E-NEWSLETTER HH - J:RJIK AArmenian Church of the United Kingdom and Ireland VV. Revd Dr. Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate

229nd October 2011, Issue 43, Vol 2

ARMENIAN CHURCH OF UK & IRELAND

THE PRIMATE’S OFFICE

25 Cheniston Gardens Kensington London W8 6TG Tel: 020 8127 8364 Fax: 0872 111 5548

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FAREWELL TO HAYR SOORP’S CAFÉ

OOver forty young Armenian men and women gathered

at the Armenian Vicarage and St. Sarkis Chruchyard on Sunday afternoon, 23rd October, to participate in what has been announced as the “final Hayr Soorp’s Café” (HSC). At 3:30 with over 20 people already in the Vicarage, Fr. Vahan started the afternoon welcoming all and inviting them to enjoy the fellowship and food donated by some of the participants. At around 4:30 the group gathered around a big table

setup in the churchyard to participate in the general discussion , the theme of which was “Bishop in the Armenian Church Tradition.” Fr. Vahan led the discussion, first by highlighting the biblical definition of the function and ministry of the bishop (based on the New Testament Greek word episcopos) followed by an exploration of the Armenian Church’s teachings regarding the duties, responsibilities and authorities of a bishop. Fr. Vahan highlighted the central dogma in the Armenian Church that a bishop “is the shepherd of the community, in the sense that he is the guardian and protector of the faith of the community under his jurisdiction—defined by the Armenian Church canons as diocese.” The Primate’s presentation triggered many questions that led to a very stimulating discussion. Following the discussion, the group assembled in the St. Sarkis Church for an evensong in Armenian and English. The participants were divided into two groups: one seated on the right side of the church and the other one on the left side of the church. The two groups were invited to join the clergy in chanting the verses of the psalms during the service. Volunteers from the groups read the scripture passages and recited the list of petitions, to which all replied with the appropriate responsory published in the service booklet. The group then walked to the Nevart Gulbenkian Hall for a light dinner, tea, coffee & pudding. Throughout the

afternoon and evening, beer, wine, soft drinks and appetizers were made available to the participants. This was declared as the final Hayr Soorp’s Café since, God willing, the Primate will be ordained bishop next weekend, and will no longer be addressed as “Hayr Soorp.” His title changes to Srpazan Hayr. Those present at the dinner suggested some alternatives such as “Srpazan Srjaran.” Stay tuned for further updates.

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ORDINATION RECEPTION: SEATING LIMITED - - - NO TICKETS AT DOORS The Primate’ Office continues receiving e-mails, phone calls,

letters of congratulations and reservations cheques for the reception to take place on 20th November, celebrating his ordination as bishop. Announcements were sent to all Armenian organisation, asking the chairmen to promote the event within their organisations. Reservations have been received for one half of the capacity of the reception hall. As announced in earlier E-Newsletters, the Fr. Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate, will be celebrating his first Badarak in the United Kingdom as Bishop in the St. Yeghiche Church on 20th November 2011, following his ordination to the holy episcopate which will take place in the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin on the 6th of November 2011. Please mark your calendar and join us at the celebration of our Primate’s first Badarak as Bishop, and at the reception to follow. Please confirm your seats at the reception ASAP.

There will be no tickets for sale on the day at the doors. Below are some of the details:

FIRST BADARAK IN UK: will be celebrated by Fr. Vahan Hovhanessian, following his return from Holy Etchmiadzin, at St. Yeghiche Church on Sunday, 20th November 2011. All Armenian Churches in the UK will participate in the celebration. Badarak is scheduled to commence at 10:30AM. There will be no Hokehankisd service on that Sunday. No invitations will be issued on this occasion. All are welcome.

RECEPTION: A reception is scheduled to take place in Shannon Hall at the Copthorne Tara Hotel in Kensington, London. Seating is limited. Seats can be reserved by sending a donation of £20 per person, payable to “The Armenian Church Trust” to the Primate’s Office, 25 Cheniston Gardens, Kensington, London W8 6TG.

DONATIONS: are welcome to help defray the cost of the reception.

BOOKLET: A booklet will be published on the occasion of the ordination and first episcopal Badarak of the Primate. Among many things, the booklet will include a list of the donours to the reception, the good wishes and greetings for the Primate as well as the list of donors to support the event. Send your greetings to primatesoffice@armenianchurch.co.uk.

PRIMATE’S ADVISORY COUNCIL MET LAST SUNDAY

The Primate’s Advisory Council (PAC) met for the second time last Sunday, 23rd October, with the Primate presiding, at the Nevart Gulbenkian Hall of the St. Sarkis Church in Kensington, London. The agenda of the meeting, which started at

13:30 at the conclusion of the celebration of the Divine Liturgy (Badarak), included the following subjects: UK Church leaders’ participation in the ordination services in Holy Etchmiadzin, representing the Armenian Church of the UK in Etchmiadzin, the first Badarak to be celebrated by the Primate as Bishop on 20th November in St. Yeghiche Church, reception celebrating the Primate’s ordination as Bishop in Shannon Hall, Copthorne Tara Hotel, the details of the history and challenges facing the finalization of the diocesan bylaws. The Council discussed also various questions and issues raised by the members of the various Armenian Church councils, Mission Parish Councils, and Church Trusts. PAC is an advisory council appointed by the Primate, of the chairmen of all Armenian Church councils and trusts in the UK and Ireland, to advise the Primate in all matters relating to the ministry and administration of the Armenian Church in the UK and Ireland. Present at the meeting were representatives from the St. Sarkis Pastoral Committee, the Holy Trinity Board of Wardens, the St. Sarkis Church Trust, the Holy Trinity Armenian Church Trust and the Mission Parish Councils of Birmingham, Cardiff and Dublin. The creation of the PAC is yet another effort by the Primate to bring the Armenian community together as one body, unified under the umbrella of the Church. The inaugural and first meeting of the PAC took place on 11th September 2011. In that meeting the members present unanimously decided to formalize the group into an advisory council to meet regularly and discuss the various aspects of the mission and administration of the church.

AREV CHILDREN PLAY GROUP AREV Children's Play Group for Pre-School to 7 years old children at St. Sarkis Church, Gulbenkian Hall, meets evefry last Sunday of the month at 11:30 am; programme in the Nevart Gulbenkian Hall; 12:30-12:45 children and parents attend church service (Badarak). AREV Children’s Play Group is fun and games through Armenian songs, storytelling and exciting activities. Parents’ participation is essential. The play group meets the last Sunday of the month. The next dates is 27 November, which will feature Children's storybook author Nouneh Sarkissian, who has written a dozen children's books and will read one of her latest stories to the children. For more information please call Shakeh Major Tchilingirian 07968 446223 or send an email to parish@stsarkislondon.org.

SOCIETY OF WESTERN ARMENIAN SPEAKERS

Almost a year or so ago, the Information Centre of the Primate’s Office of the Armenian Church of the UK and Ireland, published an article in the E-Newsletter reflecting upon the alarming decision by the UNESCO in February of 2010, by

which the Western Armenian dialect was joined to UNESCO’s online Atlas of World Languages in Danger. UNESCO ranked Western Armenian with the “definitely” status within the list’s degrees of endangerment. Out of the five-tier spectrum that ranges from “vulnerable” to “extinct,” the classification “definitely endangered” refers to a language which its people’s children no longer learn as their mother tongue at home. At the conclusion of the reflection, the Primate issued a call to all Armenians and Armenian organisations to work together on creating opportunities and fora as well as funding to promote the usage of Western Armenian among our people here in the UK and Ireland. We are happy to inform our readers that the Armenian Programme of the School of Oriental and African Studies of the University of London has seriously responded to this situation by creating the “Society of Western Armenian Speakers.” The Society meets on monthly basis to promote the Western Armenian dialect through its various programmes. The next session of the Society will be on Sunday, 30 October at 5:00-7:00 PM in Russell Square: College Buildings, Room: G3. For further information please contact Professor Krikor Moskofian km48@soas.ac.uk, or Tel: 020 7898 4333.

Sponsor: in association with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation ARMENIAN CHURCH PRISON MINISTRY

The Primate’s Office recently announced the launching of a new ministry to reach out and comfort those among the Armenians who are incarcerated (in prison). We will contact the authorities involved and coordinate an Armenian priest’s visit to the prison to meet, pray with and comfort the incarcerated individual. For further information please contact the Primate’s Office at: primatesoffice@armenianchurch.co.uk, or call: 020 8127 8364.

CHRISTMAS CAROLS IN ARMENIAN AND ENGLISH WITH THE ACYF

The Armenian Church Youth Fellowship (ACYF) is happy to announce the second annual “Christmas Carol Evening” to be celebrated at St. Yeghiche Church on

Saturday, 17th December, 2011. The evening, to be presided over by the Very Revd Dr. Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate, will include processions, readings of passages from the Holy Scripture, and carol singing by members of the St. Yeghiche and St. Sarkis (London) and Holy Trinity (Manchester) Church Choirs. While choir members will lead in the singing of the carols, as in the previous year, the faithful gathered will be encouraged to join in the singing. Booklets, including the text of the service and the lyrics of the carols, in Armenian and English, will be distributed to those attending the service. Participating in the service will be the members of the ACYF as well as several professional Armenian singers who will sing pieces from traditional Armenian Nativity or classical/European Advent solo songs. So, mark your calendar, tell your friends to join you and your family members at the second annual Armenian Church Christmas Carol Service, scheduled to commence at 7:30pm, Saturday, 17 December, 2011. All are welcome. No admission fees. Join us in celebrating the holy season of Advent, the anticipation, expectation and preparations for the miracle of miracles: the Birth of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Also, if you are a member of an Armenian organisation in London, please inform your executive committee NOT to schedule an event on the same Saturday evening, so we can all enjoy all the Armenian events of the season. Finally, come prepared to sing along.

YOUNG ARMENIANS DISCUSSING THEIR CHRISTIAN IDENTITY IN BRITAIN... JOIN US

Like minded group of young Armenian men and women, who feel comfortable discussing their mutual Armenian identity and Christian faith, of ages 21-40, plan to meet regularly to explore the Christian faith of our ancestors and the relevance

of the message of the gospel in their lives today. The group will be meeting in the houses of the participants in a casual, welcoming and friendly atmosphere to discuss and learn more about our faith, ask any question they feel like asking and make any comment they want to make without feeling intimidated. Subjects to be discussed will include the teaching of the Armenian Church vs. our contemporary social life and moral challenges. The relevance of the Armenian Church, the pillar of our ethnic and national identity as Armenians, in our life today; our commitment to and involvement in, the life of the church; or the lack of them! ALL are welcome. The initiators and coordinators of the group whole heartedly welcome ALL Armenian young men and women and their friends to join them in these casual get-togethers. Armenians who are Christians, doubting, non-believers, atheists, pagans, who think the church is corrupt, who believe in the scientifically- non-proven and very-much-challenged hypothesis of evolution, who do not participate in the church life, who date or are married to non-Armenians and non-Christians are all welcome. The group hopes to launch its regular gatherings in November. If interested to be part of its regular meetings please write to yeridasart@yahoo.co.uk

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS

(According to the Armenian Church Lectionary)

Sunday 30/10

Isaiah 22:15-24 Ephesians 1:1-14 Luke 8:17-21

Monday 31/10

Wisdom 5:1-8 Amos 3:12-15 Ephesians 3:1-10 John 10:11-16

Tuesday 1/11

Proverbs 8:12-21 Nahum 2:1-7 1 Timothy 5:17-21 Luke 9:23-27

Wednesday 2/11

Fasting day

Ephesians 1:15-2:3 Luke 8:22-25

Thursday 3/11

Wisdom 6:22-25 Zechariah 12:6-10 Hebrews 13:7-9 Matthew 4:23-25

Friday 4/11

Fasting day

Ephesians 2:4-22 Luke 8:40-48

Saturday 5/11

Genesis 18:33-19:2 Job 38:4-7 Isaiah 6:1-7 Ezekiel 1:1-20 Hebrews 1:6-14 Matthew 18:10-14

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“ANOUSH OPERA” TO BE PERFORMED IN SPRING 2011 Calling All Armenians!

The “London Armenian Opera” is currently auditioning alto, tenor and bass singers to join its enthusiastic chorus. Orchestral musicians are also invited to apply. This is a unique opportunity to contribute towards what promises to be a very colourful, entertaining and unforgettable performance. Care to join? Then contact Aris on 07890 339928 or Arisnadirian@aol.com. Aris is the choir director of the St. Yeghiche Church in Cranley Gardens, London.

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HELP US MAKE A DIFFERENCE–DONATE TO THE CHURCH ONLINE

One way of being an effective partner in the ministry of the Armenian Church in the UK and Ireland, is to help financially support the various programmes and activities launched and promoted by the Primate’s Office (e.g. Bible Study, youth ministry, educational lectures and courses, deacons’ training, pilgrimages, festival, ... etc). You can do so online by clicking on the following link: Click Here. Thank you!

THE PRIMATE’S SCHEDULE

The Primate is grateful and wishes to thank all those who send him invitations to preside over or participate in various events in the community. However, may we

ask you please to try and inform the Primate’s Office about your organisation’s event in advance so the Primate can arrange his schedule accordingly. Inviting the Primate two days before the event, does not leave him much time to rearrange his calendar. Recently such invitations were received, which the Primate, to his dismay, had to decline out of respect and courtesy to the other organisations who had invited him months in advance on the same date. Such situations leave those in the community attending the event confused about the absence of the Primate, since usually no announcement is made by the organisation to explain the reason for the Primate’s absence. Needless to say, such situations may be used by some, unfortunately, to fabricate false and unsubstantiated rumors. So, please, help us all celebrate our events, by organizing our calendars together and in advance.

ARMENIAN CHURCH OUTREACH ONLINE  You can read all the news and updates concerning the Armenian Church in the UK, Ireland

and worldwide and learn about past and forthcoming events in the Armenian Church at the official website of the Armenian Church in UK and Ireland: www.armenianchurch.co.uk.

 If you are not on our Church mailing list and wish to receive our popular weekly E-Newsletter, kindly forward your e-mail address, or the e-mail of a person who wishes to receive our E-Newsletter to: information@armenianchurch.co.uk.

HELP US

Continue publishing the E-Newsletter & offering the various educational, cultural & social programmes & activities planned and funded by the Primate’s Office by financially supporting the Armenian Church Trust UK. CLICK HERE

BIBLE STUDY GROUPS

The Continuing Education Ministry (CEM) of the Primate’s Office is happy to announce that the Bible Study groups resumed their meetings at Nevart Gulbenlkain Hall: the Armenian group meets on Tuesdays, at 6:30 while the English Study group meets on Fridays at 6:45PM. (No session on 4 November).

ARMENIAN CHURCH OF UK AND IRELAND

The Primate’s Office: 25 Cheniston Gardens, Kensington, London W8 6TG, UK Website: www.armenianchurch.co.uk • E-mail: primatesoffice@armenianchurch.co.uk Phone: 020 8127 8364 • Fax: 087 2111 5548

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