Archbishop Hovnan Derderian January 2017 Homily on the Nativity and Theophany of our Lord

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1 The Voice Newsletter is published once a month by St. Vartan Armenian Church 650 Spruce Street, Oakland, CA , Phone (510) , Fax: (510) stvartanoakland@aol.com Website: The deadline for all articles is the fifteenth of each month. Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate Rev. Fr. Hovel Ohanyan, Parish Priest and President of All Church Organizations Parish Council Chair: Barry Toomajian Parish Assembly Chair: Don Manoogian Choir Director: Artin Der Minassians Organist: A. Rodriguez and Ida Mazmanian ACYO Chair: Sevan Jindoian and Nataleine Jindoian Sunday School Superintendent: Janet Yeghissian Ladies Society Chair: Gail Kezerian, Caroline Arakelian and Lisa Manoogian Cultural Society Chair: Liz Ojakian Hokejosh: Nora Hanoian Newsletter Editors: Arlene Hovsepian and Rachel Harger Church Secretary: Rachel Harger Altar Flowers: Carole Chang Church Custodian: Wartkes Hagopian Divine Liturgy Service Sundays 10:30 a.m. Bible Readings Jan. 1 Luke 22:24-30 Jan. 5 Matt. 2:1-12 Jan. 6 Matt. 1:18-25 Jan. 8 John 2:1-11 Jan. 22 John 3:13-21 Jan. 29 John 6:39-47 Christmas Greetings Krisdos dzunav yev Haydensav. Christ is born and revealed among us. Orhinal eh haydnootiun Krisdosi. Blessed is the revelation of Christ. Archbishop Hovnan Derderian January 2017 Homily on the Nativity and Theophany of our Lord Today, the Sun of righteousness was revealed before mankind. St. Nersess the Graceful Cuddled in the heavenly azure, the star of Bethlehem shone like a celestial lantern cherishing the spark of hope and expectation. Every now and then, the gloomy clouds seemed to devour the star in a sinister attempt to diminish its brightness. Despite their relentless efforts, the fearless star emerged through the darkness. Heaven and earth were both in agony of labor, for the star and the Son of God would be born to a virgin. At dusk, when the darkness disappeared and the stars lost their glimmer, the sun rose in the horizon and the Savior was born. Indeed, the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the radiating sun in the life of humanity. In the words of St. Nersess the Graceful, Today, the Sun of righteousness was revealed before mankind. And what is the sun of righteousness for a Christian, if not the compass, the touchstone, and the standard of all moral and spiritual values? It s not a coincidence that from ancient times, long before Christ, people worshipped the sun because it was the source of life as well as the guide in determining the time, weather, and orientation. Remember, people did not have smartphones or navigation systems back in the day. When we delve into the mystery of the incarnation, especially reflecting on the promise of salvation and the establishment of peace in the world, the metaphor of the sun of righteousness becomes clearer and more comprehensible. People perceive what they wish to perceive. However, the objective reality is that we live in turbulent times. The world is plagued by geopolitical, economic, religious, and social turmoil which jeopardizes peace and stability in the world. Of the aforementioned, however, the most tragic is the troubled soul and the distorted thought of men, which lead to a state of disorientation, uncertainty, and restlessness. As described in the Psalms, They wander in the wilderness in a desolate way; they cannot find a city to dwell in. (Psalms 107:4) People seem to be lost, for the value system has been distorted. Vice and virtue, truth and lie, black and white have been confusingly intertwined. For instance, we witness the brute force of countries, who ignite wars and command the intimidating display of their military might. Ironically and quite hypocritically, the leaders of those countries do not miss an opportunity to lecture on world peace from lofty podiums. This example alone concurs the classic double standard of morals of today s society. Democracy, liberalism, progressiveness,

2 and many other isms have captured us in a web of ambiguous meanings and arbitrary definitions. Subconsciously, we have become the captives of our thought as we fear to touch on those sensitive terms thus, avoiding to call things by their proper names. Political correctness and oversensitivity have turned us into indecisive, spineless, and wishy-washy beings. This unfortunate reality is due to the loss of our sense of direction and abandonment of Christian ethics and values. Today, as we celebrate the Nativity and Theophany of the Son of God, the sun of righteousness shines in the horizon. Christ the Babe is born. God, the Father has favored us with another opportunity to repent and reclaim the truthful meaning of life having Him as the ultimate standard and the guide. The miraculous birth of Christ makes us shine again in the blistering cold and warm the hearts of those who surround us. The Sun of righteousness illuminates our lives, brightens our minds, alters our perspective, and clears our vision. Most importantly, the Sun of righteousness, the Son of God, through His miraculous birth liberates us from the captivity of fear so that we can express ourselves straightforwardly and earnestly without succumbing to hypocrisy, and fake values. God makes the sun of righteousness rise upon us so that we may see and follow the truth without giving way to sin, praising mediocracy, or promoting weakness. On the threshold of the New Year, when we celebrate the Nativity of Christ, these reflections allow us to reevaluate our spiritual lives. Then we commit to surrender our lives into the hands of God so that He may mold and shape our spirituality and increase in us the faith, hope, and love. In this sense, the birth of Christ is a divine message addressed to us to love one another, the Church, and the Motherland. Moreover, the birth of the only Begotten exhorts us to strive to become perfect, exemplary, just, loyal, peace-loving, humble, humanist, truthful, fearless, creative and visionary servants. Our moral and spiritual obligations are not confined to the aforementioned qualities. Furthermore, as true Christians we are obliged to also pray for those who do not know the Savior. We pray for the peace in the world and for the souls of those who perished as a result of bloody wars, natural disasters without seeing the dawn of Christmas. We pray for the world and hope that the year 2017 may be prosperous for all. Today, the Sun of righteousness was revealed before mankind. Christ is born and Revealed. Blessed is the Revelation of Christ. Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate Feast of the Nativity and Theophany 2017 St. Vartan Armenian Church Donations This year, St. Vartan Church has had higher than normal expenses, due to many factors, including the necessity of repairing the donated rental house property in San Lorenzo, the upcoming annual banquet, building maintenance, etc. If you would consider increasing your yearly donation to our church, it would be truly appreciated. It is only through your donations that our blessed St. Vartan Church can serve God and the community. News From Our St. Vartan Family Condolences On November 27, Diran (Dee) Der Harootunian passed away peacefully at home in La Jolla, CA surrounded by his family wife Carolyn, daughters Candi (Paul) Tibbetts, and Kelley (John) Phillips, grandchildren Kelseyand Morgan Tibbet ts, Zari, Jason, and Tyler Phillips. Our condolences also to his brother, Sisvan Der Harootunian, sister-in-law, Arlene (Vartan) Hovsepian, nephews, Darren (Holly) Hovsepian, Michael Hovsepian, and many relatives and friends throughout California. Fr. Hovel performed a funeral service for Marna Edwarde Adams on December 5 at St. Vartan Church. Our condolences to Marna s husband, David Lee Adams, her two children David Edwarde Adams and Christina Adberg, and her three grandchildren, Leo and Maya Adberg and Amy Adams. A memorial service will be held for Agnes Morjig at St. Vartan Armenian Church on Wednesday, December 28 at 11 am. Refreshments will follow in the church hall. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the St. Vartan Ladies Society Kitchen Remodel Fund. Upcoming Events Armenian Christmas Eve Service Jan. 5 6:00 pm Armenian Christmas Day Service Jan. 6 10:30 am Armenian Christmas Celebration Jan. 8 10:30 am Merelots Sunday Jan :30 am Annual Assembly & Luncheon Jan. 29, 12:30 pm St. Vartan Church Anniversary Celebration Feb. 25 5:30 pm St. Vartan Armenian Church Annual Assembly Meeting & Lamb Shank Luncheon Sunday, January 29, 2017 After Church Pledged members who paid their 2016 dues are invited to vote at the meeting. Everyone is invited to enjoy the delicious Lamb Shank Luncheon. St. Vartan Church 2017 Christmas Schedule Thursday, January 5, 2017 Armenian Christmas Eve Readings Jurakalouyts Badarak (Liturgy of the Lights) Friday, January 6, 2017 Armenian Christmas Day Asdvadzahaidnootiun Nativity and Baptism of Jesus Christ Morning Service Divine Liturgy 6:00 pm 6:30 pm 10:00 a.m. 10:30 a.m. Home Blessing Service in John Marukian Church Hall to follow Sunday, January 8, 2017 Armenian Christmas Celebration Asdvadzahaidnootiun Nativity and Baptism of Jesus Christ Morning Service Divine Liturgy Blessing of the Baptismal Waters Godfather of the Cross: Tigran Tashjian, son of John and Lena Tashjian Sunday, January 15, 2017 Memorial Sunday Merelots Morning Service Divine Liturgy Requiem for Deceased Loved Ones 10:00 a.m. 10:30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 10:30 am. Yughakin 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 return would keep the lanterns burning and ultimately the doors of the Church open. At this season of Christ's birth let us remember and continue in the custom of Yughakin, so we can keep our "oil-burning lanterns" always burning and our doors always open at St. Vartan. Please be generous to the Church in observing this ancient Armenian custom. Requiem Service Merelots Sunday A requiem will be said for the souls of the departed on Merelots Sunday, January 15, Those who would like to have the names of their departed loved ones included should contact the church office at or stvartanoakland@aol.com before Thursday, January 12, Home Blessing The Home Blessing Service is one of the most ancient and revered traditions of the Armenian Church. The three necessary items to conduct this service are: water, bread, and salt. For the traditional Christmas Home Blessing, please call Der Hayr for an appointment at Bazaar Directories and Offering Envelopes Pledged members, please pick up your 2017 offering envelopes and 2017 Bazaar Directories from the church entryway.

3 St. Vartan Church Parish Council gratefully acknowledges the following donations: Priest Discretionary Fund Jim and Mihoko Malian, Marie and Harout Hagopian Ladies Society Kitchen Remodel Fund June Demerdjian Sunday School Marie and Harout Hagopian In Thanksgiving for Bazaar Ann Tashjian In Memory Jack Dolab Rod and Rebecca Jorjorian, Paul Ishkanian, Richard and Anahed Kharibian, Alice Sarafian, Chris and Lucy Yaldezian, Barry and Judy Toomajian, Antica Odabashian, Dickie and Seno Garabedian (Ladies Society Kitchen Remodel Fund) Louise Jorjorian, Harvey and Nora Hanoian (Ladies Society Kitchen Remodel Fund), Edward T. and Kristian Minassian (Ladies Scoiety Kitchen Remodel Fund), Mike and Sue Kilijian Diana Toomajian Mike and Sue Kilijian Diran (Dee) Der Harootunian for the Ladies Society Kitchen Remodel Fund Ara and Ursula Kaprielian, Greg Cherezian, Sarkis and Anahid Sarkisian, Harry and Carol Dokouzian, Vartan and Arlene Hovsepian, Alice Sarafian, Florence Morjig, Harvey and Nora Hanoian, Charles and Dorris Kezerian, Donald Friedman, Marlene Tolegian Diran (Dee) Der Harootunian Rachel Harger, Antica Odabashian, Barry and Judy Toomajian, Greg and Seta Tcherkoyan Victor Vasgerdsian Aram and H. Ronnie Henesian (St. Vartan Voice Newsletter), Barry and Judy Toomajian, Dickie and Seno Garabedian (Ladies Society Kitchen Remdoel Fund), Harvey and Nora Hanoian (Ladies Society Kitchen Remodel Fund), Edward T. and Kristian Minassian (Ladies Society Kitchen Remodel Fund) Gregg Krikorian Lou Aronian Agnes Morjig Harry and Carol Dokouzian (Ladies Society Kitchen Remodel Fund), Barry and Judy Sharafian, Florence Morjig (Ladies Society Kitchen Remodel Fund) Archaluce and Harry Stone Harry and Carol Dokouzian (The St. Vartan Voice Newsletter) Bergouhi and Stephen Dokouzian Harry and Carol Dokouzian (The St. Vartan Voice Newsletter) Janet Erman Barry and Judy Toomajian Marna Adams Barry and Judy Toomajian, Norma Yaglijian (Sunday School Fund), Harvey and Nora Hanoian (Ladies Society Kitchen Remodel Fund), Greg and Seta Tcherkoyan Ralph Kalibjian Mike and Sue Kilijian ENDOWMENT FUND In Memory Richard Nikssarian Greg and Laura Mazmanian Diana Toomajian Greg and Laura Mazmanian Jack Dolab Sylvia Alexanian & Family Victor Vasgerdsian Richard and Judy Sharafian Thank You St. Vartan Armenian Church thanks Jack and Tammy Papazian for the beautiful work they did once again decorating our sanctuary for Christmas. You have truly enhanced our worship as we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

4 ACYO Update November was an exciting month for St. Vartan Oakland! To kick off the ACYO year, we held elections to pick a new group of young leaders for the community. We also implemented an exciting new program in hopes of involving more Junior board members and empowering them to have a more hands on leadership role within ACYO. Our newly elected board then sent 4 delegates, Sevan Jindoian, Tanya Jindoian, Silva Jindoian, and Gayane Kanneian to participate in the 68th Annual ACYO General Assembly Thanksgiving Weekend held at St. Apkar Arizona, presided by His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian. The group was lucky enough to also be accompanied by our beloved Der Hovel, who helped guide the youth throughout the weekend. David Ojakian, the group's advisor, was also in attendance, advising the youth throughout the meetings. We thank all of our St. Vartan members, parents, and Der Hovel who truly made an impact in our ACYO's future that weekend. During the weekend, a new Central Council board was also elected to lead ACYO into the coming year. Two of our own members were elected to these honorable positions, Nataline Jindoian as Chairwoman, and Tanya Jindoian as Publicity Director. We are very proud of both of them for taking on this responsibility. We wish them nothing but success and blessings as they embark on this new journey on Central Council. Parish Council Newsroom It is hard to believe how fast time flies, and with Christmas rapidly approaching the Parish Council would like to share their Christmas wish. What we d like to have for Christmas We can tell you in a minute. The family all round us And the home with laughter in it. Never mind the usual trinkets, Wrapped in tissue, tied with ribbon. We want chuckles from the oldest, To the baby with a bib on. What we really want for Christmas Is a gift that s precious, very. It s the family all around us, And a Christmas Day that s merry. But the richest man now living, Hasn t gold enough to buy it, Only God above can grant it, And his blessing must supply it. Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year! Your Parish Council Thanksgiving Assembly On Sunday November 20 Lisa Manoogian led the Sunday School in a Thanksgiving Assembly. The Sunday School Students shared what they were thankful for on leafs on a special blessing tree. The Sunday School also did a special craft. They decorated fall leafs with a special Thanksgiving design. Students got to take them home as a reminder of what the true meaning of the Thanksgiving holiday is. Altar Flower Donation Chart The 2017 Altar Flower Donation Chart is located in the Church Hall entryway. Please choose a Sunday during 2017 to sponsor flowers for the St. Vartan Church altar. You can also note if the flowers are in honor or memory of someone. The suggested donation for altar flowers is $35. Congratulations, Sophia Sophia Colello, daughter of David and Nairy Colello, received the highest award in Girl Scouts, the Gold Award, in August, Sophia s project spanned approximately 2 years working with an international NGO in Armenia. The NGO, Warm Hearth, is the first and only group home in the country for orphaned or abandoned mentally disabled adults. Sophia helped raise funds and collect supplies to support their art program. The residents of Warm Hearth create works of art, weave rugs and tapestries which they sell to further fund their home. This gives the residents a sense of independence and pride that they are able to contribute to their home life. Sophia raised and collected over $5000 worth of art supplies by running bake sales and raising awareness of the residents' needs with the help of our own St. Vartan Sunday School and various school organizations. She completed her efforts by visiting the home in Armenia this past summer. Sophia shared the skills she learned from her UC Berkeley art therapy class to teach the residents new artistic techniques through a week of classes, helping to enhance their abilities and the program.

5 Under the auspices of Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese Celebrating the 60th Anniversaries of St. Vartan Armenian Church & St. John Armenian Church Pilgrimage to Armenia Ladies Society Update On Thursday December 8 Ladies Society had their annual Christmas Luncheon. Everyone was welcomed to a beautifully decorated hall. The menu included a delicious appetizer table and a traditional Christmas ham lunch. Hollywood Historian Barry Barsamian was the special entertainment. Barry shared amazing stories of his friendships with Hollywood movie stars and displayed their one-of-a kind wardrobes. Barry treated everyone to a few Christmas songs with Araks Aghazarian beautifully playing the piano. Yn. Anahit sang "Silent Night" in Armenian. The music got everyone in the "Christmas Spirit". Another highlight from the luncheon was the raffle. There were gift baskets and various prizes. There were so many great choices! The Christmas Luncheon takes a lot of hard work to put on! A special "Thank You" to the Ladies Society Executive Board and the Christmas Luncheon Committee. A special "Thank You" also to everyone that donated a raffle basket or prize. Many people were so generous with their raffle donations! The next Ladies Society luncheon meeting will be Thursday, February 9 at noon in the Church hall. It is our traditional "Hamburger Luncheon". Everyone is welcome to attend! Please contact Lisa Manoogian at or at lisamno@yahoo.com if you have any questions about Ladies Society. It is our goal to get women connected to each other from the St. Vartan community. Working together fosters deep friendships! with Fr. Hovel Ohanyan & Fr. Mesrob Ash June 4-18, 2017 If interested contact Fr. Hovel at or stvartanoakland@aol.com Christmas Family Night

6 Inspirational Quotes Our model is the Jesus, not only of Calvary, but of the workshop, the roads, the crowds, the clamorous demands, and surly oppositions, the lack of peace and privacy, the interruptions. C.S. Lewis When you have nothing left but God, you become aware that God is enough. Agnes Maude Royden Knowing that God is the provider of limitless blessing, I d like to challenge you, in the midst of your own trials, to ask how you can bless someone else today. Suzanne Elizabeth Anderson