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Eastern Prelacy: Crossroads E-Newsletter - 05/17/2007

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  • Eastern Prelacy: Crossroads E-Newsletter - 05/17/2007

    PRESS RELEASE
    Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
    138 East 39th Street
    New York, NY 10016
    Tel: 212-689-7810
    Fax: 212-689-7168
    e-mail: [email protected]
    Website: http://www.armenianprelacy.org
    Contact: Iris Papazian

    May 17, 2007

    NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY
    CONVENES IN DEARBORN, MICHIGAN
    The National Representative Assembly (NRA) convened today, May 17, at
    St. Sarkis Church in Dearborn, Michigan. The NRA is the highest legislative
    body of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, and
    is charged with the task of supervising the ecclesiastical and
    administrative bodies of the Eastern Prelacy. The Assembly is composed of
    one-seventh clergy and six-sevenths lay delegates. The clergy delegates are
    elected by the Clergy Conference, and the lay delegates by their respective
    parishes. The clergy began their conference earlier, on Tuesday afternoon.
    The NRA began today and will conclude on Saturday, May 19.
    Today's sessions included the delivery of two major addresses by the
    Prelate, His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, and Jack Mardoian, Esq.,
    chairman of the Executive Council.
    In his address to the Assembly the Prelate focused his attention to the
    true mission of the Church. He spoke about the "sacred duty" of the church
    "to administer spiritual and national sustenance to the children of our
    nation, to turn our community life meaningful, purposeful for our church and
    nation and our motherland. In this way we give our children a sense of
    belonging, a firm identity and consciousness, because without these the
    flame that Haig, our nation's patriarch, rooted, that emanated from the
    Illuminator, and intensified by Sahag-Mesrob will be extinguished." His
    Eminence described the mission of the church as a "continuous stream, to
    preach the Gospel, to illuminate the souls of our children, to educate their
    minds, and to kindle in them the flame of our spiritual, national and
    cultural values, so that they recognize our sacred forefathers and strive to
    emulate them."
    In his keynote address Jack Mardoian, elaborated on a number of themes
    including the upcoming dual anniversaries in 2008 (110th anniversary of the
    founding of the Armenian Church in America and 50th anniversary of the
    Prelacy's affiliation with the Great House of Cilicia), the changing needs
    of our community including the educational curriculum for our clergy, the
    need for updated and appropriate educational texts, the change in
    demographics, parish-prelacy relations, and the imperative for better
    communications. He challenged the delegates to consider these serious issues
    with the goal of finding solutions. "You have been called here as the
    delegates, clergy, and board members from your respective parishes, to
    review the programs and mission of our Prelacy. It is your work, as the
    supreme legislative body of our Prelacy, to advise the Executive Council on
    the progress of its ongoing work and to propose programs which will enhance
    our ability to serve effectively and to realize our mission as a church."

    ENTHUSIASTIC GATHERING CELEBRATES THE SECOND OF THREE ANNIVERSARY GALAS FOR
    ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN
    The second of the three regional celebrations marking the 40th
    anniversary of Archbishop Oshagan's ordination to the priesthood, took place
    last Saturday, May 12, at the Marriott at Glenpointe in Teaneck, New Jersey.
    The first event took place May 5 in Providence, Rhode Island, for the New
    England area parishes.The faithful of the Mid-Atlantic area joined His
    Eminence's family (see photo) and friends from various parts of the world,
    in celebrating the Prelate's milestone anniversary. Ambassador Armen
    Martirossian, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Armenia to the
    United Nations, attended and offered his warm congratulations recalling that
    Oshagan Srpazan was the first person to officially welcome him when he first
    arrived in New York.
    The keynote address, delivered by Judge Sarkis Teshoian, provided a
    vivid appreciation of the forty years of dedicated and creative service
    Archbishop Oshagan has given to the Church in various capacities.
    The third celebration will take place tomorrow evening, Friday, May 18,
    in Dearborn, Michigan, for the parishes in the Mid-West and the delegates
    attending the National Representative Assembly. As he did in Providence and
    New Jersey, Judge Teshoian will deliver the keynote address.

    VOLUMES 6, 7 AND 8 OF ANCIENT ARMENIAN
    LITERATURE SERIES IS PUBLISHED IN ANTELIAS
    The sixth, seventh, and eighth volumes of the 13-volume series on
    ancient Armenian literature have been published thanks to the joint efforts
    of the Catholicosate of Cilicia and the Armenian Affairs Department of the
    Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. This massive undertaking is the first
    comprehensive study of Armenian literature covering the period from the
    fifth century to the eighteenth century.
    The three most recent volumes were published with the blessings of His
    Holiness Aram I under the supervision of Dr. Zaven Yegavian, director of the
    Armenian Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. The sixth and
    seventh volumes cover Armenian literature of the eighth century. The eighth
    volume includes all of the hymns of the Armenian Church.

    CHILDREN'S BIBLE IN MODERN ARMENIAN PUBLISHED
    A "Children's Bible" has been published through the joint efforts of the
    Christian Education Department of the Catholicosate of Cilicia and the Bible
    Society of Lebanon. His Holiness Aram I praised the work which is in modern
    Armenian and includes colorful illustrations.
    The Executive Director of the Bible Society of Lebanon, Michael Bassous,
    recently visited His Holiness, at which time they discussed a number of
    future joint projects by the Bible Society and the Catholicosate's Christian
    Education Department.

    2007 DATEV INSTITUTE SUMMER PROGRAM
    The 21st annual St. Gregory of Datev Institute Christian summer studies
    program will take place July 1 to 8 in Elverson, Pennsylvania. For details
    click http://www.armenianprelacy.org/datev.

    IN CELEBRATION OF THE YEAR OF THE ARMENIAN LANGUAGE.
    His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, has
    designated 2007 as the Year of the Armenian Language. In celebration of this
    year-long tribute, each week we will offer an interesting tidbit about the
    Armenian language.

    Heed then this advice, my little son,
    That comes from your mother's heart,
    This day I place in your trust,
    The Armenian language,
    A treasure from which you must never part.

    Hold it always close like a lover
    For power to you it will impart.
    Like the sacred snows of Mount Ararat,
    Or your ancestors' ashes,
    Keep it always near your heart.

    The third and ninth stanzas of
    Message to My Child by Silva Kaputikian

    To read the message of His Holiness in Armenian click
    http://www.armenianprelacy.org/2007Encyclical.pdf .
    To read the message of His Holiness in English click
    http://www.armenianprelacy.org/021407a.htm.

    TODA Y IS FEAST OF THE ASCENSION
    Today, May 17, is the Feast of the Ascension (Hambardzoom) of our Lord
    Jesus Christ, which comes forty days after the Resurrection. According to
    Biblical scripture the Ascension took place at the village of Bethany, on
    the Mount of Olives, in the presence of our Lord's disciples. After giving
    them commandments and blessings, the Lord was "received up into heaven and
    sat on the right hand of God," (Mark 16:19), and "a cloud received him out
    of their sight," (Acts 1:9). In the early centuries of Christianity
    Hambardzoom was one of the most popular feast days for the faithful and was
    celebrated with merriment and festivities. There are many traditions
    associated with this dominical feast. Perhaps the best known in current
    times is fortune-telling (vijakakhakh), as popularly related in the opera
    Anoush.

    SUNDAY IS SECOND PALM SUNDAY
    This Sunday, May 20, is Second Palm Sunday (Yerkrort Tzaghkazard). The
    seventh Sunday of Easter is called Second Palm Sunday, based on the readings
    for that day. Beginning with New Sunday, the Armenian Church reads from the
    four Gospels every day in their proper order, and in that order the sections
    relating to Christ's entry into Jerusalem, as described in the four Gospels,
    coincides with the seventh Sunday of Easter, hence the designation "second
    Palm Sunday."

    DAILY BIBLE READINGS
    Bible readings for today, May 17, are: Luke 18:1-14; Acts 1:1-14;
    Matthew 28:16-20; Matthew 19:1-15; Mark 10:13-27.
    Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus
    had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
    And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has
    been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
    them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and
    teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I
    am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:16-20.
    For listing of the entire week's Bible readings click
    http://www.armenianprelacy.org/dbr2007.htm#051707 .

    MOTHER'S DAY AT ST. ILLUMINATOR'S CATHEDRAL
    A luncheon and program dedicated to Mother's Day will take place
    following the Divine Liturgy this Sunday, May 20, 2007, at St. Illuminator's
    Cathedral, 221 E. 27th Street, New York City. Honored as the Mothers of the
    Year will be Yn. Vartouhi Der Kaloustian, Mrs. Azadouhi Vartanian, and Mrs.
    Lusig Khatchadour. For information contact the church, 212-689-5880.

    80th ANNIVERSARY OF LINDBERGH FLIGHT
    Monday, May 21, is the 80th anniversary of the historic nonstop solo
    transatlantic flight made by the 25-year-old Charles A. Lindbergh. His
    3,610-mile trip from New York, aboard the single engine monoplane, Spirit of
    St. Louis, took 33 hours and 32 minutes, much of it through sleet. He landed
    at Le Bourget Airfield near Paris on May 21, 1927. Lindbergh and his plane
    came back to New York by ship.

    CALENDAR OF EVENTS
    May 18-40th anniversary of ordination of Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan in
    Midwest will take place at the National Representative Assembly.

    May 20-"Hello Ellis Island" and Reception, St. Stephen's Church Hall,
    Watertown, Massachusetts. $20 per person. Information, 617-924-7562.

    May 20-Divine Liturgy, Luncheon and Program dedicated to Mother's Day, St.
    Illuminator's Cathedral, New York City, Sunday, May 20. Honored mothers: Yn.
    Vartouhi Der Kaloustian, Mrs. Azadouhi Vartanian, and Mrs. Lusig
    Khatchadour. For information, 212-689-5880.

    July 1-8-St. Gregory of Datev Institute, 21st annual summer Christian
    studies program for junior and senior high school students, at St. Mary of
    Providence Center in Elverson, Pennsylvania. For information click
    http://www.armenianprelacy.org/datev.

    July 7-St. Gregory Church, Indian Orchard, Massachusetts, gathering at the
    home of the parish priest, Rev. Father Bedros Shetilian.

    July 21-Sts. Vartanantz Church Ladies Guild, Providence, Rhode Island, and
    ARS Ani Chapter present "A Hye Summer Night 2." For information
    401-286-8107.

    August 7-Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual golf
    tournament at Blackstone Country Club.

    August 19-Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual
    church picnic.

    September 27-Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey, 5th Annual Golf
    Outing at River Vale Country Club, River Vale, New Jersey. Registration
    begins at 11 a.m. and tee time at 1 p.m. For information, 201-943-2950.

    September 29-Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, 50th
    anniversary banquet at Pleasant Valley.

    December 1-Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual
    church bazaar.

    December 9-St. Stephen's Church, Watertown, Massachusetts, 50th anniversary
    celebration. For information, (617) 924-7562.

    Visit our website at www.armenianprelacy.org
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