Փետրուար 12, 2017 February 12, 2017

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St. Gregory the Enlightener Armenian Church Rev. Fr. Mesrob Hovsepyan, pastor

1131 North Street, White Plains, NY 10605 / Office: (914) 428-2595 Pastor: (804) 405-9399 Email: Der Mesrob - fr.mesrob@yahoo.com, Office - saintgregorychurchwp@gmail.com

Web: www.stgregorywp.com Office Hours: Monday closed, Tuesday-Friday 9:30-3:00 pm

Welcome to St. Gregory the Enlightener Armenian Church!

“Legacy of Our Martyrs: A Gift to Carry Forward” The Morning Service starts at 9:45 a.m. on Sundays

and is followed by Soorp Badarak (Divine Liturgy) at 10:15 a.m.

Parish Council Members on Duty: Arman Bedonian, Gayane Hamparsoumian, Gayane Manukyan

Today’s Scripture Readings: 2 Timothy 3:1-12. John 6:22-38

SUNDAY OF THE CATECHUMENS ԱՌԱՋԱՎՈՐԱՑ ԿԻՐԱԿԻ

Today there will be no Requiem Service after Badarak.

Feast of St. Sarkis the Captain, Patron of Love and Youth, his son Martyros and his 14 Soldiers-Companions

Captain St. Sarkis is one of the most beloved saints among the Armenian nation. Together with his 14 soldiers-companions he was martyred for the sake of Christian faith. During the period of reign of the king Kostan-dianos the Great (285-337) St. Sarkis, being very courageous, was ap-pointed the prince and General in chief of the region of Cappadocia bor-dering Armenia. When during the period of reign of the king Julianos the Betrayer (360-363) the persecutions against Christians started by God’s will St. Sarkis and his only son – Martyros, came to live in Arme-nia, and the Armenian king Tiran, grandson of Tiridates, received them very well. From Armenia St. Sarkis and his son went to Persia, and started serving in the army of the Persian king Shapouh as the captain of regiments. Become aware of the fact that Sarkis was Christian the king Shapouh ordered him to worship the fire and offer sacrifice to the hea-then gods. But the captain immediately refused to obey the order saying, “We should worship one God - the Holy Trinity, which has created the earth and the heaven. Whereas fire or idols are not gods and the human being may destroy them.” After these words the saint destroyed the tem-ple. The annoyed crowd fell on the saint and his son. First the son of the saint was martyred. The saint was put into prison and remaining un-shaken in his faith was beheaded. After the martyrdom of the saint light appeared over his body. For the Armenian nation St. Sarkis is one of the most beloved. It isn’t casual that St. Mesrop Mashtots brought the relics of the saint to the vil-lage Karbi (Ashtarak Region) and the Church of St. Sarkis was built over his relics.

Սուրբ Սարգիս զորավարի հիշատակության օր Ամենայն Հայոց Գարեգին Բ հայրապետի տնօրինությամբ Ս. Սարգիս զորավարի տոնը հռչակվել է Երիտասարդների օրհնության օր: Ս. Սարգիս զորավարն ամենասիրված սրբերից է: Իր որդու` Մարտիրոսի և 14 քաջ մարտիկների հետ նա նահատակվել է հանուն քրիստոնեական հավատքի: Ս. Սարգսի տոնին նախորդող գիշերը երիտասարդներն աղի բլիթ են ուտում, որի հետ կապում են իրենց փեսացուի կամ հարսնացուի երազահայտնությունը: Այդ օրը հիշատակելի սովորություններից է փոխինդով մատուցարանը դնել տան տանիքին կամ պատշգամբին և սպասել Ս. Սարգիս զորավարի ձիու պայտի հետքին: Ըստ ավանդույթի` Ս. Սարգիսը պետք է հրեշտակների ուղեկցությամբ անցնի և ում մատուցարանի մեջ դրված ալյուրի կամ փոխինդի մեջ թողնի իր սպիտակ ձիու պայտի հետքը, այդ տարի կիրականանա հավատացյալի երազանքը: Տոնի առթիվ սիրահարված երիտասարդները միմյանց բացիկներ և քաղցրավենիք են նվիրում: Տոնի օրը Ս.Սարգիս Զորավարի անունը կրող եկեղեցիներում մատուցվում է Ս. Պատարագ:

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READINGS The reading is from the second Epistle of St. Paul to the Timothy (3:1-12) But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobe-dient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have noth-ing to do with such people. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to come to a knowl-edge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone. The second reading is from the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to John (6:22-38) When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of ap-proval.”Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.

SAVE THE DATE May 21, 2017

Opening ceremony of the new Harry & Edna Keleshian Hall. Details to follow.

Help Support FAR Programs The Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR) is a US humanitarian organiza-tion that was founded in response to the devastating earthquake in Ar-menia in 1988. FAR caters its general relief and development pro-grams to the changing needs of the people of Armenia. Currently, FAR concentrates its efforts on humanitarian aid, social and economic opportunity and development, child protection, healthcare and educa-tion. Since its inception, FAR has implemented more than 250 relief, social, educational and cultural projects valued at over $300 million. FAR programs help support thousands of families in need, feeding hundreds of thousands and training Armenia’s next generation of sci-entists, doctors, business leaders and other professionals. You can read more about FAR's programs from their website and help support their valuable efforts in our homeland.

BIBLE STUDY Come to explore together the pathways of the New Testament and to increase our faith and spiritual fulfillment through study of the Holy Scriptures led by Der Mesrob Hovsepyan.

The next Bible Study session: February 23, Thursday - 10:00-11:00 AM

Feel free to join our group.

JUNIOR CHOIR PRACTICES DATES:

1nd & 3rd Sundays TIME: 12:30 PM

PLACE: In the sanctuary All youth of the parish ages 5 & up

are welcome!

ACOLYTE TRAINING SESSIONS All boys (ages 8 and over) and girls (ages 8-12) who are interested in be-

coming altar servers are encouraged to attend the Acolyte Training Program that Fr. Mesrob has started in October.

March 5; Time: 12:30 PM in the sanctuary For more information or sign up your child(ren) please talk to Fr. Mesrob.

Today, please take a moment to remember in your prayers Lucine Adourian, Arshaluys Kaleli, Gale Perzigian,

Girair Poladian, Alice Basmajian (for quick recovery), Estella Garkavi

as well as all the sick and recovering members

of our community. May God touch His faithful servants with His healing hand, and

grant them good health & recovery.

Please inform Der Hayr if you have friends or family who are suffering any physical or spiritual distress and are in need of prayer, and he will add them to his prayer list where they will be remembered before “the Holy and

Immortal Lamb of God” during the Eucharist. We all need prayer – both to say for others and to be said for us.

ART SHOW & FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

Art Show & Sale

TODAY Featuring

Artist - GIRAIR POLADIAN &

Fine Art Photographers TED ANDREASIAN & NUNE KARAMYAN

40% of the proceeds will be donated to St. Gregory

îÜúðÐܾø / CHRISTMAS HOME BLESSING From the earliest times, the home was a sacred place, the center of family and ritual life. It is the most basic of all social structures, where we are born and live many years, a place where great family events transpire. Here we break bread, share joys and sorrows, pray, celebrate, wor-ship. Here God is present in the loving relationships that transcend fragile human existence. Every family is a miniature of a “Little Church—Ecclesia” and in this

“Little Church” the inexhaustible love and the very generous blessing of God permeate. According to the sacred traditions of the Armenian Church, God’s blessing is asked for homes on different occasions, like on the Nativity and the Res-urrection of Christ, as well as on the joyous occasion of moving into a new home. During the Home Blessing the priest blesses the bread (which symbolically represents the Word of God), the water (which is the most essential element of life and figuratively represents cleanness) and the salt (which seasons and purifies). These three fundamental elements are essential life-giving gifts for human life. In the prayer the priest asks for purity and abundance of the three gifts, blesses the home and all its dwellers, and asks God to keep them away from visible and invisible enemies, and protect them under His power-ful right hand, granting them health of soul and body. Schedule your Christmas Home Blessing with Der Hayr: direct (804) 405-9399, church office (914) 428-2595, email: fr.mesrob@yahoo.com.

PASTORAL CARE: HOME AND HOSPITAL CLERGY VISIT

Der Mesrob is always available and would like to visit homebound and hospitalized parishioners. If you or someone you know is ill or

hospitalized and would like to be visited, please call Der Hayr at (804) 405-9399 or the church office at (914) 428-2595.

NOTE OF APPETIATION The Yelegen Family would like to thank everyone for honoring and

making generous donations in memory of Mari Yelegen. The 40th day service in memory of Mari Yelegen will be held on February 19th.

Today

Divine Liturgy. Sunday School is in session. Blessing of the Crosses for Armenian/Sunday School

Art Show & Sale

Details can be found in the narthex and the atrium.

Women’s Guild General Membership Meeting

February 25, Saturday

Manti Night: hosted by the Armenian School. The flyer can be found in the narthex.

February 26, Sunday

ANNUAL PARISH ASSEMBLY POON PAREKENTAN–

beginning of the Great Lent

March 10, March 24,

April 7

Lenten Friday Evening Program. 6:30pm - Lenten Service; 7:00pm - Dinner;

7:30pm - Program. Details to follow.

March, 26, Sunday

Lionel Galstaun Annual Memorial Concert Edward Pogosian: Cellist Vatche Jambazian: Piano

The flyer can be found on page 6.

April 1, Saturday

One-day, Spiritual RETREAT, hosted by Women’s Guild.

Location: St. Nersess Seminary Details to follow.

April 9, Sunday

Palm Sunday Annual ACYOA Day Luncheon. Details to follow.

April 16, Sunday Easter Sunday

February 20 May 8

Armenian Language Classes for Adults For details contact Fr. Karekin Kasparian

We also would like to bring a happy news. Fr. Mesrob & Yn. Ruzanna welcomed their son, Haig Hovsepyan, on Friday, Dec. 16