Armenian Church E-Newsletter, Issue 12, Volume 3

OF IRELAND

London Armenian Street Festival - Updates

The first general meeting of the Second Annual Armenian Street Festival took place on Wednesday, 14 March at the Nevart Gulbenkian Hall. Invited to the meeting were the chairmen and representatives of all Armenian organisations and schools. The meeting was under the auspices of H.G.BishopVahan Hovhanessian, and chaired by Mr. Dikran Bedrosian, 2012 ASF Co-ordinator. Those present discussed the various aspects of the Festival including the entertainment programme, the children’s games and activities, food preparations and serving, the stalls and security. The main theme of the Festival will be the Queen’s Jubilee. However, the Festival will highlight the 2012 Olympics as well. This year, the Primaate’s Office, who is the organizer of the Annual Armenian Street Festival, will be blocking a larger area for the festival to accommodate a larger crowd that is expected to visit this year’s Festival. At last year’s Festival 1500 complete meal dishes were sold by 3:00pm! All present agreed that in order to make this year’s Festival even more successful than last year’s there should be a smooth coordination between all aspects of the festival and enough number of volunteers. So, if you are interested to join a team of enthusiastic volunteers to help making the 2012-Armenian Street Festival a great success for all, please e-mail your name to: festival@armenianchurch.co.uk. For stall rentals, please contact Susan at: levonsusan@btinternet.com. Sponsors are welcome and will be acknowledged at the Festival and in the E-Newsletter. For donations, please contact the Primate’s Office at: 0208 127 8364, or e-mail: primatesoffice@armenianchurch.co.uk. Help us make this year’s Festival a true celebration of our Armenian heritage, culture, and identity.

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 836423 MARCH 2012

ISSUE 12 VOLUME 3

... AND MADAGH

Tekeyan Cultural Association

Since its establishment in 1975 in London, Tekeyan Cultural Association (TCA) had many years of prosperous and well-remembered cultural and social activities with incredible projects involving biggest cultural groups from Armenia and other diaspora centres, being promoted in UK. With the help of Tekeyan Trust, established in 1979, the TCA, was able to establish “Arax” dance group, major youth activity at a "Tokyo Joe" site club and work jointly in realizing “Erebouni” biweekly publication for many years. Once the “Tekeyan Centre” was established in Yerevan, the activities of the TCA London slowed down since the attention was more concentrated on the Centre's operation. Now the newly formed Executive committee of the TCA London is revitalising the Association to bring it to the same cultural activities level as it was before. A dinner marked the launching of the TCA's new programme of cultural & youth activities for this year, on Saturday, 17 th March, 2012 at Tara Hotel’s banquet hall, which is an important step for the Association since in few years time (2015) it will celebrate it's 40th anniversary with a special year of cultural activities. This is also animportant step for our community in UK, where the cultural life will prosper to a impressive level.

Armenian Institute Book Signing

Karen Babayan launched a sparkling collection of stories from multiple generations of her Iranian Armenian family on March 17 at Armenian House. Organised by the Armenian Institute, the evening included an opportunity to taste the food that inspired the title of her collection, Blood Oranges Dipped in Salt.

Babayan is well-known in London as an artist creating in different media and her work was shown in both Armenian Institute exhibitions at the Brunei Gallery: Layered Lives (2006) and Treasured Objects (2010). She is currently a PhD candidate at Leeds University and this collection is one of a varied array of projects that she is doing to complete her degree. The book’s stories give perspectives from different centuries, from the forced transfer of the people of Julfa to New Julfa in Iran, to a contemporary adjusting to rural life in UK, having grown up in urban Iran.

Every big family has its characters, secrets and relationships that blend love and tension in their own particular ways and Babayan tells these stories with humour and empathy. She and her daughter, Persia, read excerpts from the book, bringing the stories alive. The book (£15) is available through

the Armenian Institute website with paypal facility or through Karen Babayan at Pansy Press (will add this link later). the second place to find the book (see below at end) is Wild Pansy Press, Click Here.

HAVE YOU VISITED OUR DIOCESAN WEBSITE RECENTLY?

www.armenianchurch.co.uk

23 MARCH 2012 ISSUE 12, VOLUME 3

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SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST

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YOUTH MINISTRY DISCUSSED AT ACYF MEETING

Last Tuesday, members of the Executive Committee of the Armenian Church Youth Fellowship (ACYF) met with H.G. Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian, in the Primate’s Office at Hye Doon, to discuss the various aspects of the administration of the organization, roughly a year after its inception in London. The group reviewed its past and on- going programmes and discussed some of the new ideas and activities to be implemented. The ACYF operates directly under the supervision of the Primate. It was established over a year ago by the Primate to create a forum for young Armenians who are proud of their Armenian identity and comfortable with their Christian faith, eager to explore more about these two pillars. To join us, write to the ACYF: acyf@armenianchurch.co.uk, or visit our Facebook page.

AND/OR CALL-OUTS

SERVICE OF THE WASHING OF THE FEET On Holy Thursday, 5th April, Armenians around the world will commemorate Our Lord’s washing of His disciples’ feet event, through the traditional Washing of the Feet service, scheduled at 17:30. If you would like to have the feet of your son or grandson or nephew washed during the service at St. Sarkis Church, please contact the Primate’s Office to register him at 0208 127 8364 or e-mail: primatesoffice@armenianchurch.co.uk

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

WWW.ARMENIANCHURCHTRUST.ORG.UK

23 March 2012 Issue 12, Volume 3

THE FOUNDING ASSEMBLY OF ST. SARKIS PARISH After two years of preparation, the founding of St. Sarkis Church Parish will be held on Palm Sunday, 1 April. With the blessing of His Holiness Karekin II, the Catholicos of All Armenians and under the presidency of our Primate, His Grace Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian, the registered members of St. Sarkis Church parish will gather in the church for the inaugural Parish Assembly Meeting. The formal announcement, meeting agenda and the Bylaws of the Parish -- which is approved by His Grace Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate, and by which the parish will be governed – has been sent to registered members one month before the meeting. On 1 April, registration of members of the founding Parish Assembly will continue in the Gulbenkian Hall from 11:00 AM-1:00 PM; following the celebration of Divine Liturgy, there will be a complimentary lunch for Registered Members at 1:00 PM and then the Parish Assembly Meeting in St. Sarkis Church at 2:00 PM. “The formal establishment of the St. Sarkis Church Parish will be an historic event in the life of our church,” said Dr. Hratch Tchilingirian, the Hon. President of St. Sarkis Church Trust and Chairman of the Pastoral Council. “For the first time in the 90-year history of St. Sarkis Church, the people will take part in the ministry of the church and will have the privilege of participating in the decision-making process by attending and voting at the Annual Parish Assembly,” he explained. Contrary to some misconceptions, becoming a parishioner of St. Sarkis Church does not mean you cannot attend or worship in other churches. Becoming a parishioner is about commitment to a particular congregation that you consider significant in your or your family's life and you want to participate in her mission. The announcement letter, registration form, meeting agenda and the bylaws could be downloaded from the website of the Armenian Church [Click Here].

What is a Parish?

A Parish is a congregation of believers who come together to worship in a particular church according to the teachings of the Gospel of Christ and the liturgical tradition of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church. It is a community of people who share and uphold common Christian values that enrich their personal and collective lives - values such as Faith, Hope and Love. While the understanding or expectations of each individual from the church or the Parish may be different, what the Parish strives for is to come together and build a nurturing community based on the teachings of Christianity and in the context of the rich Armenian cultural heritage. Becoming a member of a parish does not mean you cannot attend other churches. The mission of the church is realised through Christ-centred worship, education, witness and service as expressed in the distinctive faith-experience of the Armenian people.

ST. SARKIS CHURCH LADIES’ COMMITTEE EASTER SUNDAY BAZAAR On Easter Sunday, 8th April, and following the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, the Ladies’ Committee of the St. Sarkis Church will have its annual Easter Bazaar in the Nevart Gulbenkian Hall. Join us and support our hard working ladies.

THE PRIMATE’S OFFICE The Primate’s Office is now accessible to the faithful anytime during the week. You can reach the Office by e-mail: primatesoffice@armenianchurch.co.uk, or telephone: 0208 127 8364. Please contact the local church office or pastor directly (St. Sarkis, St. Yeghiche or Holy Trinity) if you want to arrange a sacrament, church service or Hokehankisd.

23 March 2012

Issue 12, Volume 3

SCRIPTURE READINGS

According to the Armenian Church Lectionary

Sunday – 25 March

Galst;an Kiraki

Sunday of Advent

Luke 21:5-38 Isaiah 66:1-24 Colossians 2:8-3:17 Matthew 22:34-23:39

Monday – 26 March

Twenty Ninth Day of Great Lent

Daniel 7:2-27 1 Corinthians 12:1-7

Tuesday – 27 March

1 Corinthian 12:8-27

Wednesday – 28 March

Exodus 4:21-5:3 Zecharaiah 9:9-16

Thursday – 29 March

Isaiah 53:1-54:5 1 Corinthians 15:1-28

Friday – 30 March

Deuteronomy 11:10-25 Job 21:1-34 Isaiah 46:3-47:4

Saturday – 31 March

Proverbs 14:27-35 1 Thessalonians 4:12-17 John 11:55-12:11

Holy Thursday at St. Sarkis Church

11:00

17:30

20:00

The Institution of the Eucharist - Badarak Washing of Feet (Please note the change in time) Betrayal Service (Khavaroom)

Holy Friday at St. Sarkis Church 16:30 The Service of the Burial

Holy Saturday (Easter Eve) at St. Sarkis and St. Yeghiche 17:30 Evening Service – Scripture Readings 18:00 Divine Liturgy

Easter Sunday- Feast OF the Resurrection of the Lord 11:0 Divine Liturgy

Join us this Friday, 30 March, for our 6th and final Friday of the Great Lenten Vigils, as we pray the traditional Peace and Rest services. These inspiring services are being offered at St. Sarkis Church, Kensington, London every Friday at 6:35pm. Following Church services, a Lenten dinner is served in the Nevart Gulbenkian Hall. A donation of £10 will help defray the cost of the preparation of the dinner and support the various church programmes. This Friday our host will be the Ladies’ Committee of Hye Doon. 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. 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!

Please note that there will be no Bible Study sessions in Armenian or English during this coming week or the following week (Holy Week). The Bible Study groups will resume during the week following Easter.