Հայաստանեայց Եկեղեցւոյ AUGUST 2018 Yettem, California

ԵԴԵՄ YETTEM Հրատարակութիւն A publication of St. Mary Եդեմի Ս Աստուծածին Armenian Church Հայաստանեայց Եկեղեցւոյ AUGUST 2018 Yettem, California The feast of Assumption has a special meaning for our parish and for our parishioners. For a hundred and seven years our people have participated in this church celebration which became a day of pilgrimage for lots of our parishioners. Within decades they formed a special behavior toward our St. Mary church and they passed it to younger generations. A particular respect and feeling about this day is obvious, which brings our parishioners to the church that day to celebrate and enjoy the feast. With the same enthusiasm, our people come together and celebrate other church feasts, especially major feasts of our church and different events within our church programs, which is nice and commendable. But to be honest, we have to say that that s not all we should do or we can do for our church parish. Today we have a sacred responsibility to return all good and nice traditions which were created by our ancestors over the years. That s how Yettem people can create and preserve this beautiful church and community. That s very important. Sometimes people share their memories, but say that our parish was different 20-30 years ago. This means that we lost lots of traditions and customs, which is very disturbing to think about. Each and every parishioner has a responsibility to bring these celebrations back and to offer them according to today s perceptions. Thank God today we have an opportunity to come together to worship and to celebrate one of these events. Assumption is one of the church feasts which brings our people from different cities and even states to celebrate and to glorify God s name. These feasts have strength and might to renew our life when we see how our parishioners come to St. Mary church and bring their love and respect to celebrate and to proclaim the feast. I think St. Mary church has been for a long time a part of the life of Yettem people and I wouldn t like to see it weaken at any point. Not today and not for the future. This is our biggest achievement dear parishioners. Come and join us on Sunday, August 12 th, to raise our prayers and to pray and ask the Holy Mother of God to be our intercessor with the only-begotten Son of God. With Love of Christ Rev. Fr. Zaven Markosyan

Parish Notes BULLETIN SPONSORSHIP THE AUGUST 2018 BULLETIN IS SPONSORED BY THE FARSAKIAN FAMILY IN MEMORY OF THEIR FATHER, SAM FARSAKIAN ALTAR FLOWER DONATIONS July 1 Parish Council in honor of the 107 th Anniversary of the consecration of St. Mary, Yettem July 29 Gerard and Sylvia Garoian in memory of their parents Kurken and Satenig Garoian and Edward and Gladys Tejerian HOKEHANKIST REQUESTS July 22 Archpriest Rev. Fr. Dajad Davtian July 29 Kurken and Satenig Garoian and Edward and Gladys Tejerian, requested by Gerard and Sylvia Garoian Ladies Society has no scheduled meeting in August. The next scheduled meeting is a dinner meeting on Wednesday, September 5, 2018 at 6:30 p.m. Restaurant to be announced at a later date. ACYO has no scheduled meeting in August. Grapes for the Feast of the Assumption are needed for Sunday, August 12, 2018. It is a unique feast dedicated to St. Mary, the mother of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is one of the five major feasts of the Armenian Church. One of the marks of this feast is the Blessing of Grapes which is conducted at the end of the day s liturgy. (See flyer) Ways and Means Bake Sale will be held on Sunday, August 12, 2018 immediately after the day s worship services. All your favorite delicacies will be available. (See flyer) Parish Council meeting will be held on Thursday, August 16, 2018 in the Majarian Hall at 7:00 p.m. Ladies Society will be sponsoring fellowship on Sunday, August 26, 2018 after Divine Liturgy in the Majarian Hall. WESTERN DIOCESE ARMENIAN CAMP WEEKS 2018 Week 3: July 29 Aug 4 Week 4: Aug 5 Aug 11 Sunday School is taking a summer break and will resume on Sunday, September 9, 2018. St. Mary Ladies Society Grandparents Day Brunch will be held on Sunday, September 9, 2018 immediately following church services in the Majarian Hall. (See flyer) ACYO Bake Sale will be held on Sunday, September 9, 2018 after church services. (See flyer) Join St. Mary Armenian Church 4 th Annual Family Fun Day Organized by Faith of Zion on Sunday, September 23, 2018. (See flyer) ST. MARY MEMORIAL WALL There is room for 40 new names to be added to the Memorial Wall Column on the south wall. The cost for each name is $200. Order forms are available in the church office or at the desk as you enter the church. If you wish to participate, or have questions concerning the Memorial Wall, call Jim Soxman at (559) 733-8741 or (559) 936-2227. Jim Soxman, Ways and Means Chairman

COOKBOOK By popular demand, a second edition of the Treasured Recipes from the Garden of Eden has been made available. If you are interested in purchasing a copy, call the church office at (559) 528-6892 or Debbie Sheklian at (559) 733-4417. The cost of the cookbook is $30 or $30 plus shipping if mailed. Armenian Language classes are still available for our parishioners. If you are interested, please contact the Church Office at (559) 528-6892 or Fr. Zaven at (818) 644-9398. DVD SET FOR SALE: St. Mary Armenian Church, 100 th Anniversary, July 2, 2011. DVD set is $25.00 and can be purchased by calling the Church office at (559) 528-6892. 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 528-6892 for details. REMINDER If you have not sent in your 2018 Annual Stewardship Pledge and Voting Member Application, please do so as soon as possible. If you need a form, call the Church Office at (559) 528-6892. The Parish Council has approved to have our weekly bulletin and the monthly newsletter available for sponsorships. We are not selling ads. 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 $100.00 per issue. PAYPAL You may access PayPal through the St. Mary Yettem web-site (www.stmaryyettem.org) 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. 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) 644-9398 or Bea Soxman Parish Council Chairperson at (559) 623-2390 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) 528-6892 or his cell (818) 644-9398. St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church Office hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, from 9:30-2:30. The St. Mary Armenian Church webpage at www.stmaryyettem.org includes archived copies of church bulletins, pictures from events, a current church calendar, and an improved LIVE Camera System. View services on any dekstop, laptop, or tablet! If you wish to place any information in the monthly Bulletin, please notify the Church Office by the 20 th of month.

St. Mary Armenian Church, Yettem July August 2018 September Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 Barekendan of the Fast of Assumption Week 4 of Summer Camp 6 7 8 9 10 11 Showers of Radiance of Holy Etchmiadzin 12 Assumption of Mary Holy Mother of God Luncheon Sponsored by Parish Council Ways and Means Bake Sale 13 Remembrance of the Dead 14 15 16 Parish Council Meeting at 7PM in the Majarian Hall 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Fellowship sponsored by Ladies Society 27 28 29 30 31 Notes: Sunday Schedule: Will resume on September 9, 2018 Morning Service (Matins) 9:45 AM Divine Liturgy 10:30 AM Father Zaven can be reached at: 559-528-6892 Office 559-528-6897 FAX 818-644-9398 - Cell

PASTORAL VISITATION OF HIS EMINENCE ARCHBISHOP HOVNAN DERDERIAN ST. MARY, YETTEM SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2018 St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Zaven Markosyan and the Parish Council invite all parishioners and friends to the pastoral visit of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian to receive His spiritual message and to take communion. During Divine Liturgy His Eminence will award Linda Farsakian-Wall with the Hye Spirit award.

CHRISTOPHER SHEKLIAN NAMED AS DIRECTOR OF ZOHRAB INFORMATION CENTER July 19, 2018 The Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) is pleased to announce the hiring of a new director for the Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center, the Diocese s research and information facility, housed in the St. Vartan Cathedral complex in New York City. Dr. Christopher Sheklian has accepted the position, effective September 1, 2018. He will succeed the Very Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan, the Zohrab Center s previous director, who was elected Primate of the Eastern Diocese in May of this year. Earlier Zohrab Center directors have included Dr. Rachel Goshgarian, Aram Arkun, and the Very Rev. Dr. Krikor Maksoudian. I am thrilled to be joining the Zohrab Information Center as its director, to work with the new Primate, as well as the Director of Ministries Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan, and everyone at the Diocesan Center, Dr. Sheklian said. I hope to support the work of all the Diocesan ministries. Dr. Sheklian is a native of Visalia in the Central Valley of California, who was baptized, raised, and was an altar-server at the St. Mary Armenian Church of Yettem. At the University of California, Berkeley, he majored in Anthropology; during his college years he was ordained a deacon by Western Diocesan Primate Archbishop Hovnan Derderian. Prior to taking up graduate studies he spent a year as a substitute teacher, and took his first, formative trip to Turkey, visiting various Armenian sites and his ancestral village of Chomaklou. During his graduate education in Anthropology at the University of Chicago, he spent a year studying at St. Nersess Armenian Seminary. Living in Istanbul in 2012-2014, he conducted ethnographic fieldwork involving the local Armenian community. In 2017 he defended his doctoral dissertation, Theology and the Community: the Armenian Minority, Tradition, and Secularism in Turkey, and he received a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. Engaging Audiences on All Levels Dr. Sheklian was most recently a Manoogian Postdoctoral Fellow in Armenian Studies at the University of Michigan, where he was affiliated with the Department of Anthropology and taught a course called Singing the Community: Armenian Liturgy and the Anthropology of Ritual and Sound. He continues to pursue his research related to secularism, religious minority rights, and the role of emotion and the senses in religious life. As the Zohrab Center director, Dr. Sheklian looks forward to continuing the center s engaging series of lectures and presentations, and is currently organizing such events for the coming autumn season. He has a special goal of developing resources and programming that engage both academic and church audiences. The Zohrab Center is the ideal setting for me, as my work cuts across boundaries of the university and the church, Dr. Sheklian observed. My hope is to engage audiences of all levels, using the Zohrab Center s vast repository of material to present the Armenian tradition for the 21st century. He added: I also plan to take the center on the road, to benefit of the entire Diocese our local parishes, schools, or organizations. I m looking forward to being in touch with people throughout the larger community. Dr. Christopher Sheklian will begin as director on September 1. For information on the Krikor and Clara Zohrab Center, visit its website, www.zohrabcenter.org.

FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION St. Mary Armenian Church Yettem, California Blessing of Grapes Sunday, August 12, 2018 Morning Service 9:45 A.M. Divine Liturgy 10:30 A.M. Remember that since this is one of the five major feasts of the Church, ALL are encouraged to receive Holy Communion during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy Blessing of Grapes at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy Immediately following Church Services a Family Luncheon sponsored by the Parish Council will be served in the hall. Donation: $20.00 Adult $15.00 Children 10 and under Those wishing are invited to bring a bag of their own grapes for blessing. These should be plainly marked and given to the Parish Council upon entering the church. Plan to attend with the entire family for a day of worship and fellowship.

PLEASE DELIVER YOUR GRAPES TO THE MAJARIAN HALL BY 10:00 A.M. ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 11, 2018

Ways and Means Committee announces..... Bake Sale Sunday August 12, 2018 Feast of the Assumption Asdvadzadzin & Grape Blessing Immediately after the day s worship your favorite Armenian delicacies will be available Cheoreg Simit Nazoog Bread Sticks Plus lots more

St. Mary Ladies Society Invites you to a Brunch in Celebration of Grandparents Day Sunday, September 9, 2018 Immediately following church services in the Majarian Hall Enjoy a Delicious Brunch featuring Beeshee and many other specialties Entertainment to follow from our Sunday School **Cost **Adults($12)**Child($8)** -To reserve a table or seat(s)- Call or Text - Tina Peters 559-967-2593 or e-mail: hyetinapeters@live.com by September 5. RESERVATIONS ARE NOT REQUIRED Celebrate Grandparents Everyone Welcome!!!

ACYO BAKE SALE After Church Services Sunday, September 9, 2018 (Grandparent s Day) Freshly Baked Armenian Desserts Handmade by the ACYO Members. **SUPPORT the ACYO Bake Sale** Donations of any Armenian Baked Goods or Specialty Desserts will be greatly appreciated and accepted the day of the Bake Sale.

Join St. Mary Armenian Church for the 4 th Annual Family Fun Day Organized by Faith of Zion September 23, 2018 Deacon Service starts at 10:30 with festivities at 11:00 in the church yard Hot dogs, Hamburgers, Salads, Chips, Desserts, Drinks (1 included with meal price) $12 for adults, $8 for kids (10 and under) Enjoy games for the whole family! We re looking forward to seeing you there!

ST. MARY ARMENIAN CHURCH YETTEM 107th ANNIVERSARY JULY 3rd 2018

2 ND ANNUAL LADIES NIGHT JULY 21, 2018 SPONSORED BY FAITH OF ZION Our second annual Faith of Zion ladies night was held on July 21st. 30 ladies joined in for a fabulous night filled with food, friends, and fellowship. Linda Farsakian Wall and her partner Sandy Kalfayan tied with Debbie Sheklian for the highest score in trivia and took home the top prize(s) of the night. Thank you to all who attended and we hope to see you again next year.

H o l y T r i n i t y A r m e n i a n A p o s t o l i c C h u r c h P r e s e n t s MOONLIGHT LUAU Saturday, August 11th 6:00 PM - Midnight $ 1 0 A D M I S S I O N C a l i f o r n i a A r m e n i a n H o m e 6 7 2 0 E. K i n g s C a n y o n F r e s n o, C A 9 3 7 2 7 f o o d t r u c k s d r i n k s e n t e r t a i n m e n t l i v e m u s i c b y K h a t c h i g J i n g i r i a n visit our event on facebook or email moonlightluau@gmail.com for more information

St. Mary Armenian Church P.O. Box 367 Yettem, California 93670 Return Service Required Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid Permit No.1