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Crossroads E-Newsletter - October 15, 2009

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  • Crossroads E-Newsletter - October 15, 2009

    October 15, 2009


    MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL CONFERENCE IN NEW JERSEY
    Archbishop Oshagan presided over the Mid-Atlantic regional conference
    which took place last Saturday at Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield,
    New Jersey.

    Panel discussions were led by Rev. Fr. Nareg Terterian, Dn. Shant
    Kazanjian, Harout Misserlian, and Raffi Ourlian. Hagop Khatchadourian
    presented an overview of the day's agenda and led the closing
    session. Discussions centered around the new guidelines for Boards of
    Trustees, the role of the Prelacy, spiritual awakening, religious and
    language education.

    Archbishop Oshagan offered the opening and closing prayers and
    remarks. His Eminence praised the attendees from the Mid-Atlantic
    parishes and the presenters for their thorough and serious exploration
    of their assigned topics. He said the Religious and Executive
    Councils are committed to the continuation of regional conferences and
    other events that will strengthen the parishes.

    PRELATE PRESIDES OVER 84TH
    ANNIVERSARY
    OF NEW BRITAIN PARISH
    Last Sunday Archbishop Oshagan presided over the 84th anniversary
    celebration of St. Stephen Church of New Britain/Hartford,
    Connecticut. The Prelate celebrated the Divine Liturgy and delivered
    the sermon, and presided over the anniversary banquet.

    Certificates of Merit were presented to Chris Bennettson and Kenarig
    Zamgochian in recognition and appreciation of their years of dedicated
    service to the church.

    ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN WILL TRAVEL TO RACINE
    The Prelate will visit St. Hagop Church, Racine, Wisconsin this
    weekend where he will confer with the pastor, V. Rev. Fr. Daniel
    Garabedian and members of the Board of Trustees. On Sunday His
    Eminence will celebrate the Divine Liturgy and deliver the sermon and
    preside over the church's banquet.

    ARMENIA FUND BOARD TO MEET
    Archbishop Oshagan will attend a meeting of the Board of Trustees and
    Directors of the Armenia Fund USA (AFUSA), Monday evening, October 19,
    at the home of Andreas Roubian in Saddle River, New Jersey.

    Founded in 1992, the Armenia Fund USA is the first of Hayastan
    All-Armenian Fund's 19 international affiliates. AFUSA supports
    large-scale, self-sustaining initiatives in Armenia and Nagorno
    Karabagh.

    VICAR WILL BE IN NEW ENGLAND THIS WEEKEND
    Bishop Anoushavan, who has been in Greece attending the World Council
    of Church's Faith & Order Plenary Commission is en route to the
    U.S. and will go to Whitinsville, Massachusetts where on Saturday,
    October 17, he will participate in the "Crop-A-Thon for Hunger,"
    joining the pastor and parishioners of Sts. Asdvadzadzin Church.

    On Sunday he will preside over the Divine Liturgy and deliver the
    sermon at St. Gregory Church, North Andover, Massachusetts.

    NALG SEMINAR THIS SATURDAY
    Archbishop Oshagan will welcome the National Association of Ladies
    Guilds (NALG) to the Prelacy this Saturday, October 17. His Eminence
    will offer the opening prayer and deliver his message to the gathering
    at the start of the NALG's annual conference.

    The conference will begin at 9:30 am and conclude early afternoon with
    a lunch break at noon. The agenda will include a report of NALG
    activities and reports from individual Ladies Guilds. Discussions will
    focus on by-laws updates and recommended changes, the role of the
    Guilds, and how the Guilds can be strengthened.

    PRELATE WILL ATTEND OPENING OF GORKY RETROSPECTIVE TONIGHT
    As a member of the Gorky Host Committee, Archbishop Oshagan will
    attend the gala preview and reception in celebration of the opening of
    the Arshile Gorky retrospective at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
    tonight.

    The first comprehensive survey of the work of this artist in nearly
    three decades, Arshile Gorky: A Retrospective will open to the public
    on October 21 and continue until January 10, 2010. The exhibition will
    then travel to the Tate Modern, London (Spring 2010) and The Museum of
    Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (Summer 2010).

    ST. ILLUMINATOR'S CATHEDRAL WILL CELEBRATE THE HOLY TRANSLATORS THIS
    SUNDAY
    Following the Divine Liturgy this Sunday, October 18,
    St. Illuminator's Cathedral will celebrate the Holy Translators and
    the Armenian language with a cultural program and book
    fair. Refreshments will be served. Admission is $5.00. For information
    contact the church office at 212-689-5880.

    HIS HOLINESS ARAM I ADDRESSES THOUSANDS GATHERED IN ANTELIAS LAST
    SATURDAY
    Last Saturday, October 10, at 6 pm, as the representatives of Armenia
    and Turkey and those of the international community were preparing to
    sign the protocol agreement (after a three-hour delay), thousands of
    Armenians gathered in front of the Chapel of the Martyrs at the
    Catholicosate in Antelias to reaffirm their demand for justice and the
    recognition of the Armenian Genocide committed by the Ottoman Turkish
    government in 1915.

    After a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the Genocide,
    His Holiness said: "As I stand today in front of the Chapel of Martyrs
    where the relics of the victims of the Genocide have found their rest,
    and as I stand next to the mausoleum of Catholicos Sahak of Cilicia,
    who had to leave his Holy See, leaving behind the land, the churches,
    and monasteries to find refuge in Lebanon, I cannot but share your
    anger and grief."

    The Catholicos declared that the history of the Armenian Church and
    people have shown that Armenians have always responded to the
    challenges at decisive moments of their lives through a collective Yes
    or No. "This collective expression of Yes or No has always reflected
    the faith, vision and hope of the nation. The Church is the community
    of the faithful. It believes in people's collective power and listens
    to their just demands as an expression of their collective
    will. Churches, governments and all human institutions are sustained
    by the people. The power of institutions is transient, but the power
    of the people is permanent.... Is there any religion, any moral
    authority that will deny justice, human rights and human dignity in a
    people and compensate impunity? It is out of this imperative that as
    Catholicos of Cilicia I will stand up for your collective will," His
    Holiness told the gathering.

    DAILY BIBLE READINGS
    Bible readings for today, Thursday, October 15, are: Isaiah 33:2-6;
    Acts 17:16-34; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12; Luke 10:1-7.

    Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God
    our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

    Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
    We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is
    right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of
    everyone of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves
    boast of you among the churches of God for your steadfastness and
    faith during all your persecutions and the afflictions that you are
    enduring.

    There is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, and is intended to
    make you worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also
    suffering. For it is indeed just of God to repay with affliction those
    who afflict you, and to give relief to the afflicted as well as to us,
    when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in
    flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on
    those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will suffer
    the punishment of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of
    the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes to be
    glorified by his saints and to be marveled at on that day among all
    who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.

    To this end we always pray for you, asking that our God will make you
    worthy of his call and will fulfill by his power every good resolve
    and work of faith, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified
    in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord
    Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:1-12)

    For listing of this week's Bible readings click here (
    http://e2ma.net/go/2486180205/2265593/85669111/2 4882/goto:http://www.armenianprelacy.org/images/pr elacy/PDF/dbr2009-10.pdf
    ).

    THE HOLY EVANGELISTS
    This Saturday, October 17, the Armenian Church commemorates the Holy
    Evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the authors of the four
    Gospels.

    Matthew is the patron of the Church's mission. The Gospel attributed
    to him closes with the command by Jesus to His disciples and
    followers, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
    them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
    and
    teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And
    remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew
    28:19-20).

    Mark had significant influence on the advancement of
    Christianity. Although the Gospel according to Mark is a narrative of
    the life of Jesus, theologians consider it to be a handbook of
    discipleship. The dominant message is that being a Christian is not
    only believing in Jesus
    Christ, it is also living according to the example set by
    Jesus. According to tradition, Mark was the first bishop of
    Alexandria. One of the most
    magnificent cathedrals in the world is named after him in Venice,
    where his relics are kept.

    Luke is the author of the third Gospel and the Book of Acts. He is
    considered to be the patron of physicians and artists. The
    Gospel according to Luke is greatly concerned with Jesus as "the
    healer of a broken world." Luke is also noted for his concern for the
    poor, the
    marginalized, women, and social outcasts. His Gospel does not end with
    the Resurrection, but rather continues to Pentecost and the eternal
    presence
    of Christ in the world. According to tradition, he was one of the
    Seventy and was the unnamed disciple of Emmaus.

    John, often called the "Beloved Disciple," is the author of the fourth
    Gospel and the book of Revelation. He was one of the twelve
    disciples who remained with Christ, standing in front of the cross.
    Jesus entrusted his mother to John's care on the day of the
    Crucifixion.
    The best known verse in his Gospel is, "For God so loved the world
    that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not
    perish but have
    eternal life." (John 3:16). According to tradition, John left
    Jerusalem after attending the first council and went to Asia Minor and
    settled in
    Ephesus. He was exiled to the island of Patmos where he wrote the Book
    of Revelation.

    SIX SAINTS COMMEMORATED ON MONDAY
    This Monday, October 19, the Armenian Church commemorates the
    following saints:

    Saint Longinus: Longinus was the centurion who pierced the side of
    Jesus with a lance during the Crucifixion. He later converted
    to Christianity and was baptized by the apostles. He was martyred in
    Cappadocia in the first century.

    Saint Joseph the Father of God: Joseph was a descendant of the house
    of David, and was the earthly father of Jesus Christ. He died
    of natural causes before the Crucifixion.

    Saint Joseph of Arimathea: Joseph of Arimathea was a wealthy Israelite
    who Luke describes as "a good and just man." He became a
    "secret" disciple of Jesus after hearing His preaching in
    Judea. However, after the Crucifixion he became courageous in his
    faith and he was the one
    who went to Pilate to claim Jesus' body to place in a tomb.

    Saint Lazarus: Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha were beloved
    friends of Jesus. Jesus visited their home in Bethany often.
    At Martha's request, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. The story of
    the raising of Lazarus is related in the Gospel of John, Chapter 11,
    Verses 1
    to 46. It is here that Jesus told Martha, "Everyone who lives and
    believes in me shall never die." (John 11:26).

    Saints Mary and Martha: Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, are
    among the most famous women in the Bible. As noted above, it
    was to Martha that Christ first made his declaration of eternal life
    and Mary had the distinction of anointing Jesus prior to the
    Crucifixion.

    ON LINE COURSE IN ARMENIAN
    The Prelacy is making available an on-line course in modern Western
    Armenian. The course was developed by Dr. Thomas J. Samuelian with
    partial
    funding from the Prelacy. It is accessible through the Prelacy's web
    page. Anyone wanting to learn Armenian can have access to it.

    Also available are Dr. Samuelian's pioneering text books: A Course in
    Modern Western Armenian, (which comes with its companion book,
    Dictionary and Linguistic Notes); and his popular ArmenianDictionary
    in Transliteration. The books are available at the
    Prelacy Bookstore.

    To access the on-line course go to the Prelacy's web page
    (www.armenianprelacy.org (
    http://e2ma.net/go/2486180205/2265593/85667138/2 4882/goto:http://www.armenianprelacy.org/
    ))
    or click here (
    http://e2ma.net/go/2486180205/2265593/85669114/2 4882/goto:http://www.envisionarmenia.com/moodle2/l ogin/index.php
    ).

    CALENDAR OF EVENTS
    October 15-18--Soorp Khatch Church, Bethesda, Maryland, Food Festival
    and Bazaar.
    October 16-17--Annual Fall Fair Bazaar, St. Gregory Church, North
    Andover, Massachusetts, Jaffarian Hall, 10 am to 8 pm.
    October 17--National Association of Ladies Guilds (NALG) annual
    conference at the Prelacy offices in New York City.
    October 18--St. Gregory Church, Philadelphia, Intercommunal Cultural
    Celebration at Holy Trinity Church, Cheltenham, PA.
    October 18--St. Illuminator's Cathedral, New York City, presents
    cultural program, book fair and refreshments in celebration of the
    Holy
    Translators and the Armenian Language, immediately after church
    services. Admission $5.00. For information 212-689-5880.
    October 25--The Armenian School of St. Gregory Church of Merrimack
    Valley, North Andover, Massachusetts, will present "Hello
    Ellis Island," performed by The Way We Were ensemble, directed by
    Hourig Papazian Sahagian. Adults $30/Students $10.00, including
    lunch. For
    information/tickets: 978-256-2538 or 978-685-3566.
    October 25--St. Sarkis Church Cultural Committee (Douglaston, New
    York) presents "Holistic Approaches to Well-Being," lecture
    and workshop with Mr. Edward Boladian, 1 pm at the church hall, 38-65
    234th St., Douglaston, New York. For information 718-224-2275.
    November 1--St. Gregory Church, Philadelphia, Sunday School Halloween
    Party.
    November 6--"On the Road," by Levon Shant, presented The Theater Group
    of Hamazkayin, New York, directed by Dr. Herand Markarian.
    Sponsored by the Armenian Relief Society Mayr Chapter, this
    performance is a benefit for St. Illuminator's Armenian Day School.
    Performance begins
    at 8:35 pm at the Armenian Center, 69-23 47th Ave., Woodside, New
    York. For tickets ($25) contact Sonia at 718-961-9550 or Alice at
    516-676-6167.
    November 6-7--St. Gregory Church, Philadelphia. Food Festival.
    November 6-7--St. Stephen's Church, Watertown, Massachusetts, 53rd
    annual bazaar, 10 am to 9:30 pm at the ACEC, 47 Nichols Avenue,
    Watertown. Delicious lamb, losh and chicken kebab, kheyma, kufta and
    yalanchi. Meals served from 11:30 am to 8:30 pm. Armenian pastries,
    gourmet
    foods, arts & crafts, auction, raffles, and more.
    November 7--Christmas Holiday Craft Fair, St. Gregory Church, North
    Andover, Massachusetts, Jaffarian Hall, 10 am to 4 pm.
    November 7 & 8--Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, Rhode Island,
    largest Armenian Fest in New England. Saturday from 12 noon
    to 10 pm. Sunday 12 noon to 8 pm. Rhodes-on-the-Pawtucket, 60 Rhodes
    Place (off Broad Street), Cranston, Rhode Island. Kebobs and kufta
    dinners,
    pastry, raffles and more. Performance by the Armenian school dance
    group. Live Armenian music * dancing. For information, 401-831-6399.
    November 14--Soorp Khatch Church, Bethesda, Maryland, 45th anniversary
    celebration.
    November 15--39th anniversary of St. Gregory Church, North Andover,
    Massachusetts, presided by His Grace Bishop Anoushavan, Vicar
    General.
    November 20-21--Holy Trinity Armenian Church, Worcester,
    Massachusetts, Fall Fest 2009, Friday, November 20, 5 pm to 8 pm;
    Saturday, November 21, 10 am to 5 pm. Armenian delicacies and
    dinners. For information 508-852-2414.
    November 20, 21, 22--Sts. Vartanantz Church (Ridgefield, New Jersey)
    Annual Bazaar and Food Festival. Saturday night dancing
    with "Onnik Dinkjian"; Sunday traditional kavourma dinner.
    December 5--Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts,
    annual bazaar. Come one, come all.
    December 5--Saint Gregory (North Andover, Massachusetts) Ladies Guild
    Christmas Luncheon and Yankee Swap at the Phoenician at
    Michael's Function Hall, Route 110 in Haverhill.
    December 20--St. Gregory Church, Philadelphia. Sunday School
    Christmas Pageant.
    December 31--St. Gregory Church, Philadelphia, Seroonian Community
    Center New Year's Eve celebration.
    December 31--Sts. Vartanantz Church (Ridgefield, New Jersey), New
    Year's Eve Dinner-Dance. Details to follow.

    Web pages of the parishes can be
    accessed through the Prelacy's web site.
    To ensure the timely arrival of Crossroads in your electronic mailbox,
    add [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) to
    your address book.
    Items in Crossroads can be reproduced without permission. Please
    credit Crossroads as the source.
    Parishes of the Eastern Prelacy are invited to send information about
    their major events to be included in the calendar. Send to:
    [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
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