WEEKLY EVENT Morning Service - 9:00am Badarak - 10:00am Sunday School - 10:00am Thursday May 7th, 2015: ARMENIAN LANGUAGE STUDIES for Adults at 6:15pm at the Church. Friday May 8th, 2015: Armenian Dance Lessons - Church Hall, from 5:30pm - 6:30pm. Repeats every Friday. For more info, please contact the Church at 978-372-9227. May 3rd, 2015 Rev. Fr. Vart Gyozalian - Pastor "Let's B uild on O ur Faith" UPCOMING EVENTS Thursday May 14th, 2015: ARMENIAN LANGUAGE STUDIES for Adults at 6:15pm at the Church. Friday May 15th, 2015: Armenian Dance Lessons - Church Hall, from 5:30pm - 6:30pm. Repeats every Friday. For more info, please contact the Church at 978-372-9227. Saturday May 16th, 2015: First Ladies Reserve Tickets by May 3rd, 2015. Details in our Sunday Bulletin & on our Website. Sunday May 17th, 2015: End of the School Year Brunch Hosted by the ACYOA directly following Church Services. Details in our Sunday Bulletin & on our Website. Tuesday May 19th, 2015: Fundraising Kick-Off Meeting - Church Hall at 7:00pm Daily Lectionary Readings Acts 17:1-15. 1 John 1:1-10. John 7:14-23. KARASOONK (40 Days) For the Soul of Sister Mary Tarlian (40 Days) requested by: M/M Mel Menasian & Family
KARASOONK DONATIONS NAME DAY Karasoonk Donations for the Soul of Dorothy Shahian from: Marilyn Shahian, Virginia Tavitian, Gale & Paul Cifra, M/M Charles Bazarian, Bea Ohanian, Katherine Meranian, M/M Scott Sahagian, M/M Michael Naroian, Lu Sirmaian, Eva Naroian, M/M Joseph S. Tavitian & Family, M/M Anthony Giragosian, M/M John Mosto, Melanee Naroian, M/M Larry Pahigian, Robert Serabian, Rose Q. Azarian, Annette DerMinassian, Emmanuel Baghdayan, M/M Stephen & Barbara Arthur, Barbara & Richard Naroian, Sylvia Tavitian, Mary Tatoyian REQUEST FOR PRAYERS Prayers & Get Well Wishes for all who are ill from: Bea Ohanian, M/M Anthony Giragosian, M/M John Mosto, Rose Q. Azarian In Memory of Arthur Azarian & All Deceased Azarian Family Members from: M/M Scott Sahagian Get Well Wishes to all who are ill from: M/M Scott Sahagian Congratulations to the Love Family on their new Bundle of Joy from: M/M Scott Sahagian Thank You to Der Hayr & His Committee on the Genocide Events from: M/M Scott Sahagian Get Well Prayers for all who are ill from: Eva Naroian In Memory of 1915 Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide from: M/M Michael Naroian, Lu Sirmaian In Memory of Michael J. Hazarvartian of Lawrence from: M/M Joseph S. Tavitian & Family In Memory of my Grandfather, Avedis Chakurmanian, who passed away on 4-24-1973 from: M/M John Mosto Prayers & Get Well Wishes to Walter Ohanian & to all who are ill from: M/M Larry Pahigian None This Week GRAVE BLESSINGS Anyone wishing to have their love one s grave blessed, please contact Der Hayr with the Date & Time on his cell phone 978-332-1952 or by email fathervard@gmail.com Thank You!!! On the day after the National Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide Centennial join the leaders of the Armenian Church and the entire community of faithful for a prayerful tribute to our beloved mothers His Holiness Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians His Holiness Aram I Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia A Mother s Day Prayer Service and Blessing of Mothers Sunday, May 10, 2015 9:30 a.m. Ballroom of the Marriott Marquis Hotel 901 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. Organized under the auspices of the Dioceses and Prelacies of the Armenian Apostolic Churches of the East and West Coasts
Resurrected Peace Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, Peace be with you. John 20:19 When a mother and child become separated at the mall, the parent is filled with anxiety over the lost child. Then the mom sees a security guard approaching, holding the hand of the child, and anxiety is turned to joy and peace. The transition happens in a moment what was missing has been found. On the third day after Jesus crucifixion, His disciples and followers were filled with anxiety. They huddled together behind locked doors for fear that the people who put Jesus to death would be coming next for them (John 20:19). The anxiety of some was heightened even further when they went to visit the tomb where Jesus lay, only to discover that His body was missing. Not only was He dead, His body had been stolen! But then Jesus made Himself known to Mary Magdalene at the Garden tomb. Peace replaced anxiety as she returned to tell the others that Jesus was alive. We serve a living Savior, not a dead one. When your fear or anxiety level is high, let the presence of the resurrected Jesus give you peace. When we lack the peace of God, we should turn to our peace with God. Robert M. Horn BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY Whatever He Chooses For who in the heavens can be compared to the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the Lord? Psalm 89:6 A young boy was waiting after church for is family, and the pastor struck up a conversation with him. Since the boy had just come from Sunday school, the clergyman decided to ask a little question to see how much he was learning. He said, Young man, if you can tell me something God can do, I ll give you this apple. The boy thoughtfully replied, Sir, if you can tell me something God can t do, I ll give you a whole box of apples. There really isn t anything God can t do. The Bible speaks of God s almighty power by using the word omnipotent. To be almighty is to have all the power. Only God has all the power. A theologian has defined the omnipotence of God like this: it is the power of God, or His ability and strength, whereby He can bring to pass whatsoever He pleases, whatsoever His infinite wisdom may direct, and whatsoever His purity of will may resolve. In other words, God is able to do whatever He chooses to do. To: Reverend Clergy Re: Fr. Arten Ashjian Recuperating. My blessings and warm wishes to all our clergy. I am writing to convey the solemn news that a venerable and beloved priest of our Diocese, the Reverend Fr. Arten Ashjian, was briefly hospitalized recently, after which he has been undergoing rehabilitation after a mild heart attack. The attack occurred several weeks ago, but Der Arten has responded to the doctors treatment and is in the process of being released from their care. Messages of support for Der Arten may be sent to his home, or to the Holy Cross Church in uptown Manhattan. Above all, I am certain that we will all keep Der Hayr, Yn. Mary and their family in our prayers in the days ahead. May our merciful Lord keep watch over them all, and grant Der Hayr strength and a swift recovery. With prayers, Archbishop Khajag Barsamian - Primate
TODAY S GOSPEL READING John 7:14-23 14 Now in the middle of the feast Jesus went up to the Temple and was teaching. 15 Then the Jews were surprised and said, how has this man got knowledge of books? He has never been to school. 16 Jesus gave them this answer: It is not my teaching, but his who sent me. 17 If any man is ready to do God's pleasure he will have knowledge of the teaching and of where it comes from from God or from myself. 18 The man whose words come from himself is looking for glory for himself, but he who is looking for the glory of him who sent him that man is true and there is no evil in him. 19 Did not Moses give you the law? Even so, not one of you keeps the law. Why have you a desire to put me to death? 20 The people said in answer, you have an evil spirit: who has any desire to put you to death? 21 This was the answer of Jesus: I have done one work and you are all surprised at it. 22 Moses gave you circumcision not that it comes from Moses, but from the fathers and even on the Sabbath you give a child circumcision. 23 If a child is given circumcision on the Sabbath so that the Law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? ALTAR DONATIONS Altar Candles and Flowers in Loving Memory of Dorothy Shahian from: Marilyn Shahian & Family NOTICE Forget-Me-Not Pins are now available. Please see a Parish Council Member. UPCOMING HOKEHANKISD Sunday May 17th, 2015: For the Soul of Kachadoor Naroian (6th year), requested by: Melanee Naroian, John, Stephanie, Madison and Jake Naroian
This is a new section of our bulletin that we will be posting from January 1st till December 31st, 2015. Genocide Events and any Personal Stories will be displayed here. Anyone who would like to share a personal story from their Great Grandparents, Grandparents or Parents relating to the Genocide, please contact Rev. Fr. Vart Gyozalian - Pastor at fathervard@yahoo.com Thank You!!! Yevnige Salibian remembers peering through the wooden panels of her family home in Aintab, Turkey, as a young girl and seeing throngs of Armenian women, children and elderly being marched out into the desert to their eventual deaths.... and the children were crying, Mama, I am hungry. I want some bread. Mama, I am thirsty. Mama, I cannot walk,' Salibian says, sitting in her wheelchair at the Ararat Nursing Home in Mission Hills, California. These sounds come in to my mind now.... It doesn t go. At 101, Salibian is among the last remaining survivors of the Armenian Genocide, the Ottoman Empire s systematic deportation and killing of nearly 1.5 million Armenians during, and shortly after, World War I. This month marks the 100th anniversary of the start of the genocide, when some 250 Armenian intellectuals were arrested in Istanbul by Ottoman authorities and later executed. For the Armenian community in Los Angeles, the largest in the United States, the centennial commemoration carries with it an uncomfortable, and often maddening, truth: The genocide still lacks uniform international recognition. The Armenian Genocide is as alive in L.A., if not more, than anywhere else in the world, says Alec Mouhibian, an L.A.-based Armenian American filmmaker and codirector of the new feature film 1915. We don t think 100 years ago is 100 years ago. The Turkish government concedes vast numbers of Armenians were killed between 1915-1923, but they deny there was ever a systematic plan to wipe them out. Here in the US, 43 states have passed resolutions recognizing that what happened to the Armenians, was genocide. Pope Francis recognized it as genocide earlier this month. But the official US government position falls short of calling the event a genocide, despite President Barack Obama s comments in 2006 that the genocide was a fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence. It s this struggle over semantics that Mouhibian says is an elemental part of the collective Armenian identity. For us, it s not just a chapter in a history book, or a lesson in a classroom, he says. It s something that drives Armenians in L.A. crazy, and it s something that connects them to their heritage. The mania caused by the lack of recognition has made it nearly impossible for the Armenian community to move on from its past, says Stephen Smith, executive director of the USC Shoah Foundation, which houses tens of thousands of witness testimonies from genocide survivors. For the Armenian community, it feels like it still has to legitimize its past because it s being denied, Smith says. Its efforts have to go into that, rather than into healing, participation and full integration into the community in which they live.
The Armenian Church Leader To: The Reverend Clergy and Parish Council Chairs Re: Helping Victims of the Earthquake in Nepal. I hope this message finds you well, in this season of our Lord s resurrection. These have been a stirring, emotional few weeks for all of us, as we mark the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Further occasions of remembrance, and of prayers to our newlycanonized Genocide saints, will be coming in the weeks to come. But we are all aware that in the midst of our observances this week, news came of an earthquake in Nepal. The images on the news are terrible to see, reminding us of the natural disaster that struck our homeland 27 years ago. A sense of solidarity in suffering has always inspired our people to reach out, spiritually and materially, to these fellow victims of devastation. With this directive, I am asking all of our parishes to offer prayers for all those who are suffering from the earthquake in Nepal, and its aftermath. Parishes and individuals should also consider contributing to the relief effort. Our Diocese and its humanitarian aid organization, the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR), will be contributing to the effort to assist the earthquake victims, working through the National Council of Churches. On Sunday, May 3, 2015, please hold a special collection for earthquake relief in Nepal. Individuals and parishes can make checks out to the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (please write Nepal Earthquake Relief in the memo). All funds collected should be sent to the Diocesan Center (630 Second Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10016) no later than Friday, May 15. Individuals can also contribute through our Diocesan website, www.armenianchurched.net, where you can click on the Donate link and make a credit-card donation on our secure server. (Please note: In the online information entry form, select Nepal Earthquake Relief in the memo bar that appears.) Please note that all the proceeds collected 100 percent will go to the relief efforts, to be distributed through Church World Service, the humanitarian aid arm of the National Council of Churches. I urge you to encourage your parishioners to help our fellow human beings through their prayers and support in this time of pain and need. With prayers, Archbishop Khajag Barsamian Primate
Lecture by Levon Chorbajian, PhD. "They Brought It on Themselves and Besides We Didn't Do It" http://www.mhl.org/about/events/hall/2015/armenia.htm A professor at the University of Massachusetts Lowell and Director of the US section of the Zoryan Institute for Contemporary Armenian Research and Documentation, Dr. Chorbajian will be presenting research on the Turkish denial of the Armenian Genocide. Please join us in this break-through presentation based on recent research. Dr. Chorbajian is a two-time Fulbright Senior Lecturer in the Republic of Armenia, he has written, translated and edited seven books including Armenia in Crisis: The 1988 Earthquake, The Caucasian Knot: The History and Geopolitics of Nagorno-Karabagh, The Making of Nagorno-Karabagh: From Secession to Republic, and Studies in Comparative Genocide. His most recent article is "Genocide and Gross Violations of Human Rights," written for the International Encyclopedia for Policy Studies. He has run workshops and given lectures on the importance of unions. He also is certified in Federal Immigration Court to testify as an expert witness in political asylum for cases originating in the South Caucasus. Co- Sponsored by the Memorial Hall Library and Merrimack Valley Arakadz Lodge of the Knights of Vartan