Armenian Church E-Newsletter, Issue 26

23 JUNE 2012

ISSUE 26 VOLUME 3

E-NEWSLETTER H- J:RJIK A WEEKLY ONLINE PUBLICATION OF THE PRIMATE’S OFFICE OF THE DIOCESE OF THE

ARMENIAN CHURCH OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND

THE BROTHERHOOD OF HOLY ETCHMIADZIN MEETS AND ISSUES A STATEMENT

ON JUNE 6, the 5th Bi-Annual Conference of the priest members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin opened their meeting in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin with His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, presiding. Participating in the meeting were also members from the brotherhoods of The Great House of Cilicia, and the Armenian Patriarchates of Jerusalem and Constantinople. The first session of the meeting started with the words of blessing and welcome by His Holiness. The theme of this year’s meeting was: “The Incorporation of Electronic Media in the Armenian Church Ministry.” As in the previous meetings, the conference included lectures by the members of the Brotherhood, discussions, pastoral visitations, meditations and prayer services. At the conclusion of the Conference, the Brotherhood issued a statement on the recent tragic events at the Armenian-Azerbaijan border, stating: “We are deeply concerned with the situation at the shared border with the Republic of Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the continued systematic violations of the cease-fire. These have led to the injury and death of soldiers, as well as peaceful civilians. In recent days we have witnessed yet more cease-fire violations, where innocent soldiers, who have brought their service to the RA borders, have become victims of Azerbaijan provocations.” Click Here to read the statement in its fullness.

The Primate’s Office c/o Hye Doon 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

23 June 2012

Issue 26, Volume 3

KARABAGH SPEAKER IN HOUSE OF LORDS

COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN PRESENTED by the Azeri Government to the British Government for allowing an Address to be delivered by the Speaker of the Karabagh Parliament , the Rt Hon Ashot Ghulyan MP , on the occasion of the 20th AGM of the British-Armenian All-Party Parliamentary Group (BAAPPG) on Monday 11th June 2012, in Committee Room One of the House of Lords, British Parliament. The invitation to the Speaker had been issued by the BAAPPG , together with an application for the Speaker’s Visa to the British Embassy in Yerevan Armenia and the event had been organised to include it in its 20th AGM , as part of the celebrations to mark the Twentieth Anniversary of the Founding of the Group.It was the two questions asked by Lord Lea who - although not being a Member of the Armenian Group but was allowed to attend the meeting, representing the British-Turkish All-Party Parliamentary Group – that created the unexpected opportunity for both the Karabagh Speaker and the Armenian Ambassador Mrs Karineh Kazinian to express their opinions and expose the facts about the conflict in Karabagh. Click Here for further reading.

Follow THE ARMENIAN STREET FESTIVAL on FACEBOOK

STEPHEN YEGHIAZARIAN, an executive member of the Armenian Church Youth Fellowship (ACYF) and a member of the Armenian Street Festival (ASF), has recently published a new Facebook page dedicated to the Armenian Street Festival. The Facebook page includes all necessary information about the date, time, location and details of the programme of the Festival. You can join the ASF Facebook page by Clicking Here: https://www.facebook.com/ASFLondon to read about all future festival announcements.

THE ARMENIAN MINORITY IN GEORGIA

THE MINORITY RIGHTS GROUP INTERNATIONAL has recently published an article about the Armenians of Georgia as the largest minority in that country during the Soviet Era. According to the Report, “Armenians were the largest minority in Georgia prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union; since that time they have declined in both absolute and proportional terms to become Georgia’s second largest minority. According to the 2002 national census, there were 248,929 Armenians. There is a substantial Armenian community in Tbilisi, and rural Armenian communities are compactly settled in the southern region of Javakheti bordering on Armenia. There is also a substantial Armenian community in Abkhazia.” Despite sharing a common Christian identity, the Report adds, “relations between Georgians and Armenians have historically been tense, largely due to Armenian economic and political domination of Tbilisi and other eastern cities in the nineteenth century. Click Here to read the entire Report.

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

Rt. Hon Ashot Ghulyan, National Assembly Chairman

Etchmiadzin Church in Tibilisi, Georgia

WWW.ARMENIANCHURCHTRUST.ORG.UK

23 June 2012 Issue 26 Volume 3

ARMENIAN STREET FESTIVAL BOOKLET

A BOOKLET WILL BE PUBLISHED for the Armenian Street Festival, 29th July, which will include a basic plan of the programme of the day, a menu of the food to be sold at the Festival as well as a map of the various sections of the Festival. Armenian organisations, business owners and friends of the Armenian Church are welcome to support the Festival by sponsoring a page or half a page in the booklet. You can express your wishes and publish the name and contact info of your business according to the following fees: Full page: £200; Half a page: £120; business card: £50. Please send your cheques, payable to The Armenian Church Trust UK, c/o Hye Doon, 25 Cheniston Gardens, Kensington

London W8 6TG. You may send your donation with our GiftAid form, so the church can benefit from the Gift Aid benefits.

The St. Sarkis Parish Council aims to make St. Sarkis Church our Spiritual “home” where Faith, Hope and Love are the cornerstones of our communal and spiritual life. We aim to help strengthen the ties between our family and friends with the Church and to reach out to all those in the community with love, respect, understanding, charity, inclusion and good works. You are all invited to build our parish community based on faith in God, and belief that together we can make a difference. In an effort to provide an opportunity for the congregation to have their questions answered about the Sunday services we have initiated the Badarak Basics. Once a month, those wishing to ask

questions whether simple or complicated ones, in English or in Armenian, on the spiritual and theological meaning of our Divine Liturgy will have the opportunity to do so. The officiating Clergy in church, will make themselves available to answer your questions. We are happy to announce that the Revd Fr. Shnork Bagdassarian will run the first session on Sunday 24th June, 2012. Further sessions will be announced.

. The AREV Children's Play Group for Pre-School to 11 years old children will meet at the Gulbenkian Hall of the St. Sarkis Church in Kensington, London, on 25 June; 11:30 am. Programme in the Nevart Gulbenkian Hall; 12:30-12:45 children and parents attend church service. 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. For more information about AREV please call Shakeh Major Tchilingirian 07968 446223 or send an email to info@stsarkislondon.org. This

will be the last session of the season before Summer break.

Tell your friends and join us on Sunday, 29th July, at the Second Annual Armenian Street Festival

23 June 2012

Issue 26 Volume 3

SCRIPTURE READINGS

According to the Armenian Church Lectionary

Sunday – 24 June

Isaiah 1:21-31 Romans 7:25-8:11 Matthew 12:38-45

Monday – 25 June

Wisdom 3:1-8 Isaiah 48:16-17 2 Timothy 3:10-15 John 15:11-16

Tuesday – 26 June

Daniel 2:1-49 Hebrews 11:32-40 Matthew 24:9-15

Wednesday – 27 June

Fasting Day

Romans 9:1-16 Matthew 13:1-8

Thursday –28 June

Wisdom 8:7-10 Isaiah 61:6-9 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 Luke 12:32-40

Friday – 29 June

Fasting Day

Romans 9:17-27 Matthew 13:16-23

Saturday – 30 June

Wisdom 6:2-10 Isaiah 45:1-3 1 Timothy 2:1-7 Luke 11:14-23

Did You Know About Sunday ?

THE ARMENIAN word for Sunday comes from the Biblical Greek word Kirios meaning Lord, the word Kiraki, therefore, means the day of the Lord. This title, however, was adopted by Armenians after Christianity. Before Christianity, and even during the first decades of Christianity, the word miashapat was used. This word means “the first of the week.” Consequently, the second day of the week is Yergoo-shapti, and so on. Armenians, together with Christians around the world, adopted the day of the resurrection of the Lord, Sunday, as the first day of the Week. Few calendars still start their week on Sunday. We, Armenians, start our week with the celebration of the Lord through Badarak, on Sunday, the first day of our week. Google Calendar gives the option to start your online calendar-week on Sunday, Monday or Saturday!

UK PHOTOGRAPHER VISITING ARMENIA

WILL BERRIDGE, a UK based photojournalist and documentary photographer who is currently finishing his Masters degree at the University of Westminister, is seeking help regarding his final project, which deals with the Armenian people and which will be exhibited in London in September. Mr. Berridge will be in Armenia this month. As part of the project he will be looking for relatives both in the UK and Armenia to interview and photograph. If you know of anyone who may be interested please contact Will directly: wberridge@gmail.com.

NO ENGLISH BIBLE STUDY THIS THURSDAY

There will be no Bible Study session in English this Thursday. The Primate’s Office will announce the resumption of the study sessions in future communications. If interested to receive regular updates about our Bible Study sessions, please send your e-mail address to: information@armenianchurch.co.uk.

PRAYER MINISTRY

As part of the ongoing outreach mission of the Armenian Church in Great Britain and Ireland, the Primate’s Office has announced the launching of the “Prayer Ministry”. Those in need of a prayer visit by a priest or by the Primate are encouraged to contact the Primate’s Office or the clergy directly, to arrange a visit. Meanwhile, people are welcome to send their prayer requests to the Primate’s Office. Finally, those who feel the calling to help the clergy in the prayer ministry are encouraged to contact the Primate. May the Lord hear and accept our prayers.

HELP US HELP ARMENIAN GRADUATES

Armenian graduates of UK universities contact the Primate’s Office regularly seeking employment in the UK. If you or someone you know can help these bright Armenians find a job

please contact the Primate’s Office by Clicking Here or telephoning: 0208 127 8364. .

DEACONS’ TRAINING PROGRAMME

New candidates interested in learning about our church’s beautiful liturgy and how to serve the Lord through the Armenian Church are welcome to contact the Primate directly via e-mail: primate@armenianchurch.co.uk Members of the Deacons’ Training Programme help in the various churches on Sundays and travel with the Bishop for the celebration of Badarak at the Mission Parishes in the UK and Ireland. Training sessions are on Mondays at 7:00pm in St. Sarkis Church. The next session is scheduled on Monday, 2nd July.

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Be a supporter of the only Armenian Street Festival in Great Britain and Ireland by sending your donation, payable to “The Armenian Church Trust UK” to: The Primate’s Office, c/o Hye Doon, 25 Cheniston Gardens, Kensington, London W8 6TP. All donations and sponsors will be acknowledged and published in the Festival Booklet and the weekly E-Newsletter.