Հայաստանեայց Եկեղեցւոյ FEBRUARY 2017 Yettem, California. Pastoral Thoughts

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1 ԵԴԵՄ YETTEM Հրատարակութիւն A publication of St. Mary Եդեմի Ս Աստուծածին Armenian Church Հայաստանեայց Եկեղեցւոյ FEBRUARY 2017 Yettem, California Pastoral Thoughts Soon we will start a very important period in our spiritual life. Sunday, February 26, 2017 is "Boon Barekendan" which means good living. Lent period starts with "Barekendan". Immediately after "Barekendan the next day we start lent. During this period we do proper church services with proper psalms, prayers, hymns etc. All these services are inviting us to confession and prepare us for the Triumphant Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. That s why our Lord came to the earth. That s why He was incarnated and helped us to see the real life and to seek it. Beautiful church services lead us during this whole period bringing us proper spiritual feelings and thoughts. It is very important also to have right thoughts to think about our Lord s sacrifices which He made for the salvation of humankind. Great Lent is a wonderful time for us as Christians to revise our faithfulness toward our Lord, toward our church and finally toward God s commandments. Rituals and ordinances in the church really help us to exercise real lent. Prayers, litanies, hymns and in general the design of our services have provided for believers a divine environment. In this sense it is very important to be in the church especially in this period. Of course church is always important for our spiritual life but the lent is a period when we approach the very important celebration which is Resurrection. All church services are concentrated on our own self-criticism. Self-criticism is the best confession. We need to revise our life that we lived before and we need to try to correct all our wrong and bad actions. That s what I want to be transferred to you dear faithful. Without sincere confession there is no mercy for our sins. Our God is merciful, but even this wouldn t help us if we don t confess and expiate our sins. There is a wonderful tradition in our St. Mary Church which we will continue to do this year and I would like you to come and join us and to be a part of this service. Every Wednesday within Great Lent we have evening service; you can check the attached calendar. The good thing during these services is all attending believers are participating by reading their parts of I Confessing with Faith which is written by St. Nerses the Graceful. These readings are joint prayers which give us an opportunity to bring together our thoughts and to pray for each other also. I will pray for all of you and may God help us to have sincere confession according to the words of the hymn: Before Your precious and all-victorious cross we bend our knees, we worship You and we ask forgiveness of our sins With Love of Christ Rev. Fr. Zaven Markosyan

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3 Parish Notes BULLETIN SPONSORSHIP THE FEBRUARY 2017 BULLETIN IS SPONSORED BY PARISH COUNCIL ALTAR FLOWER DONATIONS January 8 Jack, Hasmik and Edwin Gregory in honor of Armenian Christmas and Jack Barsamian, Lillian, Richard, Pete and David Safrazian in honor of Idalene Barsamian s 86 th birthday January 15 - Stella, Renee, Michelle, Bryan and Terry Ananian and David and Lisa Krause in memory of George Ananian six years after his passing January 22 Denny and Betty Klaseus and Family in memory of Betty s mother, Zimit Djerrahian forty days after her passing HOKEHANKIST January 15 George Ananian, six years after his passing, requested by Stella, Renee, Michelle, Bryan and Terry Ananian and David and Lisa Krause January 22 His Eminence Archbishop Mesrob Krikorian, who passed away on January 15, 2017 in Austria Hrant Dink, Editor and Publisher of AGOS Weekly Newsletter in Istanbul, Turkey Zimit Djerrahian, forty days after her passing, requested by Denny and Betty Klaseus and Family Nerses Enfiedjian, Melkon Enfiedjian, Arshalous Enfiedjian, Sonia Markarian and Edward Enkababian, requested by the Enfiedjian and Enkababian Families Our condolences to Debbie & Myron Sheklian and Family on the recent passing of Debbie s mother, Joan Nicholas who entered her eternal rest on January 25, We would like to extend our appreciation to the Ways and Means Committee for the highly organized Armenian Christmas Luncheon. The event was full with Christmas fillings by our Sunday School performance. Thank you to Rich and Janice McWilliams for donating a Bar-B-Que Pit, Nativity Set, Christmas Decorations, Tea Set and Pans to the Majarian Hall. Ladies Society 2017 Officers Chairman Debbie Sheklian Vice Chairman Judy Skaff Rec. Secretary Margie L. Davidian Corr. Secretary Hasmik Enfiedjian Treasurer Julie Poochigian Advisor Georgia Davidian Advisor Madlien Hebesha Ladies Society meeting will be held on Saturday, February 4, 2017 in the Majarian Hall at 11:30 a.m. Ways and Means Committee meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 7, 2017 at Ryan s in Visalia at 6:00 p.m. Faith of Zion meeting will be held on Saturday, February 11, 2017 at 9:30 a.m. ANNUAL PARISH ASSEMBLY Annual Parish Assembly Meeting will be held on Sunday, February 12, Registration will begin at 12:00 noon and a light lunch will be served. Meeting will begin approximately at 12:45 p.m. ACYO meeting will be held on Saturday, February 11, 2017 at Me-N-Ed s on Akers/Goshen at 1:00 p.m. The regular monthly Parish Council meeting will be held on Thursday, February 16, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. in the hall.

4 LADIES! Faith of Zion is hosting a Ladies Wine Night on Saturday, February 18, (See flyer) Fellowship will be hosted by Ladies Society on Sunday, February 19, 2017 after Divine Liturgy. Poon Paregentan Dinner and Celebration will be held on Saturday, February 25, 2017 in the Majarian Hall at 6:30 p.m. (See flyer) March 1, 2017 is the Ladies Society Central Council Women s Day of Prayer at the Diocese. Lent begins Monday, February 27, Wednesday Souper Suppers at 6:00 p.m. Lenten Evening Services at 6:30 p.m. THIS IS THE SCHEDULE FOR THE SOUPER SUPPERS March 8, March 5, March 22, March 29, April 5 Ladies Society meeting will be held on Saturday, March 4, 2017 in the Majarian Hall at 11:30 a.m. There will be a Youth Rally and Christian Conference March 10-12, 2017 at St. Leon (Srbots) (Ghevontyants) Armenian Cathedral Complex, Burbank, CA. Open invitation to all. $125 includes three day conference event and all meals. Financial assistance is available through the Diocese. If you are interested, please call Fr. Zaven Markosyan at (559) or (818) Armenian Religious and Language classes will be held on the 1 st and 3 rd Sundays of each month after the Divine Liturgy. If you are interested, please contact the Church Office at (559) or Fr. Zaven at (818) Sunday School meets on the second and fourth Sundays of each month at 11:00 a.m. during the school year. Ladies Society has kufta for sale at $30 a dozen and one pound packages of manti for $10. You may purchase these on Sundays from Ladies Society board members or by calling the church office to make arrangements for purchase. If you wish to place any information in the monthly Bulletin, please notify the Church Office by the 20 th of month. EASY MONEY: ESCRIP We began the escrip program in April. As of July 20 St. Mary Church has earned $ This is done by 3% rewards earned on purchases at Save Mart, Lucky, and Food Maxx stores. We have 27 registered members in the escrip program and 18 of these have used the program. To do so, all you have to do is give your phone number as you check out of these stores. If you have not registered in the escrip program, sign up at Shares...powered by escrip ( and designate St. Mary Armenian Church as your charity of choice. If you have difficulty signing up please call me (Jim Soxman, ) and I will do it for you. DVD SET FOR SALE: St. Mary Armenian Church, 100 th Anniversary, July 2, DVD set is $25.00 and can be purchased by calling the Church office at (559) A $6.00 charge for shipping and handling will be added to the price if you would like one mailed to you. (Sponsored by the Ways and Means Committee) The Armenian Genocide Survivors and Heroes book can be purchased for $40 at the St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church Office. Copies can be mailed for an additional cost. Call the church office at for details.

5 PAYPAL Our Parish has opened a PayPal account to make it convenient for you to make donations. You may access PayPal through the St. Mary Yettem web-site ( and click on the Donation button on the bottom of the Home Page. You may donate for General Donations, Yughakins, Pledges, Membership Dues, In Lieu of Flowers, or pay for Altar Flowers you have ordered on behalf of the Church. The Parish Council has approved to have our weekly bulletin and the monthly newsletter available for sponsorships. We are not selling ads. This was done to help offset costs. If you would like to sponsor an edition of either publication please contact the office, or there is a form at the front desk in the church. The sponsorships for the weekly bulletin are $25.00 per issue, and to sponsor the monthly newsletter is $ per issue. To St. Mary Parishioners: If you know of anyone ill or in the hospital, please call Rev. Fr. Zaven Markosyan at the Church Office (559) or his cell (818) St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church Office hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, from 9:30-2:30. To St. Mary Parishioners: The Parish Council would like to invite any parishioner who may have concerns or questions with anything dealing with Church affairs. The Parish Council meetings are held the third Thursday of each month. To be placed on the agenda of the meeting, please contact Der Zaven at (818) or Bea Soxman Parish Council Chairperson at (559) The St. Mary Armenian Church webpage at includes archived copies of church bulletins, pictures from events, a current church calendar, and an improved LIVE Camera System. View services on any desktop, laptop, or tablet! Armenian Martyrs Monument Project The fathers and mothers of our parish commemorated our Armenian Martyrs in the first genocide of the twentieth century by locating a Martyrs Monument on our church grounds. The monument is now in need of repair. The cost of repair is $12,600 which is beyond our budgeted expenditures. Please donate towards this repair project so we can proudly carry on the wishes of our church fathers and mothers. Checks in any amount can be sent to the church office. Please indicate Monument Project on the memo line.

6 St. Mary Armenian Church, Yettem February 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Ladies Society Meeting at Majarian Hall 11:30 AM 5 Super Bowl Religious & Armenian Language Class 6 7 Ways & Means Meeting at Ryan s Place 6 PM Faith of Zion Meeting at Soxman s 9:30 AM ACYO Meeting at Me N Eds Goshen & 1 PM 12 Sunday School Annal Parish Assembly Meeting Valentine's Day Parish Council Meeting 7 PM Ladies Night Wine Event sponsored by Faith of Zion 19 Fellowship Sponsored by Ladies Society Religious & Armenian Language Class 26 Sunday School Great Barekendan 20 Presidents Day Poon Paregentan Dinner and Celebration Sponsored by Ways & Means 6:30 PM 27 Lent Begins 28 Notes: Sunday Schedule: Morning Service (Matins) 9:45 AM Divine Liturgy 10:30 AM Sunday School: 2 nd & 4 th 11 AM Father Zaven can be reached at: Office FAX Cell

7 CALLING ALL LADIES!!!! Please join the gals of Faith of Zion for a Ladies Night of fun and fellowship! Saturday, February 18 th at 6:00 pm Food and wine will be provided. Optional fun: bring a bottle of your favorite wine or beverage to share! This event will be held at the home of Lisa Lemus, located at: 601 Quail Court Exeter, CA Please RSVP by February 11 th to Lisa ( ) or Julie ( )

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9 St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church Christmas Yughakin 2016/2017 During the Christmas season, it is customary in the Armenian Church for parishioners to make a special offering called Yughakin. Originally, this was to purchase oil to keep the lamps of the church burning brightly. This is now used for the general expenses of the church, again to enable it to continue to provide the light of Jesus Christ. The following parishioners donated during this season: Ananian, Serge and Judith Agajanian, Melvin & Regina Ananian Farm Services Crowder, Evelyn Boudakian Davidian, Charlie and Christina A. Davidian, Laura Davidian, Margie L Davidian, Sark Jr. Ekizian, Mike and Lesta Enfiedjian, Sarkis and Hasmik Farsakian, Souren Garoian, Gerard and Sylvia Gomes, John & Janet Groefsema, Bruce and Gail Hagopian, Richard and Geraldine Halbourian, Alice Hampar, Arthur Hebesha, Madlien N. Hovannisian, Marian Jendian, Allan & Rosemary Jiggerian, Varsanig Kaye, Ernest and Lillian Kizirian, Abe and Sandra Maranian, Carol A. Margosian, George and Rose Marie Margosian, Lucille McWilliams, Richard and Janice Menendian, Laurie Ouzounian, George and Shirley Peloian, Joyce Poochigian, Jerry and Julie Poochigian, Mary Jane Sarabian, Charles and Lori Shapazian, Jerry Skaff, Judy and Mike Soxman, James and Beatrice Toukdarian, Alice Vartanian, Sandra Zakarian, Archie and Kathy Zeroun, Joyce Zerounian, Marilyn TOTAL 2,615.00

10 Հովվական Շուտով կսկսվի շատ կարևոր շրջան մեր եկեղեցում Կիրակի, Փետրվար 26ին Բուն Բարեկենդան է Բոլոր պահքերը սկսվում են բարեկենդանով, անմիջապես հաջորդ օրը մենք սկսում ենք տվյալ պահոց շրջանը Պահոց շրջանին մենք կատարում ենք համապատասխան արարողակարգ, համապատասխան սաղմոսներով, աղոթքներով, շարականներով և այլն Այս բոլոր արարողությունները հրավիրում են մեզ բոլորիս խոստովանության և պատրաստում մեզ Տիրոջ Հարության Հաղթական Ավետիսին Հենց նույն նպատակի համար մեր Տերը մարմնացավ և օգնեց մեզ տեսնելու իրական կյանքը և պայքարելու դրա համար Վերոհիշյալ եկեղեցական արարողությունները առաջնորդում են մեզ պահեցողության ամբողջ ընթացքում բերելով մեզ համապատասխան հոգևոր զգացողություններ և մտածումներ Նմանապես շատ կարևոր է ունենալ մտածումներ խորհելու մեր Տիրոջ կատարած զոհողությունների մասին, որոնք նա իրականացրեց մարդկության փրկության համար Պահեցողությունը հարշալի ժամանակաշրջան է մեզ համար որպես քրիստոնեաներ կրկին անգամ վերանայելու մեր հավատարմությունը Տիրոջ պատվիրանների նկատմամբ Մեր եկեղեցու ծիսական կյանքն իրապես օգնում է մեզ իրականացնել արժանի պահեցողություն Բոլոր աղոթքները, քարոզները, շարականները և ընդհանրապես կառույցը արարողությունների ապահովում են այդ աստավածային միջավայրը Այս առումով շատ կարևոր են հատկապես այս շրջանի հաճախումները եկեղեցի Իհարկե եկեղեցին միշտ կարևոր է մեր հոգևոր կյանքի համար, ուղղակի պահքը մի շրջան է, երբ մենք լավագույն առիթն ունենք ստեղծված համապատասխան միջավայրում քավելու մեր բոլոր մեղքերը, ներառյալ եկեղեցում մեր սակավ մասնակցությունը Այս շրջանի եկեղեցական բոլոր արարողությունները կենտրոնացված են մեր ինքնաքննադատության վրա Ինքնաքննադատությունը ամենալավ խոստովանությունն է Մենք պետք է վերանայենք անցնող տարում մեր ապրած կյանքը և պետք է քննադատենք մեր բոլոր սխալ և վատ գործողությունները Սա շատ կարևոր հանգամնաք է, որն իմ ցանկությունն է, որ փոխանցվի բոլորիդ, սիրելի հավատակիցներ Առանց անկեղծ խոստովանության չկա թողություն մեր մեղքերի համար Մեր Աստված` Գթառատ Աստված է, սակայն նույնիսկ դա չի փրկի մեզ մեր մեղքերից, եթե մենք չխոստովանենք ու չքավենք մեր մեղքերը Շատ գեղեցիկ ավանդություն կա Եդեդմի մեր Ս.Մարիամ Աստվածածին Եկեղեցում, որն այս տարի ևս կշարունակենք կատարել Մեծ Պահքին, ամեն չորեքշաբթի երեկոյան ժամերգություններ ունենք, որի մասին տեղեկություններ կարող եք ձեռք բերել կից ներկայացված օրացույցից Ես կուզեի, որ դուք բոլորդ գաք և միանաք մեզ այդ ժամասացությանը և մատուցվող պահոց ընթրիքին Բոլոր մասնակիցները ժամերգության ժամանակ ունեն իրենց ընթերցանության բաժինները, Հաւատով Խոստովանիմ Ներսես Շնորհալու գրքից, աղոթքին անմիջական մասնակցություն ունենալու համար Ուրեմն մեր Ամսաթերթի մեջ կարող եք գտնել և հետևել ցուցումներին թե որ օրերին և որ ժամին կարող եք միանալ մեզ պահոց երեկոյան ժամասացություններին և ընթրիքին: Իմ աղոթքները բոլորիդ համար, թող Աստված օգնի բոլորիս անկեղծ խոստովանութամբ ուղղորդվելու համաձայն շարականի խոսքերի. Քու պատուական եւ ամենայաղթ խաչիդ առջեւ ծունկի կու գանք երկրպագելով եւ կը խնդրենք մեր մեղքերուն թուղություն Քրիստոսի Սիրով Տ Զավեն քհն Մարկոսյան

11 ANNUAL STEWARDSHIP BANQUET ON THE OCCASION OF THE 90 TH ANNIVERSARY OF ESTABLISHMENT OF THE WESTERN DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA WAS HELD ON JANUARY 21-22, 2017

12 Eve of Great Lent or Great Barekendan The Armenian Church has defined the period of Great Lent as a time of abstinence and repentance for the faithful. Each Sunday during this period is named after an event in the Holy Bible that contains the message of the day. According to the calendar, the days prior to weekly fasts, as well as Great Lent, (with the exception of the fast preceding Holy Nativity) are called Barekendan. The word Barekendan means good living or good life, as we are called to live cheerfully, joyfully, and to be happy on these days preceding fasting periods. On these days of Barekendan, the angel s words addressed to the prophet Elijah are fulfilled: Arise and eat, otherwise the journey will be too great for you (1 Kings 19:7). The Armenian Church thus allows her faithful to organize games, festivals, carnivals and large, plentiful meals to observe the feast, as it is followed by a period of fasting and abstinence. The Eve of Great Lent, as Great Barekendan is also called, commemorates the human bliss, which Adam and Eve enjoyed in the Garden of Eden. It also symbolizes the heavenly right, according to which, mankind could eat all types of fruit, except the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Barekendan is the manifestation of the virtues of the soul, through which people can transform mourning to joy, and torment to peace. It is with this comprehension, with bowing of our souls, penitence, fasting and hope for mercy, that each Christian individual should take his first step on the long, 40 day journey of Great Lent, culminating with the Glorious Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The period starting from the day following the Great Barekendan and lasting till the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, is called Great Lent. In the period of the Great Lent, people, refraining from bodily pleasures and sins, get prepared for the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ by means of abstinence and repentance. Both spiritual and moral and bodily abstinence are considered to be important.our church fathers have called the period of the Great Lend as Karasnordats, as the period of fasting lasts 40 days. This period of the Great Lent is also called Salt and bread, as in the past during the period of the Great Lent people have eaten only salt and bread. In the New and old Testaments there are many testimonies concerning the period of Great Lent. Moses fasted for forty days and only then received the Lord s rules and canons. However, this period is related to 40-day period of temptation of Christ in the desert, following which our Church fathers established this period of fasting. Fasting may be of three kinds: usual fasting, rigorous abstinence and absolute fasting. In case of usual fasting people can eat only food of vegetable origin. In case of rigorous fasting people refuse to eat any food even of vegetable origin. And in case of absolute fasting people refuse to eat any kind of food, including even bread and water. During the period of the Great Lent curtains in the churches are closed in commemoration of the fact that after sinning Adam was exiled from Eden and the doors were closed before him. St. Mary Armenian Church P.O. Box 367 Yettem, California Return Service Required Non-Profit Organization Paid Permit No-1