Armenian Church E-Newsletter, Issue 34

18 AUGUST 2012

ISSUE 34 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

“TU-BIR OR NOT TU-BIR?”

ON SUNDAY, 2ND SEPTEMBER, 2012 four young men who have been serving at the altars of St. Sarkis and St. Yeghiche churches in London will be ordained to the Four Minor Orders of the Armenian Church receiving the title Tubir (Dupir). The four candidates have been participants in the Primate’s Deacons’ Training Programme, which meets weekly to train young men in the Armenian Church’s inspiring liturgy and

church services. In this and the following issues of the E-Newsletter we will discuss the history and function of the Tubirs and some details about the ordination services itself which will take place in the Holy Trinity Church in Manchester. We read in the Bible that as the number of Christians was increasing, the Apostles requested of the local Christian communities to suggest men whom the Apostles could train and ordain as assistants to help them in the ministry of the local church (Acts 6). Consequently, the Apostles ordained the first generation of altar servers and ministers, by the laying of hands over their heads (tsern-a-trootyoon). The Church, following the death of the Apostles, continued the apostolic tradition of preparing and ordaining new altar servers to assist in the church ministry. Gradually, three major ranks were distinguished in the church ministry: Deacons, to assist the priests in the liturgical and pastoral ministry of the church; Priests to lead the local church’s pastoral and liturgical ministry and serve as its spiritual fathers; and Bishops to oversee and coordinate the ministry of several churches in one geographical location. Likewise in the Armenian Church, Gregory the Illuminator, following the Apostolic traditions ordained new bishops, priests and deacons. Thus a chain of “Apostolic succession” was created whereby those ordained by the Apostles as bishops, by the laying of hands, continued ordaining new altar servers for future generations. In the Armenian Church today, the first major rank (that of a deacon), is the culmination of five initial orders: the first Four Minor Orders, following initiation, and the Sub-Deaconate. An candidate who receives the first four Minor Orders is usually referred to as Tubir (Dubpir). The four Minor Orders are those of: 1) the Doorkeeper; 2) Public reader of Scripture lessons; 3) Praying over the sick; and 4) Acolytes. In the following issues of the E-Newsletter we will elaborate further.

We at the Primate’s Office would love to hear from you. Please send your comments, feedback and observations to: The Primate’s Office, c/o Hye Doon, 25 Cheniston Gardens, 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

18 August 2012

Issue 34, Volume 3

PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND – MUST SIGN UP BY THIS MONDAY

THE DEADLINE FOR REGISTERING for the third Annual Pilgrimage to Jerusalem and the Holy Land is this Monday, 20th August, 2012. If you are, or someone you know is, interested in joining our pilgrimage, please send your deposit of £500 payable to the “Armenian Church Trust UK” to The Primate’s Office, c/o Hye Doon, 25 Cheniston Gardens, London W8 6TG. Your cheque must be received in the Primate’s Office no later than Monday morning, 20th August. As announced earlier, the following are the dates for the third annual Pilgrimage to the Holy Land: Departure, Heathrow Airport, London Sunday, 6th January, 22:30, Return to Heathrow from Tel Aviv on Sunday 13th January, arriving London at 20:15. The cost of the pilgrimage is £1,100 each, for sharing a twin room, and £1,400 each for single room occupancy. The cost includes airfare, lodging, local transportation, daily breakfast and dinner. To reserve your seat in our Pilgrimage with the prices mentioned above, please send your deposit of £500 by Monday 20th August, 2012. An extra processing fee (charged by British Airways) will be added to applicants who send their deposit after the 20th of August. As in the previous years, the 2013 Pilgrimage will include visits and discussion sessions at the important shrines such as Nazareth, the Church of the Annunciation, Bethlehem, the Sea of Galilee, Jerusalem, the Holy Sepulcher, Mount Tabor, the Mount of Temptation, and the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem. Pilgrims will travel to the sites and shrines via luxury coaches. Special arrangements have been made for those who are interested in the Pilgrimage but prefer flying from Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Dublin, or any other country. The cost of the pilgrimage, without the airfare, will be £700 for sharing a twin room, and £1,000 each for single room occupancy. Please note: as we start reserving rooms in the hotels, we are required to pay the full amount of the hotel reservation in advance. Those pilgrims not flying with us, but joining us in Jerusalem, are kindly requested to send their cheques of the full amount of £700 payable to the “Armenian Church Trust UK” and post it to The Primate’s Office, and to be received no later than Monday Morning, 20th August, 2012. An orientation day for the pilgrims will be announced in the E-Newsletter.

PRIMATE VISITS THE ARMENIAN SCOUTS

ON SUNDAY, 30TH JULY, His Grace Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate, visited the Armenian Scouts at their annual summer camp at Chalfont Heights, St. Giles. The Primate was greeted at the entrance of the camp by the members of the Executive Committee. Following a brief discussion, the Primate was escorted by Mr. Shiraz Vartanian, Chairman and the rest of the Executive Committee members in a tour of all the tents & their occupants. After the tour the scouts lined up for the 'araroghutune' singing the Mer Hayrenik and brought their flags for a beautifully choreographed flag-raising ceremony. Following brief speeches and welcoming remarks, and the distribution of medals and certificates, the Primate was invited to give his blessing. In his remarks, Bishop Vahan congratulated all involved in preparing and sponsoring such an inspiring camp. Reflecting on the oath ceremony of the Armenian Scouts, he encouraged the young men and women to do

their best to learn about God, the Armenian people and Armenia. Accompanying the Primate during the visit were Fr. Shnork Bagdasarian, Pastor of St. Sarkis Church and Fr. Garegin Hambartzumayn. Congratulations and God bless the Homenetmen!

CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO SUPPORT THE ARMENIAN CHURCH TRUST – UK

(ACT-UK) WWW.ARMENIANCHURCHTRUST.ORG.UK

Armenian Patriarchate with Abp. Nourhan Manoukian

18 August 2012 Issue 34 Volume 3

AI CALL FOR ARTISTS, PERFORMERS, MUSICIANS AND FILMMAKERS

THE ARMENIAN INSTITUTE IN LONDON, is planning a 3-day event to be held in the popular art space of Shoreditch Town Hall from January 31 to February 3, 2013. During the day the art exhibitions, installations and film screenings will take place. In the evening the institute will have live performances. The intention of the Armenian Institute is to make this an annual event. For this year, the Institute has chosen the theme of displacement and regeneration and will be focusing on the Armenian experience of loss and resettlement. Artists interested to participate are encouraged to contact the Institute via e-mail: info@armenianinstitute.org.uk, by 16th September 2012. For further information please Click Here.

YOUNG TALENTED ARTISTS OF ARMENIA IN LONDON

Hayastan All-Armenian Fund GB invites you to a Charity Concert by the “Young Talented Artists of Armenia”, a group of highly talented musicians who have won prizes at numerous music festivals, as well as national and international competitions. The ensemble includes two vocalists and six instrumentalists, playing the piano, cello, kanon, shvi, flute and saxophone. The programme will include works from all genres of music including Armenian compositions. The concert will take place at St. John's, Smith Square, London SW1P 3HA, on Saturday 10th November 2012, at 7:30pm. Tickets: £30, £25, £20, £15 and £10, with group and children's concessions. For tickets please email a.carapeti@btinternet.com or telephone: 020 8993 2266.

SPONSORING A PILGRIM

Since the establishment of the Church, pilgrimages have been an essential component of the ministry and mission of the Armenian Church all over the world. Writings of the early Church describe the difficulties Armenians had to endure traveling for weeks from Armenia to the Holy Land to be part of a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Pilgrimages are great opportunities to connect with the various locations and shrines that combined served as the context in which our faith was born. During the past two years since we started our annual pilgrimages, students and young men and women have approached the Primate asking him if the Church can help them financially to participate in the pilgrimage. Unfortunately, we have to turn such requests down because of the fact that we charge pilgrims exactly what the cost of the Pilgrimage is. In the past centuries, Armenian benefactors contributed financially to sponsor a pilgrim, who otherwise could not afford paying for his way. Can you help a young Armenian experience the spiritually uplifting and rejuvenating experience of the holy pilgrimage this year? Please send your donation of a full or partial pilgrimage, payable to the “Armenian Church Trust UK” to the Primate’s Office, 25 Cheniston Gardens, London W8 6TG. Thank you and God bless.

ECHOES OF OUR FESTIVAL AROUND THE WORLD

Below are a few of what the media said about our second annual Armenian Street Festival which has generated over £21,000 gross income (Please click on the link).

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Slaq.am by Karen Grigoryan Artsakh Today by Russell Pollard Youttube.com, by Zara Arzumanyan

Are you interested to support the ministry of the Armenian Church by joining the Church choirs or altar servers? Please write to the Primate’s Office: primatesoffice@armenianchurch.co.uk

18 August 2012

Issue 34 Volume 3

Scripture Readings According to the Armenian Church Lectionary

Sunday – 19 August Proverbs 11:30-12:4 Zechariah 2:10-13 2 Corinthians 6:16-7:1 Luke 1:39-56

Monday – 20 August

Song of Solomon 6:3- Malachi 3:1-2

Galatians 3:24-29 Luke 2:1-7

Tuesday – 21 August Wisdom 9:9-10:2 Esther 10:4-9 Judith 15:8-16:4 Ephesians 1:3-12 Matthew 1:17-21

Wednesday – 22 August 1 Corinthians 15:58-16:11 Mark 4:10-20

Thursday – 23 August

Jeremiah 1:1-10 Jeremiah 38:1-13 2 Peter 2:9-22 Matthew 2:16-18

Friday – 24 August 1 Corinthians 16:12-24 Mark 4:26-34

Saturday – 25 August Wisdom 9:13-10:3 Micah 7:18-20 1 Corinthians 12:28-13:3 John 20:24-31

“RECOGNISING THE SPIRIT OF ARTSAKH”

THE CONTINUING EDUCATION MINISTRY (CEM) of the Primate’s Office of the Armenian Church of Great Britain and Ireland is happy to offer a presentation by Russell Pollard titled, “Recognising the Spirit of Artsakh: A very personal perspective on the Life and People of Artsakh.” Russell Pollard, a freelance photographer and writer operating from the United Kingdom, will present a pictorial presentation of his recent visits to Artsakh with a commentary on his personal experience. The lecture is scheduled on Sunday, 26th August, 2012 at 1:30pm in Nevart Gulbenkian Hall. All are welcome and admission is free.

PRIMATE TO LECTURE AT LAMBETH PALACE

THE ANGLICAN AND EASTERN CHURCHES ASSOCIATION in conjunction with the Nikean Club, will be sponsoring this year’s Annual Constantinople Lecture. The guest lecturer will be His Grace Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate. The title of the lecture is: “The New Testament Apocrypha and the Armenian Church Canon of the Bible.” The lecture is scheduled on Thursday 22nd November 2012. And will take place at Lambeth Palace, London SE1 7JU, by special permission of His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury. The evening will start at 5:30 with Evensong followed by Bishop Vahan’s lecture and 7:00pm Buffet supper, carriages at 9:00pm. Tickets for the event, including buffet supper, are £23 per person. For tickets please write to The General Secretary, Anglican and Eastern Churches Association, c/o The Old Deanery, Dean’s Court, London EC4V 5AA, or e-mail: janet.laws@btopenworld.com. Closing date for booking tickets is: Friday, 9th November 2012. Places are limited and will be allocated to AECA & Nikaean members first. For further information, Click Here.

SAHAK-MESROP CHOIR OF MARSEILLE IN LONDON

For the first time ever in the UK, the Tekeyan Cultural Association cordially invites you to a choral concert by the 50-member, award winning and internationally renowned “Sahak-Mesrop Armenian Choir of Marseille.” The programme will include popular Armenian choral songs, under the direction of Khatchig Yilmazian. The concert will take place in St. Yeghiche Armenian Church, Cranley Gardens SW7 3DB, on Saturday, 6th October, 2012, at 7:30pm. Tickets: £25, £20 and £10. For tickets, please e-mail tca@tekeyantrust.org.uk, or telephone: 0208 879 0758, or 0208 544 8034.

HELP US HELP ARMENIAN GRADUATES

Armenian graduates of UK universities contact the Primate’s Office refsgularly 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..

THE PRIMATE’S OFFICE:

Is open Monday-Friday from 11am-3pm. Phone: 0208 127 8364 or email: primatesoffice@armenianchurch.co.uk. Appointments are welcome through the above mentioned contact information. For Hokehankist, please contact the local church priest or office.

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