Armenian Church E-Newsletter, Issue 8, Volume 3

24 FEBRUARY 2012 ISSUE 8, VOLUME 3

E-NEWSLETTER H- J:RJIK A WEEKLY ONLINE PUBLICATION OF THE PRIMATE’S OFFICE OF THE DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

Bishop Meets with Executive Committee

On Thursday, 23rd February, His Grace Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate, presided over a meeting of the Executive Committee (EC) of the Managing Board of the Armenian Church Trust UK (ACT-UK). The Primate reported to the EC updates about the Primate’s Office activities concerning ACT-UK. Committee members then discussed a tentative budget for the Church activities and programmes for the year 2012 and also the various options of investing the funds available. Attending the meeting was Mrs. A. Violetta Barzankian-Kaydan, representing the Primate’s Office.

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Join Us for Ascension In Jerusalem! 2012 Annual Pilgrimage

Once again the Primate’s Office is organizing a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, this time to participate in the traditional celebration of the Feast of the Ascension which takes place outdoors in a large tent. The pilgrims will also get to visit the Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem and shrines and sites of interest to Armenian pilgrims. The tenetative schedule is: Departure from Heathrow, London, Friday night, 17 May, 22:00 and return Saturday, 26 May, arriving Heathrow at 20:00pm. Participants will receive booklets explaining the historic sites to be visited and a Bible Study reference to help in the Bible Study sessions at the biblical sites. If interested to join please contact the Primate’s Office ASAP: 0208 127 8364, primatesoffice@armenianchurch.co.uk.

Check out the Holy Etchmiadzin Website:

www.armenianchurch.org

The Primate’s Office c/o Hye Doon (Armenian House) 25 Cheniston Gardens Kensington, London W8 6TG

The Primate’s Office

c/o Hye Doon 25 Cheniston Gardens Kensington London, W8 6TG

Church Website

armenianchurch.co.uk

E-mail

primatesoffice

@armenianchurch.co.uk

Telephone

0208 127 8364

24 FEBRUARY 2012

ISSUE 8 VOLUME 3

... AND MADAGH

Revd Father Hambartsumyan Celebrates Badarak in Birmingham Mission Parish

On Sunday, 19 February, the Mission Parish Council (MPC) of the Armenian Church in Birmingham welcomed the Revd Fr. Garegin Hambartsumyan as the guest celebrant of the Badarak for that Sunday. Badarak was celebrated at St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church. Accompanying Fr. Garegin were Deacon Artur Bobikyan from the Holy Trinity Armenian Church in Manchester, to assist with the choir’s part and altar server Hovik Hovhannisyan, from St. Sarkis Church in London, to assist with the deacons’ part. Fr. Garegin, a member of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadizn who is pursuing his Ph.D. in Theology at Sheffield University, celebrated the Boon Barékéndan (Poon Parégéntan) Badarak and reflected in his sermon on the meaning of Great Lent, fasting and prayer. Following church services Fr. Garegin blessed the table of foods and drinks prepared by the MPC and joined the faithful in an Agape meal.

Ամենայն Հայոց Կաթողիկոսն ընդունեց Մեծ

Բրիտանիայի եւ Հյուսիսային Իռլանդիայի Միացյալ

Թագավորության նորանշանակ դեսպաններին

Փետրվարի 21-ին, Մայր Աթոռ Սուրբ Էջմիածնում, Ն.Ս.Օ.Տ.Տ. Գարեգին Բ Ծայրագույն Պատրիարք եւ Ամենայն Հայոց Կաթողիկոսն ընդունեց Մեծ Բրիտանիայի եւ Հյուսիսային Իռլանդիայի Միացյալ Թագավորության նորանշանակ դեսպաններ Քեթրին Ջեյն Լիչին եւ Ջոնաթան Ջեյմս Էյվզին: Շնորհավորելով դեսպաններին նշանակման առիթով` Վեհափառ Հայրապետն իր օրհնությունն ու բարեմաղթանքներն ուղղեց նրանց: Նորին Սրբությունը վստահություն հայտնեց, որ նախորդ դեսպանների պաշտոնավարման շրջանում ձեւավորված սերտ կապերը դեսպանատան եւ Մայր Աթոռի միջեւ կշարունակվեն: Հանդիպմանը մասնավոր անդրադարձ կատարվեց Մեծ Բրիտանիայի հայկական համայնքին եւ հայոց թեմի գործունեությանը: Հայոց Հայրապետը դեսպաններին ներկայացրեց նաեւ Հայաստանյայց Առաքելական Եկեղեցու առջեւ ծառացած արդի մարտահրավերները, ինչպես նաեւ Մայր Աթոռի գործունեությունը կրթական եւ սոցիալական ոլորտներում:

Garegin

On 21 February, His Holiness Karekin II, received, at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, There Excellencies Jonathan James Aves and Catherine Jane Leach, the United Kingdom’s newly appointed ambassadors to Armenia.

HAVE YOU VISITED OUR DIOCESAN WEBSITE RECENTLY?

www.armenianchurch.co.uk

24 FEBRUARY 2012 ISSUE 8, VOLUME 3

SUNDAYS OF THE GREAT LENT – “EXPULSION”

Great Lent, the annual season of spiritual self-examination and penance, in the Armenian Church is seen as a spiritual journey of

renewal that starts with Poon Parégéntan Sunday and ends with Holy Week, culminating in the feast of the resurrection of Christ,

Easter Sunday. Our spiritual mother, the Armenian Church, guides us through this annual journey of prayer, meditation, fasting

and almsgiving, by designating six theological stations for our journey, in the themes of the six Sundays in Great Lent. Each

theme calls upon the faithful to reflect upon one of the various aspects of Lent and of ways of enhancing our spiritual life and

turning away from bad habits and practices that we might have become accustomed to. With Poon Parégéntan, the Church

reminds us that God created us to live happily and in prosperity. Pari Gyank, “Good Living,” is what God created us for! The

first Sunday of Lent, however, comes to remind us of the reality that our life today is nowhere as happy and prosperous as God

intended it for us to be. There is death, sickness, poverty, hatred, jealousy and natural disasters. That is why the Fathers of our

Church designated “Expulsion” as the theme of the first Sunday in Lent; the first station of our annual spiritual journey. The term

is based on the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden because of their disobedience to God. The Church reminds

us that we are in this fallen state because we, beginning with Adam and Eve, chose to reject God’s will, and as such, subjected

ourselves to a world where God has voluntarily and temporarily stepped out of the picture to allow us, out of love, to enjoy our

freedom. We are on this earth, because we have been expelled from the blessed state of living in the presence of God and

according to His will. With this theme in mind, the church calls upon us to spend the second week of Lent reflecting on our

sinfulness and the consequence of disobeying God. Have we personally made decisions or choices knowingly that they are

SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST

against God’s will? Do we live a lifestyle that is not in agreement with the gospel of Jesus Christ? Do we make an effort to know

AND/OR CALL-OUTS

what God’s will for us is? Through the remaining Sundays of Great Lent the Church will help us reflect upon how we can regain that blessed state of eternal life, joy and peace. May the Lord accept our prayers and fasting during this blessed season.

SURPRISE GUESTS AT THE SECOND ANNUAL ARMENIAN STREET FESTIVAL The Primate’s Office has received confirmation of the visit of several celebrities and politicians to the Second Armenian Street Festival. Join us Sunday, 29th July, 2012, as we celebrate the second Armenian Street Festival in the UK. Since its inception last year, the Armenian Street Festival was planned by the Primate’s Office as an all-Armenian festival and the emphasis has been put on inviting as many Armenian organisations and groups to be part of the planning and producing of the event as possible. Last year’s Festival attracted many celebrities and dignitaries including the Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and over two thousand people. The Festival generated an income of over £6,000 after expenses. As always volunteers are needed to help with the various aspects of the Festival. If interested please contact the Primate’s Office by phone: 0208 127 8364 or E-MAIL. The Festival will include Armenian food, song, music, dance, church concert, stalls, children’s games and more.

FIRST ARMENIAN CHURCH ANNUAL ASSEMBLY

Mark your calendar the new date for the first Annual Assembly of the Armenian Church of the United Kingdom and Ireland, which will take place on Sunday, 11th March, 2012 in the St. Yeghiche Armenian Church in South Kensington, London, at 2:00pm, following the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. During the Assembly the following will be presented and discussed: the Primate’s Report; the report of the Armenian Church Youth Fellowship (ACYF); the activities and financial report of the Primate’s Office; and a proposed list of activities and budget for the year 2012. All are invited to participate in the Assembly. This is in an effort to engage our people in every aspect of the Armenian Church operation and administration. The Armenian Church has always been the heart and soul of the Armenian people. For further information, please contact the Primate’s Office at: 0208 127 8364, or e-mail: primtesoffice@armenianchurch.co.uk

CHECK OUT THE ARMENIAN CHURCH TRUST – UK WEBSITE (ACT-UK)

WWW.ARMENIANCHURCHTRUST.ORG.UK

24 February 2012

ISSUE 8, VOLUME 3

SCRIPTURE READINGS

According to the Armenian Church Lectionary

Sunday – 26 February

Artaqsman Kiraki

Expulsion Sunday

Isaiah 33:2-22 Romans 12:1-13:10 Matthew 5:17-48

Monday – 27 February

Eighth Day of Great Lent

1 Samuel 1:1-23 Proverbs 1:1-33 Jeremiah 1:1-10

Tuesday – 28 February

1 Samuel 1:23-2:26 Proverbs 2:1-3:10 Jeremiah 1:11-2:3

Wednesday – 29 February

Exodus 1:1-2:10 Joel 1:14-20

Thursday – 1 March

1 Samuel 3:21-4:18 Proverbs 3:11-4:14 Jeremiah 2:31-3:16

Friday – 2 March

Deuteronomy 7:11-8:1 Job 9:1-10:2 Isaiah 40:9-17

Saturday – 3 March

Proverbs 11:2-11 Isaiah 61:3-7 2 Timothy 4:1-8 John 10:11-16

Starting this Friday, 24th February

Join us this Friday, 24 February, for the first of six consecuetive Fridays during Great Lent, as we pray the traditional Peace and Rest services. These inspiring services will be offered at St. Sarkis Church, Kensington, London every Friday at 6:35pm. Service booklets have been prepared which contain the prayers, petitions, hymns and psalmodies of the services in Classical Armenian and English. This will hopefully make participation in the service easier and more inspiring especially for our youth and those who do not understand Classical Armenian very well. Indeed, the prayers and hymns of these services are some of the most inspiring prayers of the Armenian Church. Every Friday during Lent, after church services, a Lenten dinner will be served in the Nevart Gulbenkian Hall. The menu will include home- made food, according to the Armenian traditional recipes, with wine, soft drinks, coffee/tea and dessert. Each Friday one of the church organisations in London will prepare the dinner. A donation of £10 will help defray the cost of the preparation of the dinner and support the various church programmes. Free parking available from 18:30 onward. Join us! Click Here for more info.

William Shakespeare has had a strong influence in Armenia; poets, playwrights, actors and audiences have all lived and worked within his generous shade. Many great actors and directors have emerged from Armenia to go on to international success. For the first time in London, the Gabriel Sundukyan Academic Theatrical Group from Armenia, will be performing Shakespeare’s “King John” in the Globe on the 16th and 17th of May, 2012. Click Here for more info!

The Bible Study groups have resumed their weekly study and discussion sessions in the Nevart Gulbenkian Hall of the St. Sarkis Church according to the following schedule: Tuesdays at 18:30-20:00 in Armenian, and Thursdays at 19:00-20:30 in English, 23rd February. You do not have to be a biblical scholar or a church-goer to attend our Bible Study sessions. All are welcome, including new friends.

The Church altar curtain remains drawn during the holy season of Great Lent, as an expression of voluntarily depriving ourselves from the privilege of partaking in the Holy Communion. By doing so, the Church reminds us of the consequence of our sin: alienation from God and separation from God’s presence. Consequently, no communion is distributed in Armenian Churches to the public during Lenten.