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Western Prelacy News - 10/10/2014

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  • Western Prelacy News - 10/10/2014

    October 10, 2014
    Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
    H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
    6252 Honolulu Avenue
    La Crescenta, CA 91214
    Tel: (818) 248-7737
    Fax: (818) 248-7745
    E-mail: [email protected]
    Website: www.westernprelacy.org


    FEAST OF THE HOLY TRANSLATORS AND ARMENIAN CULTURE MONTH AT FORTY MARTYRS
    CHURCH IN ORANGE COUNTY

    Saturday, October 11, 2014 is the Feast of the Holy Translators, and
    October is designated as Armenian Culture Month.
    These joint occasions are celebrated each year at Forty Martyrs
    Church in Orange County with Episcopal Divine Liturgy and a Book Fair,
    organized by the parish and Ari Guiragos Minassian School.
    Thus, on Sunday, October 12, by the invitation of H.E. Archbishop
    Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, Divine Liturgy will be celebrated by the
    Prelate of Aleppo, H.E. Archbishop Shahan Sarkissian, who as we reported is
    visiting the Western U.S. to speak to the community about the situation in
    Syria. Archbishop Shahan Sarkissian will also deliver the sermon.
    Following the Divine Liturgy, the Prelate will conduct the opening
    ceremony of the book fair at "Gugasian" Hall. There will be a cultural
    program and presentation of Armenian costumes by AG Minassian students, who
    will also participate in the Divine Liturgy.

    ***

    COMMUNITY FORUM WITH PRELATE OF ALEPPO

    On Wednesday, October 15, a community forum with H.E. Archbishop
    Shahan Sarkissian, Prelate of Aleppo will be held at St. Mary's Church
    "Armenak Der Bedrossian" Hall in Glendale beginning at 7:30 p.m. (500 S.
    Central Ave.)
    The forum is being held under the auspices of the religious leaders
    of the Armenian Apostolic, Catholic, and Evangelical Churches. It has been
    organized by the Syrian Armenian Relief Fund (SARF) and Syrian Armenian
    Schools' Alumni Associations of Los Angeles.
    Archbishop Sarkissian will report on the latest developments of the
    Syrian Armenian Community. There will also be a video presentation.
    We invite our faithful to attend this important forum and to hear
    the information and message of the visiting Prelate on the conditions of our
    brethren in Syria and how we can lend our support.

    ***

    ST. GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR CHURCH OF SAN FRANCISCO HONORS COMMUNITY MEMBERS
    AT ANNUAL BANQUET

    -ARCHPRIEST FR. NAREG SHRIKIAN AND KHAJAG SARKISSIAN
    RECEIVE INAUGURAL LEADERSHIP AWARD

    On Saturday, October 4, 2014, the parish community of St. Gregory
    the Illuminator Church of San Francisco gathered at Saroyan Hall of the
    Khatchaturian Armenian Community Center to celebrate the anniversary of the
    church and to honor Archpriest Fr. Nareg Shrikian and Mr. Khajag Sarkissian
    with the inaugural Leadership Award for their service and contributions to
    the community.
    H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, presided over the
    annual banquet, which was organized by the Pastor and Board of Trustees, and
    conveyed his blessings to the honorees and to the community. Executive
    Council members Dr. Navasart Kazazian and Mr. Nerses Teshoian were among the
    250 guests in attendance.
    The Master of Ceremonies for the evening, KZV Armenian School Alumni
    and St. Gregory Church Board of Trustees member Naira Der Kureghian,
    welcomed the guests and invited the Prelate for the invocation.
    Prior to the start of the formal program, a tribute video was shown
    highlighting the lives and accomplishments of the honorees. In his remarks
    on behalf of the Board of Trustees, Chairman Mr. Rostom Aintablian
    referenced Rev. Shrikian and Mr. Sarkissian as the "Builder" and the
    "Godfather."
    Mr. Sarkis Sarkissian, Khajag Sarkissian's nephew, delivered an
    impassioned salute to his uncle, recalling the deeply rooted pains of the
    Armenian Genocide and the humble beginnings of a man who would go on to
    dedicate his time to his family and his community.
    Archpriest Fr. Khoren Habeshian, Pastor of St. Gregory Armenian
    Church, thanked the Prelate for joining the community in honoring its
    members, and invited His Eminence to deliver his message.
    The Prelate greeted the guests and congratulated the recipients of
    the Leadership Award. He noted that as children of God and members of the
    Armenian Apostolic Church we are one body, with our Lord Jesus Christ as our
    head, and that each one of us has an important role to play in the health of
    that body, within our homes and within our communities through our local
    churches and schools. The Prelate underscored that the Armenian people have
    succeeded in preserving our ancient faith, language, and customs, because we
    have individuals who selflessly serve and actively strive to preserve and
    promote our ethnic and religious identity. "Today we are delighted to honor
    two individuals who truly embody this spirit of service, Archpriest Fr.
    Nareg Shrikian and Mr. Khajag Sarkissian", said His Eminence, and went on to
    extol the lifetime of dedicated service of the two honorees. "In the
    inspiring example of our evening's honorees and of generations who have
    served since the founding of St. Gregory Church, may you all collectively
    pledge your commitment to actively participate in and make a positive impact
    on our church and community life", concluded the Prelate.
    His Eminence was then joined at the podium by Fr. Khoren and Mr.
    Aintablian to present the Leadership Award s. On behalf of the Prelacy,
    the Prelate presented letters of blessing to the honorees. Ms. Azadouhie
    Bidanian, a relative of Fr. Nareg, accepted the award and letter of blessing
    on his behalf given that he could not be in attendance, and read his remarks
    thanking the Prelate and parish for the honor.
    The official program ended with the singing of Giligia and the
    Armenian national anthem. The evening included a performance by soprano
    singer Helene Zindarsian and Annig Zindarsian, accompanied on the piano by
    Carolyn Renshaw.
    On Sunday, October 5, the Prelate celebrated Divine Liturgy and
    delivered the sermon at St. Gregory Church. His Eminence tied in the day's
    Gospel reading on the authority of Christ to the service of the prior
    evening's banquet honorees, stating that although ultimate authority rests
    with our Lord, God delegates authority to certain individuals to serve as
    our leaders. Noting that with authority must come humility, the Prelate
    said, "Last night's honorees, Archpriest Fr. Nareg Shrikian and Mr. Khajag
    Sarkissian are wonderful examples of authority, or leadership, with
    humility. They both served and continue to serve faithfully and humbly, with
    authority delegated by God and driven by our faith and national values.
    Indeed they have left an indelible mark with their life of service. Let us
    too, in their example, serve humbly and devotedly, with sincere motives and
    without any expectations in return."
    The Prelate began his sermon by telling of Jesus cleansing the
    Temple of those who turned it into a marketplace, noting that today also
    there are those who wish and attempt to profit from our sacred houses of
    prayer for their personal gain. And so "we must be attentive and ensure that
    the members of our churches and national institutions serve solely to
    glorify God and to spread the truth and light of our faith and heritage".
    Expounding on the Gospel passage of the day, His Eminence imparted the
    lesson and message of the reading to the congregation, stating that we
    accept Christ as our Lord and place our absolute trust in Him and in His
    authority because of our faith and belief in God's Word, breathed to us
    through the Scriptures. But because of our human and sinful nature, at times
    we struggle to submit to authority and our pride and arrogance leads us to
    close our eyes and ears to the truth and even to defy the truth. Rather than
    challenging authority, reality, and righteousness, we must instead humbly
    acknowledge and accept the truth, and live and serve according to God's
    commandments, to our church canons, and to the national values bequeathed
    from generation to generation for the centuries. We must humbly and fully
    submit to God's divine authority and holy will and open wide our spiritual
    eyes and ears to the Truth that our Savior Jesus Christ is Lord of Lords and
    King of Kings, concluded the Prelate.

    ***
    TRIBUTE TO ELDERS AND HOLY TRANSLATORS
    AT PRELACY LADIES AUXILIARY LUNCHEON

    In celebration of the Year of the Elder proclamation of His Holiness
    Aram I, the Western Prelacy Ladies Auxiliary hosted a special luncheon on
    Thursday, October 9, 2014 at the "Dikran and Zarouhie Der Ghazarian" Hall,
    presided over by H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, and with
    the participation of over one hundred guests. Among the guests were
    Archpriest Fr. Nareg Pehlivanian, ARF Central Committee and Hamazkayin
    Central Executive member Dr. Viken Yacoubian, Vahan and Anoush Chamlian
    School Principal Dr. Talin Kargodorian and Vice-Principal Mrs. Rita
    Kaprielian.
    The luncheon began with remarks by Ladies Auxiliary Vice-Chair Mrs.
    Vartoug Avedikian who welcomed the guests and then introduced the day's
    keynote speaker, prominent educator and Chamlian School teacher Ms. Ani
    Berberian.
    After expressing her appreciation for the opportunity to address the
    gathering, Ms. Berberian focused her speech on a segment from the Pontiff's
    proclamation on respecting, honoring, and caring for our elderly. Looking
    back in history, said Ms. Berberian, elders have been entrusted with
    leadership roles because of their wisdom and experience. She noted the
    coinciding of the event with the eve of the Feast of the Holy Translators,
    stating that our translator forefathers, with their vast wisdom and
    knowledge, had a fundamental role in the formation of our national life. In
    today's families and society, elders are a blessing and guides for our
    youth, she said, giving as an example many young parents who rely heavily on
    grandparents for the care and instruction of their children, from whom they
    learn culture, traditions, and goodness. Thus, she stressed, our older
    generations are worthy of our utmost care, love, and respect, from all and
    especially from younger generations. From the time of Catholicos Nerses the
    Great, our Patriarchs and leaders have demonstrated and continue to
    demonstrate great love and care for our elders by establishing old age homes
    and providing for their needs. Ms. Berberian regretfully noted that in
    today's society, that reverence for elders is in decline, and so, it is more
    important than ever to heed the message of His Holiness. She concluded by
    stating that Chamlian School has a beautiful tradition in this regards,
    telling of the annual visit of students to Ararat Home at the start of the
    year to perform recitations and songs for the elderly residents.
    In appreciation for her interesting and informative talk, Mrs.
    Vartoug Avedikian presented Ms. Berberian with a bouquet of flowers on
    behalf of the Ladies Auxiliary, and the Prelate gifted the keynote speaker
    with a pearl cross.
    During the ensuing lunch, Chamlian School 7th and 8th grade students
    presented a cultural program of recitations and musical selections on the
    piano. Remarks were delivered by the Armenian club representative and
    Student Council president. The latter thanked the Prelate for his regular
    visits to their school and for his constant care and attention, and invited
    his classmates to join him in presenting His Eminence with a memento. The
    Prelate in turn presented the students with a book dedicated to Armenian
    mothers.
    The official program concluded with the Prelate's message. His
    Eminence began his remarks by individually commending the Ladies Auxiliary,
    keynote speaker, students, and guests for the physically and spiritually
    nourishing event. He stated that the event was purposefully held on the eve
    of the Feast of the Holy Translators to highlight the correlation between
    our elders and Holy Translators with regards to their valuable contributions
    to our lives. The Prelate invited the guests to participate in evening
    service at Holy Martyrs Church in Encino the following evening and in Divine
    Liturgy at Forty Martyrs Church in Orange County on Sunday, both in
    celebration of the Feast of the Holy Translators and with the participation
    of H.E. Archbishop Shahan Sarkissian, Prelate of Aleppo, who will address
    the community on the situation in Syria. He also urged the guests to lend
    their support to our brothers and sisters in Syria during events planned on
    the visit of the Prelate.
    The Prelate highlighted the crucial role of the Translators in
    developing and preserving our Christian faith. He noted that the first
    sentence translated into Armenian, "to know wisdom and instruction." is
    itself an invitation to learn and increase our knowledge, which we do from
    our elders. Elders teach us rules and regulations, they teach us about our
    history, to pray, and to remain allegiant to our traditions and cultural
    heritage, values that we are obliged to uphold today in our individual and
    collective lives. It is the responsibility of parents to instill in their
    children these values, as well as respect and care for our elders, for as it
    says in Proverbs, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is
    old he will not depart from it". Elders are a gift to society with much to
    teach with their vast knowledge and life experiences, said the Prelate, and
    cited a fitting African proverb that says "When an elder dies, it is as if
    an entire library has burned to the ground". His Eminence concluded by
    expressing hope that our centuries-old values are transmitted to our youth
    and that our new generations will protect and preserve those values. The
    event came to a close with the Prelate's benediction.

    ***

    ARF "ZAVARIAN" GOMIDEH MEMBERS MEET WITH THE PRELATE

    On Thursday, October 9, 2014, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian,
    Prelate, welcomed a delegation of newly elected members of the local ARF
    "Zavarian Gomideh".
    The Prelate and representatives, Mr. Hrayr Sherikian, Mr. Onnik
    Hairapetyan, and Dr. Carmen Ohanian, discussed matters concerning the
    Armenian community of the Crescenta Valley and the possibility of
    collaborative efforts.
    The members gave an overview of the Gomideh's educational, cultural,
    and social service within the community and of their future endeavors.
    His Eminence commended the service of the members and the mission of
    the Gomideh, and expressed the Prelacy's support. At the conclusion of the
    visit, the Prelate presented the guests with mementos.


    From: Baghdasarian
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