Belated - E-NEWSLETTER……………Է-ԹԵՐԹԻԿ

The official online publication of the
Primate’s Office
of the
Diocese of the Armenian Church of Great Britain and Ireland
Issue 19 (Volume 4), 11 May 2013
ORDINATION OF THREE NEW ACOLYTES (TUBEERS)
The Primate’s Office of the Armenian Church of the United Kingdom and Ireland is happy to announce the date of the next ordination of Acolytes to be on Friday evening, 7 June 2013, in St Sarkis Church at 7:00pm. The three candidates for ordination to the Order of Acolyte (Tubeers or Dupir) are: TigranMkrtchyan, Koko Sabounjian and ArbiValian. They have been serving at the altar of the Armenian Church for the past two years or so, and regularly attending the Deacons’ Training Programme supervised by HG Bp Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate. The Candidates have passed the written test administered on Saturday, 6 April at St Stephen’s House in Oxford, UK. In addition to the written test, candidates for ordination are required to demonstrate living according to, and promoting in their life, the Christian values as taught by our Lord Jesus Christ. Regular participation in the Deacons’ Training Programme and the Sunday services are just a few of several other requirements that the candidates need to meet before their confirmation in the Order of Acolyte. We congratulate our candidates and pray that the Lord may strengthen their steps and make them worthy of the honour of ordination. Please mark your calendarand join us on Friday, 7 June, at 7:00pm. Weprayandhopetoseeallthreecandidatesordainedthatevening.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
 Armenian business and organisations are encouraged to rent a stall at the annual Street Festival, to help enhance the Armenian expression of the Festival. “Stall Booking” forms are available and posted on the official website of the Church. Click here to download a copy. Those interested to reserve a stall are kindly requested to read the booking form carefully, sign and mail it with their deposit to The Primate’s Office, 25 Cheniston Gardens, Kensington, London W8 6TG.
 Click here to readthe joint statement issued on the Genocide by HH Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and HH Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia.
 Due to a scheduling conflict, there will be no Bible lecture this Thursday, 16 May, 2013. The Bible discussion sessions will resume the following Thursday, 23 May, 2013 at 7:00pm in Gulbenkian Hall. All are welcome.
 St Sarkis Raffle: The St Sarkis Ladies committee has been raising money for Armenia through selling raffle tickets over the Eastertide period (forty days after Easter): 3 raffle tickets for £1. There are wonderful prizes to be won. The raffle will be drawn when all tickets have been sold. For raffle tickets please approach Anahid Demirdjian, Sylva Yeghiazarian or Varteni Kapikyan, of the St Sarkis Women’s Committee to purchase your raffle ticket. Good luck!
SUPPORT THE ARMENIAN FESTIVAL– WISHES IN BOOKLET
As announced earlier, the third annual Armenian Street Festival, organized by the Primate’s Office, is scheduled to take place on Sunday, 14 July 2013. We invite all Armenians to join us on that day in an expression of solidarity while celebrating our history, identity and culture here in London. Committees are hard at work. The entertainment committee has confirmed that as of now, the programme includes performances by the popular British-Armenian entertainer, KevOrkian, Messo-Soprano Anais Heghoyan and Baritone ArisNadiryan. The Festival’s cost is roughly £15,000. To defray the cost of the Festival, the Primate’s Office invites our friends and the faithful to support the Festival by sponsoring a space in the Booklet, with their wishes. For more information about the Booklet and to sponsor a space please download the Booklet Form by clicking here. Meanwhile, the back of the booklet will include the wishes and greetings sent by our friends (up to two line text) for any amount of donation. Please make your donation to: The Armenian Church Trust UK, and mail it to the Primate’s Office, 25 Cheniston Gardens, W8 6TG. Click here to watch the Festival video.
CELEBRATING THE ASCENSION: DANCING AROUND THE CHURCH
According to the Armenian Church traditions based on the biblical narrative (Gospels of Luke 24:50-53 and
Mark 16:19), the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ (Arm. Hampartsum or Hambartsum) is celebrated on the 40th day following Easter. Theologically, it is a powerful celebration of the return of the Lord to His eternal status in heaven, having victoriously accomplished His mission on earth. Traditionally, Armenians celebrate this feast with dances, songs and a luck and chance game known as “Vijag.” The St Sarkis Church Pastor and Parish Council invite our faithful and friends to an afternoon of food, fun, fellowship and friendship on the grounds of St Sarkis Church and the Gulbenkian Hall. Divine Liturgy (Badarak, Patarag) 11:00am. Following the Church service, at 12:30, we will take part in a large Armenian circle-dance around St Sarkis Church building, led by Shakeh Major Tchilingirian, who will also explain the meaning of the tradition. All are invited to take part in the circle-dance and the festivities. You may be surprised to see some of those partcicipating in the dance! Glory to Christ our Lord for His victorious ministry.Happy Ascension Day.
Bp Vahan celebrating Ascension in Jerusalem
“DIPLOMAT OF THE YEAR” – KARINEGHAZINYAN
The annual ceremony of the presentation of the “Diplomat of the Year” award of the world-renowned DiplomatMagazine was held in London on Tuesday, April 23. With great joy and pride we received the news of the granting of the 2013 Diplomat of the Year award by a unanimous vote of the ambassadors to Armenia's late Ambassador to the UK, MrsKarineGhazinyan. The prestigious award was posthumously bestowed on our beloved Ambassador forthe Eurasian region. According to the committee granting the Award, MrsGhazinyanwas granted this award for her exceptional accomplishments in the diplomatic field and for her effective representation of Armenia’s interests in the UK. Accepting the award on behalf of the late MrsGhazinyan, was Mr Ara Margaryan, the Charge d'Affaires of the Republic of Armenia in the UK. The late MrsGhazinyan was appointed Armenia’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the UK and the Republic of Ireland in September 2011. Her death on 6 December, 2012, at the age of 56, shocked the diplomatic world and Armenians around the world. May the Lord rest her soul in peace.
The late Ambassador MrsKarineGhazinyan
JOINT ANNOUNCEMENT: PRIMATE’S OFFICE AND THE ACCC:
His Grace Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate, attended a regular meeting of the Armenian Community and Church Council (ACCC) on Thursday, 2 May 2013, to discuss the procedure of the establishment of a Parish at St Yeghiche Church. During the meeting it was agreed that public forums be scheduled to discuss the transitional procedure and the purpose and vision of the establishment of the St Yeghiche Parish. This will be followed by the founding assembly of the St Yeghiche Parish. For further information please contact the Primate’s Office: primatesoffice@armenianchurch.co.uk, or the Armenian Community and Church Council (ACCC): info@accc.org.uk. To read the ACCC's Official Announcement please click here.
Three altar servers:
TigranMkrtchyan, Koko
Sabounjian and ArbiValian taking the written test, a prerequisite for their ordination as acolytes
ACYF PARTNERS IN “CHRISTIAN AID WEEK”
The London chapter of theArmenian Church Youth Fellowship (ACYF) of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, decided to join efforts with churches in the UK in observing Christian Aid Week. This is a week designated for Christians to go out of their way to make themselves available for helping others. The London ACYF members decided to make themselves available during this year’s Christian Aid Week, 12-18 May, 2013, to help with light domestic chores, with grocery shopping or simply by visiting Armenians who live alone, the elderly or those in hospitals or nursing homes. If you know of someone who can benefit from the ACYF "Christian Aid Week" project, please contact them at: ACYF@armenianchurch.co.uk. You can also financially support our young men and women by sending a donation. Click here to learn more about the Christian Aid Week.
A JOURNEY THROUGH ARMENIAN FOLKSONG,
Shakespeare’s Globe has recently announced the scheduling of a concert in celebration of the work of great Armenian poets and composers from medieval times to the present day. Bringing together musicians and artists from the UK and Armenia, this concert explores the powerful influence Shakespeare has had through the centuries in Armenia and promises to be a magical, rich and lively evening. The concert at the Globe Theatre, West End, will take place on Sunday, 14 April, 2014. Participating in the concert under the capable direction of Seta White, are renowned musicians and performers such as Levon Chilingirian and Alexander Chaushian as well as the Dudukner Ensemble from Armenia.
LODGING FOR INTERNATIONAL ARMENIAN STUDENTS
Coordinators of HOST, a charity which links international students at UK universities with friendly and hospitable volunteer hosts, is hoping that the Armenian community can help them make contact with Armenian international students at UK universities. HOST invites international students to spend a weekend in the homes of the host families. This helps the students feel welcome, and gives them opportunity to experience the British way of life, away from university campus. Dr Paul Manook of the Armenian Church in Dublin, Ireland, has informed the Primate’s Office that a funder has expressed an interest in supporting “HOST visits” for Armenian international students. If you know such Armenian students please contact: susie@hostuk.org. For more info, click here.