for all their talent and support. After the short program, the children Thanked Father Marko for all his Love and Support.

6^th, 7^th, & 8^th Grade Students

Food Drive

Our tally is in and we collected 426 food items, WOW!

Unfortunately, we didn’t meet our goal of 500 items but this is still a lot of food.  We should be proud that our efforts helped

our local community.

My parents delivered all of the items to the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana.  They were very thankful and appreciative of our donation.

I would also like to say THANK YOU to all of the individuals who brought in food for our cause.  Your kindness is greatly appreciated.

Our next Stewardship activity is for each family in our class to bake and bring in a dozen cookies on December 7th for

Kolo’s Christmas Cheer Bags.

By Nikola Mileusnic

The deadline has been extended to this Sunday, November 23rd, the last day to bring your canned goods and non-perishable items to church. The project has reached 65% of their goal. Show your support for the efforts of our Sunday School and their concern for the local community - this was their idea. This year has been especially tough for the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana with the failing economy and devastating floods. Donations can be dropped off in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade classroom or in the South Wing entrance.

Sunday School kids and their parents had so much fun that they forgot how cold it was! A special outing to County Line Orchard was a great way to spend a cool autumn evening. They enjoyed many fun activities and built a giant spider web, roasted marshmallows, and made s'mores. Everyone was tossed around on a bumpy hay ride. And of course, there was soooooo much food - but did someone forget the pumpkin strudel? Special THANKS to Mary Halfman and Betsy Kirby for providing these wonderful photos.

Kim Mileusnic's Sunday School class has been active planning a way to help the community that has suffered from the recent flooding. The 6th, 7th, and 8th grade class would like your help. Please bring non-perishable food items to church. You will find a large collection box in the south wing entry or in their classroom in the north wing. Suggestions for donating are: pasta, rice, oatmeal, canned fruit or vegetables, peanut butter, mac & cheese, canned tuna, canned meat, or soup. The items collected will be taken to the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, supporting families in Lake and Porter Counties. The last day to turn in food items will be Sunday, November 16th.

Written by Gorana Bilbija, Sunday School Student:

EXTRA! EXTRA! Get your copy of ST. SAVA MONTHLY, October Issue, from any 6th, 7th, or 8th grade Sunday School student. It's a real bargain at only 25 cents! You'll see the creative and talented side of our children-it's quite impressive. Pick up a copy at church any Sunday. Featured articles of interest include recipes, events, birthday announcements, and original stories written by classmates. Congratulations on your first issue, kids, well done!

Father Tom Kazich was guest teacher on Sunday, October 5th. The lesson titled "The Saints: God Is Wonderful In His Saints", was quite interesting. Saints come from all walks of life. Father Tom referred to our own Father (Bishop) Peter as a truly Holy Christian man, kind and good, and his dedication to church and it's people. Photos provided by Betsy Kirby.

It's time to register your child for Sunday School Classes. Don't miss the opportunity to have your child participate in religious classes and many fun social events. Children will enjoy life-long friendships and memories from their experiences at our St. Sava Church. Parents, grandparents, and Kumovi should remember their responsibilities to providing a religious foundation for their children. The new St. Sava Learning Center is fully remodeled and stocked, and ready to receive the students. We are still looking for volunteer Substitute Teachers (Lesson Plans will be provided) and help for special events.

TEEN CLASSES: Teens (9th grade thru Seniors) will meet EVERY SUNDAY, and we are looking for more teachers at this level to take turns, one Sunday per month. This is an enjoyable class that touches on topics related to lifestyles and concerns of teens.

Registration is SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14th at 9:45 a.m. in front of the Church Office in the north wing. The children should go directly to their classes, which start at 9:45 a.m. every Sunday. Please note that the new start time for class is 9:45 a.m. Fee is $25 for the first child, $10 for each additional student. For additional information or to volunteer, please call Gina Orlich at 462-2584.

Sunday's heat, fierce winds, and thunderstorms couldn't ruin this good time. The celebration of classes ending included indoor and outdoor games with prizes and even an ice cream sundae bar to help everyone cool down. The children did the Limbo, Hokey Pokey, played Musical Chairs, The Bucket Game, Bean Bag Toss, Balloon Games, and ran relays dressed as clowns. The competition was fierce for Musical Chairs, but Chris Orlich was victorious in a close race with Gorana Bilbija. Strategies were applied as some clowns got a little help from their friends, putting on overalls, shirt, gloves, and a wig. The biggest kid of all, Vinko, offered his talent as a DJ for the festivities. He sure knows how to get a party started. A few rounds of kolos, chachak, and Chicken Kolo were the perfect way to end a great time.

(Click photos to enlarge)

The last day of the 2008 Sunday School season ended with a short awards ceremony at the end of services and a fun-filled day of outdoor games, activities, and a picnic-style lunch. All the students were congratulated for their participation in classes and programs during the past school year. Father Tom Kazich officiated the Liturgy and gave each student a keepsake bookmark.

Students with at least 90% attendance were presented an Award Certificate. Their names are: Luci Woldt (Pre-school), Bojan Bilbija & Milena Matic (K & 1st), Dusan Matic, Alexis Orlich, Bosa Woldt (2nd & 3rd), Gorana Bilbija & Karen Friedlander (4th & 5th), Michael Friedlander & Susan Friedlander (6th, 7th, & 8th). Many other students received Certificates for 50% or more attendance.

Congratulations to all the children, teachers, and parents for their patience and commitment this past school year!

Join the Sunday School celebration of the last day of classes. Attend a casual picnic-style lunch after Divine Liturgy with plenty of fun activities for young and old. Vinko Mancich will provide music for dancing, and there will be games for all ages. Call Kim Mileusnic at (219) 365-6548 to help with food, games, or set-up.

This has been a busy year for Sunday School. The children were moved from their south wing class area to temporary classrooms, and finally into their new Learning Center. They prepared a wonderful Christmas Pageant that made Badnje Vece a memorable evening. St. Sava Day showed their academic skills when they presented their poems. On Easter Sunday, we were treated to their performance of "Hristos Voskrese, Radost Donese!" We are so very proud of our Sunday School children, and their parents are to be congratulated for their commitment. Popadija Vesna has organized these events, and we are grateful for her leadership.

WOW! Popadija Vesna arranged a surprise visit to our Sunday School by her dear friend Dr. Dusan Stipanovic, whom she met while teaching in San Francisco. He has a B.S. Degree from Belgrade University and continued his M.S.E.E. and PhD education at Santa Clara and spent time at Stanford. He is currently a professor at Southern Illinois University with the Department of Industrial & Enterprise Systems Engineering at Urbana/Champaign, Illinois.

The students were very interested in his current project with robotics, and were glued to his computer with many technical questions. Dusan also told them about his early years in Serbia where Religion was suppressed under the Communist regime, yet he pursued his own spiritual needs, inspired by St. John of Shanghai and others. It was very gracious of Dusan to take the time and travel to share his expertise with our Sunday School children. They certainly enjoyed class today!

(Click photo to enlarge)

What a pleasant surprise it was to hear the young voices sing "Hristos Voskrese", a very long and difficult song to learn. Under the direction of Dr. Kim Simic, the children seem to enjoy the challenge as they master the lyrics (some of the kids can't even read yet). We are so very proud of them and fortunate to have wonderful Sunday School teachers as well as Kim to teach our children.

Church was filled to capacity on the day we celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. Read Father Marko's interview in The Times newspaper Saturday's edition. The Sunday School children were treated to an Easter Egg Hunt on the north lawn, and then they surprised us all by singing "Hristos Voskrese" right before the Church Board passed out colored eggs. As you will see in the photos, this was a very special day enjoyed by everyone.

(Click photo to enlarge)

The lower level St. Sava Learning Center is now a beautiful facility created by church members Zeljko Novakovich, Steve Baroevich, Simo Glumac, and Zoran Andrich, as well as Mirko and Ognjen Kljajic. The Sunday School children now enjoy carpeted private classrooms, supply closets, a kitchen, and remodeled restrooms. There are still a few minor improvements to be made that should be in place for the next school year. (Click photo to enlarge)

Looks like someone had a great time last Saturday. The competition looked pretty fierce. Thanks to Gordana  Pejnovic for the photos.

Thanks to Betsy Kirby for these photos. We encourage you all to send us your photos at stsavachurch@gmail.com. (Click photo to enlarge)