Join us This Sunday

Serpazan Oshagan Hosts A Luncheon To Honor St. Sarkis' Deacons and Choir

As many of you know, our beloved Oshagan Serpazan is moving back to Lebanon and in light of his imminent departure, he invited us to an impromptu luncheon to honor our deacons and choir members last Sunday after badarak. Serpazan thanked the deacons and choir members for their service and he gave us the added bonus of a lesson in explaining our roles during badarak.  He explained that the choir, deacons and priest have a conversation of sorts.  In fact, without the deacons and choir, we would effectively have no badarak.  Serpazan further explained that during badarak, when the curtain is opened and closed, Der Nareg says prayers which are not known to us.  We felt privileged to have this insider's view of the nuts and bolts of badarak!

Unbeknownst to the parishioners but beknownst to the choir and deacons, Der Nareg recorded last week's badarak.  But little did we know why.  During the luncheon, Serpazan Oshagan gave us a play-by-play critique of how we sang.  The seemingly scary thought of having Serpazan critique us (and hear ourselves on tape!) turned out to be a great lesson for us all.  Serpazan gave us all tips on how we could sing better to ultimately make badarak even more beautiful than it already is.   Serpazan told us that during his tenure, he had the privilege of attending church services of different denominations around the world and, in his opinion, our badarak and that of the Russian Orthodox Church are the most profound and moving.  

 

Der Nareg invited Serpazan to be the celebrant on Asdvadzadzin, which takes place next Sunday, as his last gift to his beloved parishioners and he graciously agreed.

 

It was truly an honor and a privilege for us to break bread with Serpazan, learn more about badarak and how we can improve our singing.  We will miss Serpazan -- his wisdom and guidance will never leave us.  Many thanks to Mrs. Zepiur Ardzivian and the Ladies Guild of St. Sarkis Church for the preparation of the luncheon.  

Photo Gallery

Isabel and Juliet Hagobian, and Mari Bijimenian from St. Sarkis Church participated in this intensive summer course.

Annual Picnic

THE EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO THE GALATIANS (3.29-4.7)

If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.    

What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

 

ՊՕՂՈՍ ԱՌԱՔԵԱԼԻ ՆԱՄԱԿԸ ԳԱՂԱՏԱՑԻՆԵՐՈՒՆ (3.29-4.7)

Ապա ուրեմն, եթէ Քրիստոսի կը պատկանիք՝ կը նշանակէ թէ Աբրահամի զաւակներ էք եւ պիտի ժառանգէք ինչ որ Աստուած անոր խոստացաւ:   

Բայց գիտցէք նաեւ, թէ ժառանգորդ մը թէպէտ ամբողջ ժառանգութեան իսկական տէրն է, բայց որքան ատեն որ անիկա անչափահաս է՝ տարբերութիւն չունի ծառայէ մը, քանի խնամակալներու եւ հոգաբարձուներու ենթակայ է, մինչեւ հասնի իր հօրը որոշած ժամանակակէտը: Նոյնն է մեր ալ պարագան: Որքան ատեն որ հոգեւորապէս անչափահաս էինք՝ բնութեան ոյժերուն կ՚ենթարկուէինք ու կը ծառայէինք: Բայց հիմա յարմար ժամանակը հասած համարելով, Աստուած աշխարհ ղրկեց իր Որդին որ մարդկային մօրմէ մը ծնաւ եւ Մովսիսական Օրէնքին տակ ապրեցաւ, որպէսզի մեզ օրէնքին գերութենէն փրկէ եւ Աստուծոյ որդիներ դարձընէ: Արդ, որովհետեւ իր որդիներն ենք՝ Աստուած մեր սիրտերուն մէջ ղրկեց իր Որդիին Հոգին, որով զԱստուած «Հայր» կը կոչենք: Ուստի այլեւս ծառայ չէք, այլ որդի. եւ քանի որդի էք՝ Աստուծոյ խոստումը պիտի ժառանգէք:

 

THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO LUKE (2.1-7)

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.    

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 

 

Այդ օրերուն Օգոստոս կայսր հրամանագիր հանեց՝ իր կայսրութեան սահմաններուն մէջ գտնուող բոլոր բնակիչներուն մարդահամարը կատարելու: Այս առաջին մարդահամարը տեղի ունեցաւ Սուրիոյ կառավարիչ Կիւրենիոսի օրերուն: Ամէն մարդ իր ծննդավայրը կ՚երթար իր անունը արձանագրել տալու համար: Յովսէփ Դաւիթի սերունդէն ըլլալու համար, Գալիլիայի Նազարէթ քաղաքէն ելաւ եւ իր անունը արձանագրել տալու համար գնաց Հրէաստանի Բեթլեհէմ քաղաքը՝ Դաւիթ թագաւորի ծննդավայրը: Իրեն կ՚ընկերանար իր նշանածը՝ Մարիամ, որ յղի էր:

 

Բեթլեհէմի մէջ, Մարիամի ծննդաբերութեան ժամանակը հասաւ եւ ծնաւ իր անդրանիկ զաւակը, որ փաթթեց խանձարուրի մէջ եւ դրաւ մսուրի մը մէջ, որովհետեւ պանդոկին մէջ իրենց համար տեղ չկար:

This Saturday, August 17, is the Feast of Shoghakat of Holy Etchmiadzin that is always observed on the Saturday prior to the Feast of the Assumption. Shoghakat refers to the vision of St. Gregory and the rays of light when God chose the site for the Mother Cathedral. The feast is celebrated at the time of Assumption because the Cathedral in Etchmiadzin is named in honor of the Holy Mother, although through the years it became known as Etchmiadzin and Shoghakat refers to the three nearby churches of St. Gayaneh, St. Hripsimeh, and St. Shoghakat.

FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD

The Blessed Virgin Mary holds a high place in the Armenian Church, next to Christ. We begin our Divine Liturgy with these words, "Through the intercession of the holy Mother of God, O Lord, receive our supplications and save us." In every Armenian Church the painting on the main altar is of Mary, holding the infant Savior. The Gospels teach us that Mary was blessed and called by God to fulfill God's divine plan of salvation. Mary has a primary place of honor because through her and by the Holy Spirit God became incarnate, became human.

This Sunday, August 18, the Armenian Church celebrates the Feast of the Assumption (Verapokoum) of the Holy Mother of God, the fourth of the five major feast days in our Liturgical Calendar, and the Blessing of the Grapes.Verapokoum in classical Armenian means "transport up." According to tradition, when the Holy Mother died she was buried by the apostles in the Garden of Gethsemane. Bartholomew who was not present at her funeral wished to visit her grave. When the gravestone was lifted they were surprised to find that her body had disappeared. It was believed that Christ had come and taken his mother to the Heavenly Kingdom. They considered the empty tomb confirmation that the Holy Mother had not died, but had fallen asleep (dormition) and our Lord assumed His mother into heaven. Based on this event, the Church Fathers established the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is one of the five tabernacle feast days in the Armenian Church's liturgical calendar. The feast is preceded by a week (five days) of fasting and followed by a memorial day of remembrance.

Because Bartholomew was very fond of the Holy Mother, the apostle John gave him an image of her (which she had given to John). Bartholomew took this image with him to Armenia to Darbnots Kar in the province of Antsev, Vaspourakan (Western Armenia) where a convent for nuns, Hogyats Vank(Monastery of the Spirits), was built and where the icon was kept. Most depictions of Bartholomew show him holding this icon.

The concept of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is old as evidenced in sacred prose and poetry dedicated to the Holy Mother. However, it did not become a basic doctrine of the church until the ninth century and it was in the twelfth century that the feast was called "The Assumption."

This Sunday is the name day for those named Mariam, Maro, Mary, Mari, Makrouhi, Mayrenie, Maroush, Serpouhi, Dirouhi, Takouhi, Lousig, Lousnag, Arousiag, Arpine, Markarid, Nazig, Azniv, Seta, Dzaghig, Verjin, Arshalouys.

BLESSING OF THE GRAPES

The Blessing of the Grapes takes place on the Feast of the Assumption, although there is no connection between the two events. This ceremony is rooted in the Biblical tradition as commanded by God to the Israelites, through Moses, to donate the "first bearing of all their fruits, on the Tabernacle in order that with this first offering all fruits would receive Your blessing..." The hymnPark Sourp Khatchet (Glory to Your Sacred Cross) is sung; Biblical passages are recited, followed by a prayer composed by Catholicos Nerses Shnorhali specifically for this occasion. After the prayer, the grapes are blessed three times with the words Orhnestsee Bahbanestsee and then the blessed grapes are distributed to the faithful, many of whom have refrained from eating grapes through the year until after this blessing.

Certainly we can say that the Blessing of the Grapes is a symbolic celebration of the fruitfulness of the earth. Grapes are one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world. Noah planted a vineyard immediately after disembarking from the Ark (Genesis, Chapter 9) in Nakhichevan, Armenia. And, of course, the wine of the Divine Liturgy comes from grapes.

REMEMBRANCE OF THE DEAD (MEMORIAL DAY)

Monday, August 19, is Memorial Day (Merelotz). In accordance with the tradition of the Armenian Church, the day after each of the five tabernacle feasts is designated as a Memorial Day, a day of remembrance of the dead. Traditionally, on Merelotz the Divine Liturgy is celebrated with a requiem service for all souls and for those specifically requested. Following the service the clergy and faithful go to the cemetery where the graves of loved ones are blessed.

Support Saturday School

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

DATEVIG   Children's  Choir

Basketball Program

Adds From Sister Organizations