ÚÇëݳÏÇ Վեցերորդ ÎÇñ³ÏÇ Sixth Sunday of Advent

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1 ê. ñç áñ Èáõë³õáñÇã гÛó. ²é³ù»É³Ï³Ý ºÏ»Õ»óÇ ²ñÅÝ. î. Ø»ëñáå øñýû. Úáíë»³Ý St. Gregory the Enlightener Armenian Church Rev. Fr. Mesrob Hovsepyan, pastor 1131 North Street, White Plains, NY / Office: (914) Pastor: (804) Der Mesrob - fr.mesrob@yahoo.com, Office - saintgregorychurchwp@gmail.com Web: Office Hours: Monday closed, Tuesday-Friday 9:30-3:00 pm Յունուարի 1, 2017 January 1, 2017 Welcome to St. Gregory the Enlightener Armenian Church! Legacy of Our Martyrs: A Gift to Carry Forward The Morning Service starts at 9:45 a.m. on Sundays and is followed by Soorp Badarak (Divine Liturgy) at 10:15 a.m. ÞÝáñѳõáñ Üáñ î³ñç»õ êáõñµ ÌÝáõݹ Happy New Year & Parish Council Members on Duty: Maria Stepanian & Ann Daw Today s Scripture Readings: Hebrews 13:18-25; Luke 22:24-30 ÚÇëݳÏÇ Վեցերորդ ÎÇñ³ÏÇ Sixth Sunday of Advent Merry Christmas! Dear Parishioners, In this New Year may God bestow His blessings on you, shine the light of His love unto your homes and grant health and happiness to you and your loved ones. May the joyous announcement of Christ s birth resound in our hearts throughout the whole year! May God also grant peace to the world, bless and keep safe our brothers and sisters in Syria particularly and our compatriots in our homeland and in the Diaspora.

2 ÐÇÝ Ð³ÛÏ³Ï³Ý ²Ù³Ýáñ NEW YEAR TRADITIONS: ARMENIAN NEW YEAR Presently all Christian churches celebrate the New Year on January 1. The word January means birth. Before Christ s coming to the world mankind was the captive of hell and constrained by eternal death. Being born in January Christ destroyed the hell, saved the mankind from eternal death and leads to the Kingdom of Heaven. That s why January became the months beginning. January 1 is the first day of the first month of the year of birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to the folk tradition on January 1 people decorate the New Year tree symbolizing the Tree of Life of Eden. The ancient Armenians had been celebrating the coming of the New Year on the 21st of March. That date is not only the first day of the spring, but also the birthday of the mythical god Vahagn, in whom believed the pagan Armenians about 10 thousand years ago. On this day the Armenians prepared huge feasts to welcome and celebrate the zenith of the nature. During the 18th Century, January 1st was accepted as a beginning of the New Year. In spite of this change, Armenians in many regions of the country, like Suni, Artzah and Udik, continued to celebrate New Year on Navasard. Gradually at the end of the 20th century all Armenians adopted the 1st of January as the official first day of the New Year. In Armenia it was a custom that on New Year's Eve, children gathered in -groups and went around their village, singing songs and greeting the New Year by singing to their neighbors. They usually received lots of fruits as present. Within the family, it was a custom for the family members to exchange presents. Children in the family would go to their father, who had the presents hidden in his coat, and after kissing their father's hand everyone would receive their present. Parts of the traditional New Year's meal like various dried fruits, raisins, different kinds of nuts, gahin and others would have been previously prepared. The most important among the pastries was the Darin, which was representing the New Year. Darin is a big flat bread, which has a coin hidden in it. The person who found the piece with the coin in it was considered the 'lucky' member of the family for the New Year. But the most remarkable meal is the dolma, which is prepared with rice and grape leaves. And there was no New Year celebrated without Kata, which is made of wheat flour, butter, milk and sugar, as well as the Anush Abur which is a sweet soup made of wheat, kernels and dried fruits.

3 TODAY S SCRIPTURE READING The reading is from the Epistle for St. Paul to the Hebrews (13:18-25) Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon. Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Brothers and sisters, I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for in fact I have written to you quite briefly. I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you. Greet all your leaders and all the Lord s people. Those from Italy send you their greetings. Grace be with you all. The second reading is from the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Luke (22:24-30) A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

4 SAVE THE DATE May 21, 2017 Opening ceremony of the new Harry & Edna Keleshian Hall. Details to follow.

5 ACOLYTE TRAINING SESSIONS All boys (ages 8 and over) and girls (ages 8-12) who are interested in becoming altar servers are encouraged to attend the Acolyte Training Program that Fr. Mesrob has started in October. Date to be announced; Time: 12:30 PM in the sanctuary The Acolyte s Training Program is tailored for young boys/girls who would like to learn to participate in the liturgical services of the Armenian Church as altar servers. For more information or sign up your child(ren) please talk to Fr. Mesrob. SAVE THE DATE March 26, 2017 Lionel Galstaun Annual Memorial Concert Edward Pogosian: Cellist Vatche Jambazian: Piano Details to follow. Today, please take a moment to remember in your prayers Lucine Adourian, Arshaluys Kaleli, Gale Perzigian, Catherine Papalian, Girair Poladian, Armen Atamian-Sahagian; Mary Azarian as well as all the sick and recovering members of our community. May God touch His faithful servants with His healing hand, and grant them good health & recovery. Please inform Der Hayr if you have friends or family who are suffering any physical or spiritual distress and are in need of prayer, and he will add them to his prayer list where they will be remembered before the Holy and Immortal Lamb of God during the Eucharist. We all need prayer both to say for others and to be said for us. IT S HARVEST TIME It is time to remember those housed in shelters right here in our own town. Please be generous with non-perishable items to fill our local food pantries. Thank you and God bless you! Gail Keyishian, Outreach Committee

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7 Շնորհաւոր Նոր Տարի եւ Սուրբ Ծնունդ Սիրելի ծխականներ, Սրտանց կը շնորհաւորենք բոլորի Նոր Տարին եւ Սուրբ Ծնունդը: Թող այս նոր տարուան ընթացքին Աստուած իր օրհնութիւնները բաշխէ ձեզ բոլորին, իր սիրոյ լոյսը փայլեցնէ ձեր տուներէն ներս, եւ առողջութիւն ու երջանկութիւն պարգեւէ ձեզ եւ ձեր սիրելիներուն: Թող մեր Տէր Յիսուս Քրիստոսի ծննդեան բարի աւետիսը շարունակէ ըլլալ մեր սիրտերուն մէջ ամբողջ տարուան ընթացքին: Տ. Մեսրոպ եւ Ծխական Խորհուրդ

8 Today January 5, 2017 Thursday January 6, 2017 Friday January 8, 2017 Sunday January 22, Sunday February 25, Saturday February 26, Sunday Divine Liturgy, 10:30am. Sunday School is on break. EVE OF THE NATIVITY AND THEOPHANY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST - J RAKALOOYTZ 6:00 pm - Reading of Holy Scriptures in both languages by Armenian School & Sunday School students 6:30-7:45 pm - Divine Liturgy of Light - J rakalootzee Soorp Badarak FEAST OF THE NATIVITY AND THEOPHANY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST 9:45am - Matins - Singing Armenian Christmas Hymns 10:15 am - Christmas Badarak & Blessing of Water Service 12:30 pm - Christmas Lunch "Agape Meal" Please bring a dish to share for the potluck lunch. FEAST OF NAMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST 9:45am - Matins, Morning Service 10:15 am - Christmas Badarak & Blessing of Water Service (Bilingual) 12:30 pm - Christmas Brunch Hosted by Women's Guild Lecture/Presentation following the Divine Liturgy "Çüngüsabadoum: Chasing the Unknown Past from Opposite Sides of (His)tory By: Deanna Cachoian-Schanz Manti Night: hosted by the Armenian School. Details to follow. POON PAREKENTAN beginning of the Great Lent