غð ºÎºÔºòÆÜ OUR CHURCH

Transcription

1 APRIL-MAY-JUNE 2017 YEAR IX/ISSUE XLIX DER (REV. FR.) KRIKOR ZAKARYAN, PARISH PRIEST PUBLICATION OF ST. GARABED ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH OF THE DESERT PHYSICAL ADDRESS: MONTEREY AVE RANCHO MIRAGE CA PHONE (760) FAX (760) RECLAIM It was a magical weekend, said Attorney Christopher Armen about the three-day Conference and Faith Rally held March 10-12, 2017, in Burbank, CA. It made me proud to be Armenian and to be around such phenomenal people! It was incredible, a professional run conference with the Diocese headquarters being the perfect facility for it. The love and religious electricity was everywhere. We achieved our goal and beyond. Reclaiming our Faith, Reclaiming our Church, that s what this conference is all about, said Fr. Vazken Movsesian, who head the conference organizing committee and implemented his vision. We have all left behind and lost track of something very precious to us, reflected Fr. Vazken in his Keynote address. Alluding to Holy Scripture, he referenced the story in the Gospel of St. Luke (chapter 2), of Sts. Joseph and Mary and their quest to find the Missing Jesus. Jesus wasn t lost. They had moved forward without making sure he was with them. So they stopped and turned back to find him. It s a story that points to us in our travels through our lives. We move, thinking we are in sync with God, but soon we discover something very precious and essential to our life is missing. This conference is that return it s stepping toward that profound element that is not itself lost, but is missing from our life. With these words the Conference began Friday evening with hundreds of participants assembled at the St. Leon- Srbotz Ghevontiants - Armenian Cathedral in Burbank. His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese welcomed the attendees and committed the expanse of the diocesan complex, the diocesan departments and staff to the goals of the Reclaim Conference. On that same spot, before the holy altar, at the conclusion of the Conference, His Eminence celebrated the Divine Liturgy to the singing of hundreds of children, attendees and participants. In a soul moving address to the congregation he welcomed everyone Home. He recounted that this Liturgy was being celebrated on the Sunday of the Prodigal Son a story which tells the story of returning home (Luke 15). Like the Younger Son, said Archbishop Hovnan, You have reclaimed something which has always been yours! You have reclaimed the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Church has reclaimed you! Beyond lectures and presentations, the Conference offered interactive meditations beginning with a mountain hike followed by an inspirational talk which was accented with the singing of Armenian hymns under the largest church the beautiful outdoors. Along with the presentations, opportunities were given for the participants to have private confession. On Saturday afternoon a special screening of the acclaimed documentary Crows of the Desert was presented. The tour of the Diocesan complex gave everyone an inside look of the many artifacts and departments at the diocese. Throughout the day, there were outdoor booths where many of the diocesan organizations showcased their work and ministry to the attendees. As participants sat for the Saturday evening Supper, they were treated to a Lenten table that was filled with spiritual goodness. At the Archbishop s direction, each table had a priest or deacon around whom the participants would sit. Then, each table, one-by-one, read passages from the Last Supper as recorded in the Gospel of St. John. In the readings, the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ was recounted as well as the feet washing (John 13). At the appropriate time, Fr. Vazken invited each of the priests to pick up a bowl of water and symbolically wash the hands of those around the table. It was a gesture of service and a reminder that our faith must be expressed in our love and sacrifice to one another. Article by WDACNA EASTER 2017 SCHEDULE Palm Sunday, April 9 Opening of the Doors Service (Following the Divine Liturgy) Bake Sale - After Services Holy Thursday, April 13 (Commemoration of the Last Supper) Washing of the Feet - 6 p.m. Ladies Society Lenten Dinner - 6:30 p.m. Betrayal and Passion of Our Lord - 7:30 p.m. Good Friday, April 14 Burial of our Lord - 6 p.m. Holy Saturday, April 15 Divine Liturgy - 6 p.m. Easter Sunday, April 16 Service of Antasdan - Following the Divine Liturgy (Blessing of the Four Corners of the World) Bake Sale - After Services New Sunday, Merelots, April 23

2 Page 2 Dear Parish Members and Friends, We are almost in the Holy weeks of Easter. A time to renew and to celebrate. On February 26 th, we had a good Parish Assembly Meeting and voted in members from the previous Parish Council board: Gary Funtas, Carolon Nigosian, and Mary Vartanian, along with the board members that still had one more year in their term: Ani Markarian, Peter Balgochian, Dianne( Marty) Couvillion, and Ginny Kelekian. PARISH COUNCIL NEWS The Parish Council looks forward to getting the year started, as we have a good board that works together well. The board has been brainstorming to come up with new ideas to raise money and grow our membership. Becoming a member of the Church and becoming a voice in our community is very important. Please invite family and friends to become members of our Church. We are blessed to have such a beautiful Church and Hall and should be proud to be a member. Thank you to our Ladies Society for all their hard work, and for providing Sunday refreshments after Church services and events. We encourage everyone to attend and support the Ladies Society events for all they do for our community. We also thank those who have made pledges and donations to our Church. Thank You! UPCOMING / SAVE THE DATE I can't tell you how many times visitors and those who rent our Church or Hall approach me to express their joy and amazement of our beautiful facility. We have had many destination weddings..some as far as New York, San Francisco and Arizona. The hall has also been used for a number of Quinceaneras and many public events from our desert community. As always we are interested in your concerns and ideas, and we welcome your suggestions and questions. We wish everyone a Blessed Easter and hope to see you all in Church during the Holy Week and every Sunday... Sincerely, Mary Vartanian

3 Page 3 LADIES SOCIETY NEWS Dear Parishioners and Friends, The Ladies Society has been very busy the past quarter with meetings and event. We are working proactively to achieve our goals and meet our commitment to serving the Church and community. On February 25th, we had our first charitable special event the Jewels of the Desert Jewelry sale event designer Karon Kanadjian, and the event hosted by Zenda Sarayderian s at her home in Sun City Shadow Hills, Indio California. 50% of the Jewelry Sale Proceeds benefited our Ladies Society of St. Garabed Church. Zenda decorated her house spectacularly! Light refreshment and Variety of finger desserts passion. That was such a wonderful, successful event! We had over 70 attendees and everyone was having a good time, everything about our show was perfect and it could not have been done without the awesome planning team and volunteers. Sincere thanks to everyone who made this event possible and such a success! With Palm Sunday and Easter upon us, we are ready to for Ladies Society baked sales. If you are interested in ordering a tray, please see the flyer and call to place your order. Please join us for our next general meetings that are scheduled on the second Wednesday of each month. We do need and cookies was provided by Harriet Phillips, Anoush Zakarian, Rita everyone s help and new members to help the Church, and you will Walden, Sophia Miller and Alice Keshishian. And the day-of-event, enjoy the camaraderie of wonderful ladies. Sincerely, cashiering was handled by JoAnne Balgochian and Dianne Couvillion. A lot of hard work went into making this Jewelry sale event so smoothly Alice Keshishian "It was nice to be with a group of women that all have the same Chair It is customary in the Armenian Church to provide Yughakin, especially around the feasts of Christmas and Easter. This practice dates as far back as the time of Moses in the Old Testament. Yughakin in Armenian means "price of oil". Each local church community would donate money specially earmarked towards the purchase of oil, which in turn would keep the lanterns burning and ultimately the doors of the Church open. At this season of Christ's Resurrection let us remember and continue the custom of Yughakin, so we can keep our "oil-burning lanterns" always burning and our doors always open at St. Garabed. Please be generous to the Church in observing this ancient Armenian custom

4 Page 4 REST IN PEACE UPCOMING / SAVE THE DATE We are saddened to announce the passing of Beloved Church Member and Generous Donor Anita Yegsigian And Major Church Donor Ron Krajian On March 18, 2017 May God rest their souls in peace. HOKEHANKISD / REQUIEM In MEMORY of Sylvia Chakerian Arhanian 16 Years of Her Passing Leon and Lucy Chakerian Paul, Nolan and Alanis Chakerian In MEMORY of Hranoush Zartarian By her sisters Hasmig Barsamian and Violet And brother Varoujan Manvelian (Germany) In MEMORY of Evelina Stepanian Onnig and Vanoush Mkhitarian Robert and Ani Mkhitarian THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATIONS GENERAL FUND DONATIONS - $100 or more Onnik & Kristine Keshishian George & Tammy Kirkjan Greg & Seta Tcherkoyan John Aslanian - In MEMORY of Mary Aslanian GENERAL FUND DONATIONS - $500 or more Mary Swajian Philibosian Foundation Lorraine Peters Jacci Tutunjian GENERAL FUND DONATIONS - $5,000 or more John & Alice Ipjan SPONSORS PAGE ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS IN OUR BULLETIN BUSINESS CARD SIZE $25 / ISSUE 2 BUSINESS CARDS SIZE $45 / ISSUE HALF PAGE $75 / ISSUE FULL PAGE $125 / ISSUE

5 Page 5 SPONSORS PAGE

6 SAINT GARABED ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH OF THE DESERT VISTA DUNES ROAD RANCHO MIRAGE, CA NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U. S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT No. 27 PALM DESERT, CA THIS COPY GOES TO: OR CURRENT RESIDENT The / newsletter is a publication of St. Garabed Armenian Apostolic Church of the Desert PHYSICAL ADDRESS: MONTEREY AVENUE RANCHO MIRAGE CA MAILING ADDRESS: VISTA DUNES RD RANCHO MIRAGE CA PHONE (760) FAX (760) AACOD@LIVE.COM WWW. AACOD.ORG Editor Der (Rev. Fr.) Krikor Zakaryan Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian Parish Priest/President of all Parish Organizations Der (Rev. Fr.) Krikor Zakaryan Parish Council Chair, Mary Vartanian Vice-Chair, Ani Markarian Treasurer, Carolon Nigosian Assistant Treasurer, Gary Funtas Recording Secretary, Dianne Couvillion Corresponding Secretary, Ginny Kelekian Membership, Peter Balgochian