Armenian Church E-Newsletter, Issue 14, Volume 3 - Special Issue - Holy Week

5 APRIL 2012 ISSUE 14, VOLUME 3

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

Holy Week 2012 - Schedule Please join your local Armenian Church parish and community in participating as many of the Holy Week Services, according to the following schedule:

Holy Thursday

At St. Sarkis Church, London

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

11:00

17:30

20:00

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

At Holy Trinity Church, Manchester

17:15 Washing of the Feet 19:00 Betrayal and Arrest Service

Holy Friday

At St. Sarkis Church 16:30 The Service of the Burial

At Holy Trinity Church, Manchester 17:00 Burial Service

Holy Saturday (Easter Eve) At St. Sarkis and St. Yeghiche, London, and Birmingham MPC

17:30 Evening Service – Scripture Readings 18:00 Divine Liturgy – celebrant at St. Sarkis: Bishop Vahan

Easter Sunday- Feast of the Resurrection of the Lord At St. Sarkis and St. Yeghiche, London and Holy Trinity, Manchester

11:15 Divine Liturgy–celebrant at St. Yeghiche: Bishop Vahan On Monday Easter Badarak at Dublin MPC (contact MPC directly)

Check the Holy Week Calendar in London by:

Clicking Here

The Primate’s Office c/o Hye Doon (Armenian House) 25 Cheniston Gardens Kensington, London W8 6TG5 APRIL 2012

ISSUE 14 VOLUME 3

SHUSHI ANNIVERSARY

Commemoration & Celebration

The Friends of Artsakh, under the auspices of His Grace Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate, invite you to an evening of commemoration celebrating the liberation of Shushi, Artsakh (Nagorno Karabagh), to take place on Saturday, 19th May, 2012 at 19:00 hrs in the Twyford Church of England High School (Twyford Crescent, Acton, London W3 9PP). The programme will include the screening of the documentary “Legends of Shushi” by Samvel Tadevosyan, and performances of music and poetry by UK Armenian talents. For further information please contact he Primate’s Office at 0208 127 8364, or e-mail: primatesoffice@armenianchurch.co.uk

ARMENIAN STREET FESTIVAL:

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Volunteers are needed for the various aspects of managing the second annual Armenian Street Festival in London. As announced earlier, the main theme of the Festival, to take place on Sunday, 29th July, 2012, 12:00-18:00hrs, will be the Queen’s Jubilee. The Festival will highlight the 2012 Olympics as well. This year, the Primate’s Office, which organizes 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. If you are interested to join a team of enthusiastic volunteers to help make the 2012-Armenian Street Festival in London 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 once again a true celebration of our Armenian heritage, culture, and identity.

PRIMATE VISITS CAPEL REHOBOTH IN

SOLIDARITY WITH THE WELSH PEOPLE

A special programme was prepared by Mr. Elian Williams at the Capel Rehoboth in North Wales in memory of 3000 Welsh martyrs who were martyred in the vicinities of the Capel. The Capel was full to capacity by local Welsh people as well as Armenians from the Cardiff Mission Parish and all over the United Kingdom. Present at the gathering, which took place on Friday evening, 30th March, 2012, was Mr. Ara Markaryan, Deputy Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia. In his speech, Mr. Markarian emphasized the importance of continuing and strengthening the mutual relations between the two nations and thanked the Welsh people for their continuous support of the Armenian people and causes. His Grace Bishop Vahan, prayed for the souls of the Welsh an Armenian martyrs, and thanked the organizers for coordinating a beautiful testimony of remembrance. He in turn thanked the Welsh people and highlighted the similar history and experiences that the two nations had in the past. The programme included a concert and several recitations and songs, and a presentation on the ORRAN benevolent outreach work in Armenia, presented by Mr. Ara Krikorian. The event was promoted by the Armenian Church Mission Parish Council in Cardiff, Wales, whose chairman Mr. John Torosyan and his wife were present. In attendance were also Mr. Tatto Couligian, Chairman of the Holy Trinity Church Trust in Manchester and his wife.

The following day the Primate led a group of people to Dolbadarn Castle around which a large number of Welsh were martyred. The story of the martyrs and the inspiring scenery moved all present to offer a prayer of Remembrance (Hokehankisd) for the martyrs.

Support the programmes of the Armenian Church in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland by donating to “The Armenian Church Trust – UK”. For further information please visit our website at: www.armenianchurchtrust.org.uk

5 April 2012

Issue 14, Volume 3

THE PEOPLE AT ST.SARKIS CHURCHHAVE SPOKEN

FIRST EVER ARMENIAN CHURCH PARISH IN LONDON ESTABLISHED BY 122 FOUNDING MEMBERS

Palm Sunday, 1 April 2012, was a historic day for St. Sarkis Church in London as 122 registered members of the congregation became the Founding Members of St. Sarkis Church Parish. The founding Parish Assembly meeting started in the church at 2:00 PM with 106 registered members present and presided by the Primate of the Armenian Church in Great Britain, His Grace Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian. The Primate opened the meeting with a prayer and introductory remarks. He then introduced Her Excellency Karine Kazinian, Armenia's Ambassador to the UK, who congratulated the Parish Assembly for the historic initiative of founding the first parish in London. Ambassador Kazinian then presented to Dr. Hratch Tchilingirian, Chairman of St. Sarkis Church Trust, with the Diaspora Award of the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia, for his significant contributions to the preservation of Armenian identity and culture in the Diaspora. Dr. Tchilingirian thanked the Ministry of Diaspora and Her Excellency the Ambassador for the Award and noted that he is accepting this honour not for his personal contributions, but on behalf of the newly established Parish for their collective achievement.

The main agenda items of the inaugural Parish Assembly meeting were: Adoption of the Bylaws of the Parish; Election of Assembly Officers; Election of Parish Council; and Parish Ministry.

Following Primate's introduction, explanations and detailed discussion by members, the Assembly unanimously voted to accept the "Bylaws of St. Sarkis Church Parish" as the governing document of the parish. These bylaws, approved by the Primate to serve as the basis for the formation of the Parish, are in accordance to the bylaws of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church adopted in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin in 2009. Following the vote to adopt the bylaws, the next important item on the agenda was to elect the Tivan of the Assembly. According to the Bylaws, the Pastor of St. Sarkis, the Rev. Fr. Shnork Bagdassarian, is the President of the Parish ex-officio. Three candidates were nominated for the position of Chairman; two candidates were nominated for the position of Secretary. Ballot papers were handed out to registered members of the Assembly. Following voting by secret ballot and counting by the Ballot Committee, the Primate announced the official results: Hratch Tchilingirian was elected Chairman of the Parish Assembly and Annie Khenian as Assembly Secretary.

THE PEOPLE AT ST.SARKIS HAVE SPOKEN(cont.)

FIRST EVER ARMENIAN CHURCH PARISH IN LONDON ESTABLISHED BY 122 FOUNDING MEMBERS

The next significant item on the agenda was the election of the Parish Council, which is the executive body of the Parish. Thirteen candidates were nominated for the 7-member Council. Following secret voting and counting, the Chairman of the Assembly announced the names of those who were elected to the Parish Council: Violetta Barzankian-Kaydan, Louisa Culleton, Anahid Demirjian, Hovik Hovhanissyan, Arman Sarvarian, Patricia Setrakian and Stepan Yeghiazarian.

A discussion about the ministry of the parish and projects ensued and a number of new ideas were entertained. The Assembly unanimously voted delegating the Chairman of the Parish Assembly and the Chairman of the Parish Council with the responsibility to negotiate a formal agreement with St. Sarkis Church Trust that would clarify the

relationship of the Parish with the Trust, as well as to represent the Parish in discussions and formal talks about the formation of a Diocese in Great Britain. The 2.5 hour founding Assembly of St. Sarkis Parish concluded with the Primate's closing prayers and blessings.

Registered dues-paying members of the parish will have the privilege of participating in the decision-making process of the parish by attending and voting at the Annual Parish Assembly. They are an integral partner and steward in the life of the Parish and will be entitled to be eligible to be an officer of the Parish and serve the congregation in various capacities. Contrary to some misconceptions, becoming a parishioner of St. Sarkis Church does not mean one cannot attend or worship in other churches. Anyone is free to attend any churches they wish to at any time, but becoming a parishioner is about commitment to the ministry of a particular congregation and is not just about attending Sunday services. The life of Armenian Church communities around the world are organised around parishes, according to the canons and traditions of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Congratulations to the Armenians of Great Britain and to the St. Sarkis Parish!

PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE WILL BE NO BIBLE STUDY SESSIONS DURING HOLY WEEK

5 APRIL, 2012

ISSUE 14, VOLUME 3

SCRIPTURE READINGS

According to the Armenian Church Lectionary

Holy Thursday – 5 April

Institution of Badarak:

1 Cor11:23-32 and Mat 26:17-30

Washing of the Feet: Matthew 13:1-15

Betrayal and Arrest (Khavaroom) John 13:16-14:6; 14:7-15:3; Luke 22:1-23; Mark 14:27-42; Matthew 26:47-56; John 18:2-27; John 18:28- 19:16

Holy Friday – 6 April

Matthew 27:57-61

Saturday – 7 April Easter Eve – Eve of Resurrection

1 Corinthians 15:1-11 Matthew 28:1-20 Matthew 28:16-20

REFLECTIONS ON THE PASSION WEEK

WHY DID CHRIST HAVE TO DIE?

The Bible clearly teaches that God is holy and pure and no sinful person can approach Him. Just as darkness cannot co-exist with light or in light, so also sinful human beings cannot be with God. Any sinful act is considered annihilation from God. Since God is the source of life and eternity, separation from God and the rejection of God means separation from the source of life and eternity, and as such leads to death. If a person commits a sinful act, that person’s end is death! However, the Bible also teaches that God loves His creation and does not want them to perish. Initially, God agreed with those among His people who wanted to be reconciled with God, to purge their record of sinful acts miraculously, if they genuinely repented and offered an animal sacrifice. The destruction of the animal was accepted by God as the price of the sin committed by the people. As a public expression of the repentance of the person and his or her desire to be cleansed of the sin committed, the Old Testament, before Christ, required of the person to eat a piece of the offered sacrifice. By doing so, God was justified in redeeming His beloved creation without having Himself to violate His nature or His rule. This old system required ongoing animal sacrifices to purge the people’s sin for that year or the period since the previous offering of sacrifice. However, since man continuously sins, because of the fallen world in which we live, to fully and perfectly redeem humanity, a perfect sacrifice was needed: a sacrifice that is eternal yet is offered for the sins of humanity. Such a sacrifice can only be a divine sacrifice: a person, who is divine and eternal, yet sacrificed for the sin of humanity. The one and only person who can fulfill this requirement is God Himself! It is because of this that Christ, God incarnate, had to die, offering Himself a sacrifice for the our sins. And it is exactly because of his miraculous conversion of the bread and wine into his body and blood, that every time we participate in the Holy Communion, we partake of a portion of the eternal sacrifice, Badarak! “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16)

AMBSSADOR CALLS A METING FOR THE

COMMEMORATION OF THE GENOCIDE - 2015

Her Excellency Karine Kazinian, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia is calling a meeting to deliver and discuss the Presidential Decree, calling on all Armenian organisations to establish a Committee for preparing and planning for the 100th Anniversary of the Genocide of the Armenians in 1915, which will be commemorated on 2015. The meeting will take place on Wednesday, 25th April 2012 at 7:30pm in the Armenian House. Present at the meeting will be His Grace Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate.

SHAKESPEARE’S “KING JOHN” IN ARMENIAN

For the first time in the United Kingdom, 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!

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

WWW.ARMENIANCHURCHTRUST.ORG.UK