E-Sunday Bulletin of St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church

38-65 234th. St. Douglaston, NY, 11363  

Sunday: 05/21/2023

ԵՐԿՐՈՐԴ ԾԱՂԿԱԶԱՐԴ- SECOND PALM SUNDAY 

Sunday Readings:  

1) Luke 19:29-48; 2) Acts 23:12-35; 1 John 5:13-21; John 12:12-23; 3)

 Matthew 20:29-21:17; 4) Mark 10:46-11:11 

Join us in worship this Sunday.

Morning Service 10:00 AM

Divine Liturgy 10:45 AM - Sermon 11:45 AM

Մասնակցեցէք Ս. Պատարագին՝

Առաւօտեան Ժամերգութիւն 10։00

Ս. Պատարագ 10։45- Քարոզ 11։45

Fr. Nareg Terterian, Pastor

In a message sent to His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan, Prelate, and delegates of the parishes, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I blesses the National Representative Assembly that convenes on May 18-20 in Providence, RI.    

In his letter, the Catholicos urges the meeting to embrace change in an effective manner to meet the challenges a world in rapid transformation poses to the church and society at large.   

“We live in changing times,” His Holiness said. “Therefore, the mission of the church must keep pace with the priorities and needs in the present circumstances.”    

He also outlines the objectives of his pontifical visit to the parishes of the Eastern Prelacy, which will start in October.  

“The fundamental goal of our visit is the reorganization and revaluation of your region,” the letter says. The Catholicos expects a fruitful conversation with the clergy and official to promote further development and growth of the Prelacy and its parishes.     

Delegates from all parishes hosted by Sts. Vartanantz Church of Providence started the proceedings by electing the authorities of the Assembly after the opening prayer of Archbishop Anoushavan and welcoming words by Rev. Kapriel Nazarian, Pastor of Sts. Vartanantz Church, and Levon Attarian, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Following the reading of His Holiness՛ letter, the assembly listened to the message of the Prelate and watched a presentation of the Executive Council report. The plenary meeting began afterward.  

The National Representative Assembly will also look into by-law amendments and finances, including the Prelacy’s budget for 2023-24, in addition to other agenda items, such as the election of religious and lay councils.   

Planning and budgeting the pontifical visit will top the agenda. Catholicos Aram I is scheduled to visit the United States parishes under the jurisdiction of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia from October 19 to November 21, 2023.    

Updates and full coverage will be provided in the coming issues of Crossroads as well as through the Prelacy’s social media channels.

This past Saturday, Suzanne and Hovsep Hagopian Saturday School’s dedicated PTA treated the staff to a beautiful lunch after school to celebrate the end of the 2022-2023 school year and to appreciate the staff’s hard work and commitment to our school and students. Our school is so fortunate to have a group of teachers who share the same goal of bringing the Armenian youth together while also providing them with the tools to learn our rich, Armenian language. We thank the PTA for this beautiful initiative and look forward to celebrating the end of this school year at our Year End Hantes on this Saturday, May 20th.

Salt & Light Youth Group Juniors

Reported by Mrs. Lara Bardizbanian



This past Friday, approximately forty Salt & Light juniors gathered in the main hall for the last session of the season. The juniors greeted each other and enjoyed each other's company while they ate a lovingly prepared meal together.

They assembled into smaller groups with their Salt & Light facilitators after dinner. Our topic of discussion was the Fruit of the Holy Spirit and the nine attributes of a person living in accord with the Spirit.

The juniors read Galatians 5:22-25 and discussed which attributes come easiest to them and which they would like to work on. They also talked about influences that help us grow spiritually. There was much lively dialogue and fun moments shared.

Salt & Light Youth Senior Group

Reported by Mrs. Nyrie Bedrossian



On Friday, May 12th our Salt & Light Seniors gathered for their last session of this season. We had 21 seniors attend, and they enjoyed a warm and personal conversation led by Der Nareg. The discussion stemmed around the verse of the day, which led to a very relevant topic for our teens of choice between taking the wide or narrow doors as faithful Christians. Der Nareg guided the conversation by asking what choices are typically easy versus hard for the kids and what challenges they overcome on a daily basis as teenagers. Additionally, he encouraged them to recognize some of the easy but wasteful choices they make on a daily basis, such as spending time on social media, and instead choose more meaningful options, such as spending time with family or reading, to improve themselves.

The evening ended with the youth gathering outside to enjoy the beautiful weather, play ping pong, play music, and socialize with each other. We look forward to seeing our Salt & Light Youth Group for our Summer Kick-Off event on Friday, June 9th.

Summer Camp Sponsorship Opportunity

Thank you to our main sponsors,

Mr. & Mrs. Antranig & Marion Boudakian

for their loyal and generous donations, for believing in our program and helping it

thrive for the past 16 years

$2,000.00

Wheels On The Bus $1000

Sponsored By, Mr. & Mrs. Steve & Sorina Dumanian

LEGOLAND $900 

Sponsored By, The Ladies Guild of St. Sarkis Church

ARTS & CRAFTS $800 (Need 4 Sponsors)

MAD SCIENCE $600 (Need 3 Sponsors)

TUMBLEBUS $600 (Need 

SPORTS $500

Sponsored By, Mrs. Nayda Voskerijian

LITTLE CHEF $400

PETTING ZOO COMES TO YOU $400

PLAY A DOUGH $400

FIRST FRIDAY PIZZA PARTY $300

SECOND FRIDAY PIZZA PARTY $300

SLIME TIME $400

FEAST OF THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD 

On Thursday, May 18, is the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ (Hampartsoum), which is commemorated forty days after Easter. The universal church has celebrated the Ascension since the fourth century. According to biblical scripture the Ascension took place in the village of Bethany, on the Mount of Olives, in the presence of the disciples. After giving them commandments and blessings, the Lord was “was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God” (Mark 16:19), and “a cloud took him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9). The Gospel of Matthew and Luke concludes with the Ascension. 

In the early centuries of Christianity, Hampartsoum was one of the most popular feast days for the faithful and was celebrated with merriment and festivities. There are many Armenian traditions associated with this dominical feast. Perhaps the most well-known is fortune-telling (vijagakhagh), especially for young women anticipating their future as memorably portrayed in the Armenian opera Anoush. 

“Our Lord ascended into heaven saying to his disciples: Remain in the city of Jerusalem until you have been clothed with power from on high.  

With one heart, one mind, one faith the holy apostles gathered and stayed in the holy Upper Room awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit.  

Suddenly he appeared like the brilliance of light and rested on the holy apostles while they were sitting in the holy Upper Room.  

Our lord Christ, while blessing ascended with the clouds of heaven, and having worshipped him the apostles returned to Jerusalem and with one accord began to send up prayer.  

The lord entered heaven, surrounded by thousands of armies of angels who cried out and sang: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!  

Having sat at the right hand of him who begot him he fulfilled the promise of the gifts; the comforter, the Holy Spirit, will come to you to pour out on you great mercy.” 

FIRST EPISTLE OF ST. JOHN THE APOSTLE (5.1-14)

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us-whatever we ask-we know that we have what we asked of him.

If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.

We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him. We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true-even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.

ՅՈՎՀԱՆՆԷՍ ԱՌԱՔԵԱԼԻ ԸՆԴՀԱՆՐԱԿԱՆ ԱՌԱՋԻՆ ՆԱՄԱԿԸ (5.13-21)

  Ասիկա գրեցի ձեզի, Աստուծոյ Որդիին հաւատացողներուդ, որպէսզի գիտակցիք՝ թէ յաւիտենական կեանք ունիք:

Ուստի համարձակ կերպով կը դիմենք Աստուծոյ, այն վստահութեամբ՝ որ երբ իր կամքին համաձայն բան մը խնդրենք, կը լսէ մեզ: Եւ երբ գիտենք թէ մեր խնդրանքները կը լսէ, գիտենք նաեւ՝ թէ պիտի ստանանք ինչ որ կը խնդրենք իրմէ:

Երբ մէկը տեսնէ, թէ իր հաւատացեալ եղբայրներէն մէկը գործեց մեղք մը որ մահացու չէ, թող աղօթէ՛ Աստուծոյ՝ որ կեանք տայ անոր: Ասիկա կ’ըսեմ միայն անոնց համար՝ որոնց մեղքերը մահացու չեն, որովհետեւ մահացու մեղքեր ալ կան, որոնց համար չեմ ըսեր որ աղօթէ: Ամէն անիրաւութիւն մեղք է, բայց ամէն մեղք մահացու չէ:

Գիտենք, թէ ով որ Աստուծմէ ծնած է՝ չի մեղանչեր, այլ Աստուծոյ ծնունդը՝ Քրիստոս, կը պահպանէ զայն, եւ Չարը անոր չի մօտենար: Թէպէտ ամբողջ աշխարհը Չարին ենթակայ ըլլայ, մենք գիտենք թէ Աստուծմէ ենք: Եւ գիտենք՝ թէ Աստուծոյ Որդին եկաւ ու բացաւ մեր միտքերը, որպէսզի ճանչնանք ճշմարիտ Աստուածը: Մենք միացած ենք ճշմարիտ Աստուծոյ եւ անոր Որդիին՝ Յիսուս Քրիստոսի:

Ա՛ն է ճշմարիտ Աստուածը եւ յաւիտենական կեանքը:

Որդեակնե՛ր, դուք ձեզ կուռքերէ հեռո՛ւ պահեցէք:

THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO JOHN (12.12-23)

The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna!", "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!", "Blessed is the King of Israel!" 

Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, "Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt." 

At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.  

Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. So the Pharisees said to one another, "See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!"  

Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus." Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.  

Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

ՅԻՍՈՒՍ ՔՐԻՍՏՈՍԻ ԱՒԵՏԱՐԱՆԸ ԸՍՏ ՅՈՎՀԱՆՆԷՍԻ (12.12-23)

Յաջորդ օր, ժողովուրդի մեծ բազմութիւն մը, որ Զատիկի տօնին առիթով Երուսաղէմ եկած էր, երբ լսեց թէ Յիսուս Երուսաղէմ կու գայ, արմաւենիի ճիւղեր առաւ եւ Յիսուսը դիմաւորելու ելաւ, բարձրաձայն աղաղակելով.

     «Ովսաննա՜,

 օրհնեա՜լ ըլլայ ան՝ որ կու գայ Տիրոջ անունով,

 Իսրայէլի թագաւորը»:

Յիսուս էշ մը գտնելով՝ նստաւ անոր վրայ, ինչպէս որ Սուրբ գիրքերուն մէջ գրուած է.-

     «Մի՛ վախնար, ո՜վ Երուսաղէմ, Սիոնի՛ աղջիկ.

ահա թագաւորդ քեզի կու գայ

իշու մը աւանակին վրայ նստած»:

Յիսուսի աշակերտները այս բոլորը չհասկցան ատենին, բայց երբ Յիսուս փառաւորուեցաւ՝ այն ատեն յիշեցին, թէ այս կատարուածները Յիսուսի համար գրուած էին եւ իրենք այդ գրուածն էր որ կատարեցին: Բոլոր անոնք, որոնք Յիսուսի հետ էին՝ երբ անիկա Ղազարոսը կանչեց գերեզմանէն եւ զայն մեռելներէն յարուցանեց, այդ մասին վկայութիւն կու տային: Այդ իսկ պատճառով Երուսաղէմ գտնուողները բոլորն ալ զինք դիմաւորելու ելան, որովհետեւ լսած էին, թէ ի՛նչպէս անիկա յարութեան հրաշքը գործած էր: Իսկ Փարիսեցիները իրարու կ’ըսէին.

– Կը տեսնէ՞ք որ բան մըն ալ չենք կրնար ընել. ահա ամբողջ աշխարհը իրեն կը հետեւի:

Տօնին առիթով կարգ մը Յոյներ ալ եկած էին Երուսաղէմ՝ Աստուծոյ երկրպագելու: Անոնք մօտեցան Փիլիպպոսի, որ Գալիլեայի Բեթսայիդա քաղաքէն էր, եւ աղաչելով ըսին.

– Տէ՛ր, կ’ուզենք Յիսուսը տեսնել:

Փիլիպպոս եկաւ Անդրէասին ըսաւ եւ երկուքը միասին Յիսուսի ներկայացուցին անոնց խնդրանքը:

Յիսուս պատասխանեց անոնց.

– Ահա Մարդու Որդիին փառաւորուելու ժամը հասաւ:

-Mr. VARTKESS MENGOUCHIAN, passed on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Wake and Funeral services were held on Wednesday, May 17, 2023, all at St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family. May he rest in peace.

-The Pastor, the Board of Trustees, and all the Auxiliary bodies of St. Sarkis church request requiem service for the soul of their beloved Chairman Emeritus BEDROS GIVELEKIAN (10th-year memorial service).

-Mrs. Sonia Givelekian, Mr. & Mrs. Arthur and Annette Givelekian and family, Mr. & Mrs. Berj and Lucy Kazanjian and family request requiem service for the soul of their beloved husband, father, and grandfather BEDROS GIVELEKIAN (10th-year memorial service). Also for the souls of their beloved grandparents and great-grandparents, KIRKOR and DIKRANUHI GIVELEKIAN, HAROUTIUN, and NEVRIG DONIKIAN.

-Mr. & Mrs. Zareh & Kathy Voskerijian, Mrs.  Nayda Voskerijian Mr. Shont Voskerijian, Mr. Alex Voskerijian, Mr. & Mrs. Brian & Taylor Voskerijian, and daughter Mary Voskerijian, Mr. & Mrs. Mark & Isabelle Megerian and son Garo and Ms. Aleene Voskerijian request requiem service for the soul of their beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother and relative ZABEL VOSKERIJIAN (1st-year memorial service).

-LAYLA BAYAS the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Cesar & Roza Petrosyan Bayas was baptized on Saturday, MAy 13, 2023. Her Godparents were Mr. Hovhannes Petrosyan and Mrs. Lucy Elena Bayas Rios.  May the Grace of the Holy Spirit always be with Layla.

-GABRIEL HAIG BECHIRIAN the son of Mr. & Mrs. Alexandre & Maria Nercessian Bechirian was baptized on Sunday, May 14, 2023. His Godparents were Mr. Hagop Nercessian and Mrs. Liana Nercessian. May the Grace of the Holy Spirit always be with Gabriel.

-LUCY MARIE ARDZIVIAN, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Haig & Courtney Ardzivian was brought to church for the 40th day dedication service, according to the rites of the Armenian Church. We welcome Lucy to the life of the church and hope to see her soon for the Sacrament of Baptism.