A publication of First Armenian Presbyterian Church

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1 mosaix A publication of First Armenian Presbyterian Church Love God. Love Others. Make Disciples. Mar 2016 Vol. 2:3 Two of the best words in the English language: He s alive! Alexan was just shy of two years old. He went limp on the changing table and began to turn blue. Sos had the presence of mind to call 911. In the minutes before the paramedics arrived she had roused him, but then inexplicably he wilted again in the EMT s arms. She revived him shouting, He s alive! The words came from my lips as my mother-in-law began to breathe haltingly. She s alive! A casual, zigzagging drive up to Hume Lake to show mom Kings Canyon National Park exposed a previously unknown condition of terrible vertigo. Her heartbeat became erratic and when the helicopter arrived to rush her to St. Agnes, all we could do was thank God, At least she s alive! You probably have your own stories. Some of your stories don t end with relief. Even now, they re filled with sorrow and loss because these weren t the last words you heard. You longed to hear them, but you never did. I m sorry, were the last words you may have heard. But they re not God s last words. Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen! Luke 24:5-6 God gets the last word when it comes to life and death. And His declarations, He s alive! He is not here; He has risen! fills us with hope in the face of any and all sorrow and despondency. In the word of the ancient Eastern rite, Christ has risen from the dead, trampling death by death and granting life to those in the tombs. Jesus Christ is alive! He has risen from the dead! He has conquered death! Those who have died as believers in Jesus Christ have eternal life! There can be no greater hope, no greater joy, and no more comforting grace for those of us who remain after our loved ones depart. There is life beyond this life. Imagine no more sadness, no more mourning, and no more pain. Pastels are wonderful. I love our egg tree. I love coloring the eggs and hiding and hunting for them. I love the baskets and the chicks and the bunnies. But these are not Easter! He is alive! Jesus predicted He would be betrayed, be rejected, suffer greatly and be killed. He had the power and authority to call down armies of angels, yet submitted to death and judgment in our place to glorify God as the just and the justifier of all who believe. The Apostle Paul wrote that Jesus Christ our Lord through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by His resurrection from the dead. The resurrection is God s final word about His Son and His final word for each of us who believe in Jesus Christ. Sometimes we get relief, but ultimately each one of us will face the sorrow of loss. Without Jesus resurrection and His promised return, we are lost. Our hope is lifeless. In vain, we long for assurance. But Jesus Christ is alive! He s alive! Two of the best words in the English language! Please join us on Palm Sunday, March 20th and on Resurrection Day, Easter Sunday, on March 27th. Invite you family and friends that you haven t seen in church since Christmas! Invite your neighbors if they don t already have a church home! Let s celebrate together the best news anyone has ever heard: HE S ALIVE!!! Badveli Greg

2 SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS Sunday School Begins with Assembly at 9:37AM Maintain an Eternal Perspective Ever feel as if you re living in survival mode? Many parents are pulled in all directions, juggling never-ending responsibilities at home, work, and school. That can make it tough to keep our perspective on what matters most: the eternal future of your children and yourself. The celebration of Jesus Resurrection reminds us we have a forever home in heaven. But how do we stay mindful of that good news from day to day when we re busy trying to keep the fridge stocked, meet deadlines, and get everyone to school and activities on time? Here are some tips for helping your family stay focused on heaven while dealing with the challenges of life on earth: Talk with a pastor, mentor, or friend to determine what kids need to know about Jesus and when. Brainstorm simple ways to incorporate Jesus into everyday life on an everyday basis. Talk with your spouse, family members, and caregivers about your spiritual priorities, making sure you re all on the same page. Intentionally arrange daily and weekly plans around your spiritual goals. If activities start to interfere with your priorities, re-evaluate and rework your family s schedule. When you make faith the top priority for your family, it ll help your children make it their top priority as well. Read on for more ideas about how to look forward to heaven every day of the year. Live with Eternity in Mind Before & After: Prepare for worship by softly playing Christian music in your house and car 2 beforehand. After worship or Sunday school, ask children what they learned and how they can apply the lessons in the week ahead. Also display and refer to any take-home papers they received. What s Our Mission? Place Jesus at the center of your home and family by working together to craft a family mission statement. Decide what your purpose, vision, and values are, and have everyone commit to live by them both privately and publicly. Then pray together, asking Jesus to help you live them out. Pray Without Ceasing Move prayer beyond the dinner table and bedtime routine. Pray for and with your children as they leave for school, when they re discouraged or facing a challenge, and when they have something to thank or praise Jesus for. Try using a prayer calendar, filling in every day with the name of someone your family can pray for. I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:14 ASK GOD: 1. To help you keep the end goal of eternity in mind each day. 2. To guide you in the work of raising children who love and follow Jesus. 3. To nurture your children s growing faith and your own. Excerpts Maintain an Eternal Perspective, Live with Eternity in Mind & Media Madness, are taken from E-Newsletter, Parenting Christian Kids. Media Madness MOVIE Title: Zootopia Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure Rating: PG Cast: Ginnifer Goodwin, Idris Elba, J.K. Simmons, Jason Bateman Synopsis: In a city where all types of talking animals live together, a policewoman rabbit pursues a fugitive fox, only to discover they re both targets of a conspiracy. The creatures must

3 deal with bias and stereotypes just as humans do. Our Take: The takeaway of this film is that even natural enemies can become best friends. The Disney brand and animal-based humor will attract kids. But parents beware: some of the humor is rude and plays off of things such as an animal nudist colony. The film also includes a musical performance with sensual dancing. The William Saroyan Society is sponsoring the 2016 Saroyan Writing Contest for students from First Grade through College. The theme of this year s contest is The Joy of Laughter: How Laughter Has Made My Life Better. Entries must be received by Monday afternoon, March 28, 2016 and additional information and flyers are available at Three money prizes are awarded to students in six divisions based on age. Dennis Elia and Jack Chavoor are Board Members of the Society, which sponsors the contest with the Fresno County Public Library and the Fresno County Office of Education. Important Dates Junior High, High School, & College Junior High & Senior High: Sundays - FAPC. Program description: junior high and high school students will combine for lunch and group games; then we will separate the two groups for an age appropriate bible study. College Ministries: Two separate lunchtime bible studies will be held on the campus of Fresno State and Clovis Community College. Check with Badveli Phil for details. March 27 Easter Breakfast & Egg Hunt 9:30AM. June 12: Children s Day June 13-17: VBS 3

4 Mommy & Me Group Attention mothers with children up through elementary age, join us on Fridays 10AM in the Nursery for singing, snacking, and a study through the book God s Wisdom for a Mother s Heart by Bobbie Wolgemuth, led by Sossy Haroutunian and Tamar Mekredijian. For more questions, please tam.abadj@gmail.com. The next meeting date is March 4, 2016 Family Life The children and grandchildren of Neva Tavlian wish to extend heartfelt gratitude to the entire FAPC Family for their loving support, encouragement, and prayers following Neva s passing on January 13. The people and ministries of First Armenian Presbyterian Church had such a special place in Neva s heart. Her life which spanned the pastorates of Rev. Dr. Garabed M. Missirian and Rev. Gregory V. Haroutunian reflected the Gospel Message she heard here from her earliest years. The continuing fellowship with her FAPC family was a very special part of her heart. Thank you from: The Tavlian, Khushigian, Rubio, and Marashian Families For 2 years now Badveli Mgo and Paul Koligian have gone to Armenia and partnered with Young Life. If you re interested in being a part of this year s team, please contact Badveli Mgo at Associate@fapc.net. Our Condolences: Hermina Ann Kargenian, sister of Evelyn Michigan and Alice Walker, passed away on January 14, 2016 at the age of 91. A native of Reedley, Hermina grew up in Tulare where she was a majorette in the Tulare Union High School Marching Band and graduated in For many years she worked in the family business, Eagle Cleaners, in downtown Tulare and sang duets with sister Evelyn at Full Gospel Tabernacle and First Baptist Church. Hermina was twice President of the Tulare District Hospital Cottage Guild and the 2008 Outstanding Community Volunteer at the Tulare Senior Center. She was preceded in death by her parents, Mihran and Armenoohi Michigan, and by her brother, Arah M. Michigan. She is survived by her sons, Harry Kargenian, Jr. and Robert Kargenian and his wife Michelle; sisters Evelyn and Alice; grandchildren Adam and Caroline Kargenian; and many dear nieces, nephews, and cousins. Hazel Kradjian Cavataio, member of a pioneering FAPC family, passed away on February 10, 2016 at the age of 101. A longtime retail salesperson, Hazel was preceded in death by her husband, Samuel F. Cavataio; parents, Hovsep and Beatrice Kradjian; sisters Katherine A. Karabian and Clara Belle Mangasarian; and brother Paul Kradjian. Hazel is survived by her daughter, Sharon, and the families of her siblings. 4

5 Digging Deep Family Life Camp Arev Here s the funny thing about our Thursday morning women s Bible study on a good week, we usually get through 2-5 verses. You read that correctly! Teacher Barbara Tirapelle likes to get to the root of the matter, and our Bible is so rich can you ever dig deep enough? We re a lively group of women who meet in the Fireside room every Thursday from 10-11am. We re in our fourth year of going through Romans, and we just finished up chapter 12. Barbara is so knowledgeable and thorough in her teaching. She explains each passage clearly, referencing additional scripture, clarifying the Greek or Latin meaning of specific words, and sharing information from many Biblical scholars and commentators. And she always starts class with a joke! While we re free to share and ask questions during class, it is a looser lecture structure. We re free to just listen, or take notes for our own edification. There is no homework. Barbara makes it interesting, engaging and fun! She brings the Bible to life. (And sometimes she brings cheesecake.) The class is comprised of women of all ages from many churches (Armenian and non- Armenian) in our community. As one of the younger participants, I have gleaned SO much wisdom from the women who come faithfully to class each week. Some of the women have been attending Bible study for more years than I ve been alive, yet they can t contain their excitement about learning more about our Jesus. It s a beautiful sight to behold. If you re available on Thursday mornings, I strongly encourage you to join us in the Fireside room for our study of Romans. It s as if Paul is speaking to us in our current circumstances His letter to the Romans may as well be a letter to the Fresnans. It is so relevant and applicable personally and on a societal level. Please join us! Silva Emerian From Jan , I went to Camp Arev winter camp with two friends from school. When we arrived Friday night, we went to our cabins and met our cabin-mates and our counselor, Mark. Then we had dinner, did some icebreakers, and went to bed at 11:00pm. The next day, we had worship sessions, games, free time (I loved archery), and our meals. It was awesome that we had tons of time for playing as well as learning. On Sunday, we had breakfast, worship, then packed up and got ready to leave. It was about three hours there and back, but I still enjoyed it. There was some rain and snow, which was awesome. The topic for the weekend was Salvaged: Making All Things New, based on Ezekiel 37:4-6. The speakers taught us about how God salvaged us and made us new. They asked us questions (and gave away candy) and told us some stories about different people like Jonah and John Newton. It was fascinating and very enjoyable. I learned that God has the power to turn dry bones into living things. I can t wait for summer camp! Silas Emerian 5

6 2016 AEUNA GENERAL ASSEMBLY Rev. Jeremy Tovmassian Every community, in order to be a community, must have a story - a history handed down from one generation to the next that tells where the community came from and what its character is and what it is supposed to do. Elizabeth Achtemeier We are a people with a unique story - a history that tells us where we ve been in such a way that it shapes where we plan to go. This Summer s 2016 Biennial Convention in Chicago, IL hopes to highlight our rich narrative and strengthen our Armenian Evangelical witness in the 21st Century. The theme title for our 2016 Biennial Convention is Reclaiming the Zeal of our Founders. The weekend invites us to explore our community s story together as Armenian Evangelicals, in order to reclaim the passion and zeal our movement once had. The keynote speaker for the weekend will be Rev. Jackson Crum, Lead Pastor of the Park Community Church in Chicago, IL. He is a highly sought after speaker with deep roots in the Evangelical tradition. Rev. Jackson is intentional about leading his church congregation in ways that empower members to do meaningful, every day ministry. He s also deeply committed to the life and wellness of the city. The Armenian Evangelical Church of Chicago will be hosting the event in honor of their 100th year church anniversary - June 23-26, They look forward to sharing their hometown, the beautiful Windy City, with all who attend. Keep an eye out for promotional materials in your local church and on the website. See you in Chicago! PRE-AEUNA CONVENTION TOUR For anyone who is interested, Roseann Saliba has put together a pre-convention tour prior to the AEUNA General Assembly/AEYF Convention to be held in Chicago in June. The plan is to arrive at the designated hotel in downtown Chicago, on your own, on Monday, June 20, 2016, where you will join others from California for exploration of Chicago. Family Life 6 Tuesday, June 21, the group will take a Grayline Tour of North and South Chicago and meet for dinner in Greektown, within walking distance of the hotel. Wednesday, June 22, there will be the opportunity to ride the Big Bus-On/Off to visit museums, landmarks, shop, restaurants etc. on your own, or walk to nearby points-of-interest, shops and restaurants. Thursday morning, June 23, the group has the option to continue to explore Chicago on your own or take a Skyline Lunch Cruise on Lake Michigan, after which arrangements will be made to transport the group to the General Assembly in Skokie. Anyone wanting information or wishing to join the tour should contact Roseann Saliba at (559) as soon as possible as space is limited. Obey the Lord with Gladness of Heart Dr. Heather Ohaneson Once, during a summer job, I was given the task of sharpening a large number of pencils. A look of discontent must have come over my face because my boss made a point of patiently telling me that she never assigned work that she herself would not do. Believing her, I completed the task with an improved attitude. That lesson in leadership made a strong and lasting impression on me. In life, there are three possible responses to God our Boss. We can disobey, we can obey with a bad attitude or a cold heart, and we can obey properly, which is to say, joyfully. Jesus has shown us the way of perfect obedience. The sovereign Lord, the creator of the universe, is our master. How incredible that God will never command us to do for Him anything that is more wonderful, sacrificial, or humbling than what He has done for us! Everything He has done for us, He has done joyfully. He has dealt bountifully with us He has withheld nothing and He has been completely

7 liberal in His generosity (Romans 8:32). When has God ever begrudged you anything or acted toward you from a spirit of cold duty? Hasn t the blessing of His countenance always been warm and free? Not only does Jesus undergo the crucifixion for the sake of joy (Hebrews 12:2), He teaches that it is the Father s good pleasure to give His flock the kingdom (Luke 12:32). God desires to reveal truths to little children (Matthew 11:25). His banner over us is love! (Song of Songs 2:4) Praise the Lord! It is this same Lord, however, who issued a stern and frightful word to the Israelites through Moses: Because you did not serve the LORD your God joyfully and with gladness of heart for the abundance of everything, therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and lack of everything (Deuteronomy 28:47-48a). Let us examine the results of the contrary paths of taking for granted the miracle of God s kindness, on the one hand, and actively celebrating God s abundant goodness, on the other. The dire consequences for failing to serve the LORD joyfully and with gladness of heart include destitution and enslavement to wicked rulers. By contrast, God promises many blessings for diligent obedience. (See the first portion of Deuteronomy 28.) An especially positive reward of exhibiting a grateful spirit when we obey God may be the good that befalls others. After all, what could be a more compelling witness to the non-believing world than ministering to the Lord in joy and gladness? To be truthful, many of us are frittering away our lives in stupid self-indulgence, and for that we will have to give an account (Romans 14:12). But the harrowing passage from Deuteronomy indicates that we will be held accountable for the how of our service as much as the fact of it. What, then, will spur us to grow in glad obedience? Joyful worship will help. As the Psalmist encourages, Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come into his presence with singing (100:1-2). Closely related to joyful worship is concentrated and continual reflection on the generosity of God toward us in Christ. That will also move us to live for Him as He lived and died for us with abandon, love, and grace. If we really see Him, He 7 will become our treasure. So keep looking. With our eyes turned to heaven, we will increasingly acknowledge the abundance of everything that Christ has supplied. All of our founts are in Him (Psalm 87:7), which means He is the source even of our joy. Heather Ohaneson, Ph.D. was elected to the Board of Directors of the Armenian Missionary Association of America at the AMAA s 96th Annual Meeting. A graduate of Barnard College and Columbia University, Heather is Assistant Professor in the Department of Biblical and Religious Studies at Azusa Pacific University. IMPORTANT DATE TO SAVE: ADULT VBS: Life on the Balcony June 13-17, 2016 Ingrid Davis is a gifted speaker, leader, teacher, mentor and certified leadership coach. Ingrid has a bachelor s degree in education and a master s degree in Intercultural studies. She recently completed her Doctorate in Global Leadership at Alliance Theological Seminary. Ingrid has been involved in leadership development for over 30 years. She is the founder of Leadership Coaching International. Her passion is to grow and develop leaders to transform lives. She is a graduate of the Arrow Leadership program, and is currently working as one of their facilitators and executive coaches. She is also a Global Leadership Associate and adjunct professor at Alliance Theological Seminary. Ingrid specializes in leadership coaching, cross-cultural training, and character based leadership development. Her speaking engagements have taken her throughout the world. Ingrid is skilled at bringing people to their next level of personal, spiritual and leadership potential. Ingrid and Chuck have been married 33 years and have three adult children, and one daughter-in-law!

8 Nonprofit Org. US Postage PAID Fresno, CA Permit No S. 1st St Fresno, CA Address Service Requested Upcoming Special Events Joint Worship Service/Communion Mar 6 Palm Sunday Mar 20 Maundy Thursday Dinner & Family Worship 6:30PM Mar 24 Easter Sunday & Breakfast & Egg Hunt (9:30am) Mar 27 Joint Worship Service/Communion Apr 3 April 24th Genocide Commemoration at FAPC 6:30PM Apr 23 Joint Worship Service/Communion May 1 Mother s Day May 8 Joint Worship Service/Communion Jun 5 Children s & Adult VBS Jun Young Life Missions Trip to Armenia July 7-21 All Church Family Camp Aug Church Office: 8:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m. (M - F) P: F: E: fapc@fapc.net Mosaix submissions are due by the 15 th of the month. Please information to administration@fapc.net. Staff: Suzy Artemyan, Church Administrator Jesse Dunbar, Interim Music Ministry Director Jonathan Harrison, Media Richard Cencibaugh, Interim Organist/Pianist Vera Darakjian, Armenian Ministries Pianist Kristen Richina, Nursery Attendant Marisa Bagato, Nursery Attendant & Administrative Assistant Susan Ruiz, Custodian Teaching Elders: Ruling Elders: Deacons: Rev. Greg Haroutunian, Senior Pastor (badveli@fapc.net) Rev. Mgo Mekredijian, Associate Pastor of Young Families Ministries (associate@fapc.net) Rev. Phil Garo, Jr., Associate Pastor of Youth Ministries (pgaro@fapc.net) Kenneth Bedrosian, Jayson Emerian, Ed Esajian, Krikor Kalayjian, Paul Koligian, Fernando Rubio, Dennis Shamlian, Dan Sivas. Maral Afarian, David Avakian, Richard Bittikofer, Vera Darakjian, Silva Esajian, Keith Harrison, Maria Kalayjian, Kohar Kojayan, Bob Mangasarian, Anto Sakayan, Rita Shamlian, Varvara Sivas.