By the Grace of God Orthodox Bishop of Western America
Grace, Peace and Mercy from the God-Child Christ the Savior

My dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,

On this sacred day of the Nativity and Holy Theophany, we celebrate the greatest Offerings presented to humankind, the gift of the Lord Himself and the gift of eternal life. God the Father gave His Son, and the Son gave Himself so that we might be restored to the life and communion for which we were created.
As we bow in reverence and thanksgiving to the Source of Life, let us offer all our being freely for His Glory and service, sharing in the life, love and peace that will be ours for all eternity in the Church which exists as a constant Theophany.

As we await once again the Coming of the Sun of Righteousness, joyfully proclaiming Come o Lord, I pray that infinite grace and love of God illumine you with the pure peace of Christ Who was born on this day for our salvation.

May the incarnate Word of God, born in the cave and laid in a manger, be with you and those you love, as you walk throughout the New Year by the intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos and all the Saints.

CHRIST IS BORN!

May the New Year of our Lord 2015 Be Blessed!

In the New Born Christ-Child, our Savior,
Bishop of Western America MAXIM

December 5, 6, 7 2014

http://serbianfilmfest.com/

Chicago Serbian FilmFest is an annual celebration of the best in contemporary Serbian cinema. Over the course of three nights, we present carefully selected Serbian movies, which have won over festival audiences around the world. In attendance are guest actors and filmmakers who, after the screenings, engage in Q&A sessions with the audience. Join us this year, so our festival can continue to grow and attract a loyal following.

at St. Nikola Church, Brookfield, Illinois

Misko Kaludjerovic, a Serbian archeologist, explored many excavations throughout the Serbian territory which proved to be one of the richest finds in Europe. It is an area of our ancestry where many empires, emperors, rulers, and battles, have taken place. Misko will begin a speaking series, introducing the archeological finds in the places of origin of our parishioners and Sunday School children. Please join us for this most insightful archeological journey with a question and answer session for you to gain additional information about your rich Serbian ancestry.

Eve of the Feast Day of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos
December 3, 2014, 9 p.m. Please join us!

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In the Church of Christ the Savior in Arcadia, on December 3, 2014, the Eve of the Feast Day of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos, there will be served an All-Night Vigil (Feast Day Vigil and Divine Liturgy) which will begin at 9 p.m.

His Grace, Bishop Grigorije of Zahumlje-Herzegovina, His Grace, Bishop Maxim of the Western American Diocese, Abbot of the Tvrdos Monastery Hieromonk Sava, and the clergy of the Los Angeles Deanery will be present at this prayerful gathering.

By this act our Diocese is renewing an old practice of serving an All-Night Vigil on the eve of a Feast Day with participation of all clergy, monastics, and the faithful from all neighboring parishes.

Our traditional chanting will contribute to the magnificence and grandeur of a night vigil.

We invite you all to attend this All-Night Vigil and, in that way, to symbolically participate in the Vigil of Sacred Serbian Royal Lavra of Hilandar where the monastics on this Feast Day will also have their Slava celebration.

Најбоља српска научница свих времена Гордана Вуњак-Новаковић недавно је – сликовито говорећи – постала двоструки амерички академик.Пре две године изабрана је у Националну инжењерску академију, а минулих дана у Медицински институт. Два поменута огранка и Национални истраживачки савет чине најугледније у свету учено друштво – Националну академију наука САД. Други пут потврђено јој је почасно место у друштву више од 300 нобеловаца, колико их је у њеном саставу.

.

Последњи, незавршени филм Орсона Велса "The Other Side of Wind", међу љубитељима филмске уметности познат као најчувенији никад објављени филм, могао би ускоро да буде приказан.

Продукцијска кућа из Лос Анђелеса „Royal Road Entertainment", постигла je договор о куповини права за тај филм, а продуценти планирају да га прикажу у време обележавања стогодишњице од рођења великог режисера 6. маја.

Због компликоване судске борбе међу носиоцима права на то дело, међу којима је и Велсова ћерка Битрис Велс, 1.083 ролни филмских трака било је блокирано у једном складишту у предграђу Париза.

Турнеја је само средство за остваривање амбициозног циља који се односи на сакупљање новца од дијаспоре у САД, како би се изградила нова концертна сала филхармоније, наводи „Њујорк тајмс”.

„Док многи амерички оркестри бију битку са тешкоћама за опстанак, могли би да размисле о случају Београдске филхармоније, која је морала да превазиђе много веће изазове, од бруталних балканских ратова вођених деведесетих, али и политичких, социјалних и економских потреса који су их пратили”, пише Мајкл Купер, новинар „Њујорк тајмса”, започињући текст о америчкој турнеји Београдске филхармоније, која је завршена синоћ наступом у Карнеги холу у Њујорку.

.

In a concert hall that represents the artistic dream of any musician, the Belgrade Philharmonic was breathlessly listened to by more than 1500 people. Taking a firm step, the orchestra opened the grand finale of its first American tour with Tchaikovsky’s Slavonic March. The voice of Željko Lučić, who joined the Belgrade Philharmonic by courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera, raised a storm of delight in the audience. The unity and closeness felt in his appearance with the Belgrade Philharmonic brought them back on the stage for encore, in which they performed the aria Eri tu from Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera.

.

The concert at the Strathmore Music Center in Washington D.C was the third performance on the U.S. tour and, once again, the audience was completely enchanted. They first stood up for the American and Serbian national anthems at the beginning of the concert, but as the orchestra’s last tones reverberated in the hall they were on their feet again, calling for encore.

The Belgrade Philharmonic’s orchestra not only connected the Serbian and American audiences, but it also gathered members of the U.S. diplomatic corps. Beside the US Ambassador to Serbia Michael Kirby, the concert was also attended by his predecessor Mary Warlick.

.